Portland, Oregon Events & Festivals

Whether you're partial to art or CART racing, jazz, blues or microbrews, you're sure to find an experience to remember within Portland Oregon's event and festival calendar.

A complete list of what’s happening in Portland is available on the city’s online calendar, where you’ll find hundreds of festivals, concerts, theatrical performances and gallery exhibitions. All dates and events are subject to change; please call to confirm or check the websites listed below before booking your trip to Portland.

Early May
Cinco de Mayo Celebration: Celebrate the culture and excitement of Mexico with Hispanic entertainment, music, dancers and food. Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland. 503.232.7550.
www.cincodemayo.org

Late May
Memorial Day Weekend in the Wine Country: Some 50 Yamhill County wineries offer samples of new releases, barrel tastings, food and music. 503.646.2985.
www.yamhillwine.com

The Month of June
Portland Rose Festival: Fireworks, parades, auto races, waterfront festival, juried arts show and more. Events take place throughout the Portland area. 503.227.2681.
www.rosefestival.org

Early June
Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade: The nation’s second-largest all-floral parade features spectacular floats, many of which are animated. Equestrian units and bands round out this nationally televised event. Downtown Portland. 503.227.2681.
www.rosefestival.org

Mid-June
Portland Arts Festival: More than 120 regional and national artists, live music and theater, local wines and microbrews, as well as hands-on art for kids. South Park Blocks, Portland. 503.227.2681.
www.rosefestival.org

Fourth of July Weekend
17th Annual Waterfront Blues Festival: With 100 performances on four stagest, it is the second largest blues festival in the nation. Spectacular fireworks display on July 4. Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland. 503.973.3378.
www.waterfrontbluesfest.com

Mid-July
52nd Annual Portland Scottish Highland Games: Bagpipers, Highland dancers and athletes. Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, Ore. 503.293.8501.
www.phga.org

Late July
The Annual Oregon Brewers Festival: North America’s largest gathering of craft brewers. Music, entertainment, and tastings of more than 70 different brews. Gov.Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland. 503.778.5917.
www.oregonbrewfest.com

Early August
Mt. Hood Jazz Festival: Oregon’s largest jazz festival features a lineup of world-renowned musicians in an intimate outdoor setting. Gresham Main City Park, Gresham, Ore. 503.665.3827.
www.mthoodjazz.com

Late July-Early August
Rose Pedal: This weeklong bicycling event culminates with Bridge Pedal, a 28-mile ride that crisscrosses eight of the 10 bridges spanning the Willamette River. Other activities include “Bike-In Movies,” during which area parks become drive-in theaters for cyclists, and children’s bike events. Throughout Portland. 503.281.9198.
www.providence.org

Early August
Homowo Festival of African Arts: Music, dance, crafts and food from several African nations. South Park Blocks, Portland. 503.288.3025.
www.homowo.org

Mid-September
Time Based Art (TBA) Festival: The Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) will bring some of the world’s most sought after and talked about artists and art companies to Portland for performances in dance, music, theater and more. Venues throughout Portland. 503.242.1419.
www.pica.org

Early October
53rd Annual Greek Festival: Food booths, tavern, live entertainment, folk dancing, a gourmet bake shop, and church tours. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Portland. 503.234.0468.
www.goholytrinity.org

Early October
Portland Marathon: One of America’s best marathons, the Portland Marathon also includes a 26.2-mile walk, a five-mile run, a 10K walk, and a kids’ run. Downtown Portland. 503.226.1111.
www.portlandmarathon.org

November Dates TBD
Wine Country Thanksgiving: Some 50 Yamhill County wineries are open to the public, including some that are open only twice a year. New releases, tastings straight from the barrels, entertainment, food and wine. 503.646.2985.
www.yamhillwine.com

Late November-December 31 (Closed Thanksgiving and Dec. 25)
Christmas at the Pittock Mansion: Tour this grand and elegant Portland landmark, which is extravagantly decorated with a different theme each year. Pittock Mansion, Portland. 503.823.3624.
www.pittockmansion.org

Late November
Macy's Holiday Parade: Floats, marching bands, horse-drawn carriages, celebrities and Santa Claus. Downtown Portland. 503.241.5329.

November 28-December 30 (Closed Dec. 25)
The Grotto’s Festival of Lights: 250,000 lights, puppet shows and a petting zoo set the stage for the largest choral festival in the Pacific Northwest. The Grotto, Portland. 503.254.7371.
www.thegrotto.org

December(Closed Dec. 24-25)
ZooLights Festival: See a dazzling display of sparkling lights and animal silhouettes. Ride the decorated zoo train. Oregon Zoo, Portland. 503.226.1561.
www.oregonzoo.org

December 1-31 (Closed Dec. 25)
Christmas at the Pittock Mansion. See description under November events.

December (selected dates)
Parade of Christmas Ships: Now in its 49th year, this fleet of 55-60 brightly lit boats parade on both the Willamette and Columbia rivers during the holiday season. Visit the Christmas Ships’ website for dates, times and best viewing areas.
www.christmasships.org