TriMet News

Tag: Fleet Week

  • Take TriMet to Portland Rose Festival

    Take TriMet to Portland Rose Festival

    Parades, CityFair are easily accessible via TriMet bus and MAX

    Image of a TriMet bus decorated with lights, with the header "Starlight Parade," on the parade route in Downtown Portland.

    The 2025 Portland Rose Festival is nearly here!

    TriMet is the Rose Festival’s local and regional transportation partner. Transit is the best way to enjoy the Rose Festival — riders can avoid traffic and expensive parking in the Portland City Center, and let us do the driving.

    This year, the Grand Floral Parade returns to Downtown Portland for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic! Additionally, TriMet is proud to continue our tradition of participating in the CareOregon Starlight Parade. Keep a lookout for our special bus and employees!

    The Rose Festival begins Friday, May 23, with events running through June 8. The Festival includes Portland’s biggest annual parades and three weekends of an outdoor fair — all easy to access with TriMet. Visit trimet.org to plan your trip!

    CityFair

    Take the MAX Blue and Red lines to the Rose Festival CityFair, held at Tom McCall Waterfront Park! The Oak/SW 1st Ave MAX Station is located a block from the park. Many TriMet bus lines serve stops nearby as well. The MAX Green, Orange and Yellow lines also stop just a few blocks away.

    CityFair kicks off on Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26. Catch a fireworks show on Opening Night over the Willamette River after sunset! There will also be fun rides, delicious food and live entertainment.

    CityFair continues May 30–June 1, then again June 6-8.

    The third and final weekend falls during Fleet Week, which runs June 5-8. It also coincides with the Dragon Boat Race on the Willamette River and the Grand Floral Float Showcase on Southwest Naito Parkway, both June 7-8.

    Parades

    CareOregon Starlight Parade

    The CareOregon Starlight Parade on May 31 begins on the Waterfront and travels through Downtown Portland toward Providence Park.

    Take the bus, MAX or Portland Streetcar and grab a front-row seat to this dazzling, one-of-a-kind parade. You can park for free at dozens of TriMet Park & Ride locations throughout the region and take TriMet to a stop or station near the parade route.

    Keep an eye out for TriMet’s bus! Our bus featuring artist Daniel Hernandez Sandoval’s beautiful “La Cultura Cura” design will be rolling in the Starlight Parade, alongside TriMet employees.

    Fred Meyer Junior Parade

    The Fred Meyer Junior Parade on June 4 travels through the Hollywood District, from NE 52nd Avenue and Sacramento Street west to Grant High School. This is a fun and festive parade by kids, for kids!

    The parade route passes just a couple blocks from the Hollywood/NE 42nd Ave MAX Station, which is served by the MAX Blue, Green and Red lines. Multiple bus lines also stop near the parade route. Visit trimet.org to find the best way to get to your viewing spot!

    Grand Floral Parade

    The Grand Floral Parade makes its return to Downtown Portland on June 7! This parade has been a beloved Portland tradition for more than 117 years.

    The parade will follow approximately the same route as the Starlight Parade. Breathtaking floral floats, high-energy marching bands and multicultural performers will make their way from the Waterfront toward Providence Park.

    TriMet is the perfect way to enjoy this spectacular and beautiful celebration of Portland’s spirit, without the hassle of traffic and parking in the City Center. The parade route is an easy stroll from many bus stops and MAX stations, as well as Portland Streetcar stops. Plan your trip at trimet.org!

    Service info

    Parades may cause minor delays for TriMet bus and MAX lines. TriMet coordinates closely with parade organizers. Our shared goal is to keep everyone safe while minimizing disruptions.

    Additionally, as ships arrive and depart for Fleet Week, bridge lifts will be required. These bridge lifts will affect service on all MAX lines and some bus lines. Stay tuned for more information.

    Riders can always find the latest service information at trimet.org/alerts, or sign up to receive alerts at trimet.org/email. Riders can also check the digital displays at MAX stations for service alerts.

    Know before you go

    Riding TriMet is easier than ever! Here’s a few tips for riding:

    • Machines at MAX stations now distribute Hop Fastpass® cards! Purchase one card per qualifying family member. Military and veterans, people with disabilities, and seniors age 65 and older qualify for TriMet’s Honored Citizen fare.
    • No Hop card? Quickly and easily purchase Adult fare by tapping your contactless credit or debit card to a Hop reader. (This option is for Adult fare only. Each rider must use a separate card.) 
    • Children 6 and under ride free and children ages 7 to 17 qualify for TriMet’s Youth fare.
    • Our Rules for Riding help to keep our riders and employees safe and our buses and trains clean and welcoming. Please report any unwanted behavior or activity to 503-238-7433 (RIDE), or tell your bus operator or a member of TriMet’s safety and security teams.

