Portland Pride Festival, one of the country’s biggest, takes place right here in Portland this weekend at Waterfront Park. We’ll be out there all weekend so look for the red iHeart tent and come by and let us quench your thirst with some refreshing Snapple and Core Water! Plus you can enter to win tickets to upcoming concerts like Stevie Nicks, Cyndi Lauper, Jonas Brothers and more! On Sunday at 11am, don’t miss the Pride Parade as we wind our way down NW Broadway, over to Naito Parkway and to the Festival entrance, where the fun continues till 6pm. We’ll see you there!
Scooped Ice Cream Festival comes to Esther Short Park in Vancouver this weekend July 19 & 20 Ice cream lovers come from all over for all-you-can-eat scoops, live music, a milkshake drinking contest, food trucks. Win a family 4pack of tix! FUN FACT: Peach ice cream is the #1 trending flavor of 2025, followed by mango and pistachio.
It’s amazing what people can do with chalk…and the La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival is the best place to see it. The festival is this weekend, free to attend, in Hillsboro. You’ll see nationally recognized and emerging visual artists use bold, colorful chalk to create larger-than-life drawings on the street.
The Cathedral Park Jazz Festival is this weekend under the beautiful St. Johns Bridge.
The Portland Japanese Garden's Behind The Shoji Summer Marketplace is happening through Sept 2. An annual show and sale of Japanese and Japanese-inspired wares.
Portland Parks and Recreation Department's Summer Free For All is back! It includes fitness in the park, cultural events, movies in the park and Free Lunch + Play, where kids come to share a meal and have fun in the sun Monday-Friday all summer long.
Outdoor pools are open through August 31, and many offer free open play days. No registration is required to swim. Admission is available on a first come, first served basis and subject to daily staffing. Pools offering free swimming include Creston, Grant, Montavilla, Peninsula, Pier and Sellwood pools.
Hoyt Arboretum offers free guided tours every Sunday at 11 a.m. from April through October. You get to explore 12 miles of trails and see over 2,300 species of trees and plants from around the world. Plus, you can hop on a free shuttle to explore Washington Park and its attractions.
The Willamette Shore Trolley is a fun way to explore Portland! You get to ride a vintage trolley along a historic rail line from Lake Oswego to Portland, passing through the Elk Rock Tunnel and posh neighborhoods. The round trip takes about 35 to 45 minutes.
The PDX Sidewalk Joy Map is a fantastic way to explore Portland's quirky and creative side! It features over 80 community joy spots, including neighborhood galleries, exchanges, and displays. You can find fun projects like the Sidewalk Ducks, where you can take or leave a rubber duck, and the Lucky Dog Library, perfect for dog lovers.
Been meaning to get the fam to Oaks Park? You can ride the historic carousel and train for free! No bracelets or tickets are required. The carousel, which has been around for over 100 years, features hand-carved animals and is the oldest ride at the park. The train offers a relaxing ride with views of the Willamette River and Portland's west side.
The Sherwood Robin Hood Festival is this Friday, July 18 thru the 29th. They’ll have live performances by local artists from rock to renaissance music, and dance to sword fighting. Don’t miss the parade on Saturday at 10 a.m. More at Robin Hood Festival dot org.
LOOKING AHEAD:
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The World Naked Bike Ride is next weekend. With the unofficial motto of “as bare as you dare,” all manner of clothing and costume (or lack thereof!) is allowed. The date is July 26th.
The biggest doggie date in town coming up July 27th at the Rose Quarter. The Blazers invite all dog lovers to unite for the 2025 Pup City event. One cat is allowed and that is Blazers mascot Blaze who will lead the 1.3k walk around the Rose Quarter, starting at 10am. Come early for the festival filled with local vendors, food, raffles and games for both dogs & humans. Proceeds benefit One Tail at a Time. Register now.
Portland's annual Providence Bridge Pedal returns on Sunday, August 10th! Register now.
STACEY & MIKE WATCHLIST:
SMURFS, starring Rihanna as Smurfette, hits theaters taking on Superman, which Stacey & Mike both loved and highly recommend!
Stacey: The Following with Kevin Bacon.
Mike: MurderBot on Apple +