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Festival crowd at golden hour in front of a forest stage
Planned for August 2027 · Portland, Oregon

Portland’s Next Great Cultural Festival

The Portland Celtic Festival is being built as a major celebration of Celtic music, culture, food, community, and storytelling—bringing together visitors, artists, organizations, businesses, and cultural partners from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

The Vision

More Than a Festival

The Portland Celtic Festival is being developed to celebrate Celtic heritage and strengthen community connections across the Pacific Northwest. Its long-term purpose includes building momentum toward a future Portland Irish Cultural Center: a year-round home for gathering, arts, Irish language, sport and cultural exchange. The festival and cultural center vision remain in development.

Celebrate the Culture

Music, dance, Irish language, literature, drama, food, craft and sport, shaped with cultural partners.

Build the Community

A gathering point for Celtic communities, cultural organizations and businesses across the region.

Create a Lasting Legacy

Build momentum toward a future Portland Irish Cultural Center: a year-round gathering place for arts, language, sport and community. This long-term vision is in development.

Event Scale

Built for a Regional Audience

The festival is being designed at a scale that can carry major cultural programming, hospitality and partner activations across a full weekend.

Projection

Up to 0

Attendees envisioned

Planned

A full weekend

Of cultural programming

In development

Regional + international

Partnership opportunities

Planned

0 programme strands

Music, dance, food, athletics, vendors, heritage, storytelling, family

“Attendance, programming, venue, and event details remain subject to final planning and approval.”

Festival Experience

What the Weekend Could Hold

Programme strands currently in development. Imagery is representative — line-up, vendors and partners are not yet confirmed.

A fiddler laughing mid-tune beside a bodhrán player on an outdoor stage backed by Douglas fir

Live Music

Multiple stages programmed for traditional, contemporary and crossover Celtic music. Artist announcements are still in development.

Three Irish step dancers in embroidered dresses caught mid-leap on an outdoor stage

Celtic Dance

Irish step, Scottish highland and contemporary Celtic dance across showcase and participation formats. Company invitations are planned.

A laughing cook leaning out of a food stall window to hand a tray of food to a visitor

Food and Drink

A curated food and beverage programme drawing on Irish, Scottish and Pacific Northwest kitchens. Vendor applications open at a later stage.

An older storyteller in a flat cap talking with his hands to two teenagers listening under a festival tent

Heritage and Storytelling

Irish language, literature, drama, folklore, genealogy and oral history are proposed programme strands. Cultural partners and contributors are being identified.

A kilted athlete mid-hammer-throw on wet grass while a crowd in rain jackets watches

Athletics and Demonstrations

Irish and Scottish sports, traditional Celtic athletics, craft demonstrations and workshops are being explored. Format, partners and scale remain in planning.

Two small children with painted faces running and laughing with a green ribbon streamer on festival grass

Family Experiences

A dedicated family area with music, movement, craft and story sessions for younger visitors. Designed to keep the festival multi-generational.

A weaver laughing as she holds up a hand-woven wool scarf for a customer at her market stall

Artisan Vendors

A marketplace for makers working in textiles, metal, print and craft. Application details will be published as planning advances.

Two volunteers in green shirts leaning across a community group's table to talk with a visitor

Community Organizations

Space for cultural, heritage and community groups to meet the public directly. Participation pathways are being developed with partners.

Why Portland

Why Portland. Why Now.

The ambition is a signature annual event for the region — one that belongs to Portland and reaches far outside it.

  • An established Celtic community with active cultural, music and dance organizations across Oregon and the wider Pacific Northwest.

  • A city with strong festival culture, hospitality infrastructure and a regional tourism draw well beyond its own population.

  • Growing cultural and business connections between the Pacific Northwest and Ireland, with room for a signature annual gathering.

No airline, government, venue, or corporate partnerships are confirmed at this stage.

Downtown Portland and the Willamette River bridges at golden hour, with snow-capped Mount Hood on the horizon

Sponsorship

Build the Festival With Us

The Portland Celtic Festival is developing sponsorship opportunities for organizations that want meaningful visibility, cultural alignment, community engagement, branded content, hospitality experiences, and direct access to a large regional audience.

Not sure where you'd fit? Four questions gives you a recommended starting point and an indicative range.

Try the Sponsor Fit Finder

Presenting Partnerships

Top-tier association with the festival identity, across brand, hospitality and campaign visibility.

Stage and Experience Sponsorships

Naming and presence on a stage, zone or signature experience within the festival footprint.

Branded Content and Video

Co-produced storytelling, artist features and campaign assets you can use well beyond the weekend.

Vendor and Activation Space

On-site space to demonstrate, sample, sell or activate directly with festival audiences.

Hospitality Opportunities

Client, staff and stakeholder hosting options built around the programme. Formats in development.

Community Partnerships

Mission-aligned support for access, youth participation and cultural programming.

Custom sponsorship packages are available.

Tiers and a full prospectus are in development — early conversations shape them.

Prepare an Inquiry

Get Involved

There’s a Way In for Everyone

Explore the ways to take part. Online registration is being prepared; you can save an interest draft on this device.

Not sure which one is you? Take the 60-second quiz and we’ll point you at the right door.

What Celtic Are You?

Festival Updates · Coming Soon

Be Part of the Story From the Beginning

Future festival updates will cover tickets, performers, volunteering, vendors and planning milestones. Choose your interests below to prepare a local draft; mailing list registration is not open yet.

Online registration is being prepared. This form saves an unsent draft on this device.

I’m interested in

Updates

Festival Updates

Progress notes from the planning team. Formal announcements will follow as details are confirmed.

In DevelopmentPlanning update

Festival Planning Is Underway

Core planning, programming principles and site requirements are being developed with cultural and community advisors.

Coming SoonSponsorship

Sponsorship Conversations Opening Soon

Partnership tiers and a full prospectus are being finalised. Early conversations with interested organizations are welcome now.

PlannedCommunity

Join the Founding Festival Community

Planning will bring together early supporters, volunteers and cultural organizations. Registration details will be shared as the first edition develops.

Crowds walking between lantern-lit food stalls under string lights at blue hour, tall firs against a deep blue sky

Help Create Portland’s Next Great Tradition