Portland Rose Festival 2025: Events, Dates, and Highlights
The Portland Rose Festival returns in 2025 with vibrant flair, embracing the theme “All Together Now”—a tribute to unity, joy, and the enduring spirit of community. Running from May 23 to June 22, this iconic celebration transforms Portland into a city in full bloom, with dazzling parades, lively waterfront attractions, floral displays, and cultural showcases.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a long-time festivalgoer, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the Portland Rose Festival 2025, including key events, schedules, locations, and ticketing.
What Is the Portland Rose Festival?
Dating back over a century, the Portland Rose Festival is Oregon’s most cherished annual celebration. It showcases the city’s passion for roses, arts, and civic pride through a spectacular lineup of events. From decorated floats to naval ship tours and carnival rides, the festival reflects Portland’s rich cultural heritage and inclusive spirit.
📅 Key Dates and Events for 2025
🎆 Opening Night Fireworks & CityFair
- Date: May 23, 2025
- Time: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Location: Tom McCall Waterfront Park
- Highlight: Fireworks show at 9:50 PM
The festivities begin with CityFair—a riverside carnival full of food trucks, live music, beer gardens, and games. The opening night fireworks over the Willamette River are a crowd favorite.
🎡 CityFair Weekends
- Dates: May 23–26, May 30–June 1, June 6–8
- Location: Tom McCall Waterfront Park
- Admission: $12 (ages 7+), Season Pass: $25
Enjoy rides, concerts, vendors, and entertainment across multiple weekends at Portland’s waterfront. It’s perfect for families, teens, and festival enthusiasts alike.
⚓ Fleet Week
- Dates: June 4–8, 2025
- Location: Along the Willamette River
Explore naval ships, meet sailors, and tour military vessels during Fleet Week. This tradition offers a rare peek into life aboard U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships.
🌹 Spring Rose Show
- Dates: June 5–6, 2025
- Location: Lloyd Center Mall
- Admission: Free
Celebrate over 130 years of blooming beauty at the nation’s largest and longest-running rose show. Enthusiasts from all over the country showcase thousands of stunning roses.
Rose Festival Court & Coronation
Fifteen accomplished high school seniors form the Rose Festival Court, representing their schools and communities. One is crowned Queen in a special ceremony and serves as an ambassador for the city.
🎭 The Parade Lineup
✨ CareOregon Starlight Parade
- Date: May 31, 2025
- Time: 8:15 PM
- Location: Downtown Portland
A nighttime favorite! The Starlight Parade features neon-lit floats, costumed performers, and marching bands lighting up the streets after dark.
🎈 Fred Meyer Junior Parade
- Date: June 4, 2025
- Time: 1:00 PM
- Location: Hollywood District
Dedicated entirely to children, this parade features youth bands, dance teams, and kids pulling their own flower-covered wagons.
🌼 Grand Floral Parade
- Date: June 7, 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM
- Location: Veterans Memorial Coliseum & Downtown Portland
The crown jewel of the Rose Festival, this nationally recognized parade boasts elaborately decorated floats made entirely from flowers, with marching bands and equestrian units.
🐉 Dragon Boat Races
- Dates: June 7–8, 2025
- Location: Willamette River near Tom McCall Park
Teams from around the world compete in colorful, traditional dragon boats, bringing excitement to the water in an event inspired by Asian cultural heritage.
🌺 Bloom Tour
- Dates: May 6 – June 22, 2025
Self-guided tours of Portland’s beautiful rose gardens including:
- International Rose Test Garden
- Peninsula Park Rose Garden
- Ladd Circle Rose Garden
🎟️ Tickets & Pins
- CityFair Daily Admission: $12 (ages 7+)
- Season Pass: $25
- Souvenir Pin: $10 (official merchandise)
📌 Official Links
- 🌐 Official Website: https://www.rosefestival.org
- 🎟️ Tickets & Passes: https://www.rosefestival.org/p/tickets
- 📅 Full Events List: https://www.rosefestival.org/events
- 💡 Festival Guide: https://www.rosefestival.org/p/about/festival-guide
✅ Final Thoughts
The Portland Rose Festival 2025 is more than just a flower show—it’s a joyful celebration of Portland’s people, creativity, and unity. With more than a dozen major events and hundreds of ways to participate, this year’s theme “All Together Now” reminds us that the best moments in life are those we share.
Whether you’re enjoying a carnival ride, marveling at floral artistry, or watching the night sky sparkle with fireworks, the Rose Festival 2025 is an experience you won’t want to miss.
Read this: The 5 Best Flower Festivals in Europe
