Summer Free for All
Enjoy live music, movie screenings and kids’ games in Portland’s public parks.
Zak Griffler
Know Before You Go
NOTE: Concerts in the Park, Movies in the Park and the Washington Park Summer Festival are canceled in 2020. Portland Parks & Recreation will still provide Free Lunch + Play programs this year. See the latest health and safety guidelines related to COVID-19 on the Portland Parks & Recreation website.
Portland parks offer plenty of free fun any time of year, but Portland Parks & Recreation’s Summer Free for All program ups the ante, offering over 400 free events from June to August. The entertainment at parks across the city includes free movie screenings, concerts and Zumba classes.
Take a look at their website to start planning your summer of free fun today. Here are some highlights to expect.
Movies in the Park
Launched in 2007, Movies in the Park consists of over 40 free screenings hosted at green spaces across Portland. The evenings begin with pre-movie performances by local musicians and free popcorn for attendees. Closed captioning, sign language interpreters and FM loop amplifiers are available for all events (request 10 business days in advance). Make sure to bring a jacket or extra blanket in case it gets chilly. Previous film selections have ranged from classics like The Sandlot to animated treats like Coco and Moana.
Concerts in the Park
Know Before You Go
Note: The usual ban on alcoholic beverages in parks is waived only during Concerts in the Park events, so feel free to stock your picnic basket with a bottle of Oregon Pinot.
For over a century, local musicians of all genres and traditions have been entertaining crowds in Portland parks every summer. Listen to diverse beats — like improvisational African jazz or Celtic folk-rock — and enjoy a bite from local food vendors like Po’Shines Café De La Soul and Pip’s Original Doughnuts as you jam out with other community members. Throughout the summer, dozens of concerts attract tens of thousands of concertgoers, so be sure to arrive early and bring a comfy seat of your choice. Check their website for more information.
Washington Park Summer Festival
For those looking to enjoy a musical experience on a bigger scale, time your visit to catch the performances at the Washington Park Summer Festival. In August, the Washington Park Rose Garden Amphitheater hosts an array of acts, including multicultural music, opera, flamenco and African dance. Parking is usually limited, so consider taking MAX light rail.
Free Open Play Swimming and Rock Climbing
If you’re looking to beat the heat or get fit in the fresh air, the Summer Free For All includes free open swimming at a number of community pools as well as free outdoor fitness classes, like Zumba and Tai Chi. (Note: fitness classes are free, but you must register online first to participate.)
Whether you’re looking to take in the local arts and culture or get active in the sunshine with the whole family, the Portland Summer Free For All has something for everyone. To plan your summertime fun in the Rose City, check out Portland Parks & Recreation’s website for more information. Who says the best things in life aren’t free?
Summer Events
Enjoy Portland's favorite summertime activities with these local events.
Portland Burger Week
EVENT POSTPONED. Please visit the event website for current information. The Portland Mercury’s Burger Week returns every August with dozens of restaurants, bars and brewhouses across Portland offering one-of-a-kind burgers for only $5! These special edition burgers are designed especially for the Mercury’s Portland Burger Week and are only available from Aug. 3-8, 2020, so…
Sneaker Week
Sneaker Week offers fun events for sneaker addicts and footwear newbies alike.
Summer Free For All
Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.
Elephant Garlic Festival
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. 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!
Flicks on the Bricks
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday and Sunday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
Bloody Mary Festival
EVENT POSTPONED. Please visit the event website for current information. The Bloody Mary Festival scours Portland for the craftiest and most delicious Bloody Marys. Your ticket includes over two hours enjoying Portland’s most creative and innovative Bloody Marys, created by the finest restaurants, bars and bottled mix companies, along with yummy food and drink tastes…
Alberta Street Fair
LIVE EVENT CANCELED. Instead of one big event, there will be virtual and smaller events all summer long. Please visit the event website for current information. The annual Alberta Street Fair offers an eclectic mix of activities and events that could only be found on Alberta Street. Enjoy multiple stages of live music, a kids…
Pan African Festival
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Bridge Pedal
THE 2020 EVENT IS CANCELED. The Bridge Pedal is scheduled to return Aug. 8, 2021. Please visit the event website for current information. Portland’s annual Bridge Pedal is a community celebration of the city’s iconic bridges and biking culture. Join your friends and neighbors for the one opportunity each year to bike or walk on…
Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Oregon Zoo Summer Concerts
Musicians and fans alike flock to concerts at the Oregon Zoo each summer to enjoy live music, sunshine and friends.
Multnomah Days
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Portland Adult Soapbox Derby
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
LIVE EVENT CANCELED. This event will now be held virtually, please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Portland Sunday Parkways
This family-friendly bike ride features local vendors and live entertainment.
Sunday Parkways: Green Loop
The 2020 Sunday Parkways bike rides have been canceled and events will be digital-only due to the coronavirus pandemic. See the Sunday Parkways Facebook page for details. Sunday Parkways heads to the historic North Park Blocks for a 7-mile route along Portland’s Green Loop. This ride will pass by multiple cultural hotspots, including the Portland…
Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn
EVENTS CANCELED AND/OR POSTPONED. Please visit the event website for current information. Since 2008, McMenamins Edgefield, a bucolic venue located 15 miles east of Portland in Troutdale, has welcomed musical acts to its Concerts on the Lawn series, which is a local rite of summer.
Last Thursday Art Walk on Alberta
LIVE EVENT CANCELED. This event will now be held virtually, please visit the event website for current information. This boisterous street fair attracts independent artists, performers, local bands, troupes of acrobats, buskers, makers and more to celebrate their art on Northeast Albera Street. Held year-round, the event is biggest from June through August, when the…
Hood to Coast
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. Hood to Coast is the world’s largest running relay race, stretching 200 miles from the top of Mount Hood to the Pacific Ocean in Seaside. The overnight event culminates in the West Coast’s largest beach party and draws more than 12,000 runners and walkers annually….
River Lantern Lighting
Join family, friends and neighbors to celebrate life together. The River Lantern Lighting brings together individuals from all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life to join in one memorable night to celebrate community in Portland, Oregon. Every participant gets a lantern, candle, marker, beer or cider (over 21), snacks and live music.
Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival
EVENT CANCELED. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Feast Portland
This foodie festival, held every September, has cemented Portland’s reputation as a culinary capital of the world.
Sunday Parkways: Northeast Portland
The 2020 Sunday Parkways bike rides have been canceled and events will be digital-only due to the coronavirus pandemic. See the Sunday Parkways Facebook page for details. 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…
Waterfront Blues Festival
Every Fourth of July weekend, the Waterfront Blues Festival takes over downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park.
Oregon Brewers Festival
Portland hosts dozens of beer festivals every year, but none compares to the Oregon Brewers Festival. With offerings from 80 craft brewers, the event draws nearly 70,000 attendees to the downtown waterfront every July.