I love summer, but I hate spending money. When I first moved to Portland, a new mom friend told me I should join her gym because my kids would love the pool. I laughed and said, “Oh, honey, we have student loans.” Luckily, thanks to Portland Parks & Recreation’s Summer FREE for All, I have been able to do fun things with my kids every year, all summer long, without spending a dime.
Read on to learn about all the free offerings, including free lunch and cultural performances.
Free Lunch + Play
I went to my first Free Lunch + Play when my kids were in preschool, and the energy was festive and inclusive. It felt like both a picnic and a parent meet-up, and I felt immediately at ease. Also, there’s something about school lunch (which is essentially what these are — meals are provided by local school districts) that’s especially exciting to my kids. When all public schoolchildren were offered free lunch after the pandemic, my kids talked about it literally every day, and I was reminded of how much kids in general love these Free Lunch + Play events. All this to say, don’t hesitate. These events are fun, and when you attend them, you ensure that they keep happening. Plus it’s “something to do” on those endlessly long summer days.
The drop-in program will be held late-June through August, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm, Monday-Friday with on-site staff. Free lunch for children ages 18 and under will be served at mealtimes listed below (it must be eaten on site), plus games, activities and free performances will be offered (see who’s coming here). There will be no program on July 4-5. Sites will have a “no thank you table,” with parts of lunches that children inevitably reject, and kids may take what they want from that space during the mealtime for each site.
Summer Kick-Off Event for Free Lunch + Play
Watch Ballet Papalotl perform a folkloric dance, make crafts with Arts in the Park, roller skate with Rose City Rollers (bring tall socks), and enjoy lawn games at this Free Lunch + Play kick-off event at McCoy Park on Thursday, June 27, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. There will also be free lunch, of course.
North Portland
| Locations | Program Dates | Mealtime |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Park N Woolsey Avenue and Winchell Street | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm |
| Irving Park 875 NE Fremont Street | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm |
| Kenton Park N Delaware Avenue and Kilpatrick Street | June 24-August 16 | 12 pm – 1:30 pm |
| McCoy Park N Newman Avenue and Newark Street | June 24-August 16 | 12 pm – 1:30 pm |
| Peninsula Park 700 N Rosa Parks Way | June 24-August 16 | 12 pm – 1:30 pm |
| St. Johns Park 8427 N Central Street | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm |
Northeast Portland
| Location | Day and Time | Mealtime |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta Park NE 19th Avenue and Jarrett Street | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
| K’hunamokwst Park 5200 NE Alberta Street | June 24-August 16 | 12 pm – 1:30 pm |
| Montavilla Park NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street | June 24-August 16 | 12 pm – 1:30 pm |
East Portland
| Location | Day and Time | Mealtime |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway Discovery Park 10520 NE Halsey Street | June 24-August 23 | 11:00 am – 11:45 am |
| Lents Park SE 92nd Avenue and Steele Street | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
| Lincoln Park SE 135th and Mill Street | June 24-August 23 | 12:30 pm – 1:00 pm |
| Luuwit View Park NE 127th Avenue and Fremont Street | June 24-August 23 | 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm |
| Raymond Park SE 118th Avenue and Liebe Street | June 24-August 23 | 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm |
| Ventura Park 460 SE 113th Avenue | June 24-August 23 | 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm |
| Verdell B. Rutherford Park 1599 SE 167th Avenue | June 24-August 23 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
| Wilkes Park NE 154th Avenue and NE Beech Street | June 24-August 23 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
Southeast Portland
| Location | Day and Time | Mealtime |
|---|---|---|
| Creston Park 4454 SE Powell Blvd. | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
| Essex Park SE 76th Avenue and Center Street | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 pm – 1:00 pm |
| Mt. Scott Park SE 72nd Avenue and Ramona Street | June 24-August 16 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
Southwest Portland
| Location | Day and Time | Mealtime |
|---|---|---|
| Holly Farm Park 10819 SW Capital Highway | June 24-August 16 | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm |
| Stephens Creek Crossing Apt. 6715-6816 SW 26th Avenue | June 24-August 16 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
Mobile Sites
| Location | Day and Time | Mealtime |
|---|---|---|
| Mill Park School Covered Shelter SE 117th Avenue and Mill Court | June 27-August 23 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
| Arbor Glen Apartments 2609 SE 145th Avenue | June 25-August 21 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
| Bellrose Station Apartments 7901 SE 92nd Avenue | June 24-August 22 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
| East Gate Station Apartments 100 NE 120th Avenue | June 24-August 23 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
| Vine Maple Apartments 177 SE 146th Avenue | June 25-August 23 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm |
Free Movies in the Park
All summer long, PP&R will be hosting outdoor movies in parks across the city. We add them to our popular Kids Calendar, or you can view the full list here. There plenty of family-friendly shows in the lineup, including Barbie, Wonka, Little Mermaid, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! These events are so fun, but get there early to claim a seat close to the screen. The only tricky part is they start pretty late — most don’t begin until after 7:30 pm, when it’s dark enough to see the screen. For kids with a later bedtime, it’s a blast!
Free Concerts and Cultural Events
In addition to outdoor movies, Portland Parks & Recreation also hosts free concerts, festivals, and cultural events. Families won’t want to miss the East Summer Arts Festival, The Kidz Outside hip-hop festival, and Washington Park Summer Festival. There are also a wide variety of live concerts, from country (Ashleigh Flynn and The Riveters!) to Opera in the Park Portland. These events will be added to our Kids Calendar, or see the full list here.
Free Open Play Swim
Learning to swim is an important summer ritual! PP&R pools open to the public on June 20, and there are special days when it’s free to swim at certain pools:
- Creston Pool – Free swim on Mondays, 6:30 pm-8 pm
- Grant Pool – Free swim on Wednesdays, 1 pm-3 pm
- Montavilla Pool – Free swim on Tuesdays, 6:30 pm-8 pm
- Peninsula Pool – Free swim on Tuesdays, 1 pm-3:45 pm
- Pier Pool – Free swim on Thursdays, 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
- Sellwood Pool – Free swim on Wednesdays, 6:30 pm-8 pm
Pool capacities may be limited due to a nationwide lifeguard shortage. If your teen is interested in earning a little extra money this summer, lifeguarding is a fantastic summer job! Teens ages 16+ may apply here.
Gateway Discovery Park
There are so many special events at this park, that it needs its own category. Don’t miss Aaron Nigel Smith’s reggae and roots performance, Olive & Dingo’s rockin’ songs and silliness, storytime with Nikki Brown Clown, and more! See the full list of special events here.
All are welcome.
Now our student loans are (finally!) paid off, but we still participate in Summer FREE for All every year. What started as a necessity has now become a tradition. Whatever your current situation, the FREE for All is really for all.
Summer FREE for All’s Fitness in the Park is coming back for 2024, too! Learn more here.
Looking for more free things to do? We’ve got suggestions.
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