Camas Summer 2026: The Town Quietly Rebuilt Its Calendar

Two things are different about Camas this summer, and neither has gotten much attention outside the people who already live here.

The Camas Farmer's Market moved. After eighteen consecutive seasons on NE 4th Avenue, the market opened its 19th year at a new address — 314 NE Birch Street in Historic Downtown — displaced by city construction tied to projects still mid-execution. And Camtown, the youth festival that ran for years at Crown Park, came back this June 6 as something else entirely: a free, all-ages arts and music event with four performance stages, a local artist marketplace, youth entrepreneur booths, and interactive art demonstrations. The city's parks and recreation department called it a reimagining. That's accurate.

These two facts, taken together, mean the summer rhythm in downtown Camas is different than it was last year. The question worth asking is whether residents have caught up to it yet.

What the Summer Calendar Actually Looks Like Now

The short answer: busier, and more evenly distributed across the week.

The market's new Birch Street address deserves a moment. The move puts it directly adjacent to the library and City Hall, which means foot traffic spills naturally onto the library lawn rather than competing with through traffic on 4th. Vendors this season include Annie's Berry Farm (Clark County family farm, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries), Windy River Livestock (grass-fed beef and corn/soy-free pork raised in Camas and Washougal), Art Mushrooms (gourmet varieties grown in Portland without pesticides), and Xiong's Flower Farm for field-grown cut bouquets. The market runs until 7 pm — it is built for the after-work crowd, not just the Saturday-morning type.

First Fridays, hosted monthly by the Downtown Camas Association, use a themed passport format: participating businesses run extended hours, activities rotate, and dinner reservations at the better spots fill faster than most residents expect. Call ahead.

The Trail Is Still the Reason People Move Here

None of the calendar changes affect what Lacamas Park offers, but they do change how easy it is to build a trail visit into an actual day rather than a standalone errand. The park runs in three practical configurations depending on how much time you have.

Short commitment (under an hour): The Lacamas Creek to Camas Potholes route via the Lake to Lake Trail covers 2.4 miles out and back from the NE 3rd Avenue trailhead. Old-growth forest, moss-heavy trees, creek views, and a set of waterfalls. Dogs on leash. Parking on weekday mornings is easy; weekend afternoons are a different story.

Half-day loop: The Heritage Park trail is 6.9 miles, out-and-back along Lacamas Lake from the trailhead on NE Goodwin Road, maintained by Clark County Parks. Hikers, runners, and cyclists share it. The elevation gain is modest enough for most fitness levels. Before letting dogs wade, check current algae advisories at the Clark County Public Health site — the lake posts seasonal updates.

Full park: Lacamas Lake Park covers 312 acres with more than 12 miles of interconnected trail. The full network takes in Lower Falls, Round Lake (stocked with bass, bluegill, and perch), and the Missoula Boulder at the south end of Round Lake — a remnant of the Ice Age floods that carved the Columbia River valley roughly 12,000 years ago. The main loop trail allows bikes; side trails are hiker-only and clearly marked. Mountain bikers route through Trailforks; June is consistently the busiest month for rides in the park.

The park sits minutes from downtown. That proximity turns a trail run into a practical Wednesday, not just a weekend event.

Where to Land Afterward

The dining scene in Camas rewards specificity over category-browsing.

Grains of Wrath Brewery is the beer anchor. Founded in 2017 by Mike Hunsaker and Brendan Greenen, it has built a regional reputation for craft brewing with enough range to serve as a post-trail stop or a pre-First-Friday start. The brewery also anchors a 5k Beer Run each November through the Oregon Brewery Running Series.

The Hammond Kitchen + Craft Bar is the sit-down dinner option most mentioned in recent reviews: an attentive kitchen, serious cocktails, and pricing that holds up against the quality. It earns a reservation on First Fridays.

Hickory Restaurant + Bar covers brunch and happy hour. Lunch service, weekend brunch, small plates during happy hour — the format is flexible enough for different parts of the day depending on what the trail left behind.

Feast at 316 carries the top OpenTable rating for the Camas and Washougal area. Worth knowing for a dinner where the occasion calls for it.

A Beer at a Time is the live music close to the weekend. The calendar there moves weekly and draws local and regional acts through summer and fall.

For early mornings: Daily Paper Coffee Roasters has a local reputation for precision and sourcing. Hidden River Roasters offers a subscription service for anyone who needs to be out the door before any shop opens.

What's Still Taking Shape

A few things in motion that are worth knowing even if they don't change where you hike or eat this weekend.

In December 2025, Camas passed an ordinance allowing middle housing in residential zones — duplexes, triplexes, and similar formats previously excluded from most neighborhoods. That change is now in effect.

The city's "Our Camas 2045" Comprehensive Plan and a new Downtown Design Manual are on track for final adoption in Fall 2026. Community input throughout the process pointed consistently toward walkability, trail connectivity, and housing variety. Those priorities shaped the plan.

A new indoor tennis center broke ground at Camas High School in May 2026.

None of this changes the trail or the market or where dinner lands on a Friday. What it does describe is a city making deliberate decisions about what it wants to look like in ten years, doing it in public, while the summer calendar fills up around it.

That combination is harder to find than it looks.

Rebecca Lee Real Estate works across the Portland–Vancouver corridor, including Camas and Clark County. If you want to know what this market is actually doing right now — or what your home is worth in it — request a luxury consultation and market valuation.