The summer heat came early this year, and that means Salem’s impressive lineup of summer events is also on the way.  Here’s a guide to the major community events coming to Salem this June through September. Pride Parade Block Party – Saturday, June 13 Downtown Salem. Organized by Salem Capital Pride, the free event will include a march from the Oregon State Capitol at 12 p.m. followed by a block party with food, drinks, entertainment and local vendors to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in Salem and beyond. The block party will gather ont State Street between Northeast Liberty Street and Northeast Front Street. It will go from noon to 5 p.m. Members of the crowd cheer and wave as the Salem Pride Parade makes its way through downtown Salem on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/Special to Salem Reporter) Make Music Day – Sunday, June 21 Locations throughout Salem. Performers will play free shows at restaurants, on downtown streets, and in neighborhoods and parks around Salem. Make Music Day is a global, annual event intended to celebrate the summer solstice with arts, music and culture. Salem will join more than 1,000 cities across the globe to celebrate music and the beginning of summer.  The idea for Make Music Day Salem came from the Fete de la Musique, a French festival in 1982, according to the organizer’s website. Registration is now open for musicians who want to participate or venues who want to host musicians. Members of the RiverCity Saturday Rockers on stage at the Historic Grand Theater during Make Music Day on Saturday, June 21, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/Special to Salem Reporter) World Beat – June 26-28 Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. N.E.  This year’s edition celebrates Pacific Islanders and will showcase the music, dance, food and traditions from places including Samoa, Chuuk and Hawaii. There will be a showcase of experiences from over 60 nations and cultures. The festival will go from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. General admission for the event is $5 and kids 14 years old and under get in free. A 3-day weekend pass is also available for $10. Tickets are available online.  Acosia Red Elk with her daughter Dani Leighton at the World Beat Festival on Saturday, June 28, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) 4th of July Spectacular – Saturday, July 4 Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. N.E. The celebration features a free fireworks show as well as food and beverages, rides and a carnival for both adults and kids.  Gates for the event open tentatively at 3 p.m. for a family-friendly party at the fairgrounds. The 20-minute fireworks display begins at 10 p.m. and the fairground closes at 11 p.m. More information is available online here.  Salem’s Fourth of July fireworks displaywas 20 minutes long with variety and color at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on July 4, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter) Marion County Fair – July 10-13 Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. N.E. There will be rides, livestock, live performers, contests and more at the annual county fair this year. The fair goes from noon to 10 p.m. on Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.Presale tickets are $6 for adults and children ages 6 and older.  General admission for the event is $9. For seniors and kids ages 6-12 tickets cost $5, and tickets are free for kids under 5. Parking costs $5.  A girl shaves a goat at the Marion County Fair on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter) MIG Fest – Saturday, July 18 Minto Island Growers, 3394 Brown Island Rd. S. The annual music festival that brings ska and punk performers to play on a farm is entering its sixth year. Among the performers this year are LA punk rock pioneer Alice Bag, San Francisco-based ska band Monkey and Chicago-based Devon Kay the Solutions which blends pop, ska, punk and indie rock.  There will also be locally grown organic food available for purchase. The event will go from 2 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  General admission for the festival is $28 and $18 for kids 5-12. Kids ages 4 and under get in for free.  Tickets are available online. The enthusiastic crowd welcomes MONKEY on stage at the MIG Fest on July 22, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter) IRONMAN 70.3 – Sunday, July 19 Near Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. N.E. Registration to compete in Salem’s popular annual triathlon has closed, but spectators are welcome to watch hundreds of world-class athletes swim, bike and race through a course that includes Riverfront Park, wine country and the Willamette River. Learn more on the event’s website. Nicole Reyes and Anne Panganiban pose for a photo after the Ironman 70.3 race on Sunday, July 20, 2025. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter) Hoopla – July 21-26 Oregon State Capitol Hoopla is the biggest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament in Oregon and is the second-largest in the United States. Spectating is free. More information about the event and how to register as a player is available online. A player reaches for the ball during a game at the Hoopla 2025 event in Salem on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Great Oregon Steam Up – July 25-26 and Aug. 1-2 Powerland Heritage Park, 3995 Brooklake Rd. N.E. The 56th annual Great Oregon Steam Up will run for two weekends to celebrate machinery and steam power and share the industrial history of Oregon. There will be food vendors, a miniature train, a passport hunt for kids to collect stamps, a logging demonstration, a sawmill in operation, tractors and many other vehicles.  The event will go from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for youth ages 13 to 17 and free for kids ages 12 and under. They can be purchased online. Kids got plenty of chances to climb up on machines at the Great Oregon Steam-Up on Saturday, Aug. 2. The event drew crowds over two weekends to Powerland Heritage Park north of Keizer. (STEVE SCHNURBUSCH/For Keizertimes) Family Fest – Saturday, Aug. 8 Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. N.E. An annual health and safety fair with family-friendly activities, the event is focused on increasing the quality of life for children and parents in the community. It is organized by Family Building Blocks and will go on from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is free to attend and more information is available online. A family waits in line to get a free book and a toy at the Riverfront Family Fest on August 5, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter) Englewood Forest Festival – Saturday, Aug. 8 Englewood Park, 1260 19th St. N.E. A free festival celebrating nature, community and art that features music and dance performers, workshops and other activities for all ages. It will go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information on the festival can be found online here.  Vicky Sumoza helps a young Casa de la Cultura Tlanese dancer prepare for her performance at the Englewood Forest Festival on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter) Oregon State Fair – Aug. 28-Sept. 7 Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. N.E. This year, the state fair will span 11 days and include a carnival, music performances, competitions and 185 acres of activities to explore.  Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-12, $3 for seniors over 65 and free for kids 5 and younger. Tickets are not yet available for purchase. Alpacas poke their heads out of the stall at the CABA Classic show in the Oregon State Fairgrounds Livestock Pavilion on Friday, April 10. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter) Punx in the Park – Saturday, Sept. 5 Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. N.E. A free day of punk music open to the public that focuses on youth wellbeing and safety. There will be local punk bands playing, free donated food and clothes for youth, food trucks, a craft station, youth speakers and nonprofits tabling. It is organized by Punx with Purpose. Fans show their devotion while the Doug Furys play at Punx in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter) Salem Art Fair Festival – Sept. 11-13 Bush’s Pasture Park, 890 Mission St. S.E. The Salem Art Association puts on the weekend-long event, which includes artist booths, live entertainment and more. Applications for vendors, performers and volunteers are still open. Day passes cost $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and veterans, and $5 for teens 13-17. Kids 12 years and under get in for free. 3-day passes are also available for purchase on the fair’s website and cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and veterans, and $10 for teens 13-17.  The 2023 Salem Art Fair Festival (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter) Pride in the Park – Saturday, Sept. 19 Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. N.E. In its annual pride celebration, Salem Capital Pride will host booths from local queer vendors, free resources, food trucks, drag performances and activities for all ages. It takes place in September to avoid conflicts with other Pride events in June, which is Pride Month.  The event goes from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and more information is available online here.  Lylac on stage during the Lylac and Friends show at Pride in the Park held at Riverfront Park on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 (LAURA TESLER/for Salem Reporter) Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected].  SIGN UP: “Thank you for your fair, thorough, and fearless reporting.” Subscribing to Salem Reporter helps sustain in-depth, local reporting that Salem depends on. Invest in your community’s news. Subscribe today. The post A guide to Salem’s 2026 summer events appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less