This Is The Oldest Flower Festival In Oregon, And It's Absolutely Magical
By Sarah McCosham|Published March 18, 2022
×
Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
In a state that celebrates Mother Nature, it should come as no surprise that Oregon’s largest city is affectionally referred to as Rose City. Portland, Oregon is known for these beautiful and fragrant flowers, which paint the landscape of this PNW town in beguiling red and pink hues each spring. This season of new life and abundance sets the stage for the oldest flower festival in Oregon, the magical and marvelous Portland Rose Festival.
When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? It's something you really ought to do. Especially in beautiful Portland, Oregon.
Portland's International Rose Test Garden is the oldest public garden of its kind in the United States, and is a dreamy destination as winter fades into spring.
Portland, in fact, is known as Rose City -- though these fragrant flowers are not native to the region. In fact, Portland’s affinity for roses started with a wedding gift in the 1800s. The first rose bush in the PNW was sent to Anna Marie Pittman in 1837 when she married Jason Lee, a missionary near Champoeg. Clippings from that bush were then planted in the surrounding area, where Oregon’s climate proved suitable for growing roses.
Socialite and community leader Georgina Pittock, wife to longtime publisher of The Oregonian, Henry Pittock, fell in love with the flower, channeling her passion into the Portland Rose Society; and later, in 1907, the eponymous Portland Rose Festival was born.
The oldest flower festival in Oregon, the Portland Rose Festival is an exuberant celebration of this fanciful flower, with parades, races, carnival rides, fireworks, and city-wide events happening over a two-week span.
After a long dreary season that's felt like forever (and we're not *just* talking about winter), come out and celebrate rebirth and renewal, color and life, at the 2022 Portland Rose Festival.
The 2022 Portland Rose Festival happens May 27-June 12, 2022, and is the must-visit event of the season in Oregon! Get a full list of happenings and attractions at the festival website.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
