Plan your visit
Weather
& safety
Rain or shine — and a real plan for when it's more than rain. Here's what August is like on the river, and what happens if a storm rolls in.
What early August is like
Warm afternoons, cool nights. On August 7 the long-term normal is a high of about 80°F and a low around 60–61°F, from the two official weather stations either side of Lisbon Falls.
| Normal high / low on August 7 | 80°F / 60–61°F |
|---|---|
| Days in August with measurable rain | 9.4 of 31 — about 1 in 3 |
| Days in August reaching 90°F | 1.3 |
| Rain for the whole month | 3.4–3.6 in |
| Sunset on festival day | 7:56 PM |
| Fully dark | 8:29 PM |
Gates open at 2 PM, inside the strongest sun of the day. On clear August days the UV index here commonly reaches the high range, so use sunscreen (SPF 15 or more, again every two hours), a brimmed hat and sunglasses — and keep babies under six months in the shade rather than in sunscreen.
Rain or shine
The festival goes ahead in rain. Umbrellas are fine, but a rain jacket is better — it keeps the view clear for everyone behind you.
If there's lightning
Lightning can strike ten miles from a storm, and nowhere on an open field is safe — tents, canopies and vendor tents are not shelter. A hard-topped car with the windows up is.
Our plan follows the National Weather Service's guidance for outdoor venues:
- A named member of our team watches radar and lightning data all day.
- If lightning is detected within about 8 miles, we pause the music and announce it from the stage.
- We ask everyone to walk calmly to their vehicle. Keep your wristband on.
- We wait until 30 minutes have passed with no thunder or lightning — every new strike restarts the clock.
- We tell you when it's safe to come back, and the show picks up where it left off.
To confirm: Write the full lightning plan with Friends of Worumbo: weather watcher, shelter for walk-ins and staff, and Lisbon emergency contacts.
If it's hot
True heat is rare here — Portland averages barely one 90-degree day in August — but a humid afternoon in full sun can feel 15 degrees hotter than the forecast. Drink water before you're thirsty, go easy on alcohol, take breaks in the shade, and find a staff member if you or someone near you feels dizzy or sick. If the National Weather Service issues a Heat Advisory for the day, we'll add more water and shade and tell you on the list. There's a free water refill station and a shade tent on site all day.
How we'll tell you
- From the stage, as it happens
- By text and email to everyone on the list — sign up and add your mobile
- On Instagram and Facebook
Refunds
If we cancel the whole festival before the first act plays, you get a full refund of your ticket price, automatically, to the card you paid with. If weather shortens the day after the music has started, the festival is still considered to have taken place and tickets aren't refunded.
Where these facts come from (8 sources, checked September 2026)
We re-check travel times, schedules and hours every spring.
- National Weather Service Gray/Portland — Portland Jetport August normals, 1991–2020
- National Weather Service Gray/Portland — Augusta August normals, 1991–2020
- U.S. Naval Observatory — sun and moon data, Lisbon Falls, Aug 7, 2027
- National Weather Service — lightning safety tips (30 minutes after the last thunder)
- National Weather Service — Lightning Safety Toolkit for outdoor venues
- National Weather Service — heat index
- U.S. EPA — UV Index scale
- CDC — sun safety