This weekend Downtown Gresham will be unrecognizable.

The return of the largest annual event in East Multnomah County will close down city streets to create a festive, outdoor gallery that will showcase amazing artists, talented musicians, innovative chefs, and everything in between.

The 2025 Festival of Art in Gresham is three days of fun.

Third Thursday

When: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17

Where: Main Avenue, between First and Fourth Streets, in Downtown Gresham

What: A special iteration of the monthly gathering. Main Avenue will close for vendors, live music and special deals from the many businesses and restaurants in Downtown.

Music Under the Stars

When: 5-9 p.m. Friday, July 18

Where: Main Avenue, between First and Fourth Streets

What: An evening of music and dance in Downtown. The performances include Ballet Folklorico at First and Main; Dance Machine at Third and Main; and USWC Taekwondo at Fifth and Main

2025 Festival of Art

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 19

Where: Downtown Gresham and the Gresham Arts Plaza

What: 150 juried artists with items for sale; live music and cultural performances; Gresham Farmers Market; food carts; games for kids; interactive arts

City of Art

The headline at the 2025 Festival of Art is all those artists, who will helm booths along Downtown streets. The mediums include paintings, photographs and prints; sculptures, woodworking and metalworking; glass and jewelry; 2D and 3D mixed media; books, ceramics and cottage crafts; digital art and drawings; fiber works and clothing.

There are also booths for “Emerging Artists,” which waives the fees and allows up-and-coming folks a chance to showcase their pieces.

While parking is free in Downtown Gresham, it can be tricky to find a spot with thousands of people expected to attend the festival. There are three shuttle pickup locations: 440 N.W. Burnside Parking Lot; Gresham Central Transit at Eighth and Kelly; and Gresham City Hall, 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway. The shuttles all drop off at the corner of Second and Kelly.

The Arts Plaza, corner of Second Street and Hood Avenue, will host the interactive exhibits and kids activities. There will also be a stage with music and other performances.

Interactive Arts

• Cascade Woodturners
• Rashelle’s Forgery
• Stumptown Wood Carving
• The House of Tattoo
• Gresham Ford
• Rockwood Center Sewing Catrina
• Portrait Artist (Ryan Michael Coe)
• Synergy Design Firm Media Interviews
• Soroptimist International of Gresham
• Gresham Area League of Arts
• City of Gresham
• Reader’s Theatre Gresham
• Creations for Cures
• DC Ringz
• Moonlight Alpacas
• Graffiti Muralist (Mario De Leon)
• Gresham senior Center
• Rising Tides Wellness Yoga

The Kids Zone

• US World Class Taekwondo
• Oregon Reptile Views
• Water slide
• Two bounce houses
• EMAR Popcorn
• Revolution Parkour obstacle course
• Musikry (instrument petting lab)
• Chess lab
• USWC Game Zone
• Circus
• Face painting
• Arts Plaza Splash Pad

Two stages will be at the Arts Fest — the World Music Stage and the Arts Plaza Stage. The lineup for the first is Edad del Pavo; Pa’lante; Oregon Koto Kai; Michelle Lambert; and Jan Micael Looking Wolf & Native Rose. The other stage has Oregon Reptile Views Show; Maggie Mae’s Storytime; Musikry; Circus Cascadia Demo; Orchestra Nova Northwest Strings; and a presentation by Sokcho, South Korea, Gresham’s sister city.