  • Beat the traffic, celebrate Portland Rose Festival with TriMet

    Transit is the most convenient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to experience the annual festivities

    TriMet bus in service during the Starlight Parade.

    One of Portland’s biggest and most beloved annual celebrations kicks off this Friday, May 24.

    During the Rose Festival, traveling to, from and around Portland City Center can be, well, thorny. Roads may be closed off for parades and other special events, parking is at a premium, and the traffic alone can make you wish you’d stayed home.

    Thankfully, you can enjoy the Rose Festival with none of those driving worries. Leave your car at home, or at one of TriMet’s Park & Rides, and take transit!

    What’s on tap?

    The Portland Rose Festival celebrates the annual blooming of roses, Portland’s signature flower. You’ll see roses in red, white, pink, yellow, orange and more in late spring. With gorgeous weather, beautiful blooms and community celebrations, this is one of the best times of year to get out and explore Downtown Portland.

    The official first day of the Rose Festival is Friday, May 24. That’s the kickoff with the big fireworks show over the Willamette River. It’s also when CityFair opens at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. This fair with classic carnival attractions and family fun runs on three consecutive weekends: May 24-27, May 31-June 2 and June 7-9.

    This year, CityFair also features a Celebration of Oregon Brewers Festival, with a selection of beers on tap. Transit is always a great option if you’re knocking back some pints, or if you’re indulging in the Starry Night Wine Walk next Thursday, May 30. It’s the smart, safe and responsible way to get home. Please, never drink and drive.

    When to go

    One of the biggest days for travel in Downtown Portland is expected to be Saturday, June 1. That’s both the day of the Starlight Run, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., and the CareOregon Starlight Parade, from 8-10 p.m.; and of a big game at Providence Park as the Portland Timbers host the Houston Dynamo, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Skip the hassle and save on parking by taking TriMet! We’ll have extra MAX trains in service for riders’ convenience.

    If you have a ticket for the Timbers game, that ticket serves as your fare on any TriMet bus or MAX. Just show your digital ticket to the bus operator or Customer Safety Supervisor. Match-day tickets for both the Timbers and Thorns are valid fare on TriMet from three hours before kickoff until three hours after the final whistle. Find more information at trimet.org/providencepark.

    Other major events that you won’t want to miss, and which you can enjoy by traveling with TriMet, include:

    Please keep in mind that there may be short delays on TriMet during parades as our vehicles share the right-of-way.

    Fleet Week is June 5-9 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park! U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy ships will be visiting. The Steel Bridge will be lifted Wednesday afternoon, June 5, for the arrival of Fleet Week ships. Remember, MAX and TriMet buses are unable to cross the Steel Bridge while it is lifted. Trains and buses will hold at nearby stops and stations. Plan for trips to take extra time June 5 and check trimet.org/alerts before setting out.

    TriMet riders at the Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson MAX Station.

    Ways to ride

    TriMet’s bus and MAX service, as well as Portland Streetcar, will provide regular service during the Rose Festival.

    One fare is good for all three modes of transit, thanks to Hop Fastpass®. You can purchase 2½-Hour Fare for a one-way trip or a shorter outing, or a Day Pass to travel on TriMet and Portland Streetcar an unlimited number of times for the day.

    Payment is simple, too. Riders can skip the ticket machine — our green Hop Fastpass® readers accept contactless payments with credit and debit cards as well as smartphones. Just tap to pay with your preferred payment method, check the screen for confirmation, and you’re good to go! Plus, you earn toward Day and Month passes whenever you tap. That means you’ll never pay more than $5.60 per day or $100 per month to ride TriMet. Learn more at trimet.org/fares.

    Updated display screens, including e-paper displays, show arrival times and destinations for all our lines that serve a particular stop or station.

    You can also plan ahead by visiting trimet.org. Check out our Trip Planner, which shows you the best options for getting to your destination, including when you can expect to arrive. You can even customize your trip plan for how far you’re willing to walk and which modes of transit you want to use.

    Questions? Contact TriMet Customer Service via live chat with a representative at support.trimet.org, or call or text 503-238-7433, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. any day of the week.