November Events
Portland welcomes the holidays and the winter season with these November events.
Though the temperature gets cooler, Portland’s events scene starts heating up every November. Special seasonal offerings include the annual Portland Book Festival in downtown Portland, special shopping events and Thanksgiving traditions. 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.
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.
Markets and Art Walks
The Portland Holiday Market comes every year to the Portland Expo Center. Featuring anything from clothing to home decor or craft items to leather goods, the market is a great place to get all of your holiday shopping done early. Combining the vibes of an art show, a live street concert, and an open-air bazaar, the Portland Saturday Market has been a beloved Rose City tradition since 1974. The largest arts-and-crafts fair in the country is open every Saturday in November. The First Friday Art Walk takes place year-round in Portland’s vibrant eastside. Art openings at galleries and open spaces set the scene and can include group art shows, open maker spaces and lively performances.
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Held twice a year, My People’s Market brings together dozens of local artists, entrepreneurs and creatives of color for live music, networking and shopping. The November market is an early kickoff to the holiday shopping season and draws attendees who shop, eat, drink and dance throughout the weekend.
November Traditions
The Ha Ha Harvest Comedy Festival brings amazing comedy to the Rose City throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. The festival holds performances across the city on ten different stages and, in 2023, is introducing a film and screenplay competition.
Kick off the holiday season with Wine Country Thanksgiving, when wineries throughout the Willamette Valley offer special tastings, food pairings, live music, holiday discounts and other wine-country experiences. Discover a delicious local pinot to pair with your holiday celebrations, or find the perfect gift for the wine lover in your life.
Join in honoring all Veterans, past and present, at the annual Portland Veterans Day Parade. The parade is made of marching bands, floats, vehicles and marching veterans and makes its way along northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, concluding with a closing ceremony.
Every year, the Lan Su Chinese Garden celebrates the beauty of chrysanthemums and their significance to Chinese culture during the month-long Celebration of the Chrysanthemum. A symbol of longevity and wealth, the beautiful bloom is showcased in floral designs and cultivation demonstrations throughout the gardens.
Holiday Lights
On the day after Thanksgiving, thousands of people gather in downtown Pioneer Courthouse Square to see the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony of the spectacular 75-foot-tall tree and celebrate the official start of the holiday season. Also starting the day after Thanksgiving is the Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto, featuring nearly 160 indoor holiday concerts performed by many of the region’s finest school, church, and civic choirs. The annual holiday ZooLights display at the Oregon Zoo has gotten a grown-up spinoff. For two nights every November, BrewLights takes over the zoo. Tickets include adult-only access to the festive display and samples from local breweries.
More November Events 2024
Check out our editor's picks for top things to do in November in Portland.
Portland Thorns FC
Watch the Thorns play at Providence Park. Established in 2012, the team began to play in 2013 and placed third in its inaugural season and, in the playoffs, won the first NWSL championship. The club won the NWSL Shield in 2016 and a second NWSL Championship in 2017. 2020, they won the Community Shield with the best…
Haunted Shanghai Tunnel Tour
Old Town Pizza & Brewing is built directly above Portland's infamous Shanghai tunnels. The same tunnels that were used to house kidnapped sailors during the early 1900s. Book a tour and explore the rich history of Portland, and the legacy of Old Town.
Farmers Market at Portland State University
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets.
St. Johns Farmers Market
The St. Johns Farmers Market will be open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday May 4 through November 23, the weekend before Thanksgiving. There will also be a Holiday Market on Saturday, December 14, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The market is held at the corner of N. Charleston Ave. and N Central St, next to the…
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
Karaoke From Hell
The Northwest's original live karaoke band, Karaoke From Hell, has been rocking Portland for over 25 years and counting. The catalog boasts nearly 700 songs for you to sing, covering every genre from show tunes to skate punk. Catch it every Monday at Dante's and every Thursday at The Spare Room.
Kumoricon
Kumoricon showcases anime and Japanese culture every November in Portland. Gaining its namesake (kumori) from the Japanese word "cloudy," Kumoricon embodies the best parts of fandom and what it is to live in the Pacific Northwest. Stretching across generations, anime fans have gathered together for an amazing annual event. The Kumoricon family grows yearly, making…
Portland Veterans Day Parade
The Portland Veterans Day Parade is an inclusive, nonpartisan, family-friendly event honoring all Veterans, past and present, living and deceased. It is officially permitted by the City of Portland and was established in 1974 by Vernon E. Ross, proprietor of Ross Hollywood Funeral Chapel. All community members are welcome to register to be in the…
Rockwood Market Hall Music Series
Each month, on a late Sunday afternoon, the Rockwood Market Hall hosts a local artist to perform for community members who enjoy their food while listening to live music in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere. With various cuisine options, the Rockwood Market Hall is a great place to enjoy dinner with family and friends. See you…
Slamlandia
Poetry Open Mic and Slam in Portland, Oregon. It is the mission of Slamlandia to provide an open mic and poetry slam that is creative, fun, and welcoming to all literary communities in Portland. They strive towards a safer space for poets to share work, witness others, and participate in the community.
