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Portland’s event calendar peaks in summer, but the city hosts signature festivals nearly every month. The biggest is the Portland Rose Festival in June, while July’s Oregon Brewers Festival and the Waterfront Blues Festival draw the largest summer crowds. Here are the key Portland events and festivals to plan around. For Portland weather by month, see our Portland weather by month.
Portland Events and Festivals: Spring
Portland Rose Festival
The Rose Festival runs three weekends each June across Tom McCall Waterfront Park and downtown. Highlights include the Grand Floral Parade (second Saturday in June), the Starlight Parade, and the CityFair carnival with rides and food. Most parades are free to watch; CityFair admission is US$10. Book hotels months ahead, as this is the city’s busiest event. The festival traces to 1907 and is why Portland is called the Rose City. For things to do in Portland, see our things to do in Portland.
PDX Jazz Festival
The PDX Jazz Festival takes place over roughly 10 days in late February and March at venues including the Crystal Ballroom and Revolution Hall. It has hosted Wynton Marsalis, Esperanza Spalding, and local jazz groups. Individual tickets run US$30 to US$60, with a festival pass around US$200. For best neighborhoods in Portland, see our best neighborhoods in Portland.
Portland Events and Festivals: Summer
Waterfront Blues Festival
The Waterfront Blues Festival fills Tom McCall Waterfront Park over the Fourth of July weekend (early July). It’s the largest blues festival west of the Mississippi, with three to four stages and food vendors. Daily tickets run US$35 to US$60, and proceeds support the Oregon Food Bank. For where to stay in Portland, see our where to stay in Portland.
Oregon Brewers Festival
The Oregon Brewers Festival runs the last full weekend of July at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, pouring from more than 80 breweries. Admission is free, but you’ll buy a US$10 tasting mug and US$1 tasting tokens. Portland counts over 70 breweries citywide, and this is the best weekend to sample them in one place. For Portland travel tips, see our Portland travel tips.
Portland Events and Festivals: Fall and Winter
Feast Portland
Feast Portland, a food and drink festival, runs mid-September across venues in the Pearl District and downtown. It brings together local chefs, wineries, and distilleries for ticketed dinners and tastings from US$75 up. It’s a strong reason to pair a fall visit with the best time to visit Portland shoulder season.
Christmas Ship Parade and Peacock Lane
Through December, the Christmas Ship Parade sends decorated boats along the Willamette and Columbia rivers most nights (free to watch from the shore). In southeast Portland, Peacock Lane glows with house lights from mid-December to January 1, drawing car and walking traffic nightly. Both are free. Bundle up; December highs average 8°C (46°F).
