Portland and Area Activities Planner - Sept 19-26, 2025

OREGON INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW
Sept. 26-28
The Oregon International Air Show in McMinnvilleis one of the largest civilian air shows on the West Coast of the United States. The Air Show features military and civilian aircraft from the United States and Canada and sometime beyond!!

• USAF F-16 Viper Demo Team
• Canadian Forces Snowbirds
• USN E/A-18 Growler Demo Team
• F-15 Eagles - OREGON AIR NATIONAL GUARD
• B-25J Mitchell - Erickson Aircraft Collection
• and many more

PORTLAND FASHION WEEK
Sept. 15–21
Portland Fashion Week, the Sundance of Fashion Weeks, is the 3rd oldest fashion week series in the United States, TIME Magazine’s “BEST Indie Fashion Week in the USA since 2012, and the only carbon-negative fashion week in the world as outlined by The Huffington Post. From top-of-the-line eco-chic fashion experiences to our support for the local fashion community and the community, it’s no wonder Portland Fashion Week is on the “Top 100 Things to Do Before You Die” Portland Bucket List.

The driving force of Portland Fashion Week is the philosophy of Slow Fashion. This revolutionary perspective is founded on non-impulsive buying, using awareness as the basis for understanding the quality and value of clothing and its origination. Therefore, Portland Fashion Week believes sustainable practices, including reducing, reusing and recycling, will fully encompass all of the aforementioned values associated with slow fashion. This standard Portland Fashion Week has been adopted in all aspects of production, community support, educational programs, and designer selection. Thanks to these philosophies, they’ve had more Project Runway alum show at Portland Fashion Week than LA and NY combined.

DISNEY'S THE LION KING
Sept. 17–28
Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage. Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, The Lion King brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway. Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals. The Lion King also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice. There is simply nothing else like The Lion King.

OAKS PARK OKTOBERFEST
Sept. 19–21
Step into a celebration of fall, fun, and German tradition at Portland’s beloved hometown Oktoberfest. For three days, Oaks Amusement Park will be filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of the season. Savor authentic German cuisine and raise a stein of Paulaner beer, returning to the festival by popular demand. Dance the night away to lively polka and folk music, cheer on the wiener dog races, and catch live cooking demonstrations. Browse one-of-a-kind creations from craft vendors, while kids enjoy the Kinderplatz with games and hands-on activities. Thrill-seekers can take on the midway rides or try their hand at mini golf and roller skating, all set against the park’s historic riverside charm.

LINKIN PARK
Sept. 19
Rooted at the crossroads of aggressive metal and beat-driven hip-hop, Linkin Park became one of the most successful acts of the early 21st-century by incorporating elements from across genres, injecting hardcore rap, raucous punk, atmospheric electronic, and even polished pop stylings into their music. Despite being burdened with the oft-derided nu-metal and rap-rock genre designations, they soon evolved beyond those associations into a more complex beast

EVERGREEN TATTOO EXPO
Sept. 19-21
The Evergreen Tattoo Expo is a celebration of body art and the education of tattooing as well as other forms of body modification. This is a world class convention, smooth running and packed with hundreds of brilliant artists from the world over. Nowhere else can you find such a collection of skilled tattoo artists under one roof.

PORTLAND FESTA ITALIANA
Sept. 20–21
Bring family and friends to enjoy non-stop Italian food, entertainment, dancing, vendors, wine and beer gardens at the annual Festa Italiana. 

Italian Festival in Oaks Amusement Park. There will be Italian Food, Wine, Beer, Vendors and Children’s Activities. 

PORTLAND POLISH FESTIVAL
Sept. 20-21
The 29th Portland Polish Festival invites you, your family, and your friends to enjoy Polish food, dance, and music. Experience authentic Polish cuisine, live music and dance performances, exhibits on Polish history and culture, children’s activities, polka contests, and local merchant booths.

All Ages and Free Admission

CANDLELIGHT: RINGS AND DRAGONS
Sept. 19
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never before in Portland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Rings and Dragons at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Tentative Program include:

• Themes from The Lord of the Rings by Howard Shore
• The Shire
• Gollum
• The Caverns of Isengard
• Flaming Red Hair
• The Passing of the Elves
• Saruman the White
• Rivendell
• Lighting of the Beacons
• The Sacrifice of Faramir

DAHLIA FESTIVAL
Aug. 1–Sept. 30
You are invited to celebrate the season of Dahlias. Stroll through almost 50 acres of breathtaking fields and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 375 varieties. Treat yourself to a rainbow of colors by taking photos, shopping in our gift shop, and purchasing fresh-cut dahlias to take home. Select and order your favorite dahlias for spring delivery to enjoy the beauty in your garden the following year. Fill your belly with yummy treats from the food carts, relax and enjoy the live music on the weekend, or take one of the classes throughout the festival dates.

CHAPMAN SWIFT WATCH
Sept. 1–30
Great blue herons, bald eagles and peregrine falcons are just a few of the Rose City avian residents routinely spotted by visitors. But to really “put a bird” on a Portland memory, mark the calendar for September’s Chapman Swift Watch — the time of year when thousands of Vaux’s swifts drift through the city on their annual migration from Canada to Central and South America. The tiny birds spend their days hunting for insects and their evenings roosting, bat-like, in trees and chimneys..

