City Cast Portland logo

What To Do in Portland This May

Posted on May 1, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
City Cast Portland staff

City Cast Portland staff

Rows of green plants, carrot tops, onions, and a tomato in the background, in Portland, Oregon

Get your garden started! (Rachel Monahan / City Cast Portland)

City Cast

Your Guide to May in Portland

00:00:00

It’s May, and the rain should start slowing down soon 🤞 Here’s what else is happening in Portland this month:

💐 Find Local Flowers for Mother’s Day

If you’re looking to bring your mom the traditional Mother’s Day bouquet, consider some locally grown flowers from a market stand like Hav Paj at PSU’s market or a florist like Hilary Horvath. Or maybe Mom would enjoy being brought to the flowers at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden or International Rose Test Garden. Or maybe she’ll take herself on an amazing wildflower hike. (At least don’t forget to call Mom on Sunday, May 12.)

🥬 Plant Your Summer Veggies

May is a key month in gardening. You can start planting your tomatoes and eggplants, though Portland Nursery advises keeping them covered until it’s consistently 50 degrees out. And it’s not too late to plant broccoli, kale, cabbage, and other leafy greens. (We have advice on how to start a garden, with picks for good local gardening shops.)

✅ Don’t Forget To Vote

The primary is May 21. This election may decide who the next Multnomah County district attorney will be, along with whether Portland gets gas tax money for road maintenance. Your ballot should arrive by the second week of May. (Stay tuned; we’ll have more election coverage in the coming weeks.)

🪦 Visit the Oldest Mausoleum in the West

On Memorial Day, Wilhelm's Portland Mausoleum opens its doors to the public. It’s been around since 1901 and is the final resting place of 97,000 people. It has stained glass and Italian sculptures — in its eight miles of hallways. You’ll learn a bit of Portland history along the way if you go for a tour.

For more ideas of what to do this month, check out the City Cast Portland podcast’s Guide to May in Portland.

May Is Here

Share article

Hey Portland

Stay connected to City Cast Portland and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Portland's Best

See All

The latest in Portland

The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandSeptember 13

Side Quest: Charting History’s Course

While most of the Overlook neighborhood sits above the bluffs, the industrial area of Swan Island down below does actually fall within it...

An aerial photo from 1935 shows the Swan Island airstrip, built on a peninsula that juts out into Portland’s Willamette River.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandSeptember 13

Your Guide to Overlook

Beyond the views, the North Portland neighborhood has plenty of perks: access to the MAX Yellow Line, cocktail lounges, and residents who...

Branches with green leaves frame a view of Portland’s Fremont Bridge with skyscrapers behind it.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandSeptember 6

Side Quest: Pre-Game Routine

We don’t want to throw you off your game, but we do have some fun suggestions to spice up your traditions on the way to the Rose Quarter...

Banners and window art on the Moda Center show Portland Trail Blazers figures and history. In front of the arena, a person rides a bike by a sign that spells out Rip City.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandSeptember 6

Your Guide to the Lloyd District

For 66 years, the Lloyd Center was a place where Portlanders made memories, went shopping and ice skating, and even put in the miles mall...

An aerial shot shows the roof and twin glass spires of the Oregon Convention Center, with high-rise office buildings of the Lloyd District in the background.
Portland Life HacksSeptember 1

Tips for a Better September 2026 in Portland

September is still summer in Portland, with outdoor events, farmers markets, and a major traffic disruption to plan around.

People in lawn chairs and on grass in front of a stage with the sign “Jazz Festival” visible.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandAugust 30

Your Guide to the Pearl District

Portland’s largest outdoor art fair is celebrating its 30th anniversary Saturday, Sept. 5 through Monday, Sept. 7 under the trees in the...

People browse artist booths under the trees at Art in the Pearl. In the foreground, colorful glass sculptures sit on pedestals.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandAugust 30

Side Quest: Art in the Heart

Born from Portland’s creative warehouse scene, the Pearl District remains an arts hub, with galleries, museums, public art, and vibrant c...

A colorful abstract painting of a person hangs on a wall to the left. In the background, two figures observe different paintings at the Froelick Gallery in Portland, Oregon.
Portland, ExplainedAugust 27

How Well Do You Know Our Local Mascots?

Portland Fire, the city’s WNBA team, revealed their new mascot this week after much fanfare.

Pink dragon in a Fire jersey.