Cheap Things to Do in Portland for History Buffs

Open every Saturday and Sunday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.

EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. Join us in the Pearl to celebrate Spring with fun activities, treats and a hug and picture with the Easter Bunny. Smiles, laughter and some sweet treats will bring a burst of energy to the streets throughout the day as the Easter Bunny goes out…

EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. Mass suspended until 4/14. Celebrate Easter Sunday at The Grotto, a serene woodland sanctuary in Northeast Portland featuring 62 acres of botanical gardens. Mass celebrating Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord will occur at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. April 12, 2020. Main…

This Easter Egg hunt features no hard boiled eggs — just cash prizes! There will be 50 eggs, each containing a golden ticket for up to $50 in Pix Patisserie treats. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday at this all-ages event. (Limit is one egg per guest.)

EVENT POSTPONED. Please visit the event website for current information. Join Forest Park Conservancy’s celebration of the 50th annual Earth Day! Saturday, April 25, volunteers will be meeting up at trailheads throughout Forest Park, working to mend the trails and protect the forest from future invasive species. (Bringing friends and family is strongly encouraged!) After…

Celebrate wildlife everywhere with the Oregon Zoo’s annual Party for the Planet! With fun educational activities, up-close experiences with ambassador animals, roaming entertainment and more, Party for the Plannet offers something for everyone who wants to celebrate the Earth’s biodiversity and take action to protect wildlife.

Join Friends of Tryon Creek at this annual Earth Day and Birthday celebration at Tryon Creek State Park. Come help the park’s “Eco Crew” remove invasive species and tidy the trails, then enjoy birthday cake, family-friendly activities and prizes for participants.

The Portland Flea + Food is a monthly market held on the last Sunday of the month in Portland, Oregon. Every market features 80+ local artists, makers, and curators of the best vintage, handmade and locally-sourced goods in town.

Held the day before Mother’s Day, the Camas Plant and Garden Fair draws in thousands of people to enjoy and explore an amazing selection of plants, trees, garden art and supplies, and much more provided by local growers and vendors. Kids’ activities, live music, entertainment, fresh food, and the shops and restaurants of Downtown Camas…

EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. The St. Johns Bizarre is a uniquely crafted celebration that kicks off the summer street fair season in Portland with music, kids’ activities and more. Held annually on the second Saturday in May, the Bizarre brings music, crafts and food to the crowds attending the…

This family-friendly bike ride features local vendors and live entertainment.

Get ready for the first Sunday Parkways ride of the year! Join bicyclists as they cruise along inner Southeast Portland and enjoy a delicious dose of summer time magic. This 7-mile route will explore the neighborhood greenways of Ankeny, Clinton, Lincoln, Salmon, Taylor streets and more, passing by Laurelhurst Park, Ivon Park, Colonel Summers Park…

For more than 30 years, the Festival of Flowers at Pioneer Courthouse Square (in the heart of downtown Portland) has been one of city’s most renowned festivals. Every year, the Square works with a local artist or design firm to create a masterpiece of vibrant color utilizing more than 24,000 flowers and plant material, filling…

Every year, Pedalpalooza brings over four weeks of biking fun with special rides and events throughout Portland. With over 100 different events (most organized by individuals), bikers of all persuasions are likely to find many events of interest. Nearly all events are free.

Since the very beginning of the Rose Festival back in 1907, visiting ships and other fleet-related elements (like submarines) have been making their way to Portland’s waterfront. The City of Portland is known to be a favorite port of call for military (and non-military) visitors — and citizens enjoy making these visitors welcome! One of…

This annual rose show is the nation’s largest and long-running rose show, bringing more than 4,000 blooms to Lloyd Center in Northeast Portland. Explore a huge variety of roses, from the quarter-inch micro-minis to the 8 inch standard blooms.

The Rose Festival is proud to host the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races, an event that has been bringing an exciting Chinese tradition to Portland for more than two decades, beginning in 1989. Held on the Willamette River near the Hawthorne Bridge, the races feature exciting four-team heats held every nine minutes. More than…

Take a closer look at this year’s Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade floats at the Grand Floral Float Showcase on Southwest Naito Parkway, adjacent to CityFair. These unique floats are meticulously decorated with natural materials like seeds and coconut flakes in addition to live flowers.

