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A tuba player wearing a red shirt, marching with a band in a parade A tuba player wearing a red shirt, marching with a band in a parade
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The Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade is a beloved June tradition in Portland.
Portland Events / Spring in Portland

Portland Rose Festival

The city's biggest festival features fireworks, parades and more.

Editor's Pick
Updated Apr. 4, 2022 2 min read
Editor's Pick
When
May 27–June 26, 2022
Days vary
Where
Various locations

Know Before You Go

The Portland Rose Festival has announced that many of the signature events, including CityFair, the Grand Floral Parade and the Starlight Parade, will return in 2022. 

For more information on the event and how to participate, please visit the festival website.

Every year for more than a century, the City of Roses* has thrown itself a massive 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. (Best of all, everyone is invited!) For a full list of events and activities, check the festival’s website.

Know Before You Go

*Portland is known as the “City of Roses” because the weather is ideal for growing them. There are three fabulous rose gardens in Portland. The best-known is the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. Whatever you do during Rose Festival, take time to smell the roses.

Portland Rose Festival Events in 2022

Portland Rose Festival festival kicks off with a spectacular opening night fireworks show on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. For a great view, grab a seat on the Ferris wheel at CityFair, a celebration spanning three weekends at downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park. CityFair features carnival rides, food and beer and live music, along with a headlining performer that’s a guaranteed party starter.

The popular evening Starlight Parade features illuminated floats and a section with syncopated drummers and roller derby teams (and is preceded by a 5 km [3.1 mile] race, filled with runners dressed in costumes).

The festival’s hallmark event, the Grand Floral Parade delights crowds with around 20 all-floral floats, 18 marching bands and 19 equestrian units — in addition to vintage vehicles, colorful dancers and more.

For a closer look at the impressive floats (which are meticulously decorated with natural materials like seeds and coconut flakes in addition to flowers), check out the Grand Floral Float Showcase (adjacent to the CityFair) for two days following the parade.

A stroll along the waterfront will yield a much different view as the Portland Rose Festival has acted as a U.S. Port of Call for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy for over 80 years. Known as Fleet Week gigantic naval ships line the shore, giving visitors an up-close view of our nation’s seafaring military vessels and a chance to meet sailors, take on-board tours and learn about the U.S. Navy firsthand.

Get to the fragrant source at the Portland Rose Society Annual Spring Rose Show the nation’s largest and longest-running rose show, which brings more than 4,000 blooms to Lloyd Center in Northeast Portland.

The Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races bring the party to the Willamette River as 60 local, national and international teams compete in ornate boats provided by the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association.

Upcoming Dates & Times

May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
June 3
June 4
June 5
June 8
June 9
June 10
June 11
June 12
June 26
More dates & times
Festivals, Spring, Summer

Portland Rose Festival Events

Join in on one of Portland's favorite annual festival with these upcoming events.

Full Calendar
Editor's Pick
Portland Rose Festival
May 27–June 26, 2022

Portland Rose Festival

Various locations

Portland Rose Festival features multiple parades, waterfront carnival rides, concerts, dragon boat races, fireworks and plenty of roses.

Editor's Pick
Festivals
Spring
Summer
Editor's Pick
CityFair
May 27–June 12, 2022

CityFair

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Considered the “hub” of the annual Portland Rose Festival, CityFair fills Waterfront Park with carnival rides, concerts, food and fireworks for multiple weekends during the festival.

Editor's Pick
Festival
For Kids
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival Opening Night & Fireworks
Friday, May 27, 2022

Rose Festival Opening Night & Fireworks

Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Nothing says “Let’s get this party started!” quite like carnival rides, live music, food, drink and fireworks. The Portland Rose Festival’s return in 2022 will bring out the biggest, baddest fireworks in town. A full concert by fan-favorite Hit Machine will warm up the crowd and the fireworks begin just after dark, exact time TBA.

Editor's Pick
Festival
Music
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival Art Show
June 2–29, 2022

Rose Festival Art Show

Oregon Society of Artists Free

The Oregon Society of Artists (OSA) is proud to host the Rose Festival Art Show, celebrating roses and the city. Various mediums will be on display by over 50 artists at the OSA gallery and online. This juried art show is open to everyone.

Editor's Pick
Art & Design
Exhibition
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival CareOregon Starlight Parade
Saturday, June 4, 2022

Rose Festival CareOregon Starlight Parade

Downtown Portland

For more than 40 years, Portland’s Starlight Parade has offered funky, eclectic fun for everyone. From traditional marching bands and flood-lit floats to glow-in-the-dark umbrellas and unique hand-built entries, you’ll see the best of Portland’s diverse community groups (and surrounding Northwest region) together in one whimsical pageant.

Editor's Pick
Festival
For Kids
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Starlight Run
Saturday, June 4, 2022

Starlight Run

SW Morrison Street and Naito Parkway $20-$25

Portland’s most popular fun run, the Starlight Run, is the wacky warm-up act for the Portland General Electric/SOLVE Starlight Parade is starting and finishing on Naito Parkway at Rose Festival CityFair. All runners will get a medal and enjoy free access to CityFair following the race! Other goodies for race registrants TBA.

