City Cast Portland logo

Tips for a Better July 2026 in Portland

Posted on July 1
City Cast Portland staff

City Cast Portland staff

Pink, purple, and red flowers in a bouquet with pink tissue paper.

A bright bouquet from C&K Flower Garden. (Giulia Fiaoni / City Cast Portland)

Visit Your Farmers Market

Marionberries, blueberries, and blackberries arrive at a farmers market near you this month. You can use the Stumptown Savings Farmers Market Directory to find a neighborhood market any day of the week (hat tip to Stumptown Savings founder Bryan M. Vance).

  • đŸ„Ź A staple for me all year round is the mixed salad greens from Gathering Together Farm. You can find them Saturdays at Portland State and Beaverton and Sundays at Hillsdale farmers markets.
  • 💐 Senior producer Giulia Fiaoni recommends C&K Flower Garden — a family-owned fresh flower stand from Molalla, Ore., which, she notes, have “stunning bouquets for as little as $20, the perfect celebratory gift.” You can find them at the King Farmers Market on Sundays and Shemanski Park on Wednesdays. Plus, they come to Vancouver on Saturdays and Sundays.
  • đŸ„Ź Executive producer John Notarianni has a CSA with Flying Coyote Farm: “But also the farm has been selling this beautiful komatsuna recently at the Hollywood Farmers Market. Think of a cross between bok choy and mustard greens: a little bit spicy, crunchy and fresh, it's perfect mixed into a salad or sauteed with garlic and sesame oil.”
  • đŸ“Č Your turn: What’s your favorite thing to get at the farmers market right now? Please email us, and we’ll share your recommendation with your fellow readers.

Always Be Prepared for Swimming

Set yourself up with a trunk station, says our podcast host, Claudia Meza. That means you keep your tube, sandals, and towel in your car for a quick dip in the river (or a pool, swimming hole, or the beach even).

Get Ready for Fire Season

In June, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a wildfire emergency in Oregon, in anticipation of what lies ahead this summer. She recommended that Oregonians prepare for the worst— pack an emergency go-kit and sign up for the state emergency alert system OR-Alert — both of which are useful for other kinds of emergencies too.

  • Other resources: For information on active wildfires, AirNow has an interactive fire and smoke map. Also, the Watch Duty app, which I downloaded a couple years back for use when traveling, sends alerts about wildfires. For air quality, there’s the Oregon air quality map. And once the smokey season fits, you can breathe easier with a DIY air filter. Hopefully, we need none of these resources this summer.
see more:things to do

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 Life Hacks

See All
Portland Life HacksFebruary 9

How To Read the News for Free in Portland

It costs money to report the news, so it’s really important to support quality journalism. But it’s also understandable that too many new...

man sitting on bench reading newspaper
Portland Life HacksDecember 29, 2025

How To Responsibly Dispose of Holiday Waste in Portland

From torn up wrapping paper to that wilting Christmas tree dropping pine needles all over your rug, here are some tips for recycling and...

Christmas tree with red-and-white decorations and white lights
Portland Life HacksNovember 19, 2025

Hacks for Enjoying Your Time at PDX International

Tips and tricks to making the most of airport travel.

Travelers walk through PDX.
Portland Life HacksNovember 6, 2025

How to Stay Cozy and Save Money on Your Energy Costs in Portland This Winter

Keeping your home warm and cozy over the course of a Portland winter is expensive. But a few simple steps can lower your costs and keep y...

Top view of female hands adjusting the thermostat valve on a heating radiator
Portland Life HacksSeptember 29, 2025

How To Get Your COVID Shot in Portland in Fall 2025

After delays and confusion, updated COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available in Portland, Oregon — just like in years’ past.

a box for a covid shot and test that's already been taken with a mask
Portland Life HacksSeptember 16, 2025

Where to Ditch Your Hand-me-downs in Portland

The seasons are changing. Maybe you’re noticing there’s a heap of shirts, pants, or even jackets and sweaters you don’t wear (or fit into...

Entrance to the Goodwill thrift store
Portland Life HacksAugust 19, 2025

How To Get into Local Fishing

A beginner’s guide with tips on what you need to know and where to go for fishing in Portland.

A man standing in a body of water holds a fish and a net.
Portland Life HacksAugust 5, 2025

How To Keep Your Dog Safe in the Portland Heat

As temperatures continue to rise, here is a guide to keeping your dog safe and happy in the Portland summer heat.

three dogs all chew on one stick

The latest in Portland

Portland's BestJuly 1

What To Do in Portland in July 2026

A quarter millennium ago, the U.S. got its start. Since then, we've experienced all the promises and disappointments of our country's rhe...

Parade with people in pink and rainbows.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 28

Your Guide to Maywood Park

Nestled where I-205 and I-84 meet, you’ll find a piece cut out of the Portland map. That’s Maywood Park, the enclave with a decidedly sma...

People pose in the street holding flags and a sign that says “City of Maywood Park” for the Fourth of July parade.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 28

Side Quest: Trash to Treasure

Another big event on the Maywood Park calendar is the annual garage sale, where residents bring their unwanted items to Maywood Commons.

A colorful array of clothes on hangers at a bustling outdoor market.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 21

Your Guide to Sellwood-Moreland

Sellwood-Moreland is the twin neighborhood in Portland that just sticks with you. You can breathe in nature at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refug...

Kids race to paddle their creative watercraft made from milk cartons across a shallow pond. A large crowd stands on the bank to cheer them on.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 21

Side Quest: Sweat It Out

The health and wellness practice of the sauna experience is gaining momentum in the Pacific Northwest. In the Portland area, you can find...

A floating sauna called Ebb & Ember is moored to a dock on the Columbia River beneath a cloudy sky.
Portland's BestJune 15

Tips For Getting the Most Out of Summer

The City Cast Portland team shares their favorite Portland summer hacks — tips for cooling down on hot days, favorite patios, the perfect...

People biking through an arch-shaped water mister on a street lined with cars and trees on a clear day.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 14

Side Quest: Streetcar Stories

One of its most notorious stops was at the White Eagle Saloon, now a potentially haunted rock ‘n’ roll hotel operated by McMenamins in pr...

Alternating images show different iterations of streetcars throughout Portland’s history. The first sepia-toned photograph shows horse-drawn trolleys along tracks. The second black-and-white image shows a conductor and other people posing on an electrified car. The final image shows the modern Portland Streetcar coming over the Broadway Bridge.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandJune 14

Your Guide to Eliot

In 2021, the AMT debuted Albina Soul Walk (now Soul Walk South), a self-guided walking and listening tour that highlights the significanc...

A scene from 1977 in Northeast Portland shows a crowded street made up predominantly of Black people. The sun shines brightly and people are jubilant with smiles on many faces following the Portland Trail Blazers’ NBA championship.