City Of Roses, City Of Music Portland Is Home To Stunning Flowers And Quite A Lively Musical Scene

Despite the threat of rain, Portland is a city where much of the great music takes place under the open sky - cloudy or otherwise. Street musicians line the downtown pedestrian malls, bands set up to play on any flimsy excuse, and the music establishment determinedly and optimistically schedules as many outdoor events as it can, weather be damned. Here are a few highlights that keep the music alive in the Rose City:

Saturday Market

The Saturday Market is misnamed, since it runs all weekend long in the shadow of the Burnside Bridge at Portland’s Waterfront Park whenever the weather is good, March through Christmas. The outdoor bazaar, flea market and music festival features street musicians busking for spare change as well as scheduled performers.

Portland Rose Festival/Grand Floral Parade

It’s Portland’s biggest outdoor festival of the year, including Indy Car races, an air show and plenty of exhibits to show why the Rose City got its nickname. It also means plenty of music in the streets and in the clubs during its six-week run from late May to mid-July. Call (503) 227-2681 for details.

Waterfront Blues Festival

It just celebrated its 10th birthday as one of the premiere blues extravaganzas in the nation. The festival usually centers around the Fourth of July holiday and features top-flight national blues acts as well as dozens of the local musicians who give Portland its unique blues flavor. For information, call (503) 282-0555.

Oregon Brewers Festival

It’s the state’s largest gathering of the people responsible for one of its biggest businesses: beer. The festival, usually held in late July, is also a good reason to bring all the bands out again, primarily playing Waterfront Park. For information, call (503) 778-5917.

The Bite - A Taste of Portland

Same place - Waterfront Park - with a different theme: food. Taste some of the best the city has to offer while hearing the best it has to offer. Held in August. For information, call (503) 248-0600.

Rose City Classic Festival of Jazz

Usually held just before Labor Day, it’s one of the largest Dixieland jazz events in the United States, including dancing and riverboat tours, held at the Red Lion Hotel Columbia River. For information, call (503) 690-7900.

Horst Mager’s Rheinlander Oktoberfest

Same idea - food, drink and music - with a German flavor. The theme doesn’t stop the local bands from coming out and playing, though, at Oaks Amusement Park. For information, call (503) 232-3000.

North By Northwest Music Festival

Virtually any weekend is a musical smorgasbord. It gets better one weekend a year, with a three-day event for music-industry professionals to get together and scope out new bands. It’s not just for them; a $20 wristband gets you into 300 shows, perhaps the best musical bargain on the planet. The October festival is sponsored by the alternative weekly paper Willamette Week. For information, call (503) 243-2122.

There are also ongoing musical events such as free concerts at Portland’s famed Rose Garden Amphitheatre in Washington Park and jazz concerts at the Metro Washington Park Zoo. Call the Portland Visitors Association Major Events Line at (503) 225-5555 for details and updates.