When winter begins, the deer’s nose on the city’s iconic “Portland Oregon” sign lights up like Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer.

November Events

Portland welcomes the holidays and the winter season with these November events.

When winter begins, the deer’s nose on the city’s iconic “Portland Oregon” sign lights up like Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer.

Though the temperature gets cooler, Portland’s events scene starts heating up every November. Special seasonal offerings include a Thanksgiving celebration in Wine Country, the annual Portland Book Festival in downtown Portland and special shopping events. Read on for some of our favorite November events and things to do in Portland, or check out our full events calendar to see everything on offer.

My People’s Market

Get a jump-start on your holiday shopping while supporting minority-owned businesses at My People’s Market. This semiannual event, co-sponsored by Travel Portland, brings together dozens of local artists, entrepreneurs and creatives of color for live music, networking and shopping.

GO TO MY PEOPLE’S MARKET

The Portland Book Festival

Reinvented in 2015 as a one-day celebration, the Portland Book Festival draws more than 100 authors each year. The largest celebration of literature and literacy in the Pacific Northwest includes an extensive book fair, large-scale events, smaller panels, on-stage conversations and readings, all held at and around the Portland Art Museum.

GO TO PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL

Wine Country Thanksgiving

Every year, over 160 wineries and tasting rooms in Oregon's Willamette Valley throw open their winery and cellar doors for this weekend of special tastings and holiday festivities.

Take a sip

Holiday Tree Lighting

On the day after Thanksgiving, thousands of people gather in downtown’s Pioneer Courthouse Square to see the ceremonial lighting of the spectacular 75-foot-tall tree and celebrate the official start of the holiday season.

Events, Winter

Holiday shoppers browse local wares at Give Good Gift.

Holiday Shopping Events

Do your holiday shopping for locally made gifts at hip parties, makers' fairs, sprawling sales and garden grounds filled with handcrafted items.

The Holiday Tree at Pioneer Courthouse Square is a festival annual tradition.

Holiday Events at Pioneer Courthouse Square

Portland’s living room bustles with free, festive activities every holiday season.

The Christmas Festival of Lights at the Grotto.

Holiday Light Displays in Portland

Portland is full of bright ways to embrace the shorter days of winter; here are some of the stars in the city’s constellation of holiday light displays.

$Portland\'s iconic Gay Beards festoon their faces with seasonal decorations every winter.$

Downtown Holiday Events

Downtown Portland becomes a winter wonderland with unique shopping, events, food and fun.

$Give cheers for beers underneath the Holiday Ale Festival\'s clear tent.$

Portland’s 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.

A midnight fun run is among Portland’s New Year’s Eve offerings.

New Year’s Eve Events in Portland

When the clock strikes midnight, you could be dancing to bhangra beats, running through downtown or indulging in chocolate and Champagne.

Take a winter stroll through Irving Park in Northeast Portland.

Winter Walks in Portland

Trade muddy trails for winter walks along the smooth, paved walkways of Portland's parks, then treat yourself to a warm mug of coffee or tea.

Cozy up to a flaming cocktail at tiki bar Hale Pele.

Portland’s Top 9 Winter Drinks

Portland’s award-winning brewers and mixologists help you beat winter's chill with beverages featuring seasonal flavors like eggnog and apple cider.

$Oregon\'s famous Multnomah Falls is especially gorgeous when it\'s partially frozen.$

Winter Hikes in and Near Portland

Oregon’s great outdoors offers excellent adventures all year-round. Here are six Portland-area paths perfect for all-weather adventures.

Veterans Day Parade

Northeast 40th Avenue & Northeast Tillamook, Portland, Oregon Free

Honor Veterans Day with Portland’s annual Veterans Day Parade. The Parade begins at 9:30 a.m. at Northeast 40th and Northeast Sandy Boulevard and travels down Sandy, ending at Sandy & 48th in front of Ross Hollywood Chapel, which is the site of the Veterans Memorial Flag pole. At the conclusion of the parade, there is…

OryCon

Red Lion Hotel – Jantzen Beach Varies

OryCon is Oregon’s premier, fan-run, annual science fiction/fantasy convention held in Portland since 1979. OryCon is a 100% volunteer-based production of Oregon Science Fiction Conventions, Inc. (OSFCI), which is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 corporation.