McMinnville Downtown Assoc.

UFO Fest would not be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors and community partners who help us bring this cosmic weekend to Downtown McMinnville year after year. A huge THANK YOU to our 2026 sponsors: 🚀 Top Shelf 🚀 Ziply Fiber 🚀 NW Natural 🚀 Chris Browne Insurance 🚀 Vacation Internationale 🚀 Window Nation 🚀 Leaf Filter 🚀 Great Day Improvements 🚀 Smooth Roots And to our amazing community partners who help make the magic happen behind the scenes: 🛸 McMenamins Hotel Oregon 🛸 Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum 🛸 Gale’s Towing 🛸 Linfield University 🛸 McMinnville Public Works 🛸 McMinnville Police Department 🛸 McMinnville Fire District We truly could not do this without all of you.

McMinnville’s most out-of-this-world event lands this weekend. 👽🛸 The 26th Annual @mcmenaminsufofest returns May 14–16, inspired by the famous 1950 UFO sighting over a farm just outside town that unexpectedly placed McMinnville in UFO history. What started as a local headline has grown into one of the region’s most recognizable festivals. The festival brings a full lineup of speakers, live music, trivia, fun runs, podcast recordings, street fairs, costume contests, and the always-popular alien parade through downtown McMinnville. Events like the Landing Party and Alien Costume Ball keep the festivities going well into the night. Festival events are already starting to pop up around town ahead of the main celebration. Click the link in bio for the full schedule, event info, and tickets.

🛸 UFO Fest is just a few days away and we cannot WAIT to see Downtown McMinnville transform into the most out-of-this-world place on Earth! 👽 Every year, you all absolutely amaze us with your creativityand we’re so excited to see how you show up this year. Whether you’re arriving as a little green alien, sci-fi icon, galactic royalty, or something completely unexplainable… we are ready for it! 🛸 Friday, May 15 | 3 PM–8 PM Kick off the weekend at the downtown street fair featuring 100+ vendors and food! 👽 Saturday, May 16 | 10 AM–6 PM Enjoy a full day of festivities, costumes, vendors, food, and family fun throughout Downtown McMinnville — plus the legendary UFO Parade at NOON! Find the parade map, shuttle info, and all the intergalactic details at: downtownmcminnville.com/ufo-festival ALSO — we still need a few volunteers to help us keep the galaxy clean! We have several garbage patrol shifts still open, and we’d love your help making sure space junk stays out of Downtown McMinnville. Help us prevent an alien trash invasion and sign up at the link in our bio!

The aliens are landing in McMinnville once again… and UFO Fest 2026 is almost here! 🛸 Friday, May 15 | 3 PM–8 PM Kick off the weekend at the downtown street fair featuring vendors and delicious food! 👽 Saturday, May 16 | 10 AM–6 PM Enjoy a full day of festivities, costumes, vendors, food, and family fun throughout Downtown McMinnville — plus the legendary UFO Parade at NOON! Don’t forget! Skip the parking hassle and hop aboard the FREE Linfield charter shuttle from Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum to Downtown McMinnville on Saturday, May 16th from 9 AM–7 PM! It’s the easiest way to travel between the museum and all the out-of-this-world fun happening downtown. Sit back, relax, and let the mothership do the driving. For shuttle details visit our website at: downtownmcminnville.com/ufo-festival

The countdown is ON! The McMinnville Downtown Farmers Market returns May 21st, and we are just TWO Thursdays away from opening day! We are incredibly grateful for the sponsors who help make this market possible and support our local farmers, makers, and community year after year. A huge thank you to: ✨ Recology ✨ NW Natural ✨ Chris Browne Insurance ✨ Smooth Roots ✨ Leaf Filter ✨ Beth Caster ✨ Ziply Fiber ✨ Harvest Fresh Because of their support, we’re able to continue bringing fresh produce, local goods, and community connection to the heart of downtown McMinnville each week. 📍 Thursdays in Downtown McMinnville 🕒 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM 📅 May 21st - October 22nd We cannot wait to welcome everyone back for another amazing market season!

