September Events
Enjoy some of Portland's largest festivals and seasonal events every September.
Every September, Portland’s calendar overflows with events and things to do. Catch the seasonal migration of thousands of Vaux swifts as they nest for the month at a local elementary school, dig into one of the nation’s largest foodie festivals (where you can taste dishes by culinary stars from around the world), and choose from multiple arts festivals and cultural offerings. Read on for some of our favorite September events, or check out our full events calendar to see everything on offer.
Art in the Pearl
More than 100 artists offer up their creations, from painting and photography to jewelry and hand-crafted furniture, for Art in the Pearl over Labor Day Weekend in the North Park Blocks, with food vendors, musicians, and family activities rounding out the offerings.
Rose City Comic Con
Every year fans of all stripes descend on Portland for one of the biggest pop culture events in the city, Rose City Comic Con. Held at the Oregon Convention Center, you can catch panels with your favorite celebrities, get access to artists, writers and creators and witness next-level cosplay – or craft a costume of your own!
Chapman Swift Watch
Every September, the towering smokestack of Chapman Elementary School in Northwest Portland attracts as many as 16,000 swifts looking for a place to hunker down for the evening. The Chapman Swift Watch attracts hundreds of onlookers who flock to a nearby grassy bank at sunset and watch in awe as the shadowy clouds of birds fly acrobatically to roost inside the craggy chimney for the night.
Fall in Portland
Enjoy the magical transition from summer to fall in Portland with these beloved activities.
Fall Hikes Near Portland
These fall hikes near Portland prove that autumn is an ideal time to explore Oregon wilderness, admire seasonal flora and fauna, and visit nearby farms.
Portland’s Best Spots for Fall Color
Autumnal beauty abounds in Portland, and there are plenty of prime places to revel in leaf-crunching relaxation.
Bird-Watching in Portland
Catch sight of 200+ types of birds at the Portland area's dozens of prime bird watching destinations, including sanctuaries, refuges and urban parks.
Dahlia Festival
Swan Island Dahlias open their fields every year for the annual Dahlia Festival. Stroll through almost 40 acres (16 hectares) and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 varieties. You can also shop for locally handmade items at the Sunday Market while enjoying a delicious treat from a food cart, take a flower arranging class or relax and enjoy some live music.
The Biggest Clothing Swap in The Northwest
Whether you’re looking for a great costume idea or need a new fall wardrobe, The Biggest Clothing Swap in The Northwest will have something to catch your eye. Bring a bag of clean, wearable clothes to share or buy an empty bag to fill with your newfound treasures.
Dragon Boat Festival
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 Hong Kong-style dragon boats along Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
El Grito Fiestas Patrias
Hosted by the Mexican consulate in Portland, El Grito is a celebration of Mexican independence at the Moda Center. With mariachi bands, Aztec dancers, traditional food, drink, and more, Portland’s fiesta is one of many celebrated at Mexican embassies worldwide.
Grand Prix of Portland
Portland International Raceway hosts the celebrated open-wheel racing every fall at the Grand Prix of Portland. Portland’s 1.967-mile (3.166 km) course boasts 12 turns and several exciting passing opportunities and is the only Verizon IndyCar Series race in the Pacific Northwest.
More September Events 2024
Check out our picks for top things to do in September in Portland.
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.
Bigfoot Adventure Cruise
Explore the history and lore of Bigfoot while traveling 80 miles (129 km) roundtrip on a high-speed jetboat from Portland to Multnomah Falls. See the landmarks along the Willamette and Columbia Rivers that make the Northwest famous while listening to exclusive narration by Cliff Barackman (star of Animal Planet‘s “Finding Bigfoot”) and a live tour…
Dahlia Festival
Celebrate the season of DAHLIAS. A Rainbow of Color. Stroll through almost 40 acres and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 varieties. The beautiful fields are open from August to September each year, closed on Monday and Tuesday. Pick out and order your favorite dahlias for Spring delivery and planting. Purchase a beautiful bunch…
Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival
Portland’s Art In The Pearl Fine Arts and Craft Festival celebrates 27 years of bringing art to the community. The distinctly artist-run event has long been a favorite in Portland, and it’s the perfect Labor Day destination to gather and celebrate the end of summer. Art In The Pearl is Portland’s largest outdoor art fair,…
Kaliente Drag Brunch
Kharisma brings the heat with Kaliente, the newest Drag Brunch at your Stag PDX. Start your month with a bit of spice every 1st Sunday, with a show that has that extra kick that only Kharisma and her special guest performers can bring. Enjoy all-you-can-eat brunch options served from the buffet with mimosas available -…
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
The People’s Market
The People's Market was created to serve the diverse community of Rockwood. By empowering Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) farmers and makers, we are creating a space that is made for community, by community. Spending your dollars at our market supports your neighbors in building their dreams and creating a legacy for…
Come Thru: Black & Indigenous Market
Come Thru Market is an incubator market centering on Black and Indigenous Farmers, Makers, and Friends. Come Thru supports BIPOC growers in taking their small business dreams to the farmers’ market environment. It’s a vibe – Come Thru and get what you need.
