Portland Pride FAQs

Accessibility at PridE?

Check out our Portland Pride Accessibility Guide from 2025. The 2026 Portland Pride Accessibility Guide is coming soon!

Does it cost money to attend?

The Portland Pride Waterfront Festival & Parade is one of the largest donation-based Pride Festivals in the United States. We ask that folks donate $10 at the gate entrance, but no one is turned away for lack of funds. Cash and Cards are accepted at the gate entrances. ATMS are also available onsite.

For ease at the gates, donate ahead of time, purchase a Fast Pass, or VIP Tickets.

Where is the festival located?

The Portland Pride Waterfront Festival & Parade is located at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park. It extends down Naito Pkwy from just north of Ash St. to the Morrison Bridge. There are three gate entrances on SW Naito Parkway: SW Ash St, SW Pine St., and SW Harvey Milk St. The VIP entrance is facing south, located on the river side (east) under the Morrison Bridge. Google Map of the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival.

What are the general rules of attending the festival?

  • All bags, containers and packages are subject to search.

  • Due to OLCC rules, only factory-sealed, non-alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park. 

    • Open beverage containers are only allowed when empty. If the open container contains fluids attendees will be asked to empty open containers prior to entry. There are water refills station within the festival,

    • No glass containers - This includes water bottles.

  • Guests will not be allowed to carry alcoholic beverages in or out of any entrance or exit gates.

What items are prohibited?

  • Alcohol & Drugs

    • Anyone under the age of 21 found consuming alcohol will immediately be evicted from the festival

    • No vaping, smoking, or cannabis edibles allowed.

    • No illegal drugs

  • Weapons of any type

  • Smoking of any kind (per City of Portland)

  • Air Horns, instruments or laser pointers

  • Unauthorized or unlicensed vendors

  • Drones (Drones are prohibited in any City of Portland park, per the City)

  • Helium Balloons

Where is nearby parking?

There is no designated parking for the festival. Paid parking is available nearby in private parking lots and on the street, but it is limited. There are also SmartPark garages throughout downtown, a list of locations is below. Support Pride Northwest and reserve your parking ahead of time through

Reserve Parking
Reserve Parking

Is there bike parking?

There is designated bike parking near the north end by the SW Ash St entrance and on the southern end near the SW Harvey Milk St Entrance.

Are there other alternatives for transportation?

We strongly encourage attendees to utilize public transit or rideshare. Tri-Met has several options for reaching the downtown Waterfront area. Please use the TriMet Trip Planner to find the best route for you.

Can i bring drinks and food into the festival?

Yes, festival attendees are allowed to bring their own food and drinks into the festival, with a few restrictions. Drinks that are unopened, and factory sealed, for example a drink purchased at a store and not opened yet, are allowed into the festival.

  • Glass containers are not allowed into the festival.

  • No alcohol or cannabis edibles are allowed into the festival grounds.

Due to OLCC regulations, open containers must be emptied to be allowed into the festival. There are water refill stations located near festival entrances within the festival grounds.

Why do I have to empty my water bottle or opened container before entering the festival?

Due to regulations by the OLCC the festival is unable to allow opened or reusable containers with liquid in them into the festival. We require all guests to empty their open containers prior to entering the festival. There are water refill stations located in the festival and many booths hand out free water. In addition, concession vendors sell water and a variety of refreshments.

Are pets allowed in the festival?

Yes, animals are allowed into the festival, but they must be contained or on a leash at all times. It’s also important to consider whether you should bring your pet to the festival. The festival draws large crowds and temperatures in late July can be quite hot, so safety is an important consideration. Be aware of your pet’s limits and watch for heat stroke related symptoms.

is smoking allowed in the festival?

No smoking, of any kind, is permitted within the festival grounds, per City of Portland park rules. Per the City’s policy, “For purposes of this policy, smoking and tobacco are defined to include, but are not limited to: bidis, cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, clove cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine vaporizers, nicotine liquids, hookahs, kreteks, pipes, chew, snuff, smokeless tobacco, and marijuana.”

Portland Parks & Recreation Expanded Smoke & Tobacco-Free Parks Policy FAQ

Is there a Lost & Found?:

Lost and found items can be turned into the Pride Northwest Information Booth, located south of the SW Pine St gate entrance by the Battleship Oregon Memorial. If you lost an item please email info@pridenw.org with a description of what was lost or swing by the Information Booth during festival hours.