Portland is a city filled with numerous festivals and annual events.

As long as it doesn't rain, outdoor events are plentiful, and even if it does rain, there are cultural events to enjoy indoors.

If you're new to Portland or planning a visit, here are some key events to mark on your calendar.

The festival that represents Portland is undoubtedly the Portland Rose Festival. This festival, which takes place for about three weeks from late May to early June, boasts a history of over 100 years, having started in 1907. The most popular event is the Grand Floral Parade, where dozens of flower-decorated floats march through downtown streets.

This is also the reason Portland is nicknamed the City of Roses. During the festival, Waterfront Park is filled with amusement facilities and food booths, and a U.S. Navy ship is open to the public. It's especially enjoyable for families with young children.

If you're a beer enthusiast, you can't miss the Oregon Brewers Festival. Held for four days at Tom McCall Waterfront Park every late July, this festival has been running since 1988 and features over 80 breweries from Oregon and surrounding areas, offering hundreds of craft beers for tasting.

Portland is one of the top craft beer cities in the U.S., and this festival showcases that pride. The atmosphere is enjoyable for adults, with music performances and food booths also available.

For arts and culture, there's the TBA Festival. Short for Time-Based Art Festival, this contemporary performance art festival takes place every September.

Organized by the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA), it features dance, theater, music, and visual art performances by artists from both the U.S. and abroad, spread across various venues over two weeks. While many of the experimental and avant-garde works may not suit everyone's taste, it's worth a visit if you want to experience Portland's unique creative and independent cultural scene.

During the holiday season, there's Zoolights. This nighttime lighting event at the Oregon Zoo runs from late November to early January, with the entire zoo decorated with millions of lights.

It attracts many family visitors and is one of the traditional events for Portland residents during the year-end holidays. It's advisable to purchase tickets online in advance, as weekends tend to sell out quickly.

Additionally, in December, a large Christmas tree is erected at Pioneer Courthouse Square downtown, accompanied by a lighting ceremony.

For food-related events, the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival takes place in February, and during the summer, various neighborhood street fairs are held in different areas. Neighborhood festivals in places like Sellwood, Mississippi Avenue, and the Alberta Arts District may be smaller in scale but offer a strong local vibe, making them great opportunities to connect with locals early on.

Within the Korean community, there are also holiday events and social gatherings organized by the Beaverton Korean Church and other groups, so connecting with the community early on can help you quickly gather this information.