Gay Skate
Roll out with your friends and loved ones to the monthly Gay Skate Session, held the 1st and 3rd Monday night of the month. Everyone is welcome at this all-ages event at this all-ages event. Admission tickets allow the Oaks Park Roller Rink access for the selected Gay Skate Session date/time. Includes standard skate rental.
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.
Portland Farmers Market at Shemanski Park
With its carts and vendors selling delicious meals under a lush green canopy of trees, this downtown farmer’s market at Shemanski Park is a popular lunch spot for good reason. Portland residents and visitors also use this shaded destination to buy locally grown groceries for dinner — or supplies for an alfresco picnic. (Wednesdays 10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
First Thursday in the Pearl District
Starting in 1986, First Thursday in the Pearl is a district-wide celebration on the first Thursday of each month. Originally a gathering of art collectors and dealers, the celebration has grown to a monthly event of over ten thousand people, including art enthusiasts, wine aficionados, and scenesters looking to see and be seen. Art galleries in…
Rose City Comic Con
Portland’s premier pop culture event, Rose City Comic Con, is produced locally with a weird and wonderful vibe unique to the Pacific Northwest. Now in its twelfth year, the ultimate goal remains the same — to deliver the most rewarding, memorable, laughter-inducing weekend ever. While comic books and their mega-talented creators remain the cornerstone of…
Farmers Market at Portland State University
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets.
Hollywood Farmers Market
Year-round on Saturdays, the Hollywood Farmers Markets hosts 50+ vendors, bringing you the best of the region’s agricultural bounty. In addition to amazingly fresh, local food, you’ll find live music, children’s activities, and fun events throughout the season. April through September, every Saturday 8 AM to 1 PM,, October and November, every Saturday 9 AM…
Rocky Butte Farmers Market
Rocky Butte Farmers Market, an iconic urban neighborhood market featuring affordable locally grown foods and artisan products, weekly children's activities, live entertainment, and a dog-friendly, energetic block party vibe, is back for the 2024 Season. The market's goal is to lower barriers to market participation for beginning and under-represented vendors and to strengthen connections within…
Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn
With acts that have ranged from Phoebe Bridgers to Stevie Wonder, McMenamins Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn are an annual rite of summer and a hot ticket for cool nights.
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…
Belmont Street Fair
The Belmont Street Fair is one of the largest-attended street fairs in Portland. With food and retail vendors of all kinds, show-stopping performances and live music on 3 different stages, and the first-ever Kids Zone, there are activities for all ages, the Belmont Street Fair is fun for everyone.
El Grito
Join in the most important holiday celebrated by the Hispanic community in Oregon. El Grito 20th Anniversary immerses the rich traditions of the Latinx community with delicious Mexican cuisine and family-friendly entertainment, folkloric and Aztec dancers, live mariachi, salsa, cumbia and pop music, and interactive and educational community booths. The event also features contests, prizes, raffles,…
Rockwood Market Hall Music Series
Each month, on a late Sunday afternoon, the Rockwood Market Hall hosts a local artist to perform for community members who enjoy their food while listening to live music in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. With various cuisine options, the Rockwood Market Hall is a great place to enjoy dinner with family and friends. See you…
Portland Timbers
Head to Providence Park to watch the Portland Timbers take on their rivals. Cheer with the Timbers' Army at Providence Park and become part of a Portland tradition.
Slamlandia
Poetry Open Mic and Slam in Portland, Oregon. It is the mission of Slamlandia to provide an open mic and poetry slam that is creative, fun, and welcoming to all literary communities in Portland. They strive towards a safer space for poets to share work, witness others, and participate in the community.
West End Wednesdays
West End Wednesday exists to ignite new energy and define a common vision for downtown SW Portland. Building relationships with neighbors and business partners is not just organizing a once-a-month event… it is actively creating, together, a neighborhood everyone can love to live, work and play in. West End Wednesdays is the West End's signature celebration…
Portland Flea + Food
The Portland Flea + Food is a gathering place for the creators, curators and collectors held the last weekend of the month from April to October in Portland, Oregon. Every market features 80+ local artists, makers, and curators of the best vintage, handmade and locally sourced goods in town. Saturdays at Ecotrust: 721 NW 9TH AVE Sundays at Nova…
Cirque du Soleil: Kooza
KOOZA is an innovative journey viewed through the perspective of The Innocent, an endearing yet naïve clown looking for his place in the world. A mystery item is delivered to The Innocent one day when he is flying his kite. The self-discovery journey of The Innocent, who is miraculously transferred to a bizarre but exotic…
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…
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 Gorge Waterfalls and Mt. Hood Tour from Portland
Follow the path of an ancient riverbed, carved by the last ice age, past the Bridge of the Gods, and explore the Windsurfing Capital of the World. In the afternoon, traverse Oregon’s fertile fruit valley on the way to the alpine top of a volcano, which boasts a title as the world’s 2nd most summited…
Full Day Oregon Coast Tour from Portland
With over 300 miles (482 km) of public coastline, Oregon’s beaches are sure to amaze with their dramatic offshore rock formations and reborn beach towns. This tour will travel along one of the most picturesque driving routes in the country, U.S. HWY 101. Spend the day exploring breathtaking beaches, trekking along sandy shores, and viewing…
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….
