30+ Free Things to Do in Portland This June

Summer officially arrives this month, along with the end of school. But how to enjoy this lovely month without breaking the bank? We’ve put together 34 ways below. Get ready to celebrate summer fun!

Party with us! Don’t miss our PDX Parent Family Festival event on Saturday, June 22 Topaz Farm! Your favorite kindie musicians will be there, plus family fun and games, farm animals, giveaways art and much more. See you there!

Farm field trip. Kick off the month at Thimbleberry Collective Farm in Boring for its Community Farm Day on Saturday, June 1. There will be fun activities, refreshments and more all in a tranquil farm setting.

Hear, ye, hear ye. Celebrate Pride at Wonderwood Springs with its Ye Olde Gay Faire on Saturday, June 1. There will be face painting, balloon animals, drag queen story time, crafts and more.

Foodie story time. Stop by Hammer + Jacks on Saturday, June 1 to hear author, Quinn Miller Murphy read “What Did My Ancestors Eat?” — a delightful board book about food and ancestry crafted for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and their families.

Roll out. Kick off Pedalpalooza, the summertime bike ride festival with a family-friendly ride on Saturday, June 1. The ride begins at Laurelhurst Park and ends at the North Park Blocks. Kidical Mass PDX will ride there together to set a fun, kid-friendly pace.

Dance party. Get your groove on the Conestoga Recreation and Aquatic Center for its Family Pride Dance Party on Saturday, June 1. There will be a DJ, bounce house and crafts!

Bingo! Every Tuesday from 7-9 pm, Gerard Bardler (performed by Emily June Newton) hosts Bard Bingo at Wonderwood Springs. Play for your chance to win fun prizes, like stickers, lawn signs, art and more.

All aboard. From June 5-9, tour vessels from the  U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy and others during Fleet Week, part of the Portland Rose Festival roster of fun events.

Enjoy a night-time parade. The Starlight Parade has marching bands, floats, glow-in-the-dark umbrellas and more — all while highlighting Portland’s diverse community groups. Plus come on — a parade at night? How cool is that? This year’s parade takes place on Saturday, June 1 from 8-10 pm.

Or a daytime one! The Fred Meyer Junior Parade is on June 5 and the Grand Floral Parade is on June 8.

See an unusual race. Don’t miss the the annual Dragon Boat Race, starting on June 8, or the Milk Carton Boat Race on June 23. Both are part of the Portland Rose Festival series of events.

Celebrate Juneteenth. Juneteenth Oregon is celebrating this important holiday June 15 — Nikki Brown Clown will be there! And in Vancouver, there’s the Juneteenth Freedom Celebration at Esther Short Park; there will be live music, art and more.

Hear some tunes. Who doesn’t love a summertime concert? Join the folks from the Cathedral Park Performing Arts Collective for their annual summer Porch Concert Series. Held the second and forth Saturdays of each month, these free concerts feature local musicians. And bonus, it’s right by the St. Johns Farmers Market!

Support local. Shop, learn some new skills or just watch the experts at Wood & Other Wonders Market on June 9. Part local artisan marketplace, part workshop and how-to, this monthly meetup at Urbanite also have live music and food.

Summer break! Celebrate the end of the school year on June 12 at Bethany Village Centre with a video game truck, kid-approved activities and more with the Last Day of School Celebration hosted by Bethany Village and Bethany Library.

More summer fun. Visit Vancouver for Summer Fest, an evening of music, food and fun! Listen to island music vibes with True Vibez while you enjoy tasty food and drinks.

Celebrate Gorge tribes. Don’t miss the Gorge Festival of Nations on June 15 at the Cascade Locks Marine Park to celebrate the traditions and culture of the Columbia River tribes. And for the kids, there’s a kids’ powwow, bounce houses and tasty food.

Sunny days. Don’t miss this brand new parade in Sellwood! The Everything Under the Sun event on June 15 is a parade helmed by a giant paper mache sun and features puppets, costumes and community ʻukulele jam.

Go by bike. Join Sunday Parkways on June 16 in the Cully-area neighborhoods or one of Pedalpalooza’s family-friendly rides.

Summertime tunes. Celebrate those fun, sunny days with the Summer Kick-off Concert & Event on June 20. Hosted by the City of Tualatin Parks & Recreation, the family-friendly event features live music, bounce house, face painting. Plus, the Beaverton Safe Routes to School will host a bike rodeo, featuring a bike skills course, free helmets and fittings, free bike tune-ups, prizes and refreshments.

Foster party. The Foster Summer Soiree, on June 22, has live music, a fun pop-up marketplace, kids’ activities, yard games and more.

Join a farm walk. Farmer Kat will be hosting a free farm walk at Topaz Farm, on June 26.

Touch a truck. Your little truck lover will not want to miss Randall Children’s Hospital Touch-a-Truck event at Clackamas Community College on June 29. Littles can explore fire engines, ambulances, school buses and more, and talk to the folks that operate them!

Explore nature. During Metro’s Free Parking Day, parking fees are waived at all your favorite Metro parks. Think Oxbow, Blue Lake, Broughton Beach, and others. This month, parks are free on June 19 and 20.

Sign up for your local summer reading programs. Worried about your kids forgetting everything they learned at school the past year during summer break? The summer reading program keeps kids motivated to read and learn all summer long. Sign up for free to get a game board, encouraging your kids to read for a certain number of minutes or do a reading-related activity. At stops along the way, they can pick out a toy, book or coupon for local fun. At the end, they get a free t-shirt or onesie. Here’s the link for Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County, and Clark County’s programs.

Try out a new playground. There are playgrounds. And then there are these playgrounds. These ones are unique and utterly wow-worthy—totally worth the trip.

Enjoy a free lunch. Portland Parks & Rec’s Free Lunch & Play begins on June 21. Your kids will get free lunch at parks around town, along with sports, games and arts & crafts activities. Find the schedule here.

Go for a swim adventure. Is it warm enough yet? Is it warm enough yet? Check out one of these local swimming holes for a break from the heat.

Volunteer! Try one of these family-friendly volunteering opportunities.

Strike! Register your kids for free bowling all summer long at kidsbowlfree.com.

Pride proud. End the month with Beaverton Pride Parade & Celebration: a colorful parade, entertainment, vendor booths and more.

For even more great ideas, check our popular Kids Calendar!