Portland Rose Festival's Starlight Parade Back After Pandemic Absence

PORTLAND, OR — Star bright. Star light. The parade returns Saturday night.

After a two-year pandemic-induced absence, the three Rose Festival parades return this year, starting with Saturday night's CareOregon Starlight Parade, which is themed "Celebrating the Renewal of Downtown Portland."

The parade has a new starting time and a new route but the same old spirit, organizers said.

The parade starts one hour earlier this year — 7:30 p.m. instead of 8:30 p.m. It kicks off on southbound Southwest Naito Parkway just south of the Morrison Bridge and goes up Salmon Street by the fountain before turning north on Southwest Fourth Avenue.

That's the opposite of previous year, when the parade would turn south.

The parade then crosses Burnside Street, heads west on Northwest Davis Street, south on Broadway and west on Southwest Taylor to Southwest 14th Avenue. It ends near Lincoln High School.

Naito Parkway will be closed to traffic beginning at 10 a.m. The entire parade route will be closed to traffic starting at 4 p.m.

The parade will be preceded by the Starlight Run, which is also returning. The 5K kicks off at 5 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

The Junior Parade is Wednesday, and the Grand Floral Parade will be June 11.