Search December Events
Celebrate winter with beautiful light displays, belly-warming beer and other great Portland events.
During the final month of the year, Portland overflows with seasonal events and activities. Celebrate the holiday season with special shopping events, light displays and festivities; then ring in the New Year at one of the city’s many Jan. 31 events. Read on for some of our top picks for December events in Portland, or search our full events calendar to see everything on offer.
Holiday Ale Festival
Packed with revelry and cheer, the five-day Holiday Ale Festival (always held the first week of December) features dozens of the Pacific Northwest’s best-tasting seasonal suds, many not available anywhere else. Held underneath a cozy, heated tent at Pioneer Courthouse Square, the Ale Festival invites local brewers to collaborate on special editions beers. Ranging from decadent stouts to light, hoppy IPAs, the one-of-a-kind brews range from classic to funky.
Holiday Light Displays
As the days grow darker, Portland glows with eye-popping Holiday Light Displays. Some of Portland’s bright spots include ZooLights, a display of more than a million lights at the Oregon Zoo and the Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto. The Christmas Ships Parade, going strong since 1954, features brilliantly decorated boats on the Willamette and Columbia rivers.
More About Portland in December
What is the average December temperature in Portland?
Is December a good time to visit Portland?
What should I pack when visiting Portland in December?
Holiday Shopping
Portland offers plenty of opportunities to do your Holiday Shopping and find locally made presents for friends and family. Crafty Wonderland is the city’s biggest arts and crafts market. My People’s Market aims to advance opportunities for business owners of color. The Portland Indigenous Marketplace supports indigenous artists and entrepreneurs.
Holiday Traditions
Revel in the city’s holiday spirit with these Holiday Events and Activities. Portland gets into the spirit of the season with festive decorations at Pittock Mansion and the Festival of Trees at the Oregon Convention Center. Annual performance traditions include Gospel Christmas by the Oregon Symphony and a moving seasonal performance from Portland Gay Men’s Chorus.
More December Events
Check out our editor's picks for top things to do in December in Portland.
A Pittock Mansion Christmas
Pittock Mansion Christmas celebrates the wonderful world of animals with this year’s Critters Make Merry exhibit. From reindeer and polar bears to lions and mice and a few in between, volunteer decorators transform the Mansion’s rooms into enchanting animal havens. Tickets for this year’s event are limited due to capacity restrictions. All tickets must be…
First Thursday in the Pearl District
Started in 1986, First Thursday in the Pearl is a district-wide celebration that occurs on the first Thursday of each month. Originally a gathering of art collectors and dealers, the celebration has grown to a monthly event of over ten thousand people that includes art enthusiasts, wine aficionados, and scenesters looking to see and be…
ZooLights
Oregon’s most popular holiday tradition is back and better than ever. Kids and adults alike agree: it wouldn’t be the holidays in Portland without a visit to ZooLights. In addition to the classic walk through a dazzling display of 1.5 million lights, you can bring your family and friends to explore the lights by car…
The Curious Cabaret
The Curious Cabaret – A Riotous Vaudeville Revue is a monthly variety show hosted by Portland’s 20-time award winning physical comedy duo, A Little Bit Off. The show brings you the absolute best in top-notch local talent, with acts ranging from acrobatics and dance, to magic and juggling, with a whole lot of comedy in…
Christmas Festival of Lights
Presenting the sights, sounds and sensations of the season, The Grotto’s Christmas Festival of Lights is the largest Christmas choral festival in the world. The festival features nearly 160 indoor holiday concerts performed by many of the region’s finest school, church and civic choirs. Offering a family-oriented blend of traditional celebration and serene reflection, the…
Portland Indigenous Marketplace
Portland Indigenous Marketplace supports indigenous artists and entrepreneurs by providing barrier-free, culturally respectful spaces that encourage cultural resilience and economic sustainability by promoting public education through cultural arts.
Winter Wonderland
Recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest as the “Largest Holiday Light Show West of the Mississippi”, Winter Wonderland, will grab your attention with glimmers and glows around every corner. Since 1993, a journey through Winter Wonderland has become a holiday tradition for many families, friends, and social organizations to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season….
