The Top 10 Music Festivals in Oregon, USA
Every year there are more and more music festivals that are hosted in the beautiful state of Oregon in the US, and every one of them attracts a host of international festival lovers and travel bugs to the place! When you attend these festivals of fun, joy, diversity, mouthwatering food, and obviously, incredible music, we guarantee you an experience that you will not be able to forget for a long time ahead.
Whether you are looking for a place that will offer you exciting music concerts, rodeos, comic cons, airshows, or even exhilarating naked bike rides - Oregon is the place that has it all! If you look at the calendar of events that happen around the state, you will be astounded by the sheer number of gatherings that take place all through the year, and the cultural mix and match that is revealed via them. You can look at the state’s lumberjack heritage, their outdoor obsessions, counterculture quirk, or the wild west traditions.
A gem that is tucked in the northwest of the United States, the tourist destinations of Oregon might not be as famous as the ones in Washington or California, but it does not fall any behind in terms of offering stunning landscapes and untapped views. And not to forget, the music festivals of Oregon are worth a visit if you are looking for some fun and excitement.
So put on your fun goggles and get ready to spice up your summer with these grand Oregon music festivals that you would not want to miss out on.
Sisters Folks Festival
A three-day festival that is held on the weekend after Labor Day in Oregon, the Sisters Folk Festival celebrates the roots of music, from the blues to the bluegrass. Hosting a total of eleven stages, it also hosts a venue with 900 seats in downtown sisters, along with an 1100-seat venue in Sister Art Works.
Situated at the foothills of the beautiful Cascade Mountain range and Three Sisters wilderness area, the vibrant Sisters community is a great place to visit and live in! Here you will be offered numerous outdoor recreational opportunities that cover areas in and around the Sisters location, and an exceptional view of rivers, lakes, and mountains, right at your backdoor!
You can bike around and enjoy the views, ride horseback on the wonderful mountain trails, or even take a breather and golf at the many first-rate courses. You can shop for unique gifts at the antique, home and garden, and clothing shops, which is a must-go for the shopper in your group, or just sit back and relax in the clean mountain air and enjoy incredible views. There is something special for everyone in Sisters.
- Dates of the festival - Usually in October.
- Location of the festival - Sisters, Oregon.
Waterfront Blues Festival
The largest celebration of blues, funk, soul, and rhythm in the west of Mississippi, the Waterfront Blues Festival will offer you a long weekend that is filled with mind-blowing performances that are hosted across four stages. While you are there, do not miss out on the mouthwatering food, lively vendors, exciting riverboat cruises, and so much more!
The Waterfront Blues Festival also celebrates the fourth of July each year with a breathtaking fireworks display, which is presented by the city of Portland. Falling amongst one of the biggest festivals in Oregon, it has also made its place in the Best Places to See 4th of July Fireworks according to Sunset Magazine. People from all over the world come to this festival, not only to witness the sensational variety of music but also to see the fireworks that are launched from a barge by the river, which you simply cannot miss out on!
- Dates of the festival - Usually around July
- Location of the festival - Portland, Oregon
PDX Pop Now!
Dedicated to facilitating and boosting the participation of folks in Portland music, PDX Pop Now! is an all-volunteer organization that has committed itself to providing support to live performances as well as recorded materials. They pride themselves on being accessible, local, and current, and aim to take forward a sustainable community that values inclusivity, diversity, and a high calibre of artistry, in order to create an environment that enables a creative dialogue between the artist and his audience.
Directed by more than 200 volunteers and a dedicated Board of Directors, the PDX Pop Now! Have committed themselves to celebrate, promote and sustain the diverse and vital music community of Portland. Their mission is also to connect the diverse music community with the public through their outreach efforts.
In the event, you get to see numerous live performances, and while you are there, do not forget to grab the recorded materials available! Many artists, businesses, and individual volunteers come together to produce a 2-disc compilation album that is filled with local music. The diverse benefit events and outreach programs of the organization’s annual signature festival see a gathering of thousands of people from different parts of the world!
