Search “summer events Newberg Sherwood 2026,” and the calendar can look like a simple pair of festivals. One weekend belongs to Sherwood. The next belongs to Newberg.
The more useful distinction is how each town organizes the experience.
Sherwood concentrates its celebration into Old Town, where a parade, vendors and live music fill a compact street grid. It rewards one well-planned arrival. Newberg spreads its traditions across four days, two parks and East Sixth Street. It works better when you choose a few anchor events and return when the schedule suits you.
That difference can save time, reduce parking stress and help you spend your festival budget on the parts you will actually use.
The Two-Weekend Plan
| Dates | Event | Main footprint | Best planning approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 17–18 | Sherwood Robin Hood Festival | Old Town Sherwood around SW First, Pine, Main and Washington | Choose one arrival plan and use the Saturday shuttle if it fits |
| July 23–26 | Newberg Old Fashioned Festival | Memorial Park, Renne Field and East Sixth Street | Pick anchor events across the four-day schedule |
Both festivals have deep local roots, but their footprints tell you almost everything about how to approach them.
Sherwood: Make One Good Arrival Decision
The 73rd Sherwood Robin Hood Festival runs Friday, July 17, from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission to the main festival is free.
The festival occupies Old Town around Sherwood City Hall. The Main Stage sits near SW First and Pine, the Family Stage is at Veterans’ Memorial Park, and food vendors gather near SW First and Washington. That compact layout is the main practical benefit. Once you arrive, much of the festival can be experienced on foot.
Saturday morning requires more planning because the parade begins at 10 a.m. It starts near Langer’s Entertainment Center, travels west on SW Century Boulevard, turns onto Sherwood Boulevard and enters Old Town along Pine and First streets. Festival organizers recommend arriving early for a viewing place.
The Lower-Stress Saturday Option
Sherwood is offering free shuttle service on Saturday from 8 to 9:45 a.m. and again from 11:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shuttle stops at:
- Sherwood Plaza Shopping Center, 16300 SW Langer Drive
- Archer Glen Elementary School, 16155 SW Sunset Boulevard
Drop-off and pickup are at SW First and Pine near the Main Stage. That intersection is not available for parking.
The break in shuttle service overlaps with the parade. That makes the strategy clear: use the early shuttle if the parade is your priority, then stay in Old Town through lunch and the afternoon programming.
The Archery Tournament Needs Its Own Plan
The Robin Hood theme has more substance than costumes and signage. Sherwood’s international archery tradition began in 1956 with a challenge between Sherwood and Nottingham, England.
The 71st International Archery Tournament runs Saturday and Sunday, July 18–19, at Sherwood High School’s JV baseball field, 18800 SW Haide Road. Spectators are welcome, and parking is available at the tournament site.
The festival shuttle does not serve the high school.
That detail matters if you want to see the parade and archery on the same day. The parade leads into Old Town, while the tournament sits at a separate location. Trying to treat them as one continuous walkable event will add unnecessary friction. A better plan is to give Old Town the morning and drive to the tournament later, or reserve Sunday for archery.
The tournament includes recurve, compound, longbow, barebow, junior, cadet and master divisions. It is one of the clearest examples of how Sherwood’s Robin Hood identity extends beyond a festival theme. The tradition grew from a postwar Band of Merry Men, followed by a harvest festival in 1952 and the first July Robin Hood Festival in 1954. That identity later influenced Sherwood High School’s Bowmen mascot.
Sherwood Changes Character As The Day Goes On
The Main Stage shifts the festival from daytime pageantry toward contemporary music.
Friday’s confirmed performers are Lincoln’s Beard and Baz Moto. Saturday brings Melody Guy, TapWater, Glensiders, SuperWave and Hit Machine. Hit Machine closes the Main Stage from 7 to 10 p.m.
There is also a hands-on reason to arrive early. The Castle Building Contest accepts entries at Veterans’ Memorial Park from 7 to 9 a.m. Saturday. No advance registration is required, and bases can measure no more than 18 by 18 inches. Entries are judged after the parade, with winners announced by the Maid Marian Court.
For a meal away from the vendor area, Clancy’s Pub & Restaurant sits at 16066 SW First Street in the heart of Old Town. Mason, a locally owned restaurant specializing in pasta, seafood and imported wines, is at 22689 SW Pine Street. Check festival-weekend hours and availability before building either into your day.
Sherwood’s event-friendly layout is also part of a larger local discussion. The city adopted a five-year Old Town Strategic Plan on May 19, 2026. It prioritizes historic character, local businesses, public spaces and pedestrian access. Local reporting has connected the plan’s proposed curbless street extensions with easier staging for events such as the Robin Hood Festival.
In other words, the festival provides a working demonstration of what Old Town already does well and what the city wants to reinforce.
