Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland - What to Expect
Portland’s iconic July 4th summer celebration, Waterfront Blues Festival is just around the corner! The Waterfront Blues Festival, July 2-4, 2026 in Downtown Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park, is a joyful kickoff to summer fun and a cornerstone event of the Pacific Northwest.
The not -to-miss festival will have more than 30 performances on three stages over three days, meaning non-stop music from 1:00-10:00 pm each day. The full schedule of performances on each stage throughout the festival is now available, making it easy for music lovers to map out catching all their must-see acts: VIEW FULL SCHEDULE HERE.
After many years, the festival, has become THE way to not only spend the holiday, but its a fantastic time to check out very talented, get a glimpse of the artistic scene, and dive into the culinary treasures of Portland - it’s a diverse festival rooted in community.
The 2026 lineup brings together voices from around the world, all carrying the DNA of the blues in completely different forms. Highlights include The Revivalists, Durand Jones & The Indications, Tank and The Bangas, Cymande, Hailu Mergia, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Seratones, Toody Cole and Her Band, Glitterfox and dozens more acts showing how the blues moves across genres, borders, and decades.
Click HERE for a glimpse of last years festival.
In addition to the live music on each stage, attendees can experience additional programming, including:
Waterfront Blues Festival July 4th Fireworks Show presented by Lithia & Driveway: Launched from a barge on the Willamette River, visible from all around the city and choreographed to a vibrant musical soundtrack, the Waterfront Blues Festival’s annual July 4th fireworks show is an epic finish the festival weekend and a special way to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.
Family Fun: A family-friendly and multigenerational celebration, the festival welcomes fans of all ages with free entry for kids 12 and younger thanks to Buick GMC of Beaverton. A dedicated family area called The Playin’ Ground features daily music activities, art from Mike Bennett, face painting and more.
Blues Cruises Presented by Kona Big Wave: Cruise the beautiful Willamette River and hear the sweet sounds of live music on the decks of the Portland Spirit. Each Blues Cruise features a unique theme, three intimate stages and an all-star lineup.
Waterfront Blues Festival is a fully immersive festival experience featuring local food and drink in the Blues Bites food court, plus local vendors, artists and merchants through the festival grounds supporting Portland’s creative community and Downtown economy.
2026 Waterfront Blues Festival vendors include:
Food:
New for 2026: Flying Fish Co., Kate's Ice Cream, MidCity SmashedBurger, and Cametco Inc. Korean's Corn Dogs & Bingsoo Desserts
Returning favorites: Boke Bowl, Carioca Bowls, Cobra Dogs, Dairy Hill, Bates BBQ, Garbonzos, Fabos Tacos, Horn of Africa, and Al Forno Ferruzza Pizzera
Drink: Offerings will include: Straightaways Cocktails, Breakside Brewing, Kona Brewing, Portland Cider Co., Maryhill Winery, Sokol Blosser Winery serving wine as well as Frozé Slushies from their mobile wine bar, and Goodies Snack Shop pop-up marketplace offering a wide selection of non-alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, and treats
Merchants: Tender Loving Empire, Music Millennium, Ink Bus mobile tattoo studio, Atrum Arte, Crispins, PiCraft, Feel Good Shorts, Wild by Design, Sacred Paintbrush, Lhasa Trade, Joachim McMillan, Gary Houston, Mystique Fancy Faces, and Cascade Blues Association
Where else can you hear incredible jazz music along the beautiful backdrop of the Willamette River? Grab your tickets while you still can. 1-Day tickets and 3-Day passes at GA and VIP levels are available at waterfrontbluesfest.com/tickets
