March Events
The transition from winter to spring brings special seasonal celebrations, arts festivals and plenty of food and drink to The Rose City.
Springtime in Portland brings back several of Portland’s favorite events. The month of March plays host to celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day, womxn brewers of beer, cider and mead at the SheBrew Festival, and music events and festivals. Explore our top picks of events in March, or search the events calendar to see everything on offer.
Portland Saturday Market
On any given Saturday from the beginning of March to the day before Christmas, shoppers can tap their heels to bluegrass pickers and jazz musicians and sample ethnic eats like falafel or kielbasa while browsing wares handcrafted by more than 250 vendors. The Portland Saturday Market combines an art show, a live street concert and an open-air bazaar. The riverside market has been a beloved Portland tradition since 1974.
Portland Golf Show
Find something to help improve your swing at the Portland Golf Show, the longest-running golf show on the west coast. Held at the Oregon Convention Center the golf show features great prices on name-brand equipment as well as swing seminars, expert interviews and tests of skill challenges where participants compete for prizes and golf-getaways.
Portland Seafood & Wine Festival
Scheduled smack dab in the middle of the Dungeness crab season, the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival celebrates both the bounty harvested from the Pacific Ocean and the state’s vineyards. The family-friendly event is held in the Portland Expo Center, where you can browse exhibitors, sample Oregon wines, and enjoy fresh Oregon seafood.
SheBrew Festival
Every year the Oregon Brew Crew, one of the oldest and largest home brewing clubs in the United States, holds the SheBrew Festival. SheBrews is an event focusing on womxn in the craft beer, cider and mead world and kicks off Women’s History Month in March. The brewer competition is not only a celebration of female brewers, but it is also an event for all genders honoring equality, with proceeds going to the Human Rights Campaign and the Oregon Brew Crew.
Winter Music Festival
With two stages, seven bands and a large dance floor, the Winter Music Festival showcases performers from all over the United States while supporting local charities. Held in the Milwaukie-Portland Elks Lodge, this festival has evolved from hosting mainly blues performances to encompassing honky-tonk, singer-songwriters and rock, as well.
St. Patrick’s Day
It’s no surprise that always-green Portland has plenty of St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Led by Paddy’s Irish Pub, the annual St. Patrick’s Festival includes plenty of live music, Irish dance performances, corned beef and cabbage and plenty more inside the pub and a special festival tent outside. Bring the whole family to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, where you can cheer on bagpipers and local organizations marching together to celebrate all things Irish.
You might also catch locals and visitors — around 35,000 — taking to the street for the Shamrock Run, the second-largest running and walking event on the West Coast and a Portland tradition since 1979. If running (or walking) isn’t your thing you can join the spectators in cheering on the participants and stay for a pint and live music for the after-party.
Ticket to Dine
Explore Portland restaurants with the annual “Ticket to Dine” event sponsored by Travel Portland. With every entrée purchased at a participating restaurant, patrons will receive one Ticket to Dine — a scratch-off ticket that could reveal one of several big prizes.
Bricks Cascade
Experience the Northwest’s biggest Lego convention at Bricks Cascade, the annual celebration of the artful makings of Lego creations. The convention is family-friendly, with thousands of amazing and artistic creations on display and is held in the Oregon Convention Center. Attendees can build something, or buy from specialty vendors with custom-made items, mini-figures, and even vintage Lego sets.
Worst Day of the Year Ride
Though locals love biking around Portland at anytime of the year, in any weather, thousands of bike lovers take to the streets during the brisk days of late winter to celebrate that love in the annual Worst Day of the Year Ride. Riders have a choice of joining a 15-mile (24 km) urban course or a 42-mile (67 km) hill climb challenge course. There are prizes for best costume, a halftime party and an after-party with a hot soup bar to warm you up after your chilly ride.
Spring Events and Activities
Enjoy the arrival of spring in Portland with these colorful things to do.
Where to Find Portland Cherry Blossoms
Sakura blooms take over the waterfront each spring; here’s how to enjoy the best of Portland’s cherry blossom season.
Spend Spring Break in Portland
Plan an epic spring break in Portland with our list of activities for families, friends, couples and solo travelers.
Best Spots for Spring Flowers
Find your favorite blooms, from roses to rhododendrons and tulips to trilliums, with our guide to spring flowers in Portland.
More March Events 2024
Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour
Old Town Pizza & Brewing is built directly above Portland's infamous Shanghai tunnels. The same tunnels that were used to house kidnapped sailors during the early 1900s. Book a tour and explore the rich history of Portland, and the legacy of Old Town.
Ticket to Dine
Portland’s “Ticket to Dine” offers patrons scratch-off tickets and a chance to win big prizes for the whole month of March.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
Colorful fields reminiscent of Holland burst with acres of tulips in full bloom at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn.
