200 Water Street NE    View Map

Riverfront Park is a 23-acre park located in downtown Salem along the Willamette River. View a site map. Riverfront Park has an amphitheater, play equipment, a covered Pavillion and large grassy areas. This beautiful park is home to Salem's Riverfront Carousel which opened in June 2001, A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village, and the EcoEarth Globe, which was officially opened June 30, 2003. The park's amenities are included below.

A Few Facts About Riverfront Park

Riverfront is home to a number of annual events, including the World Beat Festival, 4th of July Celebration, Summer Movies in the Park, Holiday Tree Lighting, and many various walk/run events.

The City of Salem bought this property from Boise Cascade and started clearing it during the 1980s. The first phase of the park was completed in 1996. The Riverfront Carousel was then added in 2001. The most recent addition to the park came in 2005, when the Salem Rotary Club, as their centennial project, raised funds and built an open-air pavillion in the park. In addition to the pavillion, the overlook and floating boat dock were also added in 2005. Not only is the dock home to the Willamette River Queen, but it can also accommodate canoes and kayaks while offering a beautiful view of the Willamette River.

The Eco Earth Globe is located at the southern portion of the park. This sphere was originally a large pressurized tank used by Boise Cascade to hold acids that were used to "cook" wood chips into pulp. It was a 5-year process to transform this "acid ball" into a beautiful piece of art that includes 86,000 tiles depicting the entire globe.