Mark your calendars for September 10-13, 2026. The b-side festival invites you to explore Portland’s vibrant culture and stunning landscapes, guided by the work of artists. This year’s theme, “That Other Place,” draws inspiration from the Portland Fair and local resident David Palmer’s Fair archives.

The famous Portland Fair was a hugely popular annual event for more than 200 years – part childhood rite, part magical interruption to everyday life. But we’re not here to rebuild or reinstate the old Fair plank-by-plank.

In 2026, we will be reawakening the experience of it — in a stranger, twistier, sideways sort of way. Think of it as a Fair on a parallel Portland: familiar but off-kilter, a place where weird echoes, alternate histories and “what ifs” come out to play.

That Other Place is a mirror-Island, a near-twin, a parallel universe that looks like Portland… until it doesn’t.

PLUS

Experience the eclectic b-side Fringe, featuring hundreds of events by local artists, and the colourful Portland Parade. Whether you’re an art lover or just looking for a fun way to immerse yourself in creativity, come and join in, make some lasting memories, be part of something special.