Employment Seasonality in Oregon’s Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Sector
August 26, 2026“To everything (Turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (Turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose under heaven”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and Pete Seeger
Seasons tend to drive our lives, shape our plans, and guide our leisurely activities. At least for most of us in the northern hemisphere, camping is popular from April to October, skiing dominates December through March, and outdoor arts festivals flourish from late April to early October. Employment in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector also shifts with the seasons, and these patterns differ significantly across subsectors and between private and public employers.
Employment Dynamics Across Public and Private Ownership
The amount of seasonal work in arts, entertainment, and recreation varies depending on both the nature of the activity and its ownership. Typically, employment in this sector peaks from May or June through September. Private businesses employ the most workers and tend to show fewer seasonal fluctuations. Seasonality varies across public employers and among individual subsectors. For example, State Parks – operated by state government – hire seasonal staff in late winter and early spring to prepare parks and campgrounds for the busy summer season. This work includes rebuilding and maintaining campgrounds, maintaining trails, and providing essential visitor services. In contrast, establishments like ski resorts and winter sports businesses staff up during the coldest months of the year.
We also need to emphasize that this sector has the highest number of part-time jobs, with only about 10% classified as full-time in 2025. Out of a total of 55,000 jobs, nearly 50,000 were part-time and only 5,602 were full-time. It’s important to clarify that, under this methodology, we count jobs rather than individuals, so people with multiple jobs are counted multiple times as part-time workers. In this analysis, “full time” is defined as working at least 350 hours in each of the four quarters. An individual may change jobs mid-year or enter or exit the workforce, which could result in them being classified as not “full time,” even if they worked more than 350 hours during the quarters in which they were employed.
More details on the complexity of part-time work can be found in this article, which explains key factors such as voluntary versus involuntary part-time employment and economic versus noneconomic reasons.
Arts, entertainment, and recreation has three main components that we will describe in detail:
• Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions;
• Amusement, gambling, and recreation; and
• Performing arts and spectator sports.
The smallest subsector by employment in Oregon is museums, historical sites, and similar institutions. Organizations in this subsector focus on preserving and presenting objects, places, and natural features of historical, cultural, or educational significance.
This subsector includes a wide range of institutions such as art museums, science and technology museums, wax museums, halls of fame, planetariums, zoos, herbariums and botanical gardens, aquariums, safari parks, caverns and waterfalls, historical and archaeological sites, battlefields, heritage villages, forts, and even ships. It also encompasses nature parks, arboretums, and wildlife sanctuaries. Some art galleries are included as well, though not all fall under this classification. It also includes businesses and organizations focused on preserving and showcasing natural environments, live animal exhibits, and plant life – such as nature centers.
In Oregon, this subsector has a strong state and local government presence, with 88 establishments in 2025. That’s roughly one-third of all museums, historical sites, nature parks, and similar institutions that are publicly owned. Another 160 establishments were privately operated in 2025.
Employment in this area dropped significantly during COVID and took years to recover, surpassing pre pandemic levels in 2025 when it reached 3,400 jobs. Many of the pandemic related layoffs occurred in the private sector, which had 1,800 jobs in 2019 and dropped more than 500 jobs by 2021. Local government employment also declined, falling from 900 jobs in 2019 to 600 in 2020. At the state level, around 100 jobs were lost, and federal establishments saw little change.
Employment seasonality has shifted notably at the federal level, falling from around 50% before the pandemic to 33% in 2024 and 30% in 2025. State government shows a similar pattern: variations that often reached 60% before COVID have been about 10 percentage points smaller since 2022. Local government continues to show smaller swings, generally around 30% since 2016, with a few exceptions. The private sector has mostly maintained variation rates near 20%, except in 2020 and 2021. Preliminary 2025 data indicate a seasonal change of about 15%.
Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation
This subsector is divided into three main parts. The first includes amusement activities such as theme parks and arcades, along with services that supply and maintain amusement devices for other businesses. The second encompasses gambling industries, including casinos without hotels, since casinos with lodging are classified under the hospitality sector. The third part covers a broad range of recreational facilities – country clubs, golf courses, ski areas, marinas, fitness centers, bowling alleys, and many others. Ownership in this subsector is primarily private or local government, including tribal government entities.
From 2024 to 2025, Oregon lost 25 private establishments in this subsector and gained four local government establishments. Altogether, the subsector had about 1,500 establishments and 26,300 jobs in 2025. The private sector numbered 21,000 jobs and local government had 5,300 jobs.
This subsector experienced a limited disruption at the establishment level during the COVID 19 pandemic. Many fitness centers adapted by offering outdoor training and were able to reopen earlier than venues, theaters, and museums. Outdoor recreational activities such as golf also continued with fewer restrictions. Employment, however, was significantly more affected, with nearly 10,000 jobs lost between 2019 and 2020 and a full recovery only achieved by 2024.
Seasonality varies within this subsector as well, with local government employment dropping 26% from July to January. The private sector shows a smaller seasonal range, declining about 19% from July to December. Winter sports businesses increase hiring during the coldest months, which influences these seasonal patterns.
Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related
This group of establishments produces, organizes, and promotes live presentations featuring theatrical actors, singers, dancers, musical groups, athletes, and other performers, including independent (freelance) entertainers and the firms that manage their careers. The classification encompasses four core functions: producing or presenting events; organizing, managing, or promoting those events; representing and managing entertainers; and providing the artistic, creative, and technical expertise needed to stage live performances.
In Oregon, employment in the subsector started growing steadily in 2013, mostly in the private sector. After overall employment dropped to 4,000 in 2020, it returned to pre pandemic levels by 2023, reaching 6,300 jobs. The recovery was remarkable – nearly 3,000 additional jobs were added within five years. Local government is the only other employer in this subsector and it is very small, with about 300 jobs.
It’s also helpful to examine how the various types of businesses within this subsector contribute to overall employment. As shown in the chart below, performing arts companies and promoters of performing arts, sports, and similar events account for the largest share of jobs. Spectator sports follow, with roughly 1,500 employees in 2025.
In local government employment, the seasonal variations are even smaller with 21% in 2024 and 17% in 2025. In practical terms, since employment is so low, this seasonal variation affects fewer than 100 jobs.
Now that summer has officially arrived, many Oregonians, including myself, are eager to make the most of the season, whether that means heading out for a camping trip, tuning up a mountain bike for the trails, or enjoying an outdoor concert by the beach. In a few months, fall will usher in vibrant foliage, sending forest hikers into “Larch madness.” By Thanksgiving, many of us will be hoping for early snowfall in the mountains so we can get our skis and snowshoes ready for the winter.
Behind these recreational experiences lies a substantial amount of work, from budgeting and staffing to seasonal hiring and year round maintenance. Some individuals in this sector work full-time, others part-time; some are independent artists or agents, and others juggle multiple jobs or pursue artistic endeavors on the side. The variety of jobs in this sector is extensive, just like the options for enjoying leisure time across the beautiful state of Oregon.