INCLUDES ‘FAIRLY FUN’ VIDEO | 16 EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS | Discover how this 120‑year‑old fair may have delivered its strongest lineup yet — from Creative Living ribbons, to lively entertainment – and even “wrassling”, ringside …
Families stream into historic Oaks Amusement Park during opening day of the 120th Multnomah County Fair, turning Memorial Day weekend into a three‑day celebration of community, culture, and classic Midway fun.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The Multnomah County Fair quietly reached a milestone this Memorial Day weekend, as thousands of visitors streamed into historic Oaks Amusement Park for the 120th edition of the long‑running community tradition.
Over three days, May 23–25, families filled the midway, packed cultural performances and revisited the fair’s hallmark “Creative Living Exhibition.”
Watch our “Highlights Reel” video featuring the best of the fair …
The nonprofit Friends of Multnomah County Fair has staged the event at nonprofit Oaks Park since the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners “de-funded” its own County Fair back in the 1990s.
The president of the nonprofit, Larry Smith, reflected that, despite the loss of public funding, volunteers kept the Fair alive – with a focus on community, culture and accessible fun.
The Vendors Row Midway is teeming with visitors to Multnomah County Fair, as families browse small‑business booths between enjoying rides and experiencing cultural performances.
President Larry Smith is all smiles because the lean, volunteer‑run, nonprofit operation still draws thousands of visitors to the Multnomah County Fair over Memorial Day weekend.
“Saturday and Sunday offered perfect weather, and Oaks Park was packed with people,” Smith recounted.
Smith pointed to Sunday’s “Día de la Familia” as a standout, with a diverse crowd “eager to watch Aztec dancers, mariachi, Portland Wrestling and Portland Lucha Libre wrestling matches, and several other Latin‑based performances and activities.”
Audiences crowd around to watch hard‑hitting matches featuring “wrassling” stars from Portland Wrestling [pictured here] and Lucha Libre Portland – adding a contemporary twist to the traditional Multnomah County Fair lineup.
Crowds navigated sunshine, showers, and a packed schedule
Memorial Day itself brought a different challenge. Smith reported that the Fair stayed busy into mid‑afternoon, before rain showers chased some visitors home.
Others sprinted for cover, filling the entertainment area to watch cultural entertainment, which performed to a shoulder‑to‑shoulder audience under the shelter of the Outdoor Pavilion.
In the Outdoor Pavilion, “Ballet Folklorico Mexico en la Piel Academia” performs to a large seated audience, turning a sunny afternoon at the Multnomah County Fair into a vibrant cultural showcase.
Kicking up their heels, these Yeates Academy of Irish Dance students share traditional steps with Multnomah County Fair visitors.
Juggling up a storm, Leapin’ Louie Lichtenstein works the Outdoor Pavilion stage, mixing comedy and circus skills for families at this year’s Multnomah County Fair.
Although major construction is about to begin at Oaks Park, the venue postponed work so the Outdoor Pavilion could again host a steady rotation of cultural and entertainment acts throughout Memorial Day weekend.
On Vendors Row, Kristal Fitzpatrick of Ugly Duckling Candle Company displays one of her products to fairgoers browsing the small‑business booths.
Behind the scenes, more than 25 small businesses populated Vendors Row with crafts, food, and services. “We don’t have a turnstile, so have no way of counting attendance,” Smith remaraked. However, Oaks Park Association Marketing & Events Director Emily MacKay estimated about 12,200 visitors were in the park over the three‑day weekend.
Creative Living returns to the Dance Pavilion
One of the most notable changes this year was the return of the fair’s “Creative Living Exhibition” to the newly-remodeled historic Oaks Park Dance Pavilion. The brightened interior and refreshed layout allowed organizers to showcase nearly 1,500 entries – the highest exhibit count since before the COVID‑19 pandemic.
In the historic Dance Pavilion, Creative Living Exhibition entries fill the remodeled hall with quilts, photos, flowers and baked goods from across Multnomah County. Some of the renovation improvements to the historic hall are evident in this photograph.
At the Creative Living Exhibition, Sandra Snyder holds her prize‑winning peach jam, which earns both a first‑place ribbon and “Best of Show” – a sweet honor for the former longtime “Foods Superintendent”.
Entries ranged from art and photography to flowers, crafts, and baked goods — with exhibitors spanning, in age, young children to adults in their 90s. Smith shared that he kept hearing positive comments about “the small animal exhibit, the entertainers, and the Creative Living exhibits”; and he ranked this year’s free entertainment offerings as “the best I remember at any Multnomah County Fair.”
Volunteers stretch dollars to keep the fair alive
Smith emphasized that the modern Multnomah County Fair is powered by a “small and dedicated group of volunteers who plan the fair year round.” Their goal, he explained, is to bring people together “for a celebration of community, diversity, and tradition, all of which makes for a better community.”
In the lot near the wrestling ring, Classic Car Invitational participants line up their polished rides, giving Multnomah County Fair visitors a close‑up look at chrome and nostalgia.
Look at these pups run, during the Dashing Dachshund Races – one of the most light‑hearted traditions at the Multnomah County Fair.
There are still farm animals to pet and visit at the Multnomah County Fair, giving young visitors a close‑up look at goats, rabbits, and other small creatures.
He also offered a “fun factoid” that underscored how the fair has changed since county support ended. While reviewing old county documents, Smith uncovered a mid‑1990s budget from when the county still operated the fair: More than $400,000, for a five‑day event – equivalent to roughly $1.2 million today.
By contrast, Friends of Multnomah County Fair now produces a three‑day fair for “just over $75,000,” Smith reported, “and not a penny comes from taxpayer revenue.” That lean budget relies on volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors, and the partnership with Oaks Park to keep admission to the fair itself free – even as Oaks Park rides, parking, and park attractions remain separately priced.
Fair blends classic attractions with cultural programming
While the nonprofit’s focus remained on exhibits and community performances, many visitors built their day around a mix of traditions and newer offerings. This year’s schedule featured a classic car show on Saturday, along with the ever‑popular Wiener Dog Races and dog costume parade – events that Smith and other organizers view as “quintessential County Fair fun”.
Enjoying a spin on the Scrambler® are Blake Baxter and Stephanie Kershner from Vancouver, during the Multnomah County Fair at Oaks Amusement Park.
You can almost smell the savory sausages, beef, and – yes – chicken wings, sizzling on the grill, as chef Johnny Vongbouthdy of Juicy JV’s Wings works the tongs.
Contemporary touches included the Portland Wrestling and Lucha Libre wrestlers, as well as Toy Story‑inspired character visits, which added photo‑ready moments for younger fairgoers.
Día de la Familia on Sunday layered in Mariachi and Ranchera music, folkloric dance, and free Lotería games, while Monday’s schedule spotlighted the Fair’s annual FIRST Robotics Exhibition, in which high school teams demonstrated their technical skills and teamwork.
More entries than ever are evaluated in the Creative Living Exhibition, as judges work their way through quilts, photos, flowers, and baked goods in the historic Dance Pavilion.
For many longtime attendees, the heart of the Fair remained inside the Dance Pavilion at the Creative Living Exhibition, where ribbons pinned to quilts, photographs, flower arrangements, paintings, and pies turned the historic hall into a countywide gallery – a point that President Larry Smith repeatedly emphasized in reflecting on this year’s event.
As Smith and the volunteer team look ahead, they are preparing for both Oaks Park construction and the Fair’s next chapter. For now, they are measuring success in the number of exhibitors, the strength of the cultural lineup, and the families who still treat Memorial Day weekend at Oaks Park as a standing date for County Fair fun on the calendar.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