Editor's Pick
Outdoors
Portland Rose Festival
Sports
Editor's Pick
Fleet Week
June 8–12, 2022

Fleet Week

Tom McCall Waterfront Park Free

Since 1907, visiting ships have made their way to Portland’s waterfront. The City of Roses is known to be a favorite port of call for military (and non-military) visitors, as Portland’s citizens thank them and make them feel welcome. The Portland Rose Festival is extremely fortunate to be one of a few U.S. Ports of…

Editor's Pick
Festival
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival Fred Meyer Junior Parade
Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Rose Festival Fred Meyer Junior Parade

Hollywood District

From the moment the lovable Fred Bear cuts the ribbon to kick off the Fred Meyer Junior Parade, fun reigns. Children come from all parts of the city to join in: dressing in costume, transforming wagons into floats, decorating their bikes with colorful flowers, or just parading with their pets (and parents!). Elementary and Middle…

Editor's Pick
Festival
For Kids
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Spring Rose Show
June 9–10, 2022

Spring Rose Show

Lloyd Center Free

Each year, the Lloyd Center hosts the Portland Rose Society Annual Spring Rose Show, the largest and longest-running rose show in the nation. The exquisite beauty and fragrances of this yearly show emanate from more than 4,000 blooms. Entry is open to anyone, and all entrants are encouraged. Rose growers from across the Pacific Northwest…

Editor's Pick
Festival
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival Queen’s Coronation presented by Unitus Community Credit Union
Friday, June 10, 2022

Rose Festival Queen’s Coronation presented by Unitus Community Credit Union

Peninsula Park

The Rose Festival Queen is chosen from all of the Court members and is crowned at the Queen’s Coronation presented by Unitus Community Credit Union. The Queen represents Portland and the Rose Festival for one year at appearances throughout the country and abroad. When choosing a Queen, judges consider each Court member’s leadership and scholastic…

Editor's Pick
Festival
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Grand Floral Float Showcase
June 11–13, 2022

Grand Floral Float Showcase

1020 S.W. Naito Pkwy., Portland, OR 97204 Free

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.

Editor's Pick
Art & Design
For Kids
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race
June 11–12, 2022

Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race

Tom McCall Waterfront Park Free

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…

Editor's Pick
Outdoors
Portland Rose Festival
Sports
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade
Saturday, June 11, 2022

Rose Festival Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade

Memorial Coliseum Reserved seats $15-$30

A cherished highlight of the Portland Rose Festival, this popular procession is more than a spectacular floral-filled parade; it’s a beloved annual tradition. For more than 100 years, Portland families, visitors and community groups have been making memories at the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. A colorful reflection of local, regional and international communities, the…

Editor's Pick
Art & Design
Festival
Portland Rose Festival
Editor's Pick
Rose Festival Royal Rosarians Milk Carton Boat Race presented by Alpenrose
Sunday, June 26, 2022

Rose Festival Royal Rosarians Milk Carton Boat Race presented by Alpenrose

Westmoreland Park Casting Pond

A classic Rose Festival event and family-friendly community tradition dating back to 1973, the Milk Carton Boat Race is a spectacle you won’t want to miss. Children and adults race and show off their handmade, human-powered boats that float only by means of recycled milk cartons and jugs. Creatively constructed watercraft will compete in nine…

Editor's Pick
Festival
Outdoors
Portland Rose Festival
Sports
5 To Try

Fabulous Flowers

Explore these urban oases in Portland.

  • Portland International Rose Test Garden

    Founded in 1917, the oldest official continuously operated public rose test garden in the U.S. features over 10,000 rose bushes and views of downtown. Free guided tours are offered in the summer.

  • Ladd Circle Park & Rose Garden

    The historic Ladd’s Addition neighborhood, known for its diagonal street pattern, is Portland’s oldest planned residential development. The rose garden sits at the center of the neighborhood.

  • Peninsula Park Rose Garden

    Opened in 1909, this formal French garden was the city’s first public rose garden. The verdant park is home to an iconic fountain, a bandstand and a public pool.

  • Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

    This manicured, highly managed garden nearly surrounded by Crystal Springs Lake has an extensive collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and other lesser-known ericaceous plants, as well as many companion plants and unusual trees.

  • Portland Japanese Garden

    This 12-acre Japanese garden in the scenic West Hills above downtown Portland includes a variety of garden styles, a tea house, meandering streams, peaceful walkways and views of Mount Hood.

Summer in Portland

Portland comes to life every summer with live music, festivals and family-friendly events.

Go To Summer
People stand under a canopy with signs reading \"Portland Saturday Market Saturdays & Sundays March - Christmas Eve\"

Summer Events Round-Up

When the sun finally comes out, Portlanders celebrate their favorite things: music, beer, art and food.

three children holding hands in a pool

Summer Free for All

Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.

An aerial view of a park filled with concert goers, a stage and white vendor tents

Summer Concert Round-Up

Portlanders' pent-up desire for sun may explain our skill at making the most of summer's long days and warm nights with outdoor concerts.

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