8 Holiday Activities Near Portland, Oregon

There’s no shortage of holiday celebrations near Portland this season. Check out a few of our favorite holiday traditions in the PDX area!

Portland Night Market

The Portland Night Market is back and even better with a holiday twist! Check out over 175 local vendors who provide everything from food and drinks to live music, retail shopping and more. 
Address: 100 SE Alder Street
Dates: November 30 – December 3
Cost: The Night Market is free to enter, however they do offer “fast pass” options to skip the line for $10 each
Buy tickets here

Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto

Each year, The Grotto hosts a Christmas Festival of Lights featuring live choirs, puppet shows and storytimes, caroling, hot chocolate, donuts and more. The festival of lights is about a quarter of a mile long with stopping points to enjoy entertainment and more. 
Address: 8840 NE Skidmore St, Portland, OR 97220
Dates: November 24 – December 30 (CLOSED Christmas Day 12/25)
Cost: General Admission: $14 | Children: $6 | Infant: Free
Buy tickets here

Ice Skating at Lloyd Center

You might think Lloyd Center is a ghost town, but during the holiday months, it turns into a winter wonderland for ice skaters. The Christmas tree is up in the middle of the ice rink and there’s even an occasional sprinkle of snow on the rink. Ice skating at Lloyd Center is a fun activity for the whole family.
Address: 2201 Lloyd Center, Portland, OR 97232
Dates: The ice rink at Lloyd Center is open year-round, but the holiday schedule runs from November 23 – December 23
Cost: Adults: $20 | Kids age 4-5: $14 | Kids age 2-3: $4 | Seniors: $14 | Skate rental: $5
Tickets are available at the ice rink

Pittock Mansion’s Winter Wonderland

Check out the beautiful, historic Pittock Mansion with all of their holiday decor on display. If you haven’t visited Pittock Mansion before, the house alone is enough to wow anyone, but the holiday display and the view of the city of Portland is truly a sight to see. More than 75 volunteers decorate the mansion for the holiday season. 
Address: 3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210
Dates: November 19 – January 4
Cost: Adults: $16.50 | Seniors: $14.50 | Youth: $12.50 | Kids under 6: Free
Buy tickets here

Christmas Ships Parade

The annual Christmas Ships Parade is a fun tradition on the Willamette and the Columbia. Boats decked out in Christmas lights make their way along the river to spread some holiday cheer. The parade showcases 50-60 boats each year. Check out the schedule on their website here.

Watch The Nutcracker at Keller Auditorium

The iconic Nutcracker makes its way back to Portland this holiday season, starting on December 8th. Enjoy a beautiful show of candy cane leaps, a battle of toy soldiers, snowflakes and more. 
Address: Keller Auditorium: 222 SW Clay St, Portland, OR 97201
Dates: December 8 – December 24
Cost: Tickets start around $100 and sell out quickly!
Buy tickets here

Ugly Holiday Sweater Run

This year is the 11th annual ugly holiday sweater run in Tualatin. The 5K race starts at 9:00 am and there are still spots left open for registration! The race is free, but accepts donations for the Ladybug CDH Foundation.
Address: 7063 SW Nyberg St. Tualatin, OR US 97062
Date: December 16, 2023
Cost: $0 | $15 donation recommended
Register here

Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway

Check out the largest light show in the Northwest at Portland International Raceway this holiday season. The light show runs all week long and all proceeds benefit Sunshine Division – a foundation providing food and clothing relief for Portland families in need. The line to get into the Winter Wonderland light show can be LONG – but there is a VIP fast lane option.
Address: 1940 N Victory Blvd, Portland, OR 97217
Dates: November 24 – December 31
Cost: Monday – Thursday: $37 | Friday – Saturday: $48 | Sundays: $43 | Fast Lane: $85
Buy tickets here

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