Black Artists of Oregon
Black Artists of Oregon, highlighting and celebrating the work of Black artists in and outside the collection, will deepen awareness of the talented artists that have shaped and inspired artists regionally and nationally. The exhibition is the first of its kind to consider the work of Black artists collectively in Oregon, often underrepresented and unacknowledged….
Karaoke From Hell
The Northwest's original live karaoke band, Karaoke From Hell, has been rocking Portland for over 25 years and counting. The catalog boasts nearly 700 songs for you to sing, covering every genre from show tunes to skate punk. Catch it every Monday at Dante's and every Thursday at The Spare Room.
Kinkfest
KinkFest is an annual, 3-day event celebrating sexual diversity and the BDSM, fetish and leather communities. KinkFest offers 50+ educational classes, afternoon and evening play parties, and a huge vendor mall filled with products and services from local and national leather, fetish and kink businesses. KinkFest welcomes ALL facets of the diverse leather, BDSM, fetish…
Rip City Remix
Remix has an inherent tie to music but also speaks to the character of our organization. A remix can alter expectations. It has the challenge of defying convention. It can also mean improving, assigning new value to something original, like putting cereal on a donut, like a basketball player adapting to the game on the…
Hop Into Spring
Welcome spring with outdoor lawn games, magic shows, animal encounters and more at Hop into Spring. Hop into Spring is a celebration of the spring season geared toward the 10-and-under crowd. Free with zoo admission.
Portland Indigenous Marketplace
Portland Indigenous Marketplace will host the Spring Indigenous Marketplace. There will be over 30 vendors, food, art exhibits, and so much more. Trimet: #6, #14, #15, #70
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
Portland Thorns FC
Watch the Thorns play at Providence Park. Established in 2012, the team began to play in 2013 and placed third in its inaugural season and, in the playoffs, won the first NWSL championship. The club won the NWSL Shield in 2016 and a second NWSL Championship in 2017. 2020, they won the Community Shield with the best…
Queer Horror: Birds of Prey
QUEER HORROR celebrates Feminist March and Carla Rossi's birthday with BIRDS OF PREY (2020)! Hosted by Portland's premier drag clown, Carla Rossi, this birthday celebration opens with a preshow tribute to Carla's favorite clown queen, Harley Quinn, sponsored by Double Mountain Brewery and Cidery. Produced by Margot Robbie and directed by Cathy Yan, Birds of…
Easter Sunday at The Grotto
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 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and Noon. The Easter Procession starts at 6:30 a.m. The main entrance is located at NE 85th Avenue and Sandy…
Easter Brunch Cruises on the Portland Spirit
Hop aboard the Portland Spirit for an Easter brunch to remember. Your family and friends will enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Willamette River, a delicious Northwest brunch buffet, mimosas or sparkling cider, live piano music, an appearance from Cinnabunny and ever-changing river views. What's Included: 2-hour cruise on the Willamette River, Views of the…
Forest Grove and Cornelius Restaurant Month
Special offers at local restaurants. Eat local and enjoy great deals from local restaurants in Forest Grove and Cornelius. $5 items and tasting menus.
Half Day Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland
Species seen nowhere else in the world, dramatic basalt lava flows nearly a mile deep, and some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls are a few of the sights that await you on this tour. Experience the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge, one of the United States’ most photographed National Scenic Areas. We will…
Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour
Prepare to journey back in time to the birth of the Cascade Mountain Range, where lava and pyroclastic matter oozed and flowed, creating a solid layer of basalt rock that coated Western Oregon. Fast forward to the Pleistocene Ice Age, and witness the epic Lake Missoula Flood, which carved out the majestic Columbia River Gorge,…
Portland City Tour
Get ready to explore the heart and soul of Portland with a half-day City Tour. This isn’t your average tour; you'll be takn on a journey through the city’s charming streets and reveal its laid-back atmosphere. Brace yourself for an amazing tour of Portland’s must-see spots like the International Rose Garden (seasonally), the World…
Shakespeare's First Folio: 1623–2023
It’s difficult to imagine now, but when William Shakespeare died in 1616, over half of his plays had never been published. As a playwright, actor, and shareholder in his theater company, Shakespeare was, above all, a man of the stage, and there is no evidence to suggest that he sought to preserve his playwriting legacy…
Staying Alive: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom
Learn about the animal kingdom’s coolest methods of self-defense. Every species of animal has evolved some mechanism to protect themselves from attack. Some of these means of self-defense are more obvious than others, but make no mistake, every animal has a strategy. Staying Alive: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom explores how animals use tough armor, powerful venom…
Throughlines: Connections in the Collection
Throughlines embraces wonder and curiosity, bringing together artworks from across the Museum’s collections to explore the range of artistic innovation. From diverse geographies, cultures, and time periods, artists have consistently created images, objects, and experiences that ask us to consider ourselves and the world from different perspectives. Visitors will encounter playful groupings that reveal how artists…
Full Day Columbia River Gorge Tour
Jump into a day-long adventure and discover what makes the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area a true gem. Be awed by the majesty of the USA's second tallest waterfall, witness the incredible salmon journey at the Bonneville Dam Complex, catch some windsurfing thrills in the windsurfing capital of the USA, and explore the official…
