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Salem Parks

The pride and joy of any town is the public park system. Salem boasts hidden gems located inside neighborhoods, larger community parks with reservable areas for weddings, reunions, company picnics, and athletic tournaments, plus special event parks for concerts, festivals, movies, and run/walk events. Salem is fortunate to have historical sites and park features not found anywhere this side of the Mississippi. Salem's thriving volunteer base works in tandem, contributing assistance to support these wonderful City resources.

  • Riverfront Park

    riverfront-park-flowers-trees-grass
    1. Address:200 Water St NE
      Salem, OR 97301
    Amenities:
    1. Boat Dock
    2. Grass Field
    3. Picnic Shelter
    4. Picnic Tables
    5. Play Equipment
    6. Restrooms
    7. Splash Pad
    8. Stage
    9. Walking
    Categories:
    1. Parks in Central Salem
    2. Reservable Spaces

Riverfront Park is the City’s premier urban event park, located along the Willamette River and in close proximity to businesses, restaurants, entertainment, and other parks and trails. The park is also home to a number of Salem’s annual events, including The World Beat Festival, 4th of July Celebration, Summer Movies in The Park, Holiday Tree Lighting, and many walk/run events.

The 26-acres of existing parkland is the result of industrial land conversion. Paper, flour, and woolen mills, as well as a coal gasification plant and an auto junkyard formerly occupied the site. Today, it features large grassy areas, an amphitheater, play equipment, a splash pad, and a covered Rotary Pavilion. A dock provides access to the Willamette River and the Willamette Queen Sternwheeler.

Riverfront Park is also home to Gerry Frank | Salem Rotary Amphitheater, Salem’s Riverfront Carousel, A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village, and the EcoEarth Globe. It connects to Minto-Brown Island Park by the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge and to Wallace Marine Park by the Union Street Railroad Bridge.

A 2018 update to the Riverfront Park Master Plan provides for additional amenities while preserving and enhancing many of the existing features of the park. It was completed as a result of the many changes that have taken place in the park over the past several years. These include the acquisition of a four-acre property located at the southeast corner of the park; the opening of the Peter Courtney Minto Island pedestrian bridge; the operation of a winter ice rink; and the proposed donation of a new covered stage and performance area. The new master plan serves as a guiding document for park management and development for the next 20 years.

Playground structure
Movies in the Park
River shore
Concrete walking path by flowers
Overlooking river by river cruise boat
Tom McCall Memorial
Covered picnic area
Riverfront Park Carousel building
Boat dock
Peter Courtney Bridge at night
Riverfront Park entrance
Gerry Frank Rotary Amphitheater

View the Availability Calendar

Base Reservation Rates

Reservable Area Amount Unit Notes

Amphitheater

$71.00 (Mon-Thurs)

$78.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Hour

+ permit fee*
Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

Amphitheater

$1,415.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$1,550.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Day

Commercial event rate (with sales) + permit fee*

Amphitheater

$271.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Event

Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

Entry fees are part of the run/walk/contest, race memorabilia sales limited to t-shirt/sweatshirts or other race related items.

Boat Dock/Boat Dock Overlook

$37.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$40.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Hour

+ permit fee*

Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

Boat Dock/Boat Dock Overlook

$710.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$778.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Day

Commercial event rate (with sales) + permit fee*

Boat Dock/Boat Dock Overlook

$271.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Event

Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

Gerry Frank | Rotary Amphitheater Covered Stage Only

$65.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$71.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Hour

+ permit fee*

Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

Gerry Frank | Rotary Amphitheater Covered Stage Only

$757.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$829.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Day

Commercial event rate (with sales) + permit fee*

Gerry Frank | Rotary Amphitheater Covered Stage Only

$271.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Event

Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

Gerry Frank | Rotary Amphitheater Upper Lawn, Lower Lawn, or Pringle Creek Esplanade

$37.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$40.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Area / Per Hour

+ permit fee*

Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

Gerry Frank | Rotary Amphitheater Upper Lawn, Lower Lawn, or Pringle Creek Esplanade

$710.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$777.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Area / Per Day

Commercial event rate + permit fee*

Gerry Frank | Rotary Amphitheater Upper Lawn, Lower Lawn, or Pringle Creek Esplanade

$271.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Area / Per Event

 Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

North Meadow

$37.00

Per Hour

+ permit fee*

Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

North Meadow

$710.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$778.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Day

Commercial event rate (with sales) + permit fee*

North Meadow

$271.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Event

Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

Rotary Pavilion

$757.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$829.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Day

Commercial event rate (with sales) + permit fee*

Rotary Pavilion

$271.00 (Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Event

Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

Rotary Pavilion

$60.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$65.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Hour

+ permit fee*

Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

South Meadow

$71.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$78.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Hour

+ permit fee*

Events without sales, admission fees, or concessions.

South Meadow

$1,415.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$1,550.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Day

Commercial event rate (with sales) + permit fee*

South Meadow

$271.00 

(Mon-Thurs)

$297.00 (Fri-Sun)

Per Event

Run/walk/contests + permit fee*

*Permit Fee - Expedited

$149.00

Per Permit

When submitted less than 15 business days prior to event, non-refundable.

*Permit Fee

$73.00

Per Permit

When submitted more than 15 business days prior to event, non-refundable.
Reservation and forms
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