Portland July 4th Fireworks, Parades & More: 2018 Guide

PORTLAND, OR — With Independence Day and the 242nd anniversary of the founding of our country just around the corner, Patch collected all the July 4 goings-on happening around the Portland metro region to help you decide where you want to celebrate.

From the Waterfront Blues Festival in downtown Portland to the Estacada Timber Festival and St. Paul Rodeo, the metro area and greater Willamette Valley have a variety of offerings for celebrating the Fourth of July.

Fourth of July Family Festival at Happy Valley Park in Happy Valley — July 4

• The Independence Day celebrations begin at 9:30 Wednesday morning in Happy Valley with a dog and stroller-friendly 2.6 mile hike around the Happy Valley community. The hike will be followed by the Better Homes and Garden family parade down Southeast 145th Avenue at noon, and then the festival will begin in earnest and carry through until the fireworks show at dusk.

For more information, visit the community events page at HappyValleyOR.gov.

Estacada Timber Festival at PGE Timber Park in Estacada — July 4

• The day of family fun begins at 10 a.m. July 4. Timber competitions, from pole climbing and axe throwing to log pond roll offs and chainsaw show offs, begin at noon. Live music, food, fun for kids, and special guest llama's Eminem and Justin will go on through about 10 p.m., when the fireworks show is scheduled to begin. Festival entry tickets are $5 for all ages, and onsite parking is available for $10 per car.

For more information, visit EstacadaTimberFestival.com.

St. Paul Rodeo — July 3-7

• Since 1935, St. Paul has invited Oregon residents far and wide to enjoy nearly a week of rural fun at its annual rodeo, which includes a July 4 parade and celebration and carnival. Fireworks let off every night during the five-day rodeo, while each day is packed with exciting events and fun competitions. Tickets to the rodeo run between $16 and $26, depending on your seat and the day you want to attend. Carnival wristbands cost $25 before July 2, then increase to $30 during the rodeo.

For more information, including a schedule of events, visit StPaulRodeo.com.

Star Spangled Parade and Celebration & Firework Spectacular at Millennium Park in Lake Oswego — July 4

• The Star Spangled July 4 Celebration begins at 10:30 a.m. in downtown Lake Oswego. A parade, live music, contests for best pet costume and pie eating, as well as the obligatory fireworks show at dusk will round out an entire day of community celebrations.

For more information, visit the City of Lake Oswego's official Parks & Recreation page.

Waterfront Blues Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland — July 4-7

• Four days of music provided by more than 4o artists, including Curtis Salgado, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, The Revivalists, Beth Hart, and George Thorogood and the Destroyers, will rock the waterfront in Portland beginning July 4. Additionally, activities for kids, including a percussion lesson, and dancing lessons for adults will be held during the four-day event. And of course, there will be a special fireworks show at dusk on Independence Day. A four-day pass to the festival costs $40, but single-day tickets are also available for $15 in advance, or $20 at the gate.

For more information, including a schedule of musical events, ticket info, and additional entertainment options, visit WaterfrontBluesFest.com.

Pepsi Fireworks Spectacular at Oaks Park in Portland — July 4

• Oaks Park will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight on Independence Day, allowing kids and families to enjoy hours of rides, live music, food, and "Portland's best fireworks display" at dusk. Parking at Oaks Park is free, but tickets to get in will run $6 for people aged 16 to 61, $3 for 15 and younger, and $4 for 62 and older.

For more information, visit OaksPark.com.

Corbett Fun Fest at Corbett Grade School — July 4

• Live music, a parade, vendor booths, activities, and the biggest fireworks show in East County will be held in Corbett July 4, beginning with a 7 a.m. pancake breakfast hosted by the Columbia River Gorge Kiwanis Club. The 10 a.m. parade will be followed by an entire day of entertainment, which includes a pie-eating contest, whole hog raffle, inflatable obstacle course, and a Nerf shooting gallery. The evening will conclude with a fireworks show at dusk. Tickets for the day's events cost $10, and parking is $5.

For more information, visit CorbettFunFest.com.

Vancouver's Firework Spectacular at Fort Vancouver, Washington — July 4

• If a whole day of celebrating the United States is a bit much for you, Fort Vancouver will offer just a fireworks show Wednesday evening, beginning around 10 p.m. Promising to be the biggest fireworks extravaganza yet, Vancouver's Firework Spectacular invites everyone to pack a snack and a blanket to stake a spot at the fort to enjoy the show. The show itself is free, but parking at Providence Academy or the grass lot on Fifth Street, between S Street and U Street, costs $10.

For more information, visit TheHistoricTrust.org.

The 2018 Star Spangled 4th of July Celebration at Willamette Park in West Linn — July 4

• A day of live music, food and drinks, fun activities for both kids and adults, and — of course — fireworks is scheduled for Wednesday in West Linn.

For more information, visit the celebration's event page at Weebly.com.

Canby Independence Day Celebration in downtown Canby — July 4

• A family-friendly parade and classic car show will run concurrently with a street fair offering the best barbecue and brews around. Fireworks will begin at dusk at Trost School.

For more information, visit CanbyIndependenceDay.com.

Molalla Buckeroo at the Molalla Buckeroo Association in Molalla — July 1-4

• The Molalla Buckeroo rodeo started Sunday and continues through Independence Day, concluding with a fireworks show over Molalla after dusk. Prices vary for tickets to the event, which also includes live music performances and all the buckin' fun you could hope for at a rodeo.

For more information, including ticket purchases, visit MolallaBuckeroo.com

Did we miss any celebrations from around the metro region? Let us know and we'll add them to this post. Email event details to Travis.Loose@Patch.com.

Image via Patch