Located just 10 miles southwest of Portland, the city of Tigard maintains small town charm with big city convenience! And with a growing population of just over 50,000 residents calling the city home, it’s not hard to see why Tigard is the premiere place to live in Oregon. Boasting beautiful Pacific Northwest weather, easy commuter and pedestrian access, beautiful nature trails and fantastic shopping opportunities, Tigard offers its residents endless opportunities for employment and entertainment.
Founded as a rural farming town by Wilson Tigard, the city has maintained its small town community atmosphere, including its commitment to environmental stewardship, even as it has grown with urban convenience. For instance, in recognition of Tigard’s forestry management, the city has been awarded Tree City USA status for fourteen years! The city also continues a tradition of public service commitment, including a public library that offers homebound services to residents that cannot physically access the library with services such as books by mail, talking books and braille services.
Concurrent with its commitment to community service, Tigard has continued to improve community access, such as through implementing bike-friendly commuter routes, electric vehicle charging stations, and safe public transportation. Such convenient commuter access, combined with ready access to Highway 217 just minutes from downtown, makes Tigard an outstanding location for residents commuting to Portland and its high tech corridor. The city also offers fantastic opportunities for employees and business owners within its own city limits as well. Learn more about Tigard’s business opportunities through the Tigard Chamber of Commerce and read more about the city’s demographics here.
With a charming history as a farmstead community, the Tigard is still home for extensive historic sites, including the Doriot Rider Log Home, Durham Elementary School and Ye-Olde Windmill. Learn more about Tigard’s history on a photo tour here. As part of the city’s farming heritage, Tigard also hosts a seasonal Farmers Market each weekend from April to October where residents can find fresh, local produce, crafts and artisan gifts. Learn more about Tigard’s Farmers Market vendors, including Floro Farms, a local Tigard farm that focuses on micro greens, herbs, vegetable starts and produce.
Beyond the seasonal Farmers Market, Tigard also boasts endless entertainment opportunities, including an annual Street Fair that features a Chalk Walk were residents and artists of all ages are invited to participate. The Street Fair also features food and craft vendors, live music, arts, community booths and a beer garden. Tigard residents can also enjoy Broadway style entertainment provided by the Broadway Rose Theatre Company! Visit their website to learn more about upcoming shows or partake in the Broadway spirit by participating in productions by the Mask & Mirror Community Theater.
During the summer, Tigard also hosts Festival of Balloons, an annual hot air balloon festival that brings hundreds of visitors and residents. The event boasts so much more than balloons with craft and food vendor booths, Festival of Cars, Rogue Beer Garden and live music! The Tour De Parks Bike Rides is another annual event that features a 12 mile tour that visits a half dozen of the city’s beautiful parks and a Tiny Tots Ride for young and beginner riders. Learn more about the history of the Tour De Parks here.
Downtown Tigard also hosts Tigard’s Night Out every third Friday for residents to interact with local businesses, taste wine, view urban art and listen to local bands. To support local artists and promote visitors to engage in the city’s unique charm, Tigard is also developing an annual two week Art Walk through downtown businesses. In further support of local artist, Tigard also hosts an annual art festival, Art in the Burbs, which supports the city’s young artists with 20% of sales being donated to support Tigard-Tualatin performing and fine art programs. Other artistic events include classes and workshops hosted by Live Laugh Love Glass, as glass works store in Tigard’s downtown market. Learn more about stores in downtown Tigard here or take a video tour here!
As fall rolls in, Tigard gears up for the season with the annual Apple Harvest Festival at the John Tigard House. The festival features live music, an antique apple press and peeler, as well as old-fashioned games and toys. Tigard residents also enjoy a safe night at Trick or Treat Main Street with merchants providing treats and hot cider with other community events, such as plays for the whole family. For residents not partaking in the costume fun, the Trick or Treat Main Street also promises a “spooktacular” night of people watching! As the holiday season approaches, be sure to mark your calendars for downtown Tigard’s annual Tree Lighting ceremony held at Liberty Park. The event features a visit from Santa, caroling and family activities. Other fun Tigard activities include public classes and events hosted by The Ballroom Dance Company, a popular local business that offer DJ’d dance parties and lessons to Tigard residents. Look for other seasonal Tigard events here or on the Tigard Historical Association page here!
In addition to hosting year round community events, Tigard boasts stunning parks, featuring everything from green fields to fishing and wildlife viewing! Cook Park, Tigard’s largest park, features 79 acres with ball fields, Tualatin River access, fishing area and wildlife viewing. Fanno Creek Park is another popular destination featuring over 30 acres with walking trails through natural areas highlighting the region’s grassy and wooded wetlands. The Fanno Creek Trail also connects to Downtown Tigard, making it a popular, scenic walking route for residents. Dirksen Nature Park is renowned for hosting seven distinct ecosystems native to the Pacific Northwest, including the oak savanna, forested wetland, coniferous forest, mixed deciduous forest, ash riparian forest, emergent wetland and scrub shrub wetland. Given the natural beauty of the Dirksen Nature Park, it isn’t surprising that the park offers fantastic educational opportunities for learning about the historic ecosystem and plants native to Willamette Valley. Beautiful Summerlake Park is another stunning retreat for Tigard residents with 30 acres of public access featuring Summer Lake, trails and footbridges. While the park features ball fields and picnic shelters, Summerlake Park is prized for its songbirds and rhododendron garden. Other parks and public spaces include a skate park, two community garden plots, and three dog parks. Tigard neighborhood parks include Elizabeth Price Park, Jack Park, Englewood Park, Bonita Park, East Butte Heritage Park, Northview Park and Woodard Park.
While Tigard’s parks offer endless opportunities for residents to enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest weather, the city also offers unparalleled convenience to urban amenities such as shopping and fine dining. Located just 6 miles from downtown Tigard, Oregon’s premiere shopping venue, Washington Square Mall, boasts over 170 shops and restaurants. In addition, Bridgeport Village Mall is also just a short, 7 mile commute for Tigard residents looking for a more European, open-air market shopping experience.
After exploring the city’s parks or a long day of shopping, Tigard residents have endless choices for satisfying the appetite they’ve worked up! In downtown Tigard, residents and visitors are sure to enjoy a delicious repast at local restaurants, including Max’s Fanno Creek Brew Pub that features handcrafted beers and quintessential American food. Tigardville Station Pub & Grill, housed in downtown Tigard’s oldest building, is renowned for atmosphere and events, including live music, open mic nights and dancing. Other popular Tigard eateries include La Fuente Taqueria & Restaurant and Buster’s Texas-Style Barbecue which offers hearty, finger-licking meals.
For fine dining experiences, Tigard residents favor Café Allegro, which offers fine Italian dining in a cozy, bistro setting right off Main St, or Gustav’s Pub and Grill, which serves up delicious German fare to delighted patrons! Some other local eateries not to be missed include Bannings Restaurant Pie House that has been family owned and operated in Tigard since 1979. Tigard’s House of Bread Bakery Café is a popular destination for a delicious repast that goes beyond oven-fresh and handmade bread! Another favorite eatery is McMenamins John Barleycorns, a northwest-style pub that features local and regional produce in their American dishes.
Visit the city of Tigard today and enjoy the city’s unique blend of convenience and small-town charm! Check the city website here for more information and plan a visit today.