West End Wednesdays
West End Wednesday exists to ignite new energy and define a common vision for downtown SW Portland. Building relationships with neighbors and business partners is not just organizing a once-a-month event… it is actively creating, together, a neighborhood everyone can love to live, work and play in. West End Wednesdays is the West End's signature celebration…
Portland Bazaar
The beloved Portland Bazaar is launching a NEW event happening April 13th and 14th. Known for its elevated holiday shopping experience in November and December, this spring shopping experience is flower market meets maker market. Free, open to the public and family-friendly. This market will also take place in Northwest Portland from 11 – 4…
Portland Flea + Food
The Portland Flea + Food is a gathering place for the creators, curators and collectors held the last weekend of the month from May to October in Portland, Oregon. Every market features 80+ local artists, makers, and curators of the best vintage, handmade and locally sourced goods in town. Saturdays at Ecotrust: 721 NW 9TH AVE Sundays at Nova…
Half Day Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland
Species seen nowhere else in the world, dramatic basalt lava flows nearly a mile deep, and some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls are a few of the sights that await you on this tour. Experience the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge, one of the United States’ most photographed National Scenic Areas. We will…
Multnomah Falls & Gorge Waterfalls Tour
Prepare to journey back in time to the birth of the Cascade Mountain Range, where lava and pyroclastic matter oozed and flowed, creating a solid layer of basalt rock that coated Western Oregon. Fast forward to the Pleistocene Ice Age, and witness the epic Lake Missoula Flood, which carved out the majestic Columbia River Gorge,…
Portland City Tour
Get ready to explore the heart and soul of Portland with a half-day City Tour. This isn’t your average tour; you'll be takn on a journey through the city’s charming streets and reveal its laid-back atmosphere. Brace yourself for an amazing tour of Portland’s must-see spots like the International Rose Garden (seasonally), the World…
Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s
Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s reveals the passion and creativity of the era through the iconic rock posters of San Francisco and beyond. The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco was an incubator for ideas, expression, social thought, and, above all, music. Young people from across the nation gathered there to explore alternative ways…
Throughlines: Connections in the Collection
Throughlines embraces wonder and curiosity, bringing together artworks from across the Museum’s collections to explore the range of artistic innovation. From diverse geographies, cultures, and time periods, artists have consistently created images, objects, and experiences that ask us to consider ourselves and the world from different perspectives. Visitors will encounter playful groupings that reveal how artists…
Full Day Gorge Waterfalls and Mt. Hood Tour from Portland
Follow the path of an ancient riverbed, carved by the last ice age, past the Bridge of the Gods, and explore the Windsurfing Capital of the World. In the afternoon, traverse Oregon’s fertile fruit valley on the way to the alpine top of a volcano, which boasts a title as the world’s 2nd most summited…
Full Day Oregon Coast Tour from Portland
With over 300 miles (482 km) of public coastline, Oregon’s beaches are sure to amaze with their dramatic offshore rock formations and reborn beach towns. This tour will travel along one of the most picturesque driving routes in the country, U.S. HWY 101. Spend the day exploring breathtaking beaches, trekking along sandy shores, and viewing…
Mt. Hood Loop Tour including Multnomah Falls
Buckle up for an epic journey as you are whisked away from Portland to the spellbinding Mt. Hood. With passionate and well-informed guides leading the way, you’ll have plenty of chances to snap up some breathtaking shots of the majestic landscape and soak up the mesmerizing history of this iconic mountain. Enjoy a full day…
Portland City Tour & Gorge Waterfalls Combo
Ready for an adventure? Join the ultimate tour of Portland and the Columbia River Gorge. You'll see the must-see sights in Portland and then be whisked away to the stunning Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Discover the magic of the waterfalls, soak in breathtaking views, and dive into the history of the area’s top attractions….
Waterfalls, Mt Hood, and Wine Tour
Prepare for an adventure of epic proportions as passionate guides take you on a journey to the most stunning sights in the Gorge and Hood River Valley. Brace yourself for a spellbinding history lesson on this magical land while you whisk away to one of the most tantalizing wineries that showcase the mesmerizing Columbia River,…
Goodness the Comedy Show
Goodness is a show that brings the best stand-up comedy in Portland to the incredible Laurelhurst Club. Tickets are only $10, with even more affordable drinks. (21+)
Weird Portland Pub Tour
Experience the eccentricity of Portland, Oregon and visit one of its quirkiest neighborhoods on this walking pub tour. This tour is a must-do for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the fascinating history of the city, including stories of UFO sightings, Bigfoot sightings, exploding whales, wacky bike rides, strange locals, hijackings, hipsters, artists, and…
Showdown
The Hunger Games of Comedy. Six players enter the stage. Only one will survive. Curious Comedy Showdown pits Portland’s finest comedians against one another in competitive improv comedy cage matches that will make you laugh until you cry. Armed with only razor-sharp wit and your suggestions, the players must create fast-paced and hilarious scenes on the…
Qabaret Quesa
Join Fuse every First Friday at 10 p.m. for Qabaret Quesa — a monthly live musical drag cabaret featuring and hosted by the cheesy, breezy, bleutiful Quesa D’Mondays. Enjoy the Back Door Theatre’s newly renovated living room space as Quesa serenades and slays with 70-musical minutes of show tunes, parodies, comedy, and more. Sit back, enjoy…
Baroque Splendor With Handel & Bach
Courtly dances and buoyant melodies take center stage in two Baroque favorites: Handel's Water Music and Bach's Keyboard Concerto in A Major, featuring the "extravagantly gifted" (LA Times) Awadagin Pratt. Equally enchanting and energetic, Haydn's “Drumroll” Symphony brims with humor and wit, building to a riotous finale where fleet-footed tunes race across every corner of…
Homeshake
It’s the early 2000s. A music video plays on a nearby loop on the Much Music TV channel. A man stands in a room. The background is nothing, nonexistent, as if in a void. The camera rolls and does not stop. He is shirtless. Sparse guitars begin as the camera sways effortlessly through the abyss,…
Closet Cases
A Queer Comedy Storytelling Showcase. Comedians take the stage and share personal stories that don't fit into a classic tight fives. Come laugh, cry, cringe, and cheer with these funny and often heartwarming stories from within the LGBTQ+ community
Country Music Night
Every Sunday Portland's premier country music DJs