Mt. Hood Loop Tour including Multnomah Falls
Buckle up for an epic journey as you are whisked away from Portland to the spellbinding Mt. Hood. With passionate and well-informed guides leading the way, you’ll have plenty of chances to snap up some breathtaking shots of the majestic landscape and soak up the mesmerizing history of this iconic mountain. Enjoy a full day…
Oregon Coastal Tour
Maximize your beach time while at the Oregon Coast Oregon’s coastline is graced with unforgettable vistas: dramatic cliffs, offshore rocks and sea lions, wide sandy beaches, majestic capes, historic lighthouses, enchanted forests and lovely small beach towns which artists and artisans make their home. Locations we may visit include: Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, Short Sand…
Portland City Tour & Gorge Waterfalls Combo
Ready for an adventure? Join the ultimate tour of Portland and the Columbia River Gorge. You'll see the must-see sights in Portland and then be whisked away to the stunning Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Discover the magic of the waterfalls, soak in breathtaking views, and dive into the history of the area’s top attractions….
Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family
Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family brings the latest tyrannosaur discoveries to life, overturning preconceptions about these ferocious predators. The exhibition explores the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs in new and different ways. The exhibition’s real and replica specimens are spectacular in scale and form and reveal some of the most significant discoveries…
OSA Member + Rental Sales Gallery Show
This exhibition presents a cross-section of the artists and creative individuals that comprise two of the region’s most established institutions. Whether you paint, print, draw, etc, see work made by OSA and RSG Members. The exhibition seeks to be a snapshot of the exciting work being made by artists of these institutions. Opening Reception: March…
Private Elevated Wine Tour Experience
Oregon is home to some of the most beautiful vineyards in the world, not only known for its distinctive pinot noir but many other varietals such as pinot gris, chardonnay, riesling and more. Your experience will take place in the heart of the Willamette Valley, home to renowned, award-winning wineries. Oregon's Willamette Valley has…
Work After Work
PDX CONTEMPORARY ART is pleased to present Work After Work, an exhibition featuring work by past and current gallery staff. Many employees working in the arts are artists themselves. This exhibition spotlights PDX staff's talent, vision, and creativity — presenting the work made when the work at the gallery is done for the day. …
Alberta Street Gallery Exhibit
The Fiber Art Invitational features the immense talent and dazzling work of local members of Studio Art Quilt Associates ((SAQA). SAQA members are renowned for their layered and stitched visual masterpieces that will challenge your perception of what quilts can be. Flora and Fauna of PDX is a colorful celebration of the beautiful blossoms and…
Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University is pleased to present the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize exhibition. A public reception will be held on Wednesday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. The School of Art + Design and the College of the Arts celebrate the eleventh year of the Arlene…
FROELICK GALLERY: Tom Prochaska and Kevin Kadar
Froelick Gallery presents two outstanding solo exhibitions of new work by Portland artists Tom Prochaska and Kevin Kadar. Prochaska's solo features new and historic paintings plus work on paper. The Hallie Ford Museum of Art recently hosted a retrospective of his decades-long career; the monograph is now available. Kevin Kadar's show includes 12 new landscapes…
Labor of Love
The artists featured in Labor of Love produce work that aims to expose and highlight labor practices that have been historically and systematically concealed from the public sphere. Working across a wide variety of media and using a range of conceptual approaches, the eight artists exhibited here seek to explore that which is often hidden just under…
Oregon Jews, A to Z
The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education provides a home for a bountiful collection of archival materials and artifacts. Our collection includes thousands of photographs, documents, films, oral histories, three-dimensional objects, and artworks — the physical objects that represent the Jews of Oregon. Oregon Jews, A to Z highlights the most significant, poignant,…
Photos With the Bunny
The Easter Bunny is back at Washington Square starting on March 1. Visit the Bunny in Summit Court. Pre-book your photo packages now. Schedule Your Photo Experience to Meet the Easter Bunny Pre-booking is recommended to help reduce wait time, and it’s easy: Book your visit Arrive at the set at the assigned time, Select…
Kim Slate – Backyard Habitat
Even from a young age growing up in Eastern Washington, Kim Slate had a fascination with the creation of images and the power they had to capture the imagination and elicit emotion. The encouragement of her interests and talents led her to study animation where the power of images are amplified by story. After graduation, she applied her…
Managed Retreat by Dawn Stetzel
Managed Retreat, about the moving and relocating of people, infrastructure, and communities in response to climate change, is a large-scale sculptural exhibition by Washington Coast artist Dawn Stetzel. Many of the sculptures in this exhibition imply movement, odd contraptions of sorts that include wheels, skis, floats or backpack portability and are used to physically navigate…
Oregon Wine Tasting Tour
Sip your way through Oregon’s finest wines on an extraordinary tasting tour, only a day trip away from Portland. Discover the stunning Willamette Valley, and be guided through the best wine experiences it has to offer. Soak up the breathtaking views, visit three amazing vineyards, and unveil the secrets behind the perfect Oregon Pinot Noir….