Portland's Singing Christmas Tree
Come celebrate Christmas with Portland’s favorite holiday tradition. Let the glory of Christmas come alive as the three hundred-voice choir creates a Christmas extravaganza for the whole family, featuring your favorite holiday songs, dancing Santas and a beautiful cinematic Nativity. It is an awe-inspiring presentation of the true gift of Christmas and an experience not…
Festival of Trees Gala
You will revel in the Christmas spirit from the comfort of home as we welcome the holidays with this re-imagined evening of holiday cheer. Bid on exquisite trees, wreaths and more in live and silent auctions. Enter to win spectacular raffles. Soak up special holiday performances. Donate to bring smiles to children with special health…
Holiday Ale Festival
The Holiday Ale Festival, set beneath the region’s largest decorated holiday tree, returns every year with more than 50 big, bold beers designed to keep revelers warm on cold winter nights.
Christmas Ship Parade
The Christmas Ship Parade began in 1954 with one lone sailboat from Portland Yacht Club. Today, the Christmas Ship Fleet averages about 55 to 60 boats between the Columbia and Willamette River fleets, with displays that are brightly lit and can be seen from bank to bank on each river. The boats, 14 to 65…
Handel's Messiah
Join the Oregon Symphony, the PSU Chamber Choir, and four world-class soloists for a grand celebration of one of the best-known choral works in the classical repertoire. All who experience Messiah will delight in the majesty of Handel’s beloved masterpiece.
My People’s Market
My People’s Market showcases local entrepreneurs and makers of color, connecting them with industry professionals and consumers.
Festival of Trees
VIRTUAL EVENT. Please visit the event website for current information. In this year like no other, please join us for Festival of Trees like no other. We’ll be “Home for the Holidays,” and we hope you’ll kick off the season with us from the comfort of your home. Stay Home for the Holidays and tune…
Comfort and Joy: A Classical Christmas
Join the Oregon Symphony for an evening of good cheer with seasonal classics, a very merry sing-along and a jubilant celebration sure to put you and yours in the finest of Yuletide spirits.
Crafty Wonderland Holiday Art + Craft Market
Portland’s biannual art and craft fair boasts unique handmade wares from 225+ local vendors.
Gospel Christmas
Celebrate the joy of the season at the Gospel Christmas. Presented by the Oregon Symphony. This tradition just gets bigger and better, year after year. Clap your hands and stomp your feet along with the region’s premier gospel singers and the Oregon Symphony at this beloved annual concert.
ScanFair Market
Experience the sights, sounds, tastes, and traditions of the Nordic Holiday season. ScanFair brings Scandinavia to Portland through traditional food vendors, entertainment programs focused on cultural heritage, educational craft corners, and welcoming local community organizations.
It's a Wonderful Life
Feature film with Oregon Symphony Celebrate the season as Jimmy Stewart’s encounter with a guardian angel brings hope and redemption just in time for Christmas, in Frank Capra’s holiday classic for the entire family.
Cirque Nutcracker
The awe-inspiring talents of Troupe Vertigo join forces with the Oregon Symphony, bringing their unique hybrid of cirque, dance, and acrobatic art to Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday masterpiece, The Nutcracker. This concert is sure to be a delightful treat for the entire family.
Stumptown Santacon
Celebrate the Holiday season in Grand Santa Style at the biggest Holiday Theme Costume Dance Party on the West Coast! And help raise money for a good Clause. Stumptown SantaCon is a fundraising costume themed Festival. COSTUMES REQUIRED. This is not a spectator event. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s event will benefit…
Champagne Ball
Since 1990, Champagne Ball has helped nearly 40,000 people ring in the New Year in a fun and safe environment. Every New Year’s Eve, Champagne Ball brings in top entertainers. The event features 18 bars because the Champagne Ball wants people out dancing, not standing in long lines. The party also includes a massive countdown…
Was this page helpful?