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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 2021. 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.
Pedalpalooza
Pedalpalooza 2021 will last all June, July and August to allow more opportunities for smaller group rides. All ride leaders and participants will be required to wear face masks. Visit the Pedalpalooza website for more details. Every year, Pedalpalooza brings over four weeks of biking fun with special rides and events throughout Portland. With over…
Portland Pride
Every June, the Portland Pride Festival & Parade makes a name for itself — and LGBTQ+ community members — all over town.
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
Juneteenth Oregon Celebration
Juneteenth Oregon celebrates the date in 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger read “General Order No. 3,” in Galveston, Texas, declaring that all slaves were free. This year live stream this annual celebration at pdxjazz.com or juneteenthor.com.
Woodstock Farmers Market
The popular Woodstock Farmers Market features fresh produce, baked goods, fresh juices, sweets, cheese, meat and more from 30+ vendors, along with artisan-made products like jewelry, ceramics and art.
Last Thursday Art Walk on Alberta
This boisterous street fair attracts independent artists, performers, local bands, troupes of acrobats, buskers, makers and more to celebrate their art on Northeast Alberta Street. Held year-round, the event is biggest from June through August, when the street is closed to traffic during the festivities from 15th Avenue to 30th Avenue.
Festa Italiana
EVENT CANCELED FOR 2021 . Please visit the event website for current information. Bring family and friends to enjoy non-stop Italian food, entertainment, dancing, vendors, wine and beer gardens at the annual Festa Italiana.
Festival of Balloons
Hot-air balloons take flight mere minutes from downtown Portland every summer.
Bloody Mary Festival
The 2021 festival is taking place virtually. 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…
Edgefield Brewfest
Returning this June is the third-ever Edgefield Brewfest, on the same lawn where Edgefield Concerts take place. Coming together are more than 100 of Oregon and Washington’s best breweries & cideries for a day full of merriment. Wander the rows of taps to find a new favorite, or put together a strategic tasting plan, Feel…
Cider Summit
The region’s largest cider festival returns to the Pearl District every June, featuring ciders made by artisanal producers, cider cocktails and small bites available for purchase. From 2011-2019 the Cider Summit has brought the PDX festival to cider lovers throughout the region. Unfortunately, for the second consecutive year, the festival won’t be produced as usual….
Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival
Chamber Music Northwest’s annual summer festival combines high-caliber classical music with a laid-back atmosphere.
Waterfront Blues Festival
Every Fourth of July weekend, the Waterfront Blues Festival takes over downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park.
Piano Push Play
Piano Push Play invites local artists to transform old, donated pianos into whimsical works of art which are distributed across the city.
Oregon Country Fair
Oregon Country Fair will be hosting Fair in the Clouds: A Virtual Event from July 9-11, 2021. Please visit the event website for current information. Delight in the Oregon Coutnry Fair’s world class entertainment, handmade crafts, delectable foods, educational displays and magical surprises at every turn of the path. The Oregon Country Fair is nestled…
Rose Cup Races
Celebrate racing history at Portland International Raceway’s 60th annual Rose Cup Races! Enjoy great racing, pageantry and honoring an iconic family-friendly event in the Pacific Northwest.
Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn
With acts that have ranged from Al Green to ZZ Top, McMenamins Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn are an annual rite of summer and the hottest ticket in town.
Cathedral Park Jazz Festival
“Billed as the longest-running jazz-and-blues festival west of the Mississippi, this annual summer favorite is a prime showcase of Portland’s homegrown talent, natural beauty and neighborly charm. Picnicking families relax on a grassy slope nestled by the foot of the majestic St. Johns Bridge to enjoy the likes of trumpeter Farnell Newton (sideman to the…
Portland Zine Symposium
The 2021 event will be held virtually; please visit the event website for current information. The Portland Zine Symposium is an organization that hosts, among other events, a yearly free conference and zine social exploring facets of independent publishing and DIY culture. This event has been held in Portland, Oregon every summer since 2001 and…
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.
Sneaker Week
Sneaker Week offers fun events for sneaker addicts and footwear newbies alike.
Vanport Jazz Festival
The Vanport Jazz Festival is scheduled to return Aug. 7, 2021. See website for details. The Vanport Jazz Festival honors the city of Vanport and the voices who formed Portland’s jazz community. Near the site of the historic 1948 flood, the event transforms Colwood Golf Course into a cultural revival, welcoming nationally renowned artists and…
Bridge Pedal
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 Portland’s car-free streets and bridges…
Multnomah Days
Portland’s Multnomah Village is filled with character – as well as dozens of unique shops, galleries, restaurants, arts and more. Multnomah Days is an annual one-day, open-air, family-friendly street festival with scheduled live musical acts, street entertainers, art and vendor booths as well as food & beverage services via outdoor street dining and food carts.
Hood to Coast
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. The race fills up months in advance, but there’s no…
Portland Paseo
Portland Paseo will be an afternoon/evening community gathering over two days, August 28 and 29. Inspired by the Spanish custom of the evening walk that reawakens the city, it will be a linear celebration of artists, music, performances, visual art, street food, and artisan markets honoring and amplifying the amazing work of our BIPOC communities…
Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival
Art in the Pearl will return in 2021, with social distancing measures in place and sanitizing and hand-washing stations available. Check the event website for more details about COVID-19 protocols. 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….
CityFair
EVENT ON HIATUS IN 2021 AND EXPECTED TO RETURN IN 2022. Please visit the event website for current information. 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.
Rose Festival Starlight Parade
EVENT POSTPONED UNTIL 2022. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade
EVENT POSTPONED UNTIL 2022. Please visit the event website for current information. 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…
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