Ever since the start of the pandemic (485 days to be exact, but who's counting?), there've been precious few city-sponsored public events or gatherings in Portland. Even traditional outdoor summer events were put on ice as the city navigated pandemic protocols and pushed towards vaccination goals. All that is about to change this weekend, with a series of free outdoors celebrations intended to give Portlanders a reason to leave the house and enjoy the city.  (While the event is happening amid a statewide rise in reported COVID-19 cases, driven in part by a slowdown in vaccination, in Multnomah County 75 percent of adults are fully vaccinated; the county's seven-day rolling average of cases has increased in recent weeks but remains relatively low.)

Here for Portland a city-backed campaign that kicked off last December, is sponsoring this weekend's festivities, including concerts, drag shows, food carts, art, shopping, and more. The bulk of the best events will take place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 23-25—think comedy in Laurelhurst Park, a drag show (featuring a guest appearance by the Unipiper, because why not?) at the Moxy Hotel downtown, to an afternoon fashion show at The Portland Art Museum. Or perhaps you'd rather an afternoon of roller skating in the North Park Blocks courtesy of the Rose City Rollers, or listening to the voices of the Brown Sisters (who have opened for Dr Maya Angelou, no biggie) in Pioneer Courthouse Square, or even that Pink Martini singalong? The point is, there are things to do all weekend, many of them outdoors and all ages.

(Just to make you feel extra festive and amp up that city pride level, the Morrison Bridge will be decked out in green, blue and yellow, also known as the colors of the Portland flag, while the brand new food carts at W Burnside and SW Park, aka the Ankeny West food carts, will have their grand opening.)

Need to know more? Check out the myriad and growing options at Here for Portland.