2025 Year in review! Cascades Amphitheater 2025 highlights!

The Cascades Amphitheater has been a magnificent force in entertainment! Ridgefield, Washington remains to be the hub for outstanding concerts thanks to this gargantuan concert facility! The venue has had many names, but whatever it’s called, its purpose has remained the same – to deliver the most astounding and dynamic concert the state has ever seen! This venue, which opened in 2003, was a $40 million facility that provided space to accommodate over 18,000 fans. It’s the largest outdoor amphitheatre in the Portland Metropolitan Area and has hosted some of the biggest, most exciting concerts and festivals to ever come to the area! Every year, the venue also hosts the highly beloved Clark Country Fair. In 2025, the Cascades Amphitheater had a fully packed line up! Here’s the lowdown of the most incredible shows that lit up this venue!

MAY

The month of May saw the arrival of legends. For starters, Scottish rock band SIMPLE MINDS brought their amazing catalog to the Cascades on May 16. The Alive & Kicking Tour showed just how the 80s icons remain to be a powerhouse of the classics serving hits like “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” and “Alive and Kicking.” That same month, monumental songwriter JAMES TAYLOR arrived in town. The very next day, the gigantic touring machine, the OUTLAW MUSIC FESTIVAL brought the unequivocal southern rock legend WILLIE NELSON and the Nobel Prize winning singer-songwriter BOB DYLAN! The festival also brought along Grammy winning bluegrass wunderkid BILLY STRINGS with sensational indie rock group LAKE STREET DIVE. Three Rock and Roll of Fame inductees taking over the venue in the same month! It’s the ultimate treat for music fans indeed. The month closed with an astounding performance from country music phenom HARDY as he delivers the critically acclaimed Country! Country! Tour. It’s a totally terrific spring season as the venue saw the arrival of brilliant artists. 

JUNE – JULY

If you thought May was awesome at the Cascades Amphitheatre, wait til you find out that June was totally rocking with uber cool performers. The month opened with the ultra coveted Sessanta V 2.0 Tour featuring all the bands of experimental rock legend, Maynard James Keenan. The show featured a triple headlining bill with PRIMUS, PUSCIFER, and A PERFECT CIRCLE. After this mega head bang bonanza, the venue welcomed classic rock legends, STYX, KEVIN CRONIN, and DON FELDER. It’s a whole other era in the rock circuit but remains a highly relevant spectacle with tens of thousands of fans showing up for the legendary prog rock powerhouse. 

Another era of rock and metal comes knocking on June 23. PIERCE THE VEIL’S I Can’t Hear You World Tour brings the monumental rockers to numerous major cities across the U.S. For their stop in Ridgefield, Washington, Pierce The Veil rocked the house with special guests SLEEPING WITH SIREAN and BEACH WEATHER. Other rock and metal artists that sent the Cascades into the earth shaking frenzy were VOLBEAT, HALESTORM, and THE GHOST INSIDE on July 22. Lastly, the venue also had a power packed pop extravaganza when Halsey arrived to deliver Back to the Badlands Tour, a roaring 10th anniversary celebration of her career defining debut album. July had the most neck breaking spectacle in town. The Danish heavy metal monsters, VOLBEAT were in town to promote their brand new album God of Angels Trust, which features lead single “By A Monter’s Hand.” The tour brings along equally kick ass bands like HALESTORM and THE GHOST INSIDE as special guests.

 “First time seeing a show at the Cascades Amphitheater. So well organized. The staff everywhere were very friendly and helpful.” – concert attendee

AUGUST

If you think the summer ragers at their peak with June and July’s line up, well, this report clearly shows that the Cascades was just getting started. August was a fully packed month. The month started with a colossal bang with Grammy winning rock legend CREED. The band delivered the highly coveted Summer of ‘99 Tour. This tour has reportedly sold out so fast that the band had extended it to several more cities. From rock to rap, the following day, the Cascades gave way to another high profile gig featuring Grammy nominated rap icon WIZ KHALIFA. The “See You Again” was in town for the Good Vibes Only Tour! It was the perfect summer spectacle that put music fans in a totally uplifting vibe. Two days later, the venue lit up with a soul satisfying EDM extravaganza! On August 16, electronic trio ABOVE & BEYOND showed just how hard the Finnish can party with an electrifying trance show. Timeless pop hits from CYNDI LAUPER followed the next day. The multi awarded singer-songwriter delivered an awesome nostalgic rager with titles like “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” and tons more.

If you think August’s spectacles at the Cascades don’t seem to end, you’re right! The month continues with a terrific line up of amazing performers. Country music star PARKER MCCOLLUM took over the big stage on August 22. The Gold Chain Cowboy was in town to promote What Kinda Man Tour, which features his latest self-titled album. The captivating night of charming hits from the country phenom transitioned into a hard hitting metal showdown the next evening when PANTERA arrived to tear up the stage. The legendary 90s metal icons delivered the Heaviest Tour of the Summer with original members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown with Zakk Wylde and Anthrax’s Charlie Benante filing in for late members Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. 

