CityFair opens Friday evening at Portland Waterfront Park, and the first big draw comes at 10 p.m. when KATU will broadcast the opening-night fireworks show. Gates open at 5 p.m., setting up a first night built around the display many will be looking for when they search for fireworks portland tonight.
The fair runs across three weekends, with admission set at $15 for adults for a single day, $25 for a season pass and $100 for a Family Fun Pack. Children 6 and younger get in free, and military members and veterans receive free admission at the gate. Viewers can watch Friday’s fireworks on KUNP, KATU.com, KATU’s Facebook page and KATU’s YouTube page, while KATU says it will provide coverage throughout the event.
CityFair is the new home of the Rose Festival, according to KATU, and it brings together fair food, live entertainment, carnival rides, craft booths and vendors at the waterfront. The opening weekend continues Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday and Memorial Day from noon to 9 p.m., before the event returns May 29-31 and closes out its final weekend June 5-7.
The practical issue for anyone heading to the park is not the lineup but the logistics. Festival organizers said parking near the park is limited and encouraged visitors to use TriMet transportation options instead. That makes the broadcast especially useful for people who want the show without the crush at the waterfront, but the in-person crowd will still be drawn by the same thing: the first night’s fireworks above the river, with the fair opening the season around them.
