local guide to fairs & festivals

The season of sunscreen, street food, and spontaneous road trips is here. Around these parts, that means fairs that smell like kettle corn, music festivals that stretch past sunset, and at least one event where someone paddles across a lake in a giant pumpkin.

We’ve rounded up some of the most iconic, unexpected, and totally worth-it happenings across Oregon and Southwest Washington. From cider sipping and kite spotting to rodeos, street fairs, and late-night dancing in city parks, this month-by-month guide is your permission slip to say yes more often and soak up everything the season has to offer.

June 2025

PDX Parent Family Festival | June 21, Sauvie Island
Each year more than 2,000 kids and grown-ups attend this Family Festival for a day of family fun, music, and community spirit at Topaz Farms. 

BERRIES, BREWS & BBQs | June 14-15, St Paul
Father’s Day BBQ celebration! Listen to live music, enjoy over 12 different family friendly activities & see all the blooms in their Gardens.

Oregon Renaissance Faire | June 7–29, Canby
Enjoy vibrant music, captivating performances, thrilling jousts, and a bustling marketplace filled with master artisans and legendary food purveyors. Every weekend in June.

Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest | June 20–22, Cannon Beach
Watch stunning creations take shape on the beach, then stay for live music and family fun.

Oregon Bach Festival | June 26–July 13, Eugene
World-class performances and timeless music in a beautiful college town setting.

July 2025

Waterfront Blues Festival | July 4–6, Portland
Portland’s biggest summer music event with blues legends, fireworks, food trucks, and riverfront vibes.

Mississippi Street Fair | July 12, Portland
Beloved NE Portland street fair packed with makers, music, food, and community energy.

Oregon Country Fair | July 11–13, Veneta
A whimsical forest festival filled with art, music, handmade crafts, and counterculture community spirit.

Portland Pride Waterfront Festival | July 19–20, Portland
A colorful, community-driven celebration of LGBTQ+ pride featuring parades, performances, and waterfront festivities.

Lakefair | July 16–20, Olympia, WA
Classic carnival fun with a parade, fireworks, and rides by Capitol Lake.

FairWell Festival | July 18–19, Redmond
Folk, indie, and Americana music festival in Central Oregon with a stunning mountain backdrop.

Washington County Fair | July 18–27, Hillsboro
Free admission, all the fair rides, food and entertainment 

Robin Hood Festival  | July 19–20, Sherwood
Experience live music, entertainment, and family-friendly activities across multiple stages, including the popular Main Stage and the interactive Family Stage in the Renaissance Village.

4 Days of Aloha | July 24–27, Vancouver
A unique and immersive experience celebrating Hawaiian arts and culture. The festival takes place at Clark College and Esther Short Park in Vancouver, Washington.

August 2025

Pickathon | August 1–4, Happy Valley
A sustainable, genre-spanning music festival on a farm with incredible food and a community vibe.

Fremont Fest | August 2, NE Portland
Beaumont Village comes alive with local vendors, parades, food, and a family-friendly block party feel.

Elephant Garlic Festival | August 8–10, North Plains
All things garlic, plus crafts, music, and one very memorable food lineup.

Tillamook County Fair | August 6–9, Tillamook
Known for the offbeat (and beloved) Pig-N-Ford races, plus all the classic fair trimmings.

Clackamas County Fair & Rodeo | August 12–16, Canby
Rides, livestock shows, concerts, and a full PRCA rodeo bring this tradition-packed county fair to life.

Multnomah Days Festival & Parade | August 16, Multnomah Village
A one-day open-air, family-friendly street festival with scheduled musical acts, community parade, art fair and over 150 vendor booths as well as food & beverage services available via outdoor street dining and food carts

Washington State International Kite Festival | August 18–24, Long Beach, WA
Watch the sky fill with vibrant kites in one of the most magical beachside events in the Northwest.

Oregon State Fair | August 22–September 1, Salem
The granddaddy of Oregon fairs, concerts, rides, agriculture, food, exhibits, and everything in between.

September 2025

Art in the Pearl | August 30–September 1, Portland
A nationally recognized fine arts and crafts show in the Pearl District.

Multicultural Festival | September 6, Ridgefield, WA
The 2025 Multicultural Festival theme is Fun & Games! The festival will include performances, crafts and activities, First Saturday and Farmers Market vendors, and more!

Pendleton Round-Up | September 8–13, Pendleton
One of the top rodeos in the country with parades, cultural celebrations, and serious cowboy energy.

El Grito Festival | September 13, Hillsboro
Kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with a powerful celebration of Latin American culture. This event unites approximately 5,000 people in a night of music, tradition, and pride.

Belmont Street Fair | September 14, SE Portland
Visit one of the largest-attended street fairs in Portland. With food and retail vendors of all kinds, show-stopping performances, and activities for all ages, the Belmont Street Fair is fun for everyone! Free!.

Festa Italiana  | September 20, Portland
This festival features family-friendly activities, beer and wine, vendors, raffle prizes and – of course – delicious Italian food!

October 2025

Bend Fall Festival | October 3–5, Downtown Bend
Celebrate the season with art, music, food trucks, and a weekend of family-friendly fun in the mountains.

Issaquah Salmon Days | October 4–5, Issaquah, WA
A Pacific Northwest tradition with parades, local vendors, kids’ activities, and the return of the salmon.

Hood River Valley Harvest Fest | October 11–13, Hood River
Local produce, cider, crafts, and more on the Columbia River waterfront, peak fall in the Gorge.

West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta | October 19, Tualatin
A race across the lake in 1,000-pound pumpkins. It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and you won’t want to miss it.

Whatever your summer vibe, spur-of-the-moment adventure or well-planned weekend, you’ve got plenty of good reasons to step out and explore. Pick a few, invite a friend, and follow the music, the food, or the faint smell of kettle corn. Just don’t be surprised if one of these ends up becoming your new favorite tradition.

Got a favorite local event we should add to the list? We’d love to hear about it, drop us a note and help us keep the calendar full of community favorites.