Another wild party featuring shock rap duo SUICIDEBOYS came to conquer the Cascades Amphitheatre on August 26. But no worries, the venue is large enough to accommodate a loud banging production featuring this dynamic duo who are notorious for their overzealous fanbase. The show was ground stirring and with the help of the venue’s state of the art lights and sound, it was absolutely the loudest show in August. 

The month of August closed with a class act with mutli genre rock band TOTO leading the pack. Last year, the band delivered the most staggering run of shows with dates reaching to six continents. The much awaited showcase at the Cascades was a mark on the bucketlist for many music fans and with special guests like CHRISTOPHER CROSS and MEN AT WORK, the gig was absolutely chef’s kiss. 

“Used the shuttle, easy on easy off beginning and end. The acoustics and seats were great.” – concert attendee

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER

Fall season at the Cascades was an absolute banger. On September 1, phenomenal rapper LIL WAYNE took his smashing hits to the stage. Fans were treated to smashing titles like “Mr. Carter,” “Money On My Mind,” “Love Me,” and countless more. A few days later, pop punk enthusiasts were also treated to a power packed show featuring THE OFFSPRING, JIMMY EAT WORLD, and NEW FOUND GLORY. Seems like a mini When We Were Young is casting off a teaser here but now. The show was part of The Offspring’s Supercharged Worldwide Tour, which promotes the band’s latest album.

“I really enjoyed this venue. I go to a lot of concerts and this venue is very well ran.”

On September 11, the Cascades Amphitheater opened its doors to a fun, family friendly event, KIDZ BOP LIVE. This kid friendly concert features a pop group comprising kids performing covers of Billboard Hot 100 hits that had been reworked to provide parent approved lyrics and themes. The show was still a full on concert with top of the line sound and lights. It was a fantastic first concert for the little ones. A week later, the venue welcomed the arrival of timeless punk rock purveyors BILLY IDOL and JOAN JETT AND THE BLACK HEARTS. Indeed, it was a night of great nostalgic value as the 80s icons performed electrifying sets and busted out hits like it’s 1985.

Before the fall season ended at the Cascades Amphitheater, the venue hosted a mind blowing country music showdown featuring THOMAS RHETT. Lastly, the season closed out with a thrilling rock spectacle featuring BREAKING BENJAMIN and THREE DAYS GRACE.

REVIEWS

Concert fanatic Michael K. visited the Cascades Amphitheater in August. Needless to say, he had the most amazing time, “First time seeing a show at the Cascades Amphitheater. So well organized. The staff everywhere were very friendly and helpful.” He also added that the sound and lighting at this facility was excellent. Meanwhile, Rhiannon B. considered herself an avid concert goer. For her, the venue is an excellent visit each and every time, “I really enjoyed this venue. I go to a lot of concerts and this venue is very well ran. Took the C-Tran shuttle and there was no wait, it was short and easy in and out. Ticket upgrades are amazing! We were almost in the front row for $20. I hope to visit again soon!”

Meanwhile, Leonard Y. from Anacortes, Washington also had an excellent time, “Used the shuttle, easy on easy off beginning and end. The acoustics and seats were great.” Lastly, the venue had received countless rave reviews from fans at reserved seats. The great sightlines and awesome lights and sound provide a great experience. 

ABOUT CASCADES AMPHITHEATER

This 18,000 capacity concert space is one of the largest outdoor amphitheaters in Washington. The venue provides great entertainment to fans across Portland and Vancouver. It’s definitely a venue most people travel for hours to in order to catch their favorite artists. The Cascades Amphitheater’s super packed line up has made it a bustling entertainment destination with fans even driving RV into the area since many are coming in from miles away –  hence, the former name, RV Inn Style Resort Amphitheatre. Opened in 2003, the venue has a covered pavilion providing fans with reserved and weatherproof seats. Meanwhile, the vast lawn space for general admission is equipped with modern amenities and large video screens. The amphitheater is equipped with cutting edge lights and sound technology giving fans the most impressive audio visual experience. Besides great entertainment, the venue also has a number of excellent conessionaires, providing a delectable array of food and drink offerings. For this venue, it’s best to arrive early and lawn space ticketholders are advised to bring their blankets or ponchos. 

If you’re keen on having the most amazing night of music, great atmosphere, and the company of kindred spirits, it’s best to check out your favorite artists at the Cascades Amphitheater! It really is worth the trip! Just check out 2025’s line up, the shows were absolutely staggering! But don’t worry because 2026 is gonna be even better! So secure your tickets now and don’t miss your favorite performers at the Cascades Amphitheater!

2026 schedule