Portland Events and Festivals

(Portland, Oregon - OR, USA)

Portland does not have as many calendar events and festivals as some of America's larger cities, however, there is never a shortage of things to do, with the summertime in particular offering a range of music orientated occasions. The helpful tourist information offices in Portland are always a useful source for current events and festivals in Portland.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day
• 12th February - Lincoln's Birthday
• Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday
• Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
• 4th July - Independence Day
• First Monday in September - Labor Day
• Second Monday in October - Columbus Day
• 11th November - Veterans Day
• 4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
• 25th December - Christmas Day

Portland Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Chinese Lunar New Year - usually celebrated towards the end of January each year with colorful parades through Chinatown, including long red dragons and noisy beating of drums and symbols as per the tradition of the large Chinese community here

February

• No significant festivals in Portland in February

March

• No significant festivals in Portland in March

April

• Gorge Artists Open Studio Tour - held the second weekend of the month, a three day event which allows visitors to view the art work in media such as pastels, ceramics, watercolors and jewlery by regional artists
• Chinese Clear Brightness Festival - mid-April, honoring their ancestors and including numerous unusual Eastern cultural celebrations in Chinatown
• Hood River Valley Blossom Fest and Springtime Guide - mid-April, just over an hour east of Portland. Various events held over 16 days in celebration of Spring's arrival
• Gathering of the Guilds - late-April / early May, a three day event held at the Oregon Convention Center bringing together crafted items from the Creative Metal Arts Guild, Guild of Oregon Woodworkers, Oregon Glass Guild, Portland Bead Society and the Portland Handweavers Guild

May

• Cinco de Mayo Fiesta - Waterfront Park, a lively showcase of Latin rhythms and culture, with music, dance, handicrafts and food
• Portland Indie Wine Festival - Urban Wine Works , NW 16th Avenue, forty small independent wine producers displaying their wares
• Columbia Gorge Wine and Pear Festival - mid-May in Hood River. Fruit exhibition, wine tasting, live music and more. Held since 2011

June

• Portland Rose Festival - the City of Roses holds its most dazzling event at the Portland waterfront. Week long festivities overtake the city, with riotous celebrations including the riverfront carnival, parades, the crowning of the Rose Queen all offering family fun
• Portland Gay Pride Parade and Celebration - late June, Portland's streets are transformed into a vivid carnival in this annual two-day event that commemorates the anniversary of the 1969 New York Stonewall riots and attracts over 10,000 participants

July

• Waterfront Blues Festival - fourth of July weekend, held in downtown's riverside park, the Waterfront Blues Festival draws crowds annually to enjoy performances by renowned local and international blues acts
• Oregon Brewers Festival - the Oregon Brewers Festival is a celebration of Portland's fine tradition of brewing, drawing 50,000 ale fans to this four-day event to enjoy craft brews that are deliciously different to the average American beer

August

• Mount Hood Jazz Festival - this national jazz festival draws artists from across the country to play at the Mount Hood Community College, twelve and a half miles east of downtown Portland
• Festa Italiana- Italian food festival in Pioneer Court Square, four day cultural offering of food, dance, music, grape stomping, pizza tossing and fun for the whole family
• Portland Wooden Boat Show - mid-August, Eastbank Esplanade, display of new and classic wooden boats in various stages of construction and restoration, as well as a regatta for the whole family
• The Bite - mid-August, Portland's fine assortment of restaurants get together at the Waterfront for an awesome gastronomical fest backed by the best in local bands

September

• North by Northwest - Portland's version of the Austin, Texas, South by Southwest festival. Alternative bands and viewers gather for a weekend of non- stop gigs. This is grunge heaven
• Annual Reptile and Amphibian show - OMSI museum, over 200 creepy specimens to touch, watch and learn about in this hands-on display with live performances
• Art in the Pearl - NW Park Blocks, world-class outdoor event featuring work by hundreds of local artists
• International Airshow - mid-September, Hillsboro Airport, popular annual event featuring some unmissable displays and planes, such as the popular Thunderbirds
• Oktoberfest and Equinox - mid-September, Edgefield and Grand Lodge, special package that includes food, music, lodging and more, out in nature. Usually organized in conjunction with the Great Northwest Music tours
• Hood River Hops Fest - held on the last Saturday of September approximately 76 miles / 122 km from Portland in downtown Hood River between 5th and 7th Streets and Cascade and Columbia Streets. This beer festival has been celebrating the harvest season since 2004 and attracts thousand of people each year. Running from noon to 21:00 the celebrations are suitable for families until 18:00 when the festival becomes an adult only affair

October

• Harvest festival and wine party - Pheasant Valley Vineyard Estates
• 34th Annual Portland Marathon - known as the 'Peoples Marathon and touted as one of the 10 best in the US
• Hood River Valley Harvest Fest - held mid-October along the Hood River Waterfront. Activities include arts and crafts, all day music, a food court and many other forms of entertainment

November

• Thanksgiving Extravaganza - Pheasant Valley Vineyard Estates
• Wine Country Thanksgiving - Vineyard Estates, an open day on more than 100 estates with food and wine and Turkey dinners

December

• Christmas Festival of Lights at the Grotto - possibly the largest Choral festival of its kind in the world, drawing 50,000 visitors to sing and celebrate Christmas
• Holiday Ale Festival - twenty nine regional brewers come together for the Northwest's biggest beer festival, tented and heated outdoors, with entertainment, food and, of course, plenty of beer
• Parade of Christmas Ships - dating from 1954, this parade now attracts more than 50 highly decorated boats each year along the Columbia and Willamette rivers
• Holiday Artisan Market - mid-December, Pioneer Courthouse Square, a must for Christmas shoppers, with Crafts that include jewelry, ceramics, stained glass, mosaics and much more