From May 22 to June 7, 2026, the Portland Rose Festival will return once again, featuring an expanded itinerary of events, as well as the newly combined Grand Floral and CareOregon Starlight Parade. Concerns about the festival downsizing grew in response to city budget cuts, but Tanya Wilkins, the Festival’s the chief finance and admin officer, explained that the Festival will be expanding some elements, while also making strategic adjustments to infrastructure and carbon footprint for budget management.
The CareOregon Starlight Parade, which provided space for more than 80 entries in previous years, will now host over 100, including floral floats, marching bands, equestrian units, and community groups. The Festival will use picture-in-picture TV broadcasting on KATU — Channel 2, and KUNP — Univision Portland to maintain the typical timeline of events without commercial breaks. The expansion of the parade is not the only change that will be made to the iconic series of events this year.
In order to increase community engagement, Festival leads have decreased the size of the CityFair — a multi-weekend waterfront fair — in order to feel “quaint and comforting,” Wilkins explains. Additionally, they have prioritized highlighting local Portland performers like Olive Klug and Haley Johnsen to drive attendance.
In addition, a Rose Festival Street Mile, a fun run created to add energy to the parade route, which will occur on May 30, was added to the celebrations this year. The event features four heats, made up of two qualifying heats and two family runs. All of these festivities are centered around a patriotic theme, celebrating America’s 250-year anniversary. To commemorate this semiquincentennial, a firework show will occur on May 30, in addition to the traditional opening night show on May 22.
In spite of these changes, the 2026 Portland Rose Festival still makes space for beloved traditions, including the Fred Meyer junior parade on May 30. Located in the Hollywood District, the junior parade has been an official event since the early 1900s, making it the longest running children’s parade in the nation. By attending the CityFair, visitors can enjoy fair foods, live entertainment, carnival rides, and opportunities to support local community vendors.
One of the contributors to the changes made was the COVID-19 pandemic. The Festival lost significant financial resources due to low attendance, and is still working through the resulting operational deficits. In 2024, attendance increased slightly, but the spending per attendee dropped, as many visitors shared meals and were less likely to go on rides. Currently, the only revenue source for the Festival is the CityFair gate tickets — $15 with rides and games — as all other parades, fleet ship tours, and court programming are free. Along with this, active military personnel and veterans are admitted free, as are children age 6 and under. Individuals who qualify for food relief through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are also able to use benefits for food within the event.
Despite the changes made, one of the most recognizable aspects of the festival for high school students, the Rose Festival Court, will continue to take place. The event is composed of 15 students chosen from high schools in the Portland Metro area. The coronation of the festival’s Queen is one of Portland’s most renowned traditions; this person is chosen through their leadership achievements, school activities, and overall impression on the community. The 2026 Queen’s coronation will be held in Oregon Square at the Gazebo from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., on June 5, as a free public event. Addie Glem, a 2025 rose princess from Century High School, found the Rose Festival Court “an opportunity to build connections and contribute to Portland’s community in a meaningful and lasting way.”
Despite rumours of downsizing, Rose Festival attendees can expect new events, bigger parades, and a celebration of all that the Rose City has to offer. More information about the events, parades, court announcements, and tickets can be accessed at rosefestival.org.
