Portland Winter Light Festival. Photo by Brooke Hoyer.
Portland winters are long, dark and rainy. Bring a little light, music and culture into the drizzly season at these Portland winter festivals. All of the festivals below are either free or inexpensive to attend. Find one that sparks your interest.
Make sure you check back often! I’ll keep adding to this list as I find more cheap festivals.
2022 Portland Winter Festivals
Portland Mercado’s Winter Soup Festival
January 21-23
Let the spices and aromas of Latin American soups warm your bones during the Portland Mercado’s Winter Soup Festival. Each of the 10 featured soups is made from traditional recipes and represent the cuisine and origins of each business. Prices vary per participating food cart and store.
Chinese New Year
Feb. 1-15 | $12.95
Portland’s most popular Chinese New Year Celebration is back at Lan Su Chinese Garden. The two-week festival features hanging red lanterns, a contact-free scavenger hunt, festival audio tour and cultural displays. General admission is $12.95.
Portland Winter Light Festival. Photo by Amy Sakurai
Portland Winter Light Festival
Feb. 4-12 | FREE
Portland Winter Light Festival is a citywide art display featuring illuminated art installations, vibrant performances, and kinetic fire sculptures throughout the city. For its 7th year, the festival will have more than 120 art displays. On weekends, the event will feature three anchor locations with food carts, artwork and amenities located in the heart of Portland.
Photo courtesy of Rebel Junk Market
Rebel Junk Market
Feb. 4-5
Ready for a festival filled with upcycled, restyled and repurposed goods. Rebel Junk Market is all about taking the old items and bringing new life to them. If you have an affinity for vintage, rustic, antique, farm chic, upcycled and treasured decor, this is the market for you. Tickets are $10 for both days.
Photo courtesy of the Annual Festival of Cascade Films
Cascade Festival of African Films
Feb. 4-March 5 | FREE
In celebration of Black History Month, Portland Community College is hosting the 32nd Annual Cascade Festival of African Films. The films celebrate Africa’s achievements, expose its failures, and reveal possibilities for a hopeful future. This year’s event will be virtual.
Volkfest
Feb. 25-27 | Varies
Head to Mount Angel for the annual Volkfest featuring authentic German and local food, beer and wine along with live music. Tickets are $10 for all three days of festivities.
Portland Seafood and Wine Festival
March 25-26 | $16
Originally scheduled for February, the annual festival has been pushed to the end of March. The Portland Seafood and Wine Festival features more than 200 exhibitors ready to serve you a delicious bounty from our state. Along with seafood, craft beer, cider, and distilled spirit vendors are more than 60 of Oregon’s finest wineries offering tastings. Tickets are $16.
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