Portland Oregon is a beautiful city any time of year, and I had the pleasure of living there for fifteen years. One of my favorite times of the year when I was living in Portland were the holidays because there was always something to do. It was almost as if the entire city became so much more animated as the holidays approached, giving everything and everyone a festive air.
Here are 10 holiday events in Portland, Oregon you won’t want to miss!
1. The Grotto’s Festival of Lights. This is a truly spectacular event and the lights on everything are really beautiful. However, it’s not just the lights that make this event special, but the hourly concerts, outdoor caroling and other family events that make it even more special. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, this event runs through the last day of December.
Admission is $7.00 for adults, and $3.00 for children ages 3-12, children younger than 3 are free. The hours are 5:00-9:30 pm. The Grotto is located at NE 85th and Sandy Blvd in Portland, Oregon.
2. Zoolights Festival. Every year at the holidays the Oregon Zoo is drenched in holiday lights, in fact over half a million lights! You can ride the train, meet Rudolph, and see a variety of animals, although not all animals will be visible.
The hours are Sunday-Thursday 5-8 pm and Friday-Saturday 5-8:30 pm. This event runs from November 24th through December 31st. The Oregon Zoo is located at 4001 SW Canyon Rd in Portland. Admission is $9.75 for adults, and $6.75 for children ages 3-11, any children 2 years of age and under get in free.
3. A Fairytale Christmas at Pittock Mansion. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to the Pittock Mansion. This year’s display has to do with you guessed it, fairytales. Each of the twenty-three rooms has decorations that are based on some of the most beloved fairytales, such as Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin to name a few. This is a great attraction for adults as well as the kids.
Beginning on November 19, 2007, this event continues through the last day of September. Admission to get in to see this event is $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors, and $4.00 for children 4-18 years of age. The address for Pittock Mansion is 3229 NW Pittock Dr. in Portland.
4. Winter Wonderland at the Portland International Raceway. This event is the biggest animated light show in the Pacific Northwest. This year marks this event’s fifteenth anniversary. The great thing about this event is that you pay for it based on your car, van or busload. No need to get out, you can simply oh and ah at the beauty from the comfort of the vehicle of your choice. The event runs from November 22nd to January 1st.
Admission price for this event is $15.00 per carload, $18.00 per van load of 8 or more, and $27-$42 per bus load. It is located at 1940 N Victory Blvd in Portland.
5. Holiday Ale Festival. Do you like to drink beer? Well the Holiday Ale Festival in Portland is the only beer festival that takes place outdoors in the cold and wet month of December. So if you’re really brave and want to chance the elements, this is the holiday event for you.
Hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 11:00 am-10:00 pm, and Sunday noon-6:00 pm. It takes place in Pioneer Courthouse Square at 701 SW 6th St in downtown Portland from November 29th to December 2nd.
Admission to this event is kind of interesting because you have to pay $5.00 for a beer mug, and then at least $4.00 in script to get a full mug of beer! Or you can pay $1.00 a taste.
6. Festival of the Trees. This event is put on by Providence Health Systems, and is quite beautiful, and one you will not want to miss. There are many lovely decorated Christmas trees and strolling through them is really fun.
The event takes place for only two days from November 30 to December 1st at the Oregon Convention Center. The address is 777 MLK Blvd in Portland. The price to get in is $5.00 per person, and is well worth it. Incidentally, this particular event is on the Max line making it especially easy to get to for those who don’t have a car.
7. Christmas Ship Parade. One of the highlights of the Portland holiday season is the Christmas Ship Parade where ships of all kinds are out on the Willamette/Columbia River and decorated for the holiday. It is a truly beautiful sight!
This event takes place from December 1st to December 20th and has free admission. RiverPlace Marina is the best place to get a good view although not the only place.
8. Holiday Market at the French American International School. This event is one of the best if you are looking for last minute gifts for loved ones. They have all kinds of wonderful gift ideas.
It takes place on December 8th and is located at 8500 NW Johnson St in Portland. The hours are 9:00 am-6:00 pm and admission is free for shoppers.
9. Tuba Christmas. This is one of those one of a kind events that you simply don’t want to miss, especially if you are a tuba enthusiast! Two hundred tubas playing holiday themed music is quite something to hear.
The event takes place in Pioneer Courthouse Square on December 15th from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm and admission is free. Pioneer Square is at 701 SW 6th St in Portland.
10. The Singing Christmas Tree. This fun event has been a Portland tradition since 1963. If you love to hear Christmas carols being sung by a choir then you won’t want to miss this holiday tradition.
The dates and hours for the event are November 23rd 2:30 pm-7:00 pm, November 24th 2:30pm-7:00 pm, November 25th 1:30 pm-6:00 pm, November 29th and 30th it starts at 7:00 pm, and December 1st is from 2:30 pm-7:00 pm. Admission is $12-$75, and it takes place at the Keller Auditorium at SW 3rd and Clay in Portland.
These are only a sampling of the holiday events that you can attend in Portland, Oregon. While there is an admissions fee for many of them, each and every one is well worth the cost for the delight they can give you and your family this holiday season.
