Search 
Tuck Woodstock
Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More
Music Festivals in and Near Portland
From blues and jazz to folk and indie pop, the Rose City has plenty to offer any music lover.
Tuck Woodstock
Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More
Looking for a tuneful way to enjoy your time in Portland? Get your tickets now for these exciting annual celebrations, and browse our events calendar for additional concerts and performances all year round.
Winter & Spring
Chamber Music Northwest Winter Festival – January
Portland’s premier chamber music organization kicks off the year with a week of performances by some of the world’s best classical ensembles at the annual Chamber Music Northwest‘s Winter Festival at Reed College.
Portland Old-Time Music Gathering – January
A dedicated group of volunteers show their love for traditional Appalachian-style string music with the annual Portland Old-Time Music Gathering. This grassroots festival returns to the Tiffany Center every Martin Luther King Jr. Day Weekend.
Portland Music Month – January
January is Portland Music Month (as officially proclaimed by the City of Portland). To celebrate, MusicPortland has curated 31 days of performances at 12 local venues featuring over 100 music acts.
Biamp Portland Jazz Festival – February
Celebrate Black History Month with the annual Biamp Portland Jazz Festival, hosting dozens of concerts (including several free events) by internationally recognized jazz masters and talented local musicians alike.
Summer
Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival – June
The big sister of CMNW’s winter festival, the Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival is a five-week concert series filling venues across the city with Grammy-winning quartets, world-class pianists, open rehearsals and opportunities to meet composers over a cup of coffee.
Waterfront Blues Festival – July
Every Fourth of July weekend since 1987, downtown Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park plays host to the Waterfront Blues Festival, the country’s second-largest blues festival, featuring midnight blues cruises and headliners like Mavis Staples, Robert Plant and Steve Miller Band.
Cathedral Park Jazz Fest – July
The largest and oldest free jazz festival west of the Mississippi River, the annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival fills Cathedral Park with three days of world-class jazz, soul, blues and R&B acts beneath the St. Johns Bridge — no admission required.
Harefest – July
Billed as the Northwest’s most nostalgic music festival, the adults-only Harefest music festival in nearby Canby features performances by the region’s best tribute bands. Visitors can expect imitations of Metallica, Heart, Journey and Bon Jovi, to name a few.
Pickathon Music Festival – August
Travel half an hour southeast of Portland to pastoral Pendarvis Farm for three days of independent music and zero-waste camping at Pickathon music festival, led by folk and indie headliners like Andrew Bird, Beach House and Jeff Tweedy.
The William Byrd Festival – August
Founded in 1998, The William Byrd Festival explores the life and work of beloved early English composer William Byrd with a series of concerts, lectures and liturgical services.
Montavilla Jazz Festival – August
Head to the Montavilla neighborhood in Southeast Portland to enjoy the Montavilla Jazz Festival, a weekend of original progressive jazz works composed and performed by skilled Portlanders.
Further Afield
Oregon Country Fair – July
Travel two hours south of Portland to verdant Ventura to join Oregon Country Fair, the state’s preeminent counter-cultural celebration, packed with 45,000 attendees, nearly 1,000 booths and dozens of dance, music and circus performances.
Oregon Jamboree – August
Catch concerts by the likes of Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw at the Pacific Northwest’s premier country music festival, Oregon Jamboree, staged in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains 100 miles (161 km) south of Portland.
Upcoming Music Festivals
Discover Portland's music scene at these upcoming festivals.
Latino Cultural Festival
Get ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration of Latin culture at the Annual Washington County Chamber — Unitus Community Credit Union Latino Cultural Festiva. This culturally rich event provides a platform for sharing information, connecting with the community, and promoting local businesses and non-profits to more than 10,000 attendees. The festivities will kick...
Chamber Music Northwest Summer Festival
Chamber Music Northwest’s annual summer festival combines high-caliber classical music with a laid-back atmosphere.
Waterfront Blues Festival
Every Fourth of July weekend, the Waterfront Blues Festival takes over downtown Portland’s Waterfront Park.
Harefest
The annual Harefest music festival in Canby presents the Northwest’s best tribute bands performing on three stages over two days. The Harefest experience has been described by many attendees and performers as an “adult summer camp,” not only for the fun-loving, good-natured attendees but also because of its rustic location and tent camping around the festival...
Cathedral Park Jazz Festival
The Jazz Society’s Cathedral Park Jazz Festival is a free concert open to the public and held over three days in mid-July at Cathedral Park at the base of the St. Johns Bridge in the Cathedral Park neighborhood of Portland. Nearing four decades of history, the festival is the longest-running jazz and blues festival west...
Project Pabst
Project Pabst is a two-day, two-stage festival featuring some of the best acts in live music. The event will be an outdoor blowout with access to both stages, food, beverages and more. The event is 21+. No minors.
Pickathon
Every August, Pickathon draws diverse musical performers to celebrate music and the outdoors at the lush Pendarvis Farm just outside of Portland.
Montavilla Jazz Festival
Portland’s most adventurous jazz festival enters its second decade with a three-day village-style celebration of the city's world-class artistry. The Montavilla Jazz Festival, presented by Accelerator Design Studios, is a three-day celebration of the very best in Portland jazz. MJF supports and strengthens local culture by highlighting emerging and established artists from Portland’s vibrant jazz...
El Grito
Join in the most important holiday celebrated by the Hispanic community in Oregon. El Grito features the rich traditions of the Latinx community with delicious Mexican cuisine and family-friendly entertainment, folkloric and Aztec dancers, live mariachi, salsa, cumbia and pop music, and interactive and educational community booths. The event also features contests, prizes, raffles, and the...
New@Night: Global Voices
Mesmerizing Singaporean-British mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron brings to life enchanting works by three international composers, each offering a unique cultural perspective: Arvo Pärt (Estonia), Kai-Young Chan (Hong Kong), and a piece by 2023 CMNW Protégé Kian Ravaei (Iran). Plus, lean into instrumental works by Thea Musgrave, Reena Esmail, and two by Kit Armstrong. Conversation with pianist/composer...
Open Rehearsal: Alistair Coleman “Ghost Art Canticles”
Go behind the scenes and observe CMNW’s world-class musicians working together to put the finishing touches on the music for upcoming performances. Summer Festival artists take the stage to rehearse Alistair Coleman’s Ghost Art Canticles for string quartet and double bass commissioned by Chamber Music Northwest. An informal Q&A follows the rehearsal.
New@Night: Chamber Evolution
Protégé Artists pianist Ryota Yamazaki and the Opus13 Quartet, joined by international superstar Carolin Widmann, present a vibrant and dynamic range of cutting-edge contemporary works by Helena Winkelman, Andrea Tarrodi, and a 2024 CMNW Piano Quintet co-commission by Ethan Soledad. Their performance showcases a lively blend of innovation and technical brilliance, offering audiences a fresh...
Annual Music Events
Was this page helpful?