austin

Austin

chicago

Chicago

denver

Denver

lasvegas

Las Vegas

madison

Madison

nashville

Nashville

philly

Philly

pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

portland

Portland

saltlake

Salt Lake

seattle

Seattle

twincities

Twin Cities

We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast Portland

Rachel Monahan.jpg

Rachel Monahan

Rain has ended early. The sun is out. It’s time to think about how to enjoy the summer ahead.

Find yourself a pint of Hood strawberries (right now). Pick 

 (July). Visit the Portland Farmers Market at PSU or your local neighborhood spot (all summer long).

 Festival (July 14-16), or find your favorite musician at 

), ride over the bridges during Bridge Pedal (

 anytime — and eat some curly fries or elephant ears.

How are you planning to enjoy this summer?

What’s Your Favorite PDX Summer Plan? Email Me 

How are you going to keep cool this summer? (

Ben McBee

 contains several smaller pieces that each have their own flavor, such as Ladd’s Addition, Clinton and Division streets, part of the Central Eastside, and industrial sites along the Willamette River. Although Hosford-Abernethy sounds like a pompous butler (

), its name actually comes from two schools: Hosford Middle School and Abernethy Elementary School.

Why You Should Visit This Week: Choo Choo

, so it’s a fitting home for the Oregon Rail Heritage Center and its mission to preserve historic locomotives and other relics of Pacific Northwest transportation, including a 

102-foot turntable used to redirect steam engines

It all comes to life on the nonprofit’s 

, which are offered Saturday and Sunday, now until Oct. 11. With your ticket, you’ll enjoy passage along the waterfront to Oaks Park and back, soaking in views of the skyline and wildlife from open-air or air-conditioned cars. Departures happen on the hour from 1 to 4 p.m. and once you return, you can browse the 

Food & Drink: Elevated Eats and Frozen Treats

By now, tummies might be grumbling, so cross the street for a beer and slice of wood-fired pizza — made with red sauce, white sauce, or garlic oil — in the 

 at Mt. Hood Brewing Co.’s Tilikum Station. Now let’s track down the other top spots at high speed — GO!

 goes big with Texas-style beef franks — the H-Town comes with red salsa, fried shallots, pepperoncini, and teriyaki sauce — inside a working motorcycle shop. Grab a drink at 

 has cold and hot subs made on signature Dutch crunch bread. Both are delicious (especially The Godfather).

. There’s a reason why the wine-forward restaurant L’Orange landed 

🥘 Akadi transports you to a better place with 

; try a bit of everything, from the wings to the jollof rice, for a memorable family-style meal.

For many, OMSI is a well-trodden path. Perhaps less explored is the USS Blueback, the U.S. Navy’s last active duty diesel-electric submarine, which is 

 come to town, Helium Comedy Club is more than likely where they’re at (James Austin Johnson and Michael Che of “SNL” fame have shows this month).

Maybe you’re meant to take the stage? Well, 

 at Baby Ketten Club, or if you like tunes with more twang, The Showdown 

Did we miss something in Hosford-Abernethy? 

Hosford-Abernethy recs

📲 Your Hosford-Abernethy Recommendations

The history of this Portland, Oregon, neighborhood is rooted in the railroad industry, so Hosford-Abernethy is a fitting home for the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.

Your Guide to Portland's Hosford-Abernethy

Your Guide to Hosford-Abernethy

The Weekly Wander

Sign up for The Weekly Wander Newsletter

The Weekly Wander newsletter is your neighborhood guide filled with hidden gems and unexpected ways to explore Portland, OR. Get it in your inbox every Sunday.

The Weekly Wander by City Cast Portland

Inside one of the most photographed buildings in the city — thanks to the 

 — you’ll also find pans of picture-perfect paella with the flavor to match.

 that opened earlier this year in the former Palomar space, setting the scene for late-night dates with an ambience imported directly from Barcelona.

The Catalonian capital is where owners Vy and Steve Chao’s love story first sparked, and they express their passion for the city and its cuisine through a dining experience that feels authentic and approachable. After a sun-soaked day, sharable plates such as jamon croquettes and octopus carpaccio and a glass of sangria are a hit. 