Waterfalls, Mt Hood, and Wine Tour
Prepare for an adventure of epic proportions as passionate guides take you on a journey to the most stunning sights in the Gorge and Hood River Valley. Brace yourself for a spellbinding history lesson on this magical land while you whisk away to one of the most tantalizing wineries that showcase the mesmerizing Columbia River,…
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…
French Moderns: Monet to Matisse
From the Brooklyn Museum’s renowned European art collection, French Moderns: Monet to Matisse showcases approximately 60 works of art considered to be modernist masterpieces. Focusing on France as the artistic center of international modernism from the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries, the paintings, drawings, and sculptures on display range widely in scale, subject matter, and style. Impressionism, symbolism, fauvism,…
Weird Portland Pub Tour
Experience the eccentricity of Portland, Oregon and visit one of its quirkiest neighborhoods on this walking pub tour. This tour is a must-do for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the fascinating history of the city, including stories of UFO sightings, Bigfoot sightings, exploding whales, wacky bike rides, strange locals, hijackings, hipsters, artists, and…
BeerQuest Haunted Pub Tour
Uncover Portland’s dark side on this spine-tingling walking pub tour. In the early 1900s, unsuspecting sailors were often ruthlessly abducted and whisked away through the notorious Shanghai Tunnels. Tour guides will tell you how notorious criminals kidnapped thousands of people and why their ghosts still haunt Portland today. This is Portland’s longest-running ghost tour with…
Closet Cases
A Queer Comedy Storytelling Showcase. Comedians take the stage and share personal stories that don't fit into a classic tight fives. Come laugh, cry, cringe, and cheer with these funny and often heartwarming stories from within the LGBTQ+ community
Country Music Night
Every Sunday Portland's premier country music DJs, The Country Co-Op plays outlaw country and honky tonk music at The Sandy Hut. The bar is always packed with people dancing and singing.
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…
It's Gonna Be Okay
It's Gonna Be Okay is a free WEEKLY stand-up comedy show EVERY Monday. The show showcases the best comedians in Portland, along with national acts. Every Monday at 8 pm in the Tap Room 21 and up only
Trivia Mondays at Rose and Thistle
Join the fun. Untapped Trivia is free to play every Monday at Rose & Thistle Public House. Four rounds of trivia is more than just your typical pub/bar trivia. Voted “Best Trivia” in Portland, Oregon. Topics and themes are different each week. Follow @untappedtrivia on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter for specific weekly themes and hints for the night at…
Comedy Darlings
Comedy Darlings is a FREE comedy show every Monday located in North Portland at Bar Salut Cherie hosted by Danelle Porter and Erica Figueroa with some of the funniest comedians around. Make sure to follow on Instagram and Facebook @comedydarlings to stay current on all upcoming lineups.
Def Leppard & Journey
Two of rock's most iconic and influential bands, JOURNEY and DEF LEPPARD, have announced the hottest co-headlining tour. The bands will join forces to conquer stages across North America in 2024. This legendary collaboration promises a musical journeylike no other, igniting the hearts and souls of fans and delivering a night of unforgettable rock anthems.
Trivia Tuesday at White Owl Social Club
Join the fun. Untapped Trivia is free to play every Tuesday at White Owl Social Club. Four rounds of trivia is more than just your typical pub/bar trivia. Voted “Best Trivia” in Portland, Oregon. Topics and themes are different each week. Follow @untappedtrivia on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter for specific weekly themes and hints for the night at White…
B-Movie Bingo
Every first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm, Hollywood Theater plays B-Movie Bingo, a game that is exactly like it sounds. Or more. It’s simple. They play bingo to the most awesome movie cliches ever committed to celluloid, like “long boring scene or male ponytail," "teamed up with rookie or animal," and "white suit…
Soft Kill
Soft Kill from Chicago Illinois is the brainchild of Tobias Grave, making morose and infectious punk songs since 2011. Starting with the seminal “An Open Door” and including stand out records like 2016’s “Choke” and 2020’s Billboard chart topping “Dead Kids, R.I.P. City”. Tobias’ struggle with addiction and loss have created a depth and emotional…
More September Events
Explore more things to do and see in September in Portland.
Celebrate Negroni Week in Portland
You can do good while sipping delicious twists on a classic cocktail during Portland's Negroni Week, when proceeds benefit dozens of charities.
The Corn Maize on Sauvie Island
The Corn Maize, located on Sauvie Island north of Portland, offers visitors eight acres of physical and mental challenges in a cornfield.
Grand Prix of Portland
Every fall since 2018, Portland International Raceway has hosted the celebrated open-wheel racing with the Grand Prix of Portland.
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