Newberg: Choose Anchors, Not A Marathon
The Newberg Old Fashioned Festival runs Thursday, July 23, through Sunday, July 26. The 2026 theme is “Then and Now,” and the event uses Memorial Park, Renne Field and East Sixth Street.
Four days can tempt people into either trying to do everything or skipping the schedule entirely. Neither approach is necessary. Newberg’s festival makes more sense as a series of distinct local rituals.
Thursday: Participate
The opening children’s parade begins at 6 p.m. on East Sixth Street in front of Edwards Elementary School. Participants can decorate bicycles, tricycles, scooters, wagons and strollers.
This is the smaller, participatory opening to a weekend that builds toward Saturday’s Grand Parade and fireworks.
Friday: Pick A Stage
Confirmed performers reported for Friday include Dance Hall Days on the Memorial Park main stage and Ben Rice and the Hustle at Renne Field.
The entertainment schedule has not been published consistently across every festival page, so confirm times shortly before leaving home. That quick check is more useful than committing to an hour-by-hour plan too early.
Saturday: Build Around The Parade And Fireworks
The Grand Parade runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 25. Its “Then and Now” theme connects directly to the festival’s history. The event began as the Berrian Festival in 1921, created as a local counterpart to Portland’s Rose Festival, and took the Newberg Old Fashioned Festival name in 1981.
The 2026 Grand Parade Marshal is Russ Thomas, who retired in March after more than 46 years with the City of Newberg.
After the parade, the free Kids Zone runs from noon to 2 p.m. near the tennis courts on Sixth Street. The paid Inflatable Fun Zone is at Renne Park from Thursday through Saturday. Day passes cost $25 with cash or $27 by card and are available on-site only.
Listed inflatable attractions include obstacle courses, large slides, a toddler play area, a mechanical bull and a four-person wrecking-ball attraction. That price difference is small, but knowing it in advance lets you bring cash and avoid paying more at the ticket booth.
Saturday’s confirmed music includes Infamous Soul at Memorial Park and Ty Curtis at Renne Field. Fireworks are scheduled for 10 p.m. at Renne Field.
Why Newberg Feels Different This Year
Newberg’s 2026 festival is a transition year.
The longtime carnival vendor accepted a contract with a larger event and will not return. Organizers had anticipated about $15,000 in carnival proceeds, so the cancellation affected both programming and the festival budget. Inflatables are filling part of the activity gap, while a returning 5K, a cornhole tournament and a beer-garden concept were among the additions being developed.
The physical footprint is changing too. About 20 vendors were expected to move from Memorial Park to Renne Field because a public-safety parking lot is under construction in Memorial Park. East Sixth Street between Blaine and Howard was approved for more food trucks.
The dedicated cultural stage has also been canceled for 2026. Performers, food and vendors previously associated with that stage are expected to be distributed through the broader festival rather than gathered in one area. Some official schedule pages still reference the old stage, so use the current Newberg festival reporting and check for final updates before attending.
A detailed festival parking and road-closure plan was not available as of July 11. Avoid relying on a familiar parking routine without checking for updated guidance.
Sunday Is The Reset Button
Newberg’s final day has a slower rhythm.
The 5K run and walk begins at 9 a.m. at Memorial Park. Registration costs $25 and includes a Sunday pancake-breakfast ticket.
The Cruise-In car show runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on East Sixth Street. Its program includes a DJ, valve-cover races and merchant awards. Registered participants also receive access to Ken Austin’s private car collection.
Newberg Community Band concerts follow at Memorial Park at 1 and 2 p.m. This makes Sunday the easiest day to choose a single event, spend a few hours downtown and leave before evening.
If you want to extend the stop, Chapters Books and Coffee at 701 E. First Street is an independent bookstore and coffee shop that lists daily hours from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cream Northwest and Expansions Games share the building. Clementine, which opened in March at 611 E. First Street, lists lunch, happy hour, dinner and later hours on Friday and Saturday. Check festival-weekend hours before going.
One Calendar, Two Local Operating Systems
Sherwood and Newberg do not compete for the same kind of festival day.
Sherwood concentrates activity into a compact Old Town footprint. Decide how you will arrive, choose whether archery belongs on the same day, and let the street layout do the rest.
Newberg spreads its traditions across several days and locations. Choose the children’s parade, Friday music, Saturday parade and fireworks, or Sunday’s run and Cruise-In based on the experience you want. Returning for a second day may take less time and create less stress than forcing everything into Saturday.
That is how these two towns actually do summer: one with a concentrated Old Town takeover, the other with a four-day series of familiar community rituals.
Plans can still change, especially with parts of both festival schedules awaiting final confirmation. Check the official event pages before leaving, bring a clear arrival plan and leave enough flexibility to enjoy what is in front of you.
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