Sunny days are here again! But whatever the weather, there is so much to do in Portland in the spring! And the great news is that this May, there are plenty of family-friendly events — that are fun and free.
Parents unite. Join MomCo PDX on May 1 (the group meets the first and third Fridays of every month) with fun playdates. MomCo is a supportive community of moms seeking connection, growth, and a breath of fresh air. Join them at Grace City Portland for a more structured and routine time together, with childcare provided through our trusted KidsCo team.
Art time. Get in a little culture today by visiting The Lobby to view Seeing the What, an exhibition that takes inspiration from Henry David Thoreau’s observation: “The real question is not what you look at, but what you see.” The show explores perception, interpretation, and the shifting meaning of images. May is the last month of this pop-up exhibition.
Belt it out. Do you have a musician ages 13-18? Come on down to Youth Music Project in West Linn to have them share their songs with a live, supportive audience during Teen Open Mic. Open Mic Nights are held on the first Friday of each month.
Get it fixed. Need a toy, household item, small appliance, clothing, etc. repaired? Head to a Repair PDX event and have it come back to life for free! They take place at various locations around the Portland metro area. Here’s where to go this month: Gresham Repair Cafe & Clothing Swap (Saturday, May 2, 10 am–1 pm); RPDX Repair Café @ Leaven Common House (Saturday, May 9, noon to 3 pm); Lake Oswego Repair Fair
Saturday (Saturday, May 16, 10 am–1 pm) and Wilsonville Repair Fair (Saturday, May 30, 10 am–1 pm).
Building time. If your kids are fans of the monthly kids’ workshops at Home Depot, you’ll definitely want to register them for The Parrrty on Saturday, May 2 event at the Cedar Hills Home Depot. From 9 am-noon, in addition to making a cool new thing, kids can also play games and say hello to special guests. Come dressed in your favorite costume!
Pedal Together. Join PDXDads and Biking Buds on Saturday, May 2 for Pedal Together, a relaxed, family-friendly community bike ride designed for all skill levels. Meet in the St. Philip Neri Catholic Church parking lot at Ladd’s Addition and ride at an easy, comfortable pace, with time to hang, meet other families and enjoy the morning.
Read comics. Comic book fans unite! Saturday, May 2 is the annual Free Comic Book Day. Cosmic Monkey Comics will be opening early at 10 am to giveaway your pick of FIVE free comics! Or Join Kidical Mass for its Free Comic Book Day ride to Books with Pictures. For Beaverton families, don’t miss Free Comic Book Day at Beaverton City Library.
Terrific teddies. Don’t miss the cutest parade: The Teddy Bear Parade! Held in Oregon City on Saturday, May 2, the one-hour parade features stuffies that are given to law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency rooms, children’s help centers, hospitals and women’s shelters in Clackamas County to parade down main street. These stuffed animals are then re-homed to children throughout the community who need comfort in times of crisis.
Celebrate Rockwood. Rockwood Market Hall celebrates four years on Saturday, May 2, from noon to 4 pm, with an afternoon honoring the many cultures that make up the Rockwood community! Enjoy live performances, food from Market Hall micro-restaurants, a farmers market, and family activities for all ages.
Goats and S’mores Sundays. Come on downtown to Director Park on Sundays in May to hang out with goats (for free!), relax in Director Park, play some board games, and enjoy some delicious s’mores! Who knew that goats and s’mores would be such a sweet combination?!
Enjoy the classics. Head to Hillsboro Community Senior Center on Sunday, May 3 for a family-friendly concert by Classical Up Close. Comprising the talented Oregon Symphony musicians, these mini concerts are a fun way to introduce classical music and orchestra instruments to children of all ages.
May the 4th be with you. If your family loves Star Wars, stop by Cedar Hills Library and celebrate Star Wars Day with a craft and games on Monday, May 4.