Policing Justice
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) presents Policing Justice, an exhibition and related programming with local, national, and international artists. Guest curated by Nina Amstutz, Associate Professor of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Oregon, and Cleo Davis, local social construct artist, designer, educator, historian, and community leader, this exhibition examines policing practices…
Schnitzer Collection
Grab the opportunity to witness world-renowned artists, typically showcased in global art hubs like New York, LA, London, or Paris, right here at your doorstep. The Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation proudly presents an expansive teaching collection, exceeding 22,000 works. This collection features influential contemporary artists such as Hank Willis Thomas, Kehinde Wiley, and Mickalene Thomas,…
Quixote Nuevo
The story of Don Quixote comes alive with a modern twist. In the fictional town of La Plancha, Texas, a brilliant professor battling dementia imagines himself as Cervantes’ titular hero. Enlisting his own Sancho, he embarks on a journey for his long-lost love — tilting at border patrol drones rather than windmills. Featuring vibrant, Spanish-infused music and…
Showing Up an A Conversation with Cynthia Lahti
Following the screening of Showing Up, sculptor and visual artist Cynthia Lahti will be in conversation about her work with Grace Kook-Anderson, Arlene & Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art at the Portland Art Museum. Cynthia’s drawings and sculptures are featured in the film Showing Up, moonlighting as fictional character Lizzy (Michelle Williams)’s artwork. ON SCREEN: Showing Up 2022. Directed by…
Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots is the big-hearted musical extravaganza that won six Tonys, including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Musical Theatre album and London’s Olivier Award for Best Musical. Kinky Boots features a joyous, Tony-winning score by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and a hilarious, uplifting book by four-time Tony winner Harvey Fierstein. Billy Porter won the Best…
Yohen
The odds are against this intriguing pair. A Japanese wife and her Black husband struggle against the headwinds of racism, cultural misunderstandings, and the passage of time that have worn them and their 30-year marriage to the bone. But she’s not content to toss it all out like a pot damaged in the red-hot kiln….
Bangerz Comedy
Portland comics Bjorn RG and Eliza Butler host this weekly show at Neighbors Taproom with curated lineups of local and nationally touring comedians. 21+
Christopher Titus
Christopher Titus is a prolific stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and producer. His stand-up work sees him playing to sell-out audiences at clubs and theaters nationwide. As a creator, Titus has sold scripts and ideas to NBC, ABC, FOX and Comedy Central. His multi-cam half-hour “Titus” premiered to critical and audience acclaim on Fox, earning the show…
Dan Carlin
Dan Carlin is an American podcaster, political commentator and amateur historian. Once a professional radio host, Carlin eventually took his shows to the web, and he now hosts two critically acclaimed independent podcasts: Common Sense and Hardcore History. Hardcore History, which has more than 3 million downloads, was nominated in 2012 for a Stitcher Award…
Henry IV Parts 1 & 2
The Canon Shakespeare Company returns with the Bard's epic history of Henry IV. This two-part historical drama follows the tumultuous reign of Henry IV, an ailing king caught between two very different rebellions: the first, his subjects seeking to overthrow him, and the other, his son refusing to accept the weight of the crown. While…
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Alynda Segarra is 36, or a little less than halfway through the average American lifespan. In that comparatively brief time, though, the Hurray for the Riff Raff founder has been something of a modern Huck Finn, an itinerant traveler whose adventures prompt art that reminds us there are always other ways to live. Born in…
Novacane
Novacane is a product of its environment. Coming to you from Portland, OR in the Pacific Northwest, the band is a reflection of the diverse music scene it inhabits, melding together the current sounds of indie rock, alternative, post-punk, shoegaze, and dream pop, to name a few. The band has been making a name for themselves…
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Best Irish Pubs in Portland
Celebrate all things Irish, including beer, food and live music, at these beloved Portland pubs — on St. Patrick's Day, or any time of year.
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