For more than a century, the arrival of the Rose Festival has signaled something familiar across Oregon: the unofficial beginning of summer. This weekend, that tradition once again transformed downtown Portland into a gathering place for families, visitors, performers, service members, community organizations, and spectators from every corner of the state.
Thousands of people poured into the city center as the Portland Rose Festival’s signature events took center stage, bringing renewed energy to the waterfront, downtown streets, and public gathering spaces. From brightly decorated floral floats to military ship tours and community celebrations, the annual festival continues to serve as one of Oregon’s largest and most recognizable public events.
This year’s celebration featured a significant change to a pair of longtime festival traditions. Organizers combined the Grand Floral Parade and the Starlight Parade into a single event, creating the CareOregon Grand Floral Starlight Parade. The new format blended the elaborate flower-covered floats that have become synonymous with the Rose Festival and the illuminated displays that have long attracted evening crowds…