Vya’s crown jewel is its rooftop space, which will be utilized to host events and private parties throughout the summer. As one of the taller perches in this part of town, the view is rather unique, offering a different perspective on Portland’s skyline and Mount Hood.

See it for yourself at these events coming up next weekend: 

Meet vya, the Portland, Oregon, Spanish tapas restaurant that opened earlier this year in the former Palomar space, setting the scene for late-night dates with an ambience imported directly from Barcelona.

Vya, in Portland, Oregon, serves Spanish tapas in the old Palomar space.

Side Quest: Tapas? Heck Yes

A quarter millennium ago, the United States got its start. Since then, we've experienced all the promises and disappointments of our country's lofty rhetoric about freedom — and mixed results in delivering on that. And yes, Portland will celebrate this year with the 

There’s also the option of enjoying the 

small-town atmosphere of the city within Portland

, including a parade. [City Cast Portland’s Weekly Wander ✏️]

It’s Portland’s Pride Month! To avoid competing with the Rose Festival, organizers moved our local celebrations to July. The 

Plan for Your Summer Food Festival Calendar

Some of the best food festivals are still two months away, but now’s the time to get your tickets. Food writer Brooke Jackson-Glidden 

shared her favorite summer food festivals

 on the podcast earlier this week: [City Cast Portland 🎧]

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

What To Do in July

What To Do in Portland in July 2026

Find the best of everything that Portland has to offer.

Portland’s Best

Portland's Best

City Cast Portland staff

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).

🥬 A staple for me all year round is the mixed salad greens from 

💐 Senior producer Giulia Fiaoni recommends 

 — 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 

🥬 Executive producer John Notarianni has a CSA with 

: “But also the farm has been selling this beautiful komatsuna recently at the 

. 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.”

 What’s your favorite thing to get at the farmers market right now? 

, and we’ll share your recommendation with your fellow readers.

, 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).

In June, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a wildfire emergency in Oregon, in anticipation of what lies ahead this summer. She 

sign up for the state emergency alert system OR-Alert

 — both of which are useful for other kinds of emergencies too.

For information on active wildfires, AirNow has an 

, which I downloaded a couple years back for use when traveling, sends alerts about wildfires. For air quality, there’s the 

. And once the smokey season fits, you can breathe easier with a 

. Hopefully, we need none of these resources this summer.

Find ways to prepare yourself for July in Portland, including tips on farmers markets, swimming, and fire season.

Tips for a Better July 2026 in Portland, Oregon

Tips for a Better July 2026 in Portland

Tips and tricks for living your best Portland life, by locals, for locals.

Portland Life Hacks

Nestled in the shadow of Rocky Butte, where I-205 and I-84 meet, you’ll find 

. That’s Maywood Park, the enclave with its own mayor and City Council and a decidedly small-town feel. What its 900 or so residents lack in numbers they make up for in civic pride, and summertime brings out the best in the welcoming community. Here’s how the Fourth of July holiday weekend is shaping up:

🚗 Why You Should Visit This Week: A Parade and Live Performance

With plenty of tree cover and wide streets, Maywood Park is the ideal setting for the parade that kicks off its 

. Departing from Northeast Maywood Place and Skidmore Street at 11 a.m. the procession will head southeast and then back toward the starting area via 99th Avenue and Campaign Street (forming a short, triangle-shaped route). Owners of classic cars and motorcycles, or simply decorated bicycles are all invited to join in — you can also just bring a chair or blanket to watch the spectacle from the sidewalks.

Of course, most of the people there will be neighbors, but you’ll find their friendliness extends to anyone who wants to celebrate. Following the parade, food trucks will set up in Maywood Commons (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), as will 

, a surf rock instrumental band featuring Maywood Park City Councilor Thomas Welande.