B-I-N-G-O. Get ready for a fun night of Bingo at Hillsboro Downtown Station on Wednesdays from 6:30-8 pm. Play 5 exciting rounds— the first 4 rounds feature fun prizes from Hillsboro Downtown Station. The final round is our Community Round, where prizes are brought in by the community, making it a surprise every time.
First Thursdays. Museum admission to the Portland Art Museum is free on the first Thursday of every month (May 7 this month) from 10 am-7 pm, and programs at the Tomorrow Theater in Southeast Portland are free. Pro tip: Kids 17 and younger always get in free!
Tree-mendous fair. Held the day before Mother’s Day, on Saturday, May 10, the annual Camas Plant & Garden Fair is a must visit for plant and tree lovers. And for the kids: hit up the Kid Zone, featuring crafts, garden activities, petting zoo, face painting, and Rosie the larger-than-life puppet!
Take a look. Also on Saturday, May 9, is the Mother’s Day Birding and Wildflower Festival at Silver Falls State Park. Activities include guided birding walks, educational discovery tables, a wildflower show and a native plant sale. Pro tip: The festival is free, but a $10 daily parking permit is required at Silver Falls.
Farm fun. Or Head to Hoffman Farms Store for a Mother’s Day on the Farm celebration on Saturday, May 9 from 10 am–5 pm — a full day to celebrate moms, make memories, and enjoy the beauty of the farm.
For the moms. Sunday, May 11 is Mother’s Day. Show her some extra love today!
Spring clean. Help your kids earn money and get organized by selling their old toys to consignment shops.
Hit the market. May means it’s officially Farmers Market season again, with markets opening back up or extending their hours.
March for the babies. Support March of Dimes on Saturday, May 16 during March for Babies at the Oregon Zoo. Families, friends, and co-workers can connect while raising critical funds for research, education, advocacy, and programs and services so moms and babies get the best possible start.
Roll out. You know it’s officially almost summer when the first Portland Sundays Parkway event pops up. Portlanders can stroll, bike or roll along a 2- or 3.6-mile route through Southwest Portland on Sunday, May 17. Gabriel Park, Multnomah Arts Center, Multnomah Village and Spring Garden Park are stops along the route where your family will find community booths, vendor markets and free activities and entertainment.
Park for free. Get out and explore nature in 2026! Enjoy free parking on Thursday, May 21at Oxbow and Blue Lake regional parks, Broughton Beach, M. James Gleason Memorial Boat Ramp and Chinook Landing Marine Park and on 18 additional days in 2026.
Pride in Tigard. Don’t miss the sixth annual Pride Parade and Festival in Tigard on Saturday, May 23, from 2-5 pm. The event will kick off with a parade at 2 pm. Spectators are welcome to view the parade anywhere along Durham. Pedestrians, roller skates, wheelchairs or motorized chairs, bikes, motorcycles, and cars and trucks are all welcome to participate in the parade! And on Saturday, May 30 there’s Tualatin Pride.
Broadway mini. Fans of The Very Hungry Caterpillar will love Broadway Mini‘s interactive performance on Saturday, May 30. The kids will get a chance to play a variety of different bugs and experience a story all about metamorphosis. Watch these 3-6yr olds sing, dance and act their way through an amazingly fun script written for them.
Cool coyotes. Coyote-palooza is a family- and pet-friendly event that will feature booths where you can learn about coyote identification and biology, participate in hands-on activities for adults and kids, and discover ways to keep pets and people safe. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about the cultural significance of coyotes, the role they play in our ecosystem, and how to coyote-proof your space. Held on Saturday, May 30 at South Park Blocks.
Bridge city. The Burnside Bridge turns 100 this year! On Saturday, May 30 Multnomah County, in partnership with multiple agencies and organizations, will host the Burnside Bridge Centennial celebration – a once-in-a-lifetime community celebration honoring the history of the Burnside Bridge. The family-friendly event will feature kid-focused activities, interactive exhibits and storytelling that highlights key moments – from the opening of the bridge in 1926 to the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project.