Top Festivals

Portland is the state's festivals hub, with many events taking place Downtown on the city's scenic Willamette riverfront, but you'll find plenty of engaging festivals elsewhere. Also keep in mind that Oregon is wild about farmers' markets—most towns in the state have one from spring through fall, and Portland has dozens. There's often live entertainment, arts and crafts, and prepared food at these bustling outdoor markets.

Spring. Portland's Cinco de Mayo festival celebrates its sister-city relationship with Guadalajara, Mexico, and runs a full weekend in early May. Arguably the most famous event in the state, the Portland Rose Festival consists of numerous events and parties throughout late May and early June, culminating in a huge parade.

Summer. Among the many big gatherings in Portland each summer, many taking place along the riverfront, check out Portland Gay Pride in mid-June, the wildly colorful World Naked Bike Ride in late June, the Waterfront Blues Festival over July 4 weekend, the Oregon Brewers Festival in late July, and the Bite of Oregon food festival in early August.

Summer kicks off on the coast with the Astoria Music Festival, held over two weeks beginning in late June. Jazz fans head to central Oregon in early July for the lively Bend Summer Festival, and wine lovers flock to McMinnville, in the Willamette Valley, to sample fine regional vintages in late July during the International Pinot Noir Celebration. Autumn is just around the corner with the arrival of the Oregon Wine Experience in Jacksonville in late August and the Oregon State Fair in Salem in late August and early September.

Fall. Portland's Feast has rapidly become one of the most talked-about international culinary festivals in the country, with events and meals prepared by both local and national star chefs. The Pendleton Round-Up is one of the most prestigious and downright fun rodeos in the country, drawing upwards of 60,000 participants and spectators in September. In coastal Bandon each September, the Cranberry Festival comprises a fair and parade. The Sisters Folk Festival brings top-name artists to this scenic mountain town near Bend, which hosts its bustling Bend Fall Festival in late September–early October.

Winter. In late January, foodies partake of numerous delicious events throughout the Willamette Valley during the Oregon Truffle Festival. Although it sounds like a short-term seasonal event, Ashland's famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival actually runs from late February through early November. In mid-February, Oregon WinterFest in Bend celebrates the region's winter sports with a mix of outdoors activities and indoor concerts. Late February's Newport Seafood and Wine Festival is a tasty time to visit the coast. Film lovers will enjoy the Portland International Film Festival, featuring works from throughout the world each February, which coincides with the acclaimed Portland Jazz Festival.

Festivals

Astoria Music Festival . Fans of opera and classical works flock to this increasingly popular festival, which mounts more than 20 performances, over 16 days in late June and early July. www.astoriamusicfestival.org.

Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest. It can be tough to find a room—or parking spot—during this single-day mid-June festival that's been going strong for more than 50 years and showcases the amazingly detailed sand constructions of both professional and amateur teams. www.cannonbeach.org.

Cranberry Festival. In Bandon each September this festival in celebration of the town's most famous product (well, after seafood) comprises a fair and parade. www.bandon.com/cranberry-festival.

Newport Seafood and Wine Festival. This renowned foodie gathering takes place the last full weekend in February and bills itself the premier seafood and wine event of the Oregon Coast. Dozens of wineries are represented at this expansive celebration, which also features myriad crafts and eateries. www.seafoodandwine.com.

Oregon Country Fair. Every July, the weekend after Independence Day, a small patch of fields and forest right outside of Eugene transforms into an enchanting community celebration known as the Oregon Country Fair. This annual event has been going on since the 1960s and maintains much of its flower-child vibe, with all sorts of parades, live music, puppet shows, face painting, and excellent craft shopping. 24207 Oregon 126, Veneta, Oregon, 97487. 541/343--4298; www.oregoncountryfair.org.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival. From mid-February to early November, more than 100,000 Bard-loving fans descend on Ashland for some of the finest Shakespearean productions you're likely to see outside of London—plus works by both classic (Ibsen, O'Neill) and contemporary playwrights. Eleven plays are staged in repertory in the 1,200-seat Allen Elizabethan Theatre, an atmospheric re-creation of the Fortune Theatre in London; the 600-seat Angus Bowmer Theatre, a state-of-the-art facility typically used for five different productions in a single season; and the 350-seat Thomas Theatre, which often hosts productions of new or experimental work. The festival, which dates to 1935, generally operates close to capacity, so it's important to book ahead. 15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland, Oregon, 97520. 541/482–4331; 800/219–8161; www.osfashland.org.

Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest. Every spring from the end of March through April, visitors to Woodburn's Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm can tiptoe (or walk, or take a hayride) through spectacular fields of brightly hued tulips. Other festival features include wine-tastings, cut-out boards for photos, food booths, and a play area for kids. 33814 S. Meridian Rd. , Woodburn, Oregon, 97071. 503/634--2243; www.woodenshoe.com/events/tulip-fest/.