Every June, the Portland Pride Festival & Parade makes a name for itself — and LGBTQ+ community members — all over town.

GeekCraft Expo is a curated craft market specializing in handmade, “geek”-themed crafts of all kinds; clothing, accessories, toys, home decoration, furniture, art . . . if it’s geeky and made by hand, it can be found at a GeekCraft Expo. Cosplay is highly encouraged and admission is free (you just need to pre-register).

Every June, thousands of cyclists cruise commando through Portland streets as part of the World Naked Bike Ride.

Join Sunday Parkways in this 9.5-mile loop of North Portland, which will pass by Arbor Lodge Park, Peninsula Park & Rose Garden, Kenton Park, McCoy Park and Columbia Annex. An accessible ride (by EveryOne Rides) will return and be located at Arbor Lodge Park, adjacent to the universally accessible Harper’s Playground. To view the complete…

The Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series will return for its 30th year on Tuesdays in July and August! From noon-1:00pm enjoy music from some of Portland’s best regional and local musical talent. With eight FREE concerts, dancing, some of Portland’s favorite food vendors at Carts on the Square and interactive activities, the Square is sure…

Bring a blanket or chair to enjoy the fourth annual Portland Picnic in Westmoreland Park. Featuring tastings from an array of 100 wines from around the world. There will also be beer available from Level Beer and nonalcoholic beverages to enjoy. A great selection of local vendors will be offering tasty food, live music, and…

The Fete de la Bastille is the West Coast’s largest Bastille Day celebration. The festival is free and open to the public and attracts as many 8,000 participants. A fun tradition during this festival is the Annual Waiters Race. The popular Portland Waiters Race returns to Bastille Day and will start at 2 p.m. Racers…

On five Friday evenings in July and August, the Square will be transformed into Portland’s largest outdoor movie theater for the entire community to enjoy! Flicks on the Bricks will kick-off on Friday, July 17 and continue through August 14 on Friday nights. IKEA will offer movie-goers a chance to sit in the “Best Seat…

Oregon Northwest Merfest is a festival for the entire family that brings awareness to conservation with a fun “under the sea” theme. Join Oregon Mermaids for a day of mermaids, pirates, sea-themed entertainers, puppet shows and ocean-themed yoga. Oregon Mermaids impart their love of the briny deep, its wildlife, the ocean beaches and conservation information…

Head to Gateway in Northeast Portland for Sunday Parkways’ 4.8-mile loop of the neighborhood. One of the shorter routes of the summer, Gateway’s Sunday Parkways is a great option for families and friends who want to walk (instead of bike) at the event. Parks along the route include Hazelwood Hydro Park, Gateway Discovery Park, Knott…

Celebrate the funky charm of one of Southeast Portland’s oldest neighborhoods at the Division/Clinton District’s annual Street Fair and Parade. The morning parade along Division and Clinton Streets will kick off a full day of live music, family fun, children’s events, great food, interesting art, craft and community booths, sidewalk sales for bargain hunters, and…

Portland’s biannual art and craft fair boasts unique handmade wares from 225+ local vendors.

Stroll down Stark Street and enjoy district businesses, vendors, a farmer’s market and family-friendly entertainment and activities.

Join the Oregon Chinese Coalition for the city’s annual Chinese Festival in the Square! Celebrate Chinese American culture and enjoy nonstop entertainment, delicious Chinese food, authentic arts, crafts and much more.

The 23rd Annual Elephant Garlic Festival is a three-day festival celebrating, you guessed it, elephant garlic! The family-friendly event includes a parade, 10K run, live music, kids play area, crafts vendors and more. Fun stinks!

Oregon’s annual Pan African Festival celebrates the presence, resilience, strength, and influence of Pan Africans (Africans, Caribbean and African Americans) in Oregon. We believe the festival is a cultural vehicle to galvanize, mobilize and empower Diaspora Africans in Oregon. It is a springboard to community capacity building, to increase understanding within and between communities and…

Portland’s Multnomah Village is filled with character – as well as dozens of unique shops, galleries, restaurants, arts and more. The annual Multnomah Days Parade (dubbed “the biggest little parade in Portland”) is the neighborhood’s old-school street fair, starting with a parade and featuring vendors and performers from throughout the city (and beyond) the rest…

The PDX Adult Soapbox Derby at Mt. Tabor Park pits grown-up kids against each other every August in pursuit of speed and laughs.

