The 102nd Portland Rose Festival is officially here.

Each year during Rose Festival, visitors from all over flock to the Rose City for the festival's colorful parades, fireworks, amusement park rides, Dragonboat racing and the many other special events.

This year's theme is "Bridging Communities"

Rose Festival

Featured Rose Festival Events:

May 22: Fireworks Spectacular

Portland's downtown waterfront illuminates during the Fireworks Spectacular, the Portland Rose Festival's kick-off event. Free outside Waterfront Village, $5 with gate admission. MORE ...

May 22-June 7: Key Bank Waterfront Village

Entire families enjoy the carnival rides that are a repeat-attraction along the Willamette River at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The Key Bank Waterfront Village offers more than 400 hours of classic family-oriented entertainment, a variety of food menus, and thrilling rides for the kid in everyone. MORE ...

May 30-June 1: Starlight Run

More than 4,000 runners are expected to take on the 3.1 mile run Saturday night starting at Lincoln High. MORE ...

May 30: PGE/SOLV Starlight Parade

The next big event is the PGE/SOLV Starlight Parade, which will light up the night sky on Saturday, May 30, starting at 8:30 p.m. in downtown Portland.

The PGE/SOLV Starlight Parade is the second-largest illuminated parade in the country and includes about 100 entries, with high school marching bands, floats, local businesses and the One More Time Around Again Marching Band, a particular fan favorite, adding color and excitement to the annual festivities. MORE ...

June 3: Junior Parade

The Junior Parade is much smaller, but still a strong fan favorite. Thousands of children will fill the streets of Northeast Portland, many decked out in costumes or with their pets, on Wednesday, June 3rd at 1 p.m. The largest children's parade in the nation, the Fred Meyer Junior Parade usually draws more than 10,000 young stars who are cheered on by crowds of spectators as they wind through Portland's Hollywood District. MORE ...

June 3-7: Fleet Week

Fleet week is another popular tradition during the Rose Festival. The ships have been chugging into Portland for nearly 70 years. The tall sailing ships arrive June 3. The naval vessels arrive in Portland on June 4 and depart on June 7. Public tours will be offered as well for people who want to get a closer look at and inside the ships. MORE ...

June 5 Bandfest

Friday, June 5, 2009

PGE Park fills with the sounds of marching bands from around Oregon. The header is the One More Time Around Again Marching Band, presented by Standard TV & Appliance. MORE ...

June 6: Rose Queen coronation

A new Rose Festival queen will be crowned on June 6, just before the start of the Grand Floral Parade. The Queen and the Rose Court will be featured later that morning in the Grand Floral Parade. MORE ...

June 6: Grand Floral Parade

The famous Grand Floral Parade will bring the smell of roses to Portland on Saturday, June 6th. Captivating generations since 1907, this internationally distinguished parade has been recognized by the International Festival & Events Association and USA Today as one of the top five parades in the nation. MORE ...

June 6-7: Dragon Boat Races

For the 20th year, the Rose Festival is proud to host the Dragon Boat Races. The colorful boats are adorned with bright dragon scales and large heads that flag-catchers climb onto in the final moments leading up to the exciting finishes. The boats were made in Portland's Kaohsiung sister city, especially for this traditional Rose Festival event. MORE ...

June 12-14: Rose Cup Races

The popular main event, the Rose Cup Race, takes place the afternoon of Sunday, June 14 at the Portland International Raceway. MORE ...

More: Complete list of 2008 Rose Festival events MORE ...

Event organizers say the Rose Festival generates more than $80 million each year for the region's economy.

Attended by over two million people in recent years, the festival is one of the top three most highly decorated events by the International Festivals & Events Association.

On the heels of the successful Lewis & Clark Exhibition of 1905, then-Mayor Harry Lane decided the city should have a festival of roses, which is where the idea for the Rose Festival was born. In those early years, horse-drawn floats, aquatic events, and fireworks highlighted the Festival.

Following the 1907 event, a group of 10 businessmen formally organized the Portland Rose Festival as a non-profit civic enterprise to plan and finance the annual city celebration.

Your Rose Festival Video | Photos

2008 Rose Court