⚠️ Origin Story: A Fight With The State

It took Maywood Park two attempts over several years to successfully incorporate, but in doing so, its citizens gained a better standing to protest the freeway planned for their backyards. In the end, ODOT wouldn’t budge, and more than 80 homes on the west side were demolished, but there were several smaller victories residents could be proud of. Most importantly — and why it’s so easy to miss Maywood Park as you’re driving by — I-205 was built with a deeply sunken grade, far below the level of the surrounding homes, in order to reduce the traffic noise. A grassy berm was built to further muffle the din. Today, people can host a barbecue, 

, and otherwise live their lives in peace and quiet.

Rolling back the clock a bit more, you’ll find that automobiles were a main 

 in the first place. At the turn of the 20th century, the region was predominantly semi-old-growth forest with farmland around its edges (where Parkrose is today). Being far east from downtown, the area was hard to get to, but in 1926, the city of Portland expanded Sandy Boulevard to four lanes, 

 and opening the door to swaths of homebuyers.

Have an event or neighborhood you want us to feature? 

Weekly Wander topic ideas

📲 Your Weekly Wander tips

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 small-town feel.

Your Guide to Oregon's Maywood Park

Your Guide to Maywood Park

 is the annual garage sale, where residents bring their unwanted items to Maywood Commons in the hope that someone else will take them home. This year it falls on Aug. 14-15.

Summer is certainly the season to search for bargains. Although you can do it the old school way by just driving around, there are modern tools to help you 

 that host a centralized marketplace or otherwise coordinated efforts. Here are a few dates to put on your calendar.

Overlook Yard Sale and Free Share, July 11-12

: Shop for cheap clothing, home decor, and more on Saturday; Sunday is when people set stuff on the curb for free. 

 and the Mississippi Street Fair are happening on the same weekend, so you can bet the neighborhood will be buzzing.

Multnomah Village Garage Sale Day, July 19

 will help streamline your hunt for hidden gems, as each seller provides details on what will be available (outdoor gear, hardware supplies, kid’s toys, etc.).

Rose City Park Neighborhood-Wide Garage Sale, Sept.12-13

: There’s plenty more to rummage through in this sizable neighborhood, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday.

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

Side Quest: Trash to Treasure

Sellwood-Moreland is the twin neighborhood that just sticks with you. You can breathe in nature at 

 and be downtown in about 15 minutes. It’s got a 

. There’s even a picturesque funeral home if you’re 

After checking out all the sights, we won’t blame you if you never want to leave.

🥛 Why You Should Visit This Week: Dairy Dinghies

 on Sunday, June 28. Intrepid voyagers have navigated these waters since 1973, when the event was created to celebrate the Portland Rose Festival’s 65th anniversary. Today, kids and adults alike paddle their cardboard crafts, vying for an array of prizes based on speed or creativity. It’s free to participate or cheer from dry land, and most of all, it’s 

🥂 Food & Drink: Loaded Fries and Giggle Water

Next, sink your teeth into the neighborhood’s diverse dining options.

: Vintage diner vibes and napkin art on the walls are what you’ll find at this cozy brunch destination. Space can be limited, and the menu is a little bit sassy, but the sizable omelets are well worth the wait, especially the Hog Wild — “

: Everything’s so good, it’s hard to decide what to order; thankfully, the burgers come in smaller sizes, so you can do a taste test without completely breaking the bank. Our top pick is the Hawthorne, which combines bacon, goat cheese, and strawberry preserves with a beef patty and brioche bun. Each recipe can also be made into loaded fries.

 just down the street from each another. One specializes in flatbread pizzas, and the other is a casual eatery with a penchant for tomato-y comfort dishes like lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs.

: Don’t be fooled by this unassuming yellow house. Inside, you’ll find a speakeasy straight out of the 1920s, complete with Prohibition-era cocktails made by bartenders who look the part. The Suffragette, made with Control C Pisco, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, lavender bitters, and sparkling wine, is our go-to.

With a full belly, it’s time to explore what else the neighborhood has to offer.