- Dates of the festival - Usually around July
- Location of the festival - Portland, Oregon
Musicfest NW
Musicfest NW, or what is popularly known as MFNW, presents a two-day music festival per year in Portland, known as the Project Pabst, that features some of the largest and the finest acts of live music. This two-stage festival is a celebration of local music, beer, and everything that is local, and a cultural representation of Portland. This festival witnesses locals as well as tourists who come from faraway corners of the world to witness grand performances on stage.
Taking place on the Ross Island Bridge on Portland's South Waterfront, the Project Pabst usually hosts eight different bands each day and spans over two days, so 16 bands perform in total. The event encourages the attendees to walk, bike, or skate around the venue to get a full experience of the event.
You can take part in other fun activities while in the festival, which includes the PBRcade, a small bar that is set up in the event ground for the attendees to take a break and enjoy arcade games, local music, and pinball; the Pabst VANdalism, a van that is set on the grounds and treated as a communal art piece. Attendees are encouraged to spray paint the van whichever way they please, or the Pabst Wax, a small recording booth, where attendees can create their own music!
- Dates of the festival - Usually in August
- Location of the festival - Portland
Pendleton Whisky Music Fest
A music festival that is no less than a national celebration in itself, the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest will offer you the perfect summer night out with your friends. Here you will be offered a wide range of mouthwatering tasty food options to accompany the amazing performances by the top artists who excel in country music, making you wish to come back for more and more!
Witnessing more than a crowd of 12,000 excited attendees, Pendleton Whisky Music Fest is the place where you can drink and dance to your heart’s content. With performances from celebrated figures such as Maroon 5 and Toby Keith, the event festivities start right from the pre-concert parties, where thousands gather to rejoice and dance on the streets.
With attendees decked up in their best cowboy attire of cowboy hats, boots, flannels, and baseball caps, the food stalls in the event ground are a must for everyone to visit. Make sure that you gather all your friends, listen to live country music, and sip smooth whisky while you attend this top music festival around the US!
- Dates of the festival - Around July.
- Location of the festival - Pendleton, Oregon.
Pickathon Music Festival
First hosted in 1998 the Pickathon Music Festival is a family-friendly and independent music festival that is open for people of all ages to enjoy! Located at Happy Valley on Pendarvis Farm, a 30-minute drive from Portland, Oregon, the three-day festival sees a variety of famous artists come together and perform in various genres, including rap, folk, rock, indie, and bluegrass.
At the Pickathon Music Festival, you will be provided with an opportunity to camp outside and take in the full view of the picturesque venue. You can choose from a great variety of on-site stay options, which include camping locations and RV stays as well. Make sure that you do not miss out on the many different outdoor food options at the festival either, as most of the popular restaurants in the area cater for this festival!
The festival has been appreciated widely for promoting sustainable environmental practices, which include eco-friendly transport options, using solar energy and other sustainable energy resources, prohibiting the use of plastic tableware, and so on. The festival aims to promote artists who are just starting out in the industry, welcoming groups and individuals from all age ranges, as well as many established ones. If relaxing in the open air and listening to amazing music is something you would love to do, this is the place you need to be!
- Dates of the festival - Around July
- Location of the festival - Pendarvis Farm, Happy Valley, Oregon
Walnut City Music Festival
You can be a loyal listener of the WCMF for many years now, or you might just be attending your first concert, regardless, at the Walnut City Music Festival, you are guaranteed fantastic live music from the entirety of the Pacific Northwest, or even beyond!
An independent festival run by volunteers, the Walnut City Music Festival is coordinated by local folks who believe that the fun and excitement of live music events should not be limited to the big cities or rural campgrounds. The organization tries to represent its community as an advocate for amazing live music concerts throughout Yamhill county, especially in the McMinnville region.
