Search 
May Events
Embrace spring in Portland with events celebrating local food, crafts and Latinx culture.
May in Portland brings celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, plus the return of the Portland Farmers Market to Portland neighborhoods, Crafty Wonderland, the biggest celebration of the city’s makers, and one of the biggest citywide events, the Portland Rose Festival. Explore our round-up of May events and search our full events calendar to see everything on offer.
May Favorites
Some of Portland’s biggest and most iconic events take place in May, bringing you a taste of the city’s sights, sounds and flavors all month long.
Portland Rose Festival
For more than a century, Portland, the City of Roses, has thrown a massive, month-long party in the form of the Portland Rose Festival. Declared the city’s official festival in 2010, the celebration includes more than 60 events, starting in late May and ending in mid-June. With the festival comes parades, carnival rides, art shows, dragon boat races, fun runs and more.
Portland Farmers Market
Most of the area’s farmers’ markets open in May. Among the items featured are fresh produce, fruit and berries, flowers, seafood and bread. Portland’s flagship year-round farmers market is at Portland State University, with additional markets throughout the city. In addition to shopping, the markets often feature chef demonstrations, spontaneous music performances, fresh flowers, coffee, food carts and more.
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
The largest multicultural festival in Oregon, Portland’s annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta held at Tom McCall Waterfront Park features a wide range of live music, dancers from sister city Guadalajara, rides, amateur boxing and an artisan village.
Crafty Wonderland
Find yourself the perfect made-in-Portland souvenir at the city’s biggest arts and crafts market, Crafty Wonderland. This twice-yearly market draws hundreds of vendors and tens of thousands of visitors to the Oregon Convention Center in Northeast Portland. Crafty Wonderland offers accessible booth fees so that emerging artists are equally represented. Many of the makers who got their start in the market have grown into full-time businesses.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for the sacrifices made by individuals who died in service to the United States military, recognizing their dedication and reflecting on the profound cost of war and the enduring legacy of those who did not return home. Honor their memory at the Memorial Day Community Celebration at Director Park or spend a quiet moment in reflection at the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial in Washington Park.
Mother’s Day
Celebrate Mother’s Day in Portland with a scenic Mother’s Day Cruise down the Willamette, a trip to the spa for some relaxing self-care, or an energetic walk or fun run. Plenty of PDX’s fabulous breakfast and brunch spots offer special bookings for Mother’s Day.
Wonderfully Weird
Every May, Portland has several events for the enthusiasts and amateurs among us, whether that’s motorcyclists, UFO fans or Lego builders.
The One Moto Show
During the multi-day One Moto Show, thousands of motorcyclists (and moto-enthusiasts) roll into Portland to celebrate bikes and biker culture. With hundreds of motorcycles on display ranging from vintage to strange and custom-made, visitors can discover old, new, custom, rare and classic builds from all over the world and enjoy live music, professional flat-track racing, electric mini-bike racing, art and food.
UFO Festival
More than 70 years ago, the tiny town of McMinnville was struck with UFO fever when a local family spotted a flying disc from their farm, making national news. Fifty years later, in 1999, the fever descended again with the very first UFO Festival. Today, you can celebrate all things extraterrestrial with other enthusiasts during days full of parades, costume contests, expert speakers and family fun.
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 at the Oregon Convention Center. Attendees can build sets or buy from specialty vendors with custom-made items, mini-figures and even vintage Lego sets.
Arts and Culture
May in Portland also finds the city emerging for spring to explore art and sample wines throughout the city.
Mt. Tabor Art Walk
The Mt. Tabor Art Walk is a Portland tradition. This juried show and sale is a great opportunity to see quality visual art and meet artists in their studios and homes. Diverse media are represented, including photography, painting, ceramics, sculpture, prints, metal arts, glass, jewelry, book arts and mosaics.
Oregon Wine Month
Oregon is well known for its delicious wines. Throughout the month of May, wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms open their doors to celebrate the return of spring and kick off the first chapter in the story of the next vintage. Oregon Wine Month brings a wide variety of events, including new wine releases, live music and garden tours.
Upcoming May Events 2027
Check out our picks for top things to do in May in Portland.
More To Do In May
Explore more things to do and see in May in Portland.
Was this page helpful?