Portland Summer Festivals
Season Brings Rose Festival, Waterfront Blues, The Bite of Oregon
During the summer months Portland hosts a line-up of outdoor events from the Grand Floral Parade to the Oregon Brewers Festival, music and food and wine celebrations.
Portland celebrates summer with gatherings and events that draw thousands of participants. Rose Festival, with its Grand Floral Parade opens the season, followed by the four-day Waterfront Blues Festival and Oregon Brewers Festival in July. August brings the Bite of Oregon celebrating the region’s best food and wine. Most festivals take place at Tom McCall Waterfront Park along the Willamette River right downtown. Below are the major Festivals for 2008.
May 29 - June 8
Rose Festival is Portland’s signature multi-day summer fair. For the 2008 season, events last from May 29 through June 8. The highlight, the 100-year-old Grand Floral Parade, features elaborately decorated floral floats. There’s also the “Waterfront Village” with carnival rides, games and food booths; tours of the Tall Sailing Ships, the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain; a queen’s coronation; dragon boat races with local, national and international competitors; fireworks; and an evening Starlight Parade with illuminated floats. Most events take place at Tom McCall Waterfront Park unless otherwise noted. Here’s the schedule of main attractions:
- May 29 - June 8 -- Waterfront Village opens at 5 p.m. Thursday. Daily hours after opening are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Admission: Kids 6 and under free; age 7 and over $5 weekends and weekday evenings)
- May 29 - June 5 -- Tall Ships dock for mock battle sails and tours
- May 30 -- Fireworks display over the Willamette River beginning at 9:45 p.m.
- May 31 -- Starlight Parade, 8 p.m. through downtown
- June 4 - 8 -- Fleet Week begins with U.S. and Canadian naval ships docked
- June 7 -- Queen’s Coronation, 8:30 a.m. Memorial Coliseum (Admission: $30)
- June 7 -- Grand Floral Parade, 10 a.m., through downtown
- June 7 - 8 -- Dragon Boat Races, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. south end of Waterfront Park at RiverPlace Marina
July 3 - 6
This four-day Fourth of July music festival draws thousands of locals and visitors to Waterfront Park to hear blues musicians from around the country play on four stages. Now in its 21st year, it’s being called the largest blues festival on the West Coast and the second largest in the nation. The July 4th show ends with a spectacular fireworks display over the river.
In 2008, the festival will host more than 100 performances by such artists as Canned Heat, Isaac Hayes, The Mannish Boys, Charlie Musselwhite, New Orleans guitarist Eric Lindell, Back Door Slam from Britain, singer Phoebe Snow, Robert “Wolfman” Belfour, and Chris Ardoin among many others. July 5 brings a full day of Zydeco artists.
Admission is a $10 suggested donation and two cans of food to benefit the Oregon Food Bank, which works to eliminate hunger in Oregon.
Oregon Brewers Festival
July 24 - 27
Oregon is famous for its abundance of craft breweries. In its 21st year, the Oregon Brewers Festival is one of the longest-running craft brewing festivals in the nation. In 2008 it is expected to draw more than 50,000 people to Waterfront Park to sample beers from dozens of craft breweries from across the U.S. Food vendors round out the menu. A line-up of bands provides daily entertainment. The festival opens each day at 11:30. Closing is at 8:30 Thursday through Saturday, 6:30 on Sunday. Participants purchase a current-year mug for $5 plus $1 tokens to get beer at the festival. According to organizers, four tokens are required to fill the mug. Mugs and tokens are available at the gate.
Bite of Oregon
Aug. 8 – 10
Oregon’s top chefs present their cuisine for sampling at this annual festival at Waterfront Park. Along with the food, Oregon wineries and craft breweries offer beverages. There's live music throughout the festival. Friday evening brings a fireworks display. Friday and Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults; free for children 12 and under. Multi-day passes available at the gate are $12.
Sunny weather and Portland's waterfront setting make the perfect combination for these summer festivals.