: This sprawling antique shop features furniture of a bygone era and hidden gems around every corner. It’s just one of many stores in Sellwood-Moreland that sell 

: Free lessons and other events are the perfect intro to pétanque, the French game where players throw small metal balls as close to a target as possible. The competitive calendar culminates with the 

: For 120 years, families and thrill seekers have found entertainment on the banks of the Willamette River. Besides the rides (there are roller coasters, a pendulum swing, Ferris wheel, and more), visitors can also try roller skating and mini-golf. A mobile escape room, 

Want to add to the Sellwood-Moreland list? 

subject: Sellwood-Moreland recs

📲 Your Sellwood-Moreland Recommendations

Sellwood-Moreland is the twin neighborhood in Portland that just sticks with you. You can breathe in nature at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and be downtown in about 15 minutes. It’s got a bridge, a historic movie theater, an amusement park, and much more. Here are our picks for must-visits in Sellwood-Moreland. 

Your Guide to the Sellwood-Moreland Neighbor in Portland

Your Guide to Sellwood-Moreland

. The health and wellness practice rooted in Scandinavian culture is gaining momentum in the Pacific Northwest, as increasing numbers of people seek out the 

physical and mental benefits of the thermal cycle

In the Portland area alone, you can find a variety of sauna experiences to try, from the 

 of Forest Haven Sauna. And in February, 20 different saunas gathered for the first-ever 

: Usually found in Sellwood Riverfront Park, this mobile sauna — which partners with 

 — sometimes crosses the river to Willamette Park. Either location is ideal for a dip and friendly conversation with your fellow bathers. Keep an eye out for 

, this floating sauna relaxes you with the sounds of the Columbia River flowing beneath your feet and a pleasant heat that radiates off the stove. When you’re ready to cool off, head to the upper deck — there’s even a spot to plunge into the water if you’re brave enough.

 in Montavilla just wrapped its first season. Following a summer hiatus and move to a new location, this hush-hush hangout will reopen just in time for 

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

Side Quest: Sweat It Out in Portland

Side Quest: Sweat It Out

Visit the Portland Farmers Market at PSU or your local neighborhood spot (all summer long).

How to Enjoy Portland This Summer

Summer’s finally here. Here's how to make the most of it.

Summer’s finally here. Here's how to make the most of it in Portland.

Portland Summer Guide

Summer Guide

It’s a busy summer of fun festivals. Here’s a list of the ones that you shouldn’t miss! These picks are from Portland event guru Michele Venlee, who chatted with the City Cast Portland podcast 

(Four events are this weekend, so get your tickets now if they’re needed.)

“One that I really love is free comedy at Laurelhurst Park every Friday. I did that for the first time last year and I was hooked because — free comedy.”

That’s “for anyone who loves cider.”

“A really fun one that's gonna be happening this month is the Pride Vegan Night Market. We don't have a lot of food night markets.”

“I've been to a few cheese festivals in Portland and I feel like they're always really fun because we have so many great cheese purveyors here.”

“That's at the Fields Park. And that park's really pretty.”

It “is a big one that happens every year. There's also a lot of smaller street fairs too that I love to go to.”

Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade

“That changed from this month to July. So a lot of people don't know that.”

Pride in Portland for two months this year.

“One that I'm looking forward to that first happened last year is the Tiger, Tiger, a celebration of the [Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander] community. There'll be music, lots of great food.”

My “personal favorite is the Portland Adult Soapbox Derby, which is a ton of fun. It happens at Mount Tabor and I honestly can't describe how creative these cars are. Last year there was a Peewee Herman one. There was a Monty Python, the Holy Grail. And they hold up too.”

Summer Guide

How to Enjoy Portland This Summer

Rachel Monahan

Share article

Summer Guide

What Portland Festivals to Attend This Summer

Summer Guide: Willamette River Swimming Spots

The latest in Portland

Your Guide to Hosford-Abernethy

Side Quest: Tapas? Heck Yes

What To Do in Portland in July 2026

Tips for a Better July 2026 in Portland

Your Guide to Maywood Park

Side Quest: Trash to Treasure

Your Guide to Sellwood-Moreland

Side Quest: Sweat It Out