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Grand Floral Parade Float
Portland Rose Festival – Grand Floral Parade
June 07, 2025 10 am – 12 pm
Parade Route
Each year since 1989 Portland and Kaohsiung have jointly sponsored a beautiful and often prize winning float. The parade unit has included a music and dance group from Shu-Te High School in Kaohsiung. Also included is a VIP convertible, carrying the Kaohsiung Mayor or a designated delegation leader.
A cherished highlight of the Portland Rose Festival, this popular procession is more than just a spectacular floral-filled parade — it’s a beloved annual tradition. For more than 117 years, Portland families, visitors and community groups have been making memories at the Grand Floral Parade. A colorful reflection of local, regional and international communities, the parade draws hundreds of thousands of cheering viewers of every age, along a route makes it two-mile march along Portland’s east side city streets.
Each year the parade features the traditional large all-floral floats we all love, as well as the popular mini-floats that help make the Grand Floral Parade so unique! With bands, equestrian units, marching groups, drill teams, vintage vehicles, dancers, llamas, flags and so much more, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Archives: Grand Floral Parade
Starlight Parade Float
Portland Rose Festival – Starlight Parade
May 31, 2025 8 pm – 10 pm
The Starlight Parade is always the first Saturday in June. Every year a team is chosen to ride in the dragon boat during the Starlight Parade. Shown here are the PDX Water Dragons decorating the boat with lights, lanterns, lighted paddles, and anything that illuminates.
The Starlight Parade continues a longtime festival tradition from the early 1900s, when illuminated floats built on electric trolley cars made their way through the city on trolley tracks. Today, participants light up the night with approximately 100 illuminated entries drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to downtown Portland. Don’t miss the fun of one of the Rose Festival’s best and brightest traditions!
Archives: Starlight Parade
Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race
PORTLAND ROSE FESTIVAL DRAGON BOAT RACE WEEKEND IS THE SECOND WEEKEND AFTER MEMORIAL DAY!
June 7-8, 2025 8 am to 4 pm
South Hawthorne Waterfront Park
The PKSCA is excited to present the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race, the 2nd Saturday after Memorial Day, at the South Hawthorne Waterfront Park.
South Hawthorne Waterfront Park, Portland, OR, 2nd Saturday after Memorial Day – The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) presents the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat race annually. The race is the second Weekend of June and is free and open to the public. This race involves around 50 teams, Women’s, Mixed, Open, and High School, racing in the incredibly special traditional-style Dragon Boats from Taiwan. Each race has 4 teams compete by sprinting 500m down the Willamette River ending at the bowl in the South Hawthorne Waterfront Park where their flag catcher reaches out from the dragon’s head to capture their flag.
Saturday’s heats define the playoff bracket, and Sunday is when they compete for their medals. The opening ceremony is Saturday, 8 am June 8th. Races run from 8:00 am till around 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. The awards ceremony takes place around 3:30 on Sunday . Come enjoy Race weekend with us, there will be food and retail vendors, and many exciting races for all to enjoy on the waterfront at 1403 S Harbor Way, Portland, OR 97201. The event is free and open to the public.
The first Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race was put on by the PKSCA in June of 1989, 34 years ago. The race attracts teams from the Pacific Northwest and around the world. The traditional-style boats are unique and incredibly special. Each of the 8 boats is just over 40’ long with a colorful dragon head molded in fiberglass on the front and a tail in the back. During a race each boat has a caller, a drummer, 20 paddlers, a flag catcher, and a tiller.
The race ends after a 500 meter dash when the flag catcher climbs the dragon head and reaches out to capture the flag. Each team has its own culture and story, made up of people 14 and up, from all walks of life drawn together by their love for Dragon Boat racing. This year we are introducing an Open Division, with no gender restrictions. It is a rare sport where everyone is seen and treated as equals, and where there is access for so many. Dragon boating is for everyone, every age, every ability, every body.
Read moreArchives: Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race
PKSCA Scholarships
Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association, with the assistance of the local chapter of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, offers a modest scholarship to a local high school student each year.
Archives: PKSCA Scholarship Program
Eye-Dotting Ceremony (Awakening the Dragon)
March 29th 2025 11 am – 12:30 pm
Outside the King Tide Fish & Shell, 1510 S Harbor Way, Portland, OR 97201
The Eye Dotting Ceremony, signaling the start of the 12 week long Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race season. A Buddhist Master from Portland Miao Fa Temple will conduct a formal Buddhist ceremony blessing the dragon boats. The event includes the formal dotting of the eyes of the Traditional-style dragon boats by dignitaries, and a parade of dragon boats with a Portland Fire Boat display. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
According to ancient Chinese culture the dragon is not a powerful animal but rather a legendary creature, a totem, or a symbol of god or the emperor. Dotting the eyes transforms a dragon painting into a real dragon, which would then fly away. Which is to say that life or spirit is imbued to a piece of artwork and turning it into a lively real thing, virtually awakening the dragon.
The dotting of the eyes involves painting open the eyes of the dragon head carved on the boats, which is done by dignitaries, including the Portland Rose Festival Foundation, and the Rosarians, as well as the Taiwan Consulate General.. Additionally, a blessing of the dragon boats takes place, where a Buddhist Master will conduct a formal Buddhist ceremony. The ceremony marks the beginning of the 12 week long Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race season.
Archives: Eye-Dotting Ceremony
Delegation Exchanges
Delegation from Kaohsiung, Taiwan to Portland, Oregon
Each year the City of Portland, with the support of the PKSCA Board, invites a Kaohsiung City delegation to attend the Portland Rose Festival. The delegation is usually composed of Kaohsiung City government officials, City Council officials, city business leaders, and a student performance group and staff from Shu-Te Commercial High School.
During their time in Portland typical activities are a meeting with Portland’s Mayor and city officials, attending the PKSCA Welcome dinner, Royal Rosarian Knighting Ceremony, Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race Opening Ceremony and Awards, Grand Floral Parade, and the Shu-Te Performance.
The Shu-Te Performance Group students are hosted by local families and their activities include a tour of Mt Hood and the Columbia River, performances at David Douglas schools, participation in the Grand Floral Parade, and a thank-you concert for their host families and dignitaries
Archives: Delegation from Kaohsiung to Portland
Delegation from Portland, Oregon to Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Every year Kaohsiung City invites a Portland delegation to attend the Lunar New Year Celebration and Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung. The delegation is composed of city officials, the Portland Rose Festival Queen and Rose Festival Board members, Royal Rosarian Prime Minister, and members of the PKSCA Board. For many years our association has invited a local Jazz Band to be a part of the delegation also. Kaohsiung City has provided a hotel, meals, and transportation for the delegation.
During our stay in Kaohsiung typical activities are meeting with the Mayor and the City Council Speaker, attending the City’s welcome dinner and Mayor’s Luncheon, tours of city facilities, local businesses and cultural centers plus attending Lantern Festival events. Our delegation also visits Shu-te Commercial High School and enjoys a luncheon hosted by the school.
Archives: Delegation from Portland to Kaohsiung
Support of Chinese Community Organizations
Each year the Association supports local fund-raising events hosted by Chinese and other local organizations. They are generally dinners hosted by these organizations, and include cultural programs such as: Lunar New Year celebrations, Portland Rose Festival Foundation Annual fundraising dinner/auction, plus other events.