Starting Monday, December 1, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will begin accepting applications for Summer 2026 Summer Free For All Cultural Events (SFFA). One of Portland’s most beloved and anticipated summertime traditions, SFFA partners with community groups, artists, nonprofits, culturally-specific groups and more to produce free outdoor concerts, movies, festivals and cultural events throughout the city of Portland.
The three types of events SFFA products are concerts/performances, movies and special events. Traditionally known as “Concerts in the Park,” concerts/performances feature a local band, artist or performer in the evening (6:30-8:30 pm). “Movies in the Park,” as they are commonly known, start at 7:30 pm and feature a movie starting at dusk and/or when it is dark enough to see the movie on screen. Special events can include dance, theater, comedy, spoken word, mini-festivals and community gatherings that are more robust than a concert or movie.
For those interested in applying for a Summer Free For All event, the first step is to read the Community Partner Handbook (portland.gov/parks/arts-culture/summer-free-all/cultural-events#toc-community-partner-handbook) to learn about the expectations, roles and responsibilities of a partnership with SFFA. Additionally, applicants need to have two designated representatives who are able to work directly with a Summer Free For All Event Producer.
Summer Free For All events are held at city parks and for all types of events, applicants must provide their top three park locations and dates. Available dates for the 2026 season are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays July 9-September 5. While Summer Free For All events are traditionally held in the evenings, if you have an idea for an event that takes place earlier, that can be shared on the application.
Similar to providing top three park locations and dates, applicants for concerts/performances will provide their top three genres and/or performance types and for movies, applicants will provide their top three movie choices. For special events, a detailed proposal of the event will be required in the application.
While Summer Free For All events are free to attend, applying for a Summer Free For All event does incur a cost. For all applicants, that cost begins at $1,000 and is due by June 5. Information on the community contribution and onsite fundraising can be found in the Community Partner Handbook.
Sunday, January 11, 11:59 pm is the deadline to apply. Acceptance notifications will go out January 30.