The most popular perch is the towering smokestack of Chapman Elementary School in Northwest Portland, which attracts as many as 16,000 swifts looking for a place to hunker down for the evening. It’s plenty popular with spectators, too: Each night at sunset, hundreds of onlookers flock to a nearby grassy bank and watch in awe as a shadowy cloud of birds swirls acrobatically for up to an hour before darting inside the craggy chimney for the night. (Onlookers also watch for hawks, raptors and other birds of prey, which sometimes add a dose of drama to the nightly ritual.)

Chapman Elementary School students have embraced the annual event, even electing to make the swift their official mascot. Volunteers from the Bird Alliance of Oregon (formerly Portland Audubon) are also on hand most nights to help educate the curious public.

THE CORN MAIZE ON SAUVIE ISLAND
Aug. 30–Oct. 31
When summer winds down, Portland’s fall arrives with warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights. The ideal way to get lost in autumn’s splendor is at The Maize at the Pumpkin Patch. Located on Sauvie Island, a rural escape just 13 miles (21 km) north of downtown Portland, the Corn Maize offers visitors eight acres (3 hectares) of exciting twists and turns. But it’s not all about getting lost in nature; Two 16-foot (5 m) observation bridges provide picturesque panoramas with great views of the island and Mount Hood, as well as the maze itself.

Every year, the cornfield is carved with a different pattern, and the design is always sure to stump maze-goers while delighting fans of public art. Starting at the end of August, the maze is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October (and on select days leading up to Halloween).

61ST ANNUAL FOREST GROVE CORN ROAST
Sept. 20
Celebrating Community one kernel at a time.

Established in 1964, Forest Grove’s Corn Roast was a way to introduce incoming educators and celebrate the beginning of Fall with food, vendors, games, crafts, music, children's events, and of course CORN.

THE GLASS MENAGERIE
Sept. 19-21
For the first time in 15 years, Bag&Baggage revisits Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, a haunting memory play that stands as a cornerstone of American theatre. This semi-autobiographical classic follows Tom Wingfield as he struggles between duty and desire, caught between his overbearing yet fiercely loving mother, Amanda, and his painfully innocent sister, Laura. A poignant exploration of the fragility of dreams and the weight of family ties, The Glass Menagerie lingers in the heart long after the curtain falls. This production features Company Artists Kymberli Colbourne, Taya Dixon, and Samuel Campbell in a fresh and intimate staging of Williams’ timeless masterpiece. Don’t miss this stunning revival of a play that reminds us how memory shapes our lives in ways both beautiful and heartbreaking.

• September 19: 7:30 p.m.

• September 20: 7:30 p.m.

• September 21: 2 p.m.

LAKE OSWEGO EV FAIR
Sept. 20
Join Lake Oswego’s 8th Annual Electric Vehicle Fair — a fun, family-friendly event celebrating clean transportation and sustainable living. Lake Oswego boasts the highest per capita EV ownership in Oregon, and this is your chance to see why. Meet dozens of local EV owners and learn firsthand why they chose their cars and what the real-life experience of owning an EV is like. Test drive the latest electric vehicles from brands like Ford, GM, Rivian, Volkswagen, Nissan, Genesis, Hyundai, Tesla, Kia, Polestar, and more.

PORTLAND SATURDAY MARKET
Mar. 1–Dec. 20
Combining the vibes of an art show, a live street concert and an open-air bazaar, the Portland Saturday Market has been a beloved Rose City tradition since 1974, earning it the “Oregon Heritage Tradition” title in 2024. In fact, the market is considered the largest continually operating arts-and-crafts fair in the United States, drawing up to one million visitors during its annual season.

On any given weekend from the beginning of March to the day before Christmas, shoppers can wend their way through the rows of tents of this large outdoor market featuring local makers, artisans, and chefs. A full sensory experience, the sights, and sounds will have shoppers and on-lookers tapping their heels to bluegrass pickers and jazz trios with weekly sets of local musicians performing for market-goers and passersby in Tom McCall Waterfront Park

FARMERS MARKET AT PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Year-Round
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets.

HOLLYWOOD FARMER'S MARKET
Year-Round
Year-round on Saturdays, the Hollywood Farmers Markets hosts 50+ vendors, bringing you the best of the region’s agricultural bounty.

In addition to amazingly fresh, local food,  you’ll find live music, children’s activities, and fun events throughout the season.

• April through September, every Saturday 8 AM to 1 PM,
• October and November, every Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM,, and
• December through March: 9 AM to 1PM on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month

ST. JOHN'S BAZAAR AND PARADE
May 10
The St. Johns Bizarre is a uniquely crafted celebration that kicks off Portland's summer street fair season. Held annually on the second Saturday in May, the Bizarre brings music, crafts, and food to the crowds who traditionally attended the St. Johns Parade. After the parade, a portion of the business district in St. Johns is closed to traffic and filled with over 135 juried craft vendors, several stages for music, great food, and tons of games and activities.
It’s a fantastic community event with something for everyone.
The event is free.