Portland Rose Festival | The Official Guide to Portland

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Oregon City High School was one of the marching bands that earned a spot in the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade.

Credit: Diego Diaz

The city’s biggest festival features parades, fireworks, races, a carnival and more.

3 min read

Every year for more than a century, the City of Roses has celebrated excellence with the Portland Rose Festival. Declared Portland’s official festival in 2010, the celebration includes more than 60 events, including parades, fleet week ships, carnival rides, art shows, fun runs and more, starting in late May and ending in mid-June.

While the festival’s website has a full list of events and activities, we have developed this guide to help you hit the highlights. The schedule is eventful and full of good times; just make sure you take a moment or two to smell the roses.

Grand Floral Starlight Parade

New for 2026, the festival’s grandest parades have been combined into a single parade experience. Blending the pageantry of the Grand Floral Parade with the energy and excitement of the Starlight Parade, the Grand Floral Starlight Parade will begin with the floral floats, marching bands, equestrian units and community groups in the daylight. Later, as darkness falls, will follow the illuminated floats, lighting effects and exciting nighttime spectacles.

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Credit: Diego Diaz

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Starlight Run

Like the opening act at a rock concert, costumed racers dressed up for the 5 km (3.1 mile) Starlight Run get the parade route crowds hyped up for the popular evening Grand Floral Starlight Parade, which lights up the city with illuminated floats, syncopated drummers, roller derby teams and more.

Opening Ceremony Fireworks & CityFair

Portland Rose Festival kicks off with a spectacular Opening Night Fireworks Show on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. For a great view, grab a seat on the Ferris wheel at CityFair, a celebration spanning three weekends at downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park. CityFair features carnival rides, food and beer, live music, and a headlining performer who’s a guaranteed party starter.

Credit: Nick Mendez, nickmendez.com

Boat Races

The Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races shift the party to the Willamette River as over 50 local, national and international teams compete in ornate boats provided by the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association.

Portland locals have also been showing off their ingenuity and creativity each year at the Royal Rosarians Milk Carton Boat Race, dating back to 1973. These innovative mariners compete in different categories while racing human-powered boats made out of recycled milk cartons and jugs.

Fleet Week, Roses and the Queen’s Coronation

A stroll along the Willamette River waterfront during the Rose Festival will yield a view seen just once a year, as gigantic naval ships line the shore, giving visitors an up-close view of our nation’s seafaring military vessels and a chance to meet sailors, take on-board tours and learn about the U.S. Navy firsthand during Fleet Week.

Get to the fragrant source at the Portland Rose Society Annual Spring Rose Show, the nation’s largest and longest-running rose show, which brings more than 4,000 blooms to Lloyd Center in Northeast Portland.

Comprised of 15 Portland-area high school students, the Rose Festival Court represents leadership, community involvement and scholarly ambition. A new reigning Queen is selected from this worthy group during the Rose Festival Queen’s Coronation, and goes on to receive a college scholarship and the opportunity to represent Portland and the Rose Festival for a full year at national and international appearances.

• Portland International Rose Test Garden

  Founded in 1917, the oldest official continuously operated public rose test garden in the U.S. features over 10,000 rose bushes and views of downtown. Free guided tours are offered in the summer.

• Ladd Circle Park & Rose Gardens

  Ladd’s Addition, Portland’s oldest planned residential development known for its diagonal street pattern, is anchored by a central garden with camellias, and over 3,000 roses in the four diamonds, creating a stunning stained glass effect.

• Peninsula Park Rose Garden

  Opened in 1909, this formal French garden was the city’s first public rose garden. The verdant park is home to an iconic fountain, a gazebo, sports fields and a public pool.

• Pittock Mansion

  At this historic former home of rose-loving Georgiana Burton Pittock find a few rose gardens that dot the grounds around the estate, coming alive with blooms of pink, red, white and orange between late May and late June.

Summer in Portland

In the summertime, Portland pulls out all the stops, with festivals celebrating craft beer, music, contemporary art and the city’s culinary scene.

Summer Concert Round-Up

Portland brings the heat with a packed outdoor concert schedule that makes the most of summer’s long days and warm nights.

Summer Free for All

Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.

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