Search 
Summer Free for All
Enjoy live music, movie screenings and kids’ games in Portland’s public parks.
Zak Griffler
Portland parks offer plenty of free fun anytime of year, but Portland Parks and Recreation’s Summer Free for All program ups the ante, offering hundreds of free events from June to August. The entertainment at parks across the city includes free movie screenings, concerts and Zumba classes. 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 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 Rose City, check out Portland Parks and Recreation’s website for more information. Who says the best things in life aren’t free?
Upcoming Dates & Times
- Aug. 18
- Aug. 19
- Aug. 20
- Aug. 25
- Aug. 26
- Aug. 27
- Aug. 28
- Sept. 1
- Sept. 3 More dates & times
Summer Free For All Events
Enjoy Portland's favorite summertime activities with these local events.
Comedy in the Park
Minority Retort, the NW’s premier standup showcase featuring Black and Brown comedians, is proud to team up with Kickstand Comedy and Portland Parks and Rec to bring you Comedy in the Park. The show starts at 6 pm with Kickstand Comedy and another one of their outstanding lineups that make them Portland’s home for local…
DJ Jupiter Williams
DJ Jupiter Williams will be performing at the Square over the lunch hour. Pioneer Courthouse Square, also known as Portland’s living room, is a public space occupying a full 40,000-square-foot city block in the center of downtown Portland, Oregon, United States.
Summer Free For All – Sabroso
CONCERT: Sabroso – Latin to funk and everything in between Brothers Pablo and Ricardo Ojeda have been writing and playing music together for as long as they can remember. Their musical writing style has taken many forms during the evolution of their sound. From the national touring dance floor packing beats of Rubberneck to the…
Movie in the Park: The Goonies
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing The Goonies (1985) PG Old-fashioned yarn about a band of adventurous kids who take on the might of a property development company that plans to destroy their home to build a country club. When the children discover an old pirate map in the attic,…
Summer Free For All – Eldon T Jones + Friends
CONCERT: Eldon T Jones + Friends – Romantic sounds of saxophone jazz and love songs, featuring Arietta Ward, Rich Layton, Rae Gordon, and Ronnie Wright. Saxophonist Eldon T Jones is one of Portland’s best saxophone players of jazz, gospel, and soul music.
Movie in the Park: Hook
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of Hook (1991) PG When his young children are abducted by his old nemesis, Capt. Hook (Dustin Hoffman), middle-aged lawyer Peter Banning (Robin Williams) returns to his magical origins as Peter Pan
Movie in the Park: In the Heights
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of In the Heights (2021) PG-13 In Washington Heights, N.Y., the scent of warm coffee hangs in the air just outside of the 181st St. subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies a vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all…
Summer Free For All – King Louie & Sean Holmes
CONCERT: King Louie and Sean Holmes – Dynamic sounds of jazz and soul blues Louis “King Louie” Pain, dubbed “Portland’s boss of the B-3” by The Oregonian, is a musician’s musician. When called upon, Louis is a dynamic soloist, but he specializes in the subtle art of making the musicians and vocalists he works with…
Movie in the Park: The Frisco Kid
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of The Frisco Kid (1979) PG Rabbi Avram Belinsky (Gene Wilder) lands in Philadelphia intending to travel to San Francisco, where he plans on starting a synagogue. Quickly relieved of his belongings by a group of con artists, Avram optimistically sets out alone on…
The Kidz Outside Festival
Neu Beginnin Global and & Gentrification is WEIRD! present the first annual The Kidz Outside Festival. Co-Founded by Portland hip-hop artist Mat Randol and writer/artist Donovan Scribes, TKO Fest is the first step in activating efforts to improve North Portland’s George Park. Donovan and Mat have reached out and garnered support from the city as…
Movie in the Park: Moana
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of Moana (2016) PG An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master way-finder. Together they sail across the open ocean…
Summer Free For All – Kimberly Monique
CONCERT: Kimberly Monique – Singer, songwriter of old and new school R&B, soul, and funk Kimberly Monique’ was born and raised in Portland, OR, to her parents, Billy and Audrey Holt. Kimberly is the middle of 5 children and often speaks of how dear they are to her. As a child, she would sing along…
Movie in the Park: Raya and The Last Dragon
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of Raya and The Last Dragon (2021) PG Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years…
Summer Free For All – Providence Stage Band
CONCERT: Providence Stage Band – Big band sounds from the 40s to the 70s The Providence Hospital Stage Band, established in 1962, will be doing its part in representing the best of the big band sound for an evening of Big Band tunes and vocals.
Movie in the Park: West Side Story
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of West Side Story (2021) PG-13 Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks — two rival gangs…
Movie in the Park: Soul
Pull up a lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful evening showing of Soul (2020) PG Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn’t entirely gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz — and he’s good. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers…
Was this page helpful?