Tigard's El Tigre Fest fills Cook Family Park on Saturday, Oct. 3, with free food, live music and more than 70 vendor booths in the last edition the city will produce.
The festival runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 17005 S.W. 92nd Ave., near Tigard High School. Past attendance has ranged from 2,500 to 6,000 people, Valley Times reported.
Admission is free.
El Tigre Fest celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month and Filipino American History Month. The event began in 2022 as a spinoff from a smaller Latino festival that had been part of the city's annual Street Fair, according to a Tigard Life report on the city's decision to end its event production.
Food and vendors
Tigard-based Mi Pisco will serve Peruvian dishes, and Pupuseria La Bendición will offer Salvadoran pupusas, a filled flatbread. The broader food lineup includes Chilean cuisine, brats, empanadas, Filipino and Chamorro food and vegan options. Local artisans will sell products including plushies and slime across the 70-plus booths.
Live music and dance
Seven Pacific Northwest acts will perform throughout the day: Barrio Mestizo, Gata Galáctica, Pura Vida Orquesta, Mariachi Viva México, Dina y Los Rumberos, Kuwerdas PNW and Las Flamenquitas. Local officials and honored guests will also deliver remarks, according to the city's event page.
Kids Zone and freebies
An expanded Kids Zone will feature lawn games, face painting, fairy hair, balloon twisting and costumed characters. PDX BeyBlade will host spinning-top activities. STUDD (Stop Tigard Underage Drug Use and Drinking) and Tigard Turns the Tide are among the organizations staffing the area.
Tigard Safe Routes to School will give away free bicycle helmets. The Tigard Public Library will hand out free books for children.
Youth fútbol tournament
Club Venados USA, a Tigard-based youth fútbol club, returns for a second year of tournament play. Hundreds of players ages 7–15 are expected to compete starting Friday, Oct. 2, and continuing into Saturday. The tournament is open for spectating only; children must already be part of the club to play.
Last city-produced festival
Tigard's 2027 budget eliminates city-produced special events to help close a $6 million general fund gap. El Tigre Fest costs rose from $79,000 in 2024 to more than $107,000 in 2025, while attendance dropped from about 5,000 to roughly 2,500 in the same period.
Leandro Barrientos, Tigard's Spanish-speaking digital communications coordinator and the festival's organizer, said the event has deepened community ties over the years. "We spend a lot of time building those relationships throughout the year, and El Tigre is where you get to see all of that work come alive in one place," Barrientos told Valley Times.
The city is seeking outside promoters to take over the festival. Nicole Hendrix, assistant to the Tigard city manager, said at a May budget meeting, as reported by Tigard Life in September, that officials hope community partners will continue the events "just not organized by the city."
Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and folding chairs. Volunteer sign-ups are available through the city's volunteer portal.