May the Fourth Be With You! On this Star Wars Day, we’re taking a trip through time, celebrating over 25 years of incredible Star Wars costumes spotted right here at UFO Fest. From Jedi and Sith to droids and bounty hunters, you’ve brought the galaxy to downtown McMinnville in the best way possible. Whether you’ve been dressing up for years or you’re planning your first costume, this is your sign: join us. 🛸 UFO Fest 2026 📅 May 15–16 (Parade at 12pm Saturday!) 📍 Downtown McMinnville Expect a full weekend of out-of-this-world fun—costumes, vendors, parade, and all the quirky, unforgettable moments that make this event what it is! We’re also still looking for volunteers to help make the magic happen. If you’ve ever thought about getting more involved, now’s the time. 👉 Sign up at the link in our bio! Scroll through for some of our favorite Star Wars looks from years past—and start planning yours now. The force is strong with this community… let’s make this year the best one yet!

We’re thrilled to once again partner with the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum to offer a FREE UFO Fest shuttle on Saturday, May 16 from 9 AM–7 PM! 👽🛸 This year, we’re also teaming up with Linfield University to help get even more people downtown to enjoy the festivities. The shuttle will run continuously between downtown McMinnville and Evergreen throughout the day. Please note: the shuttle is available Saturday only, not Friday. Pro tip: Arrive early to grab a great spot before the parade begins at 12pm and the crowds roll in! For full UFO Fest details, visit: downtownmcminnville.com/ufo-festival A big thank you to @linfielduniv University and @evergreenmuseum for helping keep UFO Fest fun, accessible, and easy to get to!

We are continuing to hear reports that individuals are receiving fraudulent emails inviting them to participate as vendors in the 2026 UFO Fest. These messages are not legitimate. All vendors for 2026 have already been selected and notified. Any official communication regarding vendor participation will come directly from our team. Please note: 🚫 We will never request payment via Venmo or any peer-to-peer payment platform 📧 All official communication will come only from: [email protected] If you receive a suspicious message, do not respond or send payment. When in doubt, contact us directly to verify. Thank you for your attention and for helping us keep our vendor community protected.

Congratulations to Berry Creek Garden! We’re thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of MDA Member Berry Creek Garden and to congratulate owner Lee McCollins on an incredible opening weekend! The newly transformed courtyard at Mac Market has sprung to life, and Berry Creek Garden has created something truly special for our community. With a thoughtful focus on native and climate-adapted plants, this space is more than a nursery—it’s an invitation to garden in a way that supports our region, our ecosystems, and the beauty of the Willamette Valley. Visitors can now explore a carefully curated selection of plants suited to our climate, along with tools and goods designed to help gardens thrive with intention and sustainability. Berry Creek Garden is a place to gather, learn, and connect—with each other and with the land we share. We’re so excited to see this new space grow and become a destination for gardeners and nature lovers alike. Berry Creek Garden is located at At Mac Market: 1140 NE Alpine Ave, McMinnville, OR 97128 and is open 9 AM - 5 PM, Tuesday - Sunday. Congratulations again to Lee on a fantastic opening, we’re so lucky to have you in downtown McMinnville!

Downtown Photo Contest Winner Announcement! We’re excited to congratulate Heidi Dorworth as the winner of our Downtown Photo Contest! Her stunning image captures Third Street at its very best, peak fall season, with those gorgeous leaves truly stealing the show! 🍁 Autumn in downtown McMinnville is nothing short of magical, and this photo says it all. Thank you, Heidi, for helping us celebrate the beauty of our downtown. And thank you to everyone who submitted photos—we loved seeing your snapshots!

Please join us in congratulating Andrea LaRue, the winner of our 2026 Farmers Market Poster Contest! We love the beautiful elements she incorporated into her design, which perfectly reflect the spirit and vibrancy of the McMinnville Downtown Farmers Market. You’ll soon see her poster displayed in windows throughout McMinnville—be sure to keep an eye out! You can find her artwork on her website: nectargraphics.com or follow her on social media @nectargraphics . Thank you to everyone who submitted artwork,we’re so inspired by the creativity in this community!

McMinnville’s most out-of-this-world weekend returns May 14–16 for the 26th Annual @mcmenaminsufofest , inspired by the 1950 sighting that put this small town on the map. What started as a local story has grown into one of the region’s most recognizable events, blending curiosity, creativity, and a little bit of the unknown. The weekend brings a full lineup of speakers, including researchers, journalists, and scientists exploring everything from space to unexplained phenomena. Beyond the talks, the festival leans into its playful side with a downtown street fair, live music, podcast recordings, trivia, fun runs, and the always-popular alien costume contest and parade. Events like the Landing Party and Alien Costume Ball keep things going well into the night. Leading up to the festival, a screening of @atearinthesky_film featuring speaker Matthew Szydagis will take place May 4, offering an early look into the conversations shaping this year’s event. Click the link in bio for details, full schedule, and event information.