India Festival brings India to downtown Portland! This festival is a celebration of India’s Independence Day with live music, dance, food and other entertainment. India Festival is hosted by the India Cultural Association, a non-profit dedicated to enhancing Indian cultural awareness.

Sunday Parkways heads to the historic North Park Blocks forit s 7-mile route along Portland’s Green Loop. This ride will pass by multiple cultural hotspots, including the Portland Art Museum, North and South Park Blocks, Lovejoy Fountain, Portland State University and the city’s Central Eastside. To view the complete route (and find more rides), visit…

The Art in the Pearl annual Fine Arts & Crafts Festival occurs every year on Labor Day weekend in the Pearl District’s North Park Blocks. The Festival is free and requires no tickets for entry. Art In The Pearl has been named one of the top 10 Arts and Crafts Festivals in the country and…

Enjoy Portland’s annual Dragon Boat Festival, featuring dragon boat racing along with food vendors, a beer garden and more. The event features as many as 96 dragon boat teams from all over the world who race in Taiwan-style dragon boats.

Come out and enjoy the last Sunday Parkways of the season with this 7.6-mile ride in Northeast Portland! Enjoy the walking/biking boulevard of Ainsworth along with the neighborhood greenways of Going street, Holman street and Alberta Court. Parks along this route include Alberta Park, Woodlawn Park, Fernhill Park and Khunamokwst Park. To view the complete…

The Portland Greek Festival is celebrated as the largest Greek Festival on the west coast with more than 15,000 people attending. This cultural experience features Greek food, music, dance and shopping! The Agora – the Greek marketplace features imported merchandise, clothing, jewelry, icons, flokati rugs and cookbooks. Among the fabulous food, exclusive cooking demonstrations, and…

This annual race series consists of paddlers piloting a gaggle of gigantic gourds through a water course.

Honor Veterans Day with Portland’s annual Veterans Day Parade. The Parade begins at 9:30 a.m. at Northeast 40th and Northeast Sandy Boulevard and travels down Sandy, ending at Sandy & 48th in front of Ross Hollywood Chapel, which is the site of the Veterans Memorial Flag pole. At the conclusion of the parade, there is…

Born in Lodz, Poland, Shlomo Katz immigrated to Palestine when he was eight years old in 1945. Katz developed an original technique of oil painting on a gilded metal surface. The result recalls medieval icons on the one hand, and oriental miniatures on the other. These ancient resources combine to form a totally modern image…

Looptworks uses only what already exists to create new functional products (including upcycled bags, apparel and accessories). Looptworks is committed to upcycling and closed loop solutions. Its intent is to reduce and eliminate waste in its industry headed to the landfill. Participate and witness the Looptworks upcycling production and circular economy firsthand. Tour Schedule &…

Participating artists: Erik Sandgren, Sara Siestreem, Lillian Pitt, Genevieve Robertson, Fred Wah, Rita Wong, Santigie Fofana-Dura, Sapata Fofana-Dura, Ka’ila Farrell-Smith, Jonnel Covault. Description: Artists offer diverse perspectives on the river that shaped the Northwest. Through the use of a wide range of media, including print, video, painting, fiber weaving, poetry and installation, Knowing the Columbia…

Blue Sky is pleased to present a solo exhibition of work by John Baldessari from the collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation that highlights the iconic conceptual artist’s use of photography from the 1980s into the 2010s. Master of Appropriation comes at a pivotal time after Baldessari’s passing earlier this year, as…

A comedy open mic hosted by Eddie Churnetski and Benton Crider. 18+ until 8 p.m., 21+ after 8 p.m. If you are under 21 and would like to go up early, please message the Trash Amp Productions Facebook page.

Join up on a 30-minute tour of Saké Brewery. Starts 1pm, 2pm & 3pm