The Walnut City Music Festival is basically a fundraising event for Partners for Parks, a nonprofit organization that supports outdoor experiences in the Yamhill Valley. The eventual goal of WCMF is to create an amphitheater in the many parks or green spaces of McMinnville.
Offering a wide range of art, craft, and other activities, the event organizes various items to keep your little one occupied. Set in an open ground where you can feel the flow of music in your veins, make sure that you grab a lawn chair, blanket, and your best dancing shoes when you come to this exciting music festival!
- Dates of the festival - Usually around August
- Location of the festival - McMinnville, Oregon
Oregon Country Fair
One of the most free-spirited festivals in Oregon, the country fair is the bright display of the creative side of man. Whether you are travelling with your family or your bunch of buddies, make sure that you click plenty of fun and colourful pictures in front of the giant colourful stilt walkers, puppets, and marching band, and dance with them too!
The art and music festival that is hosted for three days every year in Veneta Oregon, the Oregon Country Fair (OCF) site runs for 13 miles or 21 km, along the lines of the Long Tom River. Attended annually by more than 45,000 people from every corner of the world, here you will find more than 950 craft and food stalls. A result of the counterculture movement, this fair begins on the Friday of the second weekend of July every year and features a huge variety of vaudeville, daredevil, juggling, theatrical, comic, and musical performances.
There are numerous stages in the festival, such as the Main stage, Community Village, and the Ritz, which has two saunas and showering facilities too! Here you will find musical acts of many varieties, from folk, rock, jazz, bluegrass, Latin, reggae, spoken word, and slam poetry. There is simply so much on the site that you would be spoilt for choices!
- Dates of the festival - Usually around July
- Location of the festival - Veneta, Oregon
Oregon Jamboree
Located in the foothills of the picturesque Cascade Mountain range, the Oregon Jamboree is hosted on a park-like setting that stretches for more than 20 acres and also includes the renowned Weddle Covered Bridge and Stanley Park stage. This celebration of country music and camping lasts for a span of three days in Sweet Home, Oregon every year, and hosts 25 shows in the two stages.
Initially founded as an event in 1992 to support the economic development project of the Sweet Home community, this festival to this day funds various economic development activities and community humanitarian projects. With more than 13,000 attendees every year, the festival has hosted some of the most celebrated personalities of the time, including Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry, Faith Hill, and Keith Urban.
Not only will you get to witness headline entertainment, but here you will also be offered an opportunity to experience camping or stay in RVs, along with various food stalls, merchandise stalls, beer and wine gardens, and plenty of other options! An effort by more than 900 volunteers, this festival is a must for you to visit to experience excitement and fun!
- Dates of the festival - July 30 – August 1
- Location of the festival - Sweet Home, Oregon
Astoria Music Festival
First held in 2003, the Astoria Music Festival takes place in the charming town of Astoria in Oregon, in the month of June every year. This festival of the operatic, chamber, and symphonic music, the concert brings in soloists from all over the world to perform on stage. Directed and conducted under the guidance of Artistic Director Keith Clark, he is the one in charge of featuring international talents.
The concerts of the Astoria Music Festival take place on the beautifully restored intimate and historic stage of Liberty Theatre, you can also attend performances at the Clatsop Community College’s Performing Arts Center and the historic Grace Episcopal Church, which is also the second oldest sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest.
Having gained an international reputation for its excellent and professional representation of classical music on Oregon’s North Coast, OPERA News has listed the Astoria Music Festival as a must-attend summer music festival in America.
- Dates of the festival - Usually in June
- Location of the festival - Astoria, Oregon
Final word
So now that we have tempted you with some of the most fun and exciting music festivals in Oregon, well we do not blame you for it! So why wait, you have the perfect plan handy, just tag along your favorite travel buddies. These top 10 music festivals in Oregon, USA, are going to make your trip to the USA ten times more fun, just pack your bags and brace yourself to have the experience of a lifetime!
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