waterfront-blues-festival-fireworks_Jason-Quigley_wgu6uw Where to See Fireworks in Portland and Beyond This Fourth of July — Fireworks at the Waterfront Blues Festival light up the sky over the city center.

THe City of Portland banned personal use of fireworks—even the dinky ones—within city limits in 2022 to reduce wildfire risk (parents of nervous dogs and small children may be feeling heard, too). After watching a firecracker destroy large swaths of the Gorge in 2017, we can’t say we oppose leaving explosives to the pros who put on plenty of permitted shows. Here are a few spots to get the glow plus one laser light display. Most begin around 10pm, but check event websites for full details.

metro area

Waterfront Blues Festival

Tom McCall waterfront park

The annual Waterfront Blues Festival (running July 4 and 5 this year) is punctuated by the largest city-center fireworks display in town. Festival attendees get a prime view (not to mention a world-class live soundtrack), but you don’t need tickets to catch the display. Fireworks are visible for free from a number of locations, including outside the festival at Waterfront Park, at the Eastbank Esplanade, on Mount Tabor, or near the International Rose Test Garden.

Oaks Amusement Park

7805 SE Oaks park way

The fireworks show at Portland’s beloved amusement park pops off over the Willamette River, just north of the Sellwood Bridge. The park has an all-day Fourth of July Spectacular ticket package, offering access to a large, riverfront picnic area where you can hang all day and grill your own food (you’ll need to bring your own grill, but you can!) in addition to rides and mini golf. If that’s not your thing, the show is easily viewed for free outside the park gate from Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge or other spots along the river, such as the Sellwood Riverfront Park and Willamette Park across the river.

Lake Oswego

Millennium Plaza Park

Head to Millennium Plaza on the Willamette River in Lake Oswego for a free event with live music from local symphonic concert band on July 3. On the fourth, an Independence Day parade lands at the park with more live music and a laser light display (the city moved away from pyrotechnics in 2019).

Out of Town

Astoria

astoria & warrenton

Friday night’s fireworks display over the Columbia River closes a run of festivities across Astoria and Warrenton, which also include a parade, car show, and more. Revelers are encouraged to come back to the waterfront on Saturday, July 5, to help with cleanup. Not sated? Just across the Washington border, Ilwaco hosts a fireworks show on Saturday, July 5.

Seaside

Seaside Museum

An ole fashion “social” at the Seaside Museum—burgers, dogs, and face paint—kicks off the beach town’s Fourth of July festivities, which culminate in a huge fireworks display over the ocean. Organizers note there are no tents allowed on the beach at Seaside, and that if you park on the oceanside of the Necanicum River, it might take you more than an hour to get back to 101 in the post-show traffic.

Rockaway Beach

S First St

Catch a parade in the morning, watch dachshund races in the afternoon, eat a Pronto Pup or three, check out the Volkswagen Club car show, and be awed by Rockaway Beach’s gigantic sky show.

Lincoln City

Siletz bay

Home to multiple kite festivals, Lincoln City is used to having its skies awash in color. The show over Siletz Bay follows an all-day lineup of live music beginning at noon. A shuttle from the Taft High School parking lot operating 3pm–1am allows for easier mobility as the roadways (especially US 101) around Siletz Bay typically clog up with traffic before and after the show.

Hood River

Hood River Event Site, portway ave

Claim a spot at the event site (the website has a handy spectator map), post up at Hood River Waterfront Park, or find a view from town of this show in the Columbia River Gorge. An hourlong parade beginning at 10am takes over 12th Street between Pacific Avenue and May Street.

The Dalles

404 W second St

A display over the Columbia River caps a full day of activities that also include a parade, fundraising run, block party, alfresco yoga, live music, and a cornhole tournament.

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