The short answer
Portland's event calendar runs all year: the Rose Festival, the city's signature event since 1907, from late May into June; the Waterfront Blues Festival over July 4th weekend; TBA:26 (September 9-13) and Rose City Comic Con (September 11-13) in September; the Greek Festival and Portland Marathon sharing October 2-4; the Portland Book Festival November 2-8; and December lights from ZooLights, the Christmas Ships Parade and Peacock Lane. Check event tickets and lodging availability for your dates before making plans.
Signature event
The Portland Rose Festival has run since 1907, late May into June.
September overlap
TBA:26 runs September 9-13 and Rose City Comic Con September 11-13.
October overlap
The Greek Festival (October 2-4) and Portland Marathon (October 4) share the same weekend.
Check the full stay
Compare your full travel dates and check cancellation terms before reserving.
December lights
ZooLights, the Christmas Ships Parade and Peacock Lane light up the city through the holidays.
Free monthly culture
First Thursday opens Pearl District galleries late with free admission every month.
Portland's festival calendar reflects the city's character — creative, community-driven, and deeply seasonal. Most of these events are community-produced, not corporate spectacles: the Rose Festival has run since 1907, and Saturday Market has been artist-run since 1974. Below is what's coming up next, then the full year by season. Event schedules can change; the organizer links are the source for tickets, accessibility, and final timing.
Heads up: a few ticket links on this page are affiliate links. Stay Portland may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you — it helps us keep this guide free and up to date.
Happening This Season
Fall is Portland at its best: mild weather into October, harvest season across the Willamette Valley, and a run of big events between September and Thanksgiving. Here's what's next on the calendar. Catching a show too? See our Portland concert guide — the fall touring season is stacked, and check the Timbers and Thorns schedules for matches during your visit (jump to Fall for more).
September 9–13, 2026. PICA's contemporary performance festival takes over theaters, galleries, warehouses and public spaces across the city for five days of work that refuses to sit in one category.
September 11–13, 2026 at the Oregon Convention Center. Three days of comics, gaming, sci-fi, anime and cosplay, and one of the largest conventions Portland hosts all year. Find stays near the Oregon Convention Center and check the route to the venue before booking.
October 2–4, 2026 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, NE 32nd and Glisan. Three days of food, pastry, music and dancing — a Portland fall tradition that runs the same weekend as the marathon.
October 4, 2026. Check the organizer’s course and race-day transport information before selecting accommodation. Compare Portland stays for your full race weekend.
Insider Tip
Choose lodging around the event you will attend. For Comic Con, start with stays near the Convention Center. For the Greek Festival, compare Northeast Portland homes and confirm the route to NE 32nd and Glisan. For a longer visit around several events, compare short-term rentals. Availability and prices depend on your dates.
Spring (March - May)
Spring is when Portland shakes off the rain and the calendar wakes up — film, flowers, and the return of the open-air markets. The Portland Farmers Market comes into full swing at PSU, with peak produce starting in May.
Portland International Film Festival (PIFF)
Late February into March. International films screened across the city — Oregon's largest film festival and a serious cinephile draw.
March. The largest continuously operating open-air arts and crafts market in the United States — 250+ local artisans every weekend along the waterfront, running through Christmas.
Late May into June. CityFair on the waterfront and the combined Grand Floral Starlight Parade. Portland's signature event since 1907 and the official start of busy season — book early.
Summer (June - August)
Summer is Portland's peak season and the calendar shows it — a festival nearly every weekend, plus a stacked concert season and pro soccer. For everything happening, see our Summer 2026 events guide.
Waterfront Blues Festival
July 4th weekendJuly 4th weekend. Downtown Portland's largest and longest-running music festival — three stages on the waterfront, fireworks over the Willamette, and blues cruises on the river.
July 18–19, 2026. One of the West Coast's largest Pride celebrations, centered on Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
Cathedral Park Jazz Festival
Free
Late July. Free jazz under the St. Johns Bridge — one of the longest-running free jazz festivals in the country.
Portland Timbers (MLS)
Providence Park, all season. Game day in the Timbers Army supporters' section — standing, singing, and smoke from the opening whistle — is unlike anything else in American sports.
Portland Thorns (NWSL)
Providence Park, all season. Portland is the heartbeat of American women's soccer, and the Thorns draw some of the biggest crowds in the league.
Fall (September - November)
Fall is harvest season: wineries across the Willamette Valley host harvest events and the Hood River Fruit Loop hits peak apple season. The weather stays mild into October, and the fall foliage at Mt. Tabor, Laurelhurst, and Forest Park is the best of the year. September and October are the two busiest event months after summer, and November brings the book festival and the start of the holiday season.
September 9–13, 2026. PICA's five-day contemporary art and performance festival, staged in theaters, galleries, warehouses and public spaces around the city.
September 11–13, 2026 at the Oregon Convention Center. Comics, gaming, sci-fi, anime and cosplay across three days — one of the biggest conventions on Portland's calendar.
October 2–4, 2026. Food, pastry, music and dancing at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on NE 32nd and Glisan.
October 4, 2026. Downtown start and finish, four bridge crossings, and a route through the city's landmark neighborhoods.
The second and third weekends of October, on SE Stark. Free tastings across dozens of apple and pear varieties, plus fresh-pressed cider — a low-key local tradition rather than a tourist event.
November 2–8, 2026, with the main festival day on Saturday, November 7 in the South Park Blocks. Literary Arts expanded it to a full week for 2026; the Saturday sold out in 2025, so buy passes early.
Winter (December - February)
Portland embraces its rainy season with cozy indoor events — and lights everywhere. December beer festivals pour special winter ales from Portland's best breweries, and the city's bar and restaurant scene is arguably at its coziest: fireplace cocktail bars, rich stews and ramen, and famous coffee.
Two weeks in early December. Decorated boats parade after dark on both the Willamette and the Columbia, with fleets running most nights on a published route schedule. Free to watch from the riverbank — check the schedule for which stretch of water is lit on which night.
Early December at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Winter beers and ciders from around the Northwest under covered, heated tents beside the big tree — a short, cozy weekend rather than a week-long festival.
Late November into early January. Holiday lights transform the Oregon Zoo into a massive after-dark display. Dates for the 2026–27 season are posted on the zoo's site each fall.
Peacock Lane
FreeMid-to-late December, nightly after dark. Four residential blocks between SE Cesar Chavez and SE 41st, with entrances on Stark and Belmont, light up as a free walk-through display. Walking beats driving — the queue of cars is the whole problem.
Portland Winter Light Festival
February. Large-scale light installations transform outdoor spaces across the city.
Year-Round
Some of Portland's best events aren't seasonal at all — they happen every month or every weekend, all year.
First Thursday Art Walk
Monthly, Pearl District. Galleries open late with free admission and wine — the best free cultural night in the city and the easiest way to see the Pearl's gallery scene.
Last Thursday on Alberta
Monthly street party on Alberta Street with food, art, and live music (outdoor season May through September; indoor gallery version in winter).
Portland Saturday Market
Every weekend, March through Christmas Eve, at Tom McCall Waterfront Park — 250+ local artisans and food vendors, artist-run since 1974.
Portland's live music scene runs deep year-round, with touring and local acts almost every night. For the big tours, see our concert guide. The comedy scene is thriving too — Helium Comedy Club and Curious Comedy Theater host national and local acts regularly.
Crystal Ballroom
DowntownDowntown on W Burnside. Famous for its historic floating dance floor.
Revolution Hall
SE Portland. A converted high school auditorium with great sound and a rooftop bar.
Mississippi Studios
NorthNorth Portland, on N Mississippi Ave. Intimate, with some of the best sound in the city.
Insider Tip
For group trips around festivals, a large-group vacation rental is significantly more affordable than booking multiple hotel rooms — and you get a shared living space to gather between events. A 4-bedroom house sleeping 8-10 people often costs less per person than two hotel rooms.
Insider Tip
Building a trip around an event? Start with a ready-made itinerary and adjust dates to match: our Portland weekend itinerary (the city's greatest hits in two nights) or the Portland food itinerary (coffee, food carts, James Beard kitchens). Each has a map, real places, and matching rentals.
