Every weekend between the months of March and December, the city of Portland holds its outdoor market. Despite the name, the Portland Saturday Market is actually held on Saturday and Sunday, and is the largest continuously running outdoor fair of its kind in the United States. The Portland Oregon Saturday Market can be found under the Burnside Bridge in Portland on the West side.

The Portland Saturday Market, sometimes referred to as the Portland Farmers Market, was first started in 1974 by Sheri Teasdale and Andrea Scharf, two Oregon residents who also created their own crafts and sold them. In general, the idea of any market of this kind is to create a group where members create the business as well as retain all of the profits. Due to the high volume of traffic the Portland Public Market sees each year, this particular market has proved to be incredibly profitable.

In addition to the market between March and December, there is also a special Festival of the Last Minute held each December until Christmas Eve Day. The Festival of the Last Minute features more than four hundred vendors selling everything from arts and crafts to homemade food and other gifts for holiday giving.

Portland Map

Even if you do not plan to buy anything, the Portland Saturday Market is a great place to go for some great sightseeing. The Portland Farmers Market is not only an ideal place to shop, but it can also provide an entire day of free entertainment, from sampling food at the many food booths, to listening to music and enjoying other free shows found all over the Portland Public Market. The Portland Oregon Saturday Market has long drawn family crowds looking for a laid-back way to spend a weekend afternoon.

The Portland Farmers Market is also fairly close to some of the other great attractions in Portland, including the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and the Portland Art Museum. Parking can be tricky to find in downtown Portland, and is metered on Saturdays and free on Sundays when parking on the street. You can also take advantage of Portland's excellent bus system, which is free for riders while they are in the downtown area.

The Portland Oregon Saturday Market has remained one of the most popular attractions in the city since its inception. If you do plan to visit the Portland Public Market, just remember to bring cash, as you find it is usually the only acceptable currency at the market. Daily market hours are 10am to 5pm on Saturdays and 11am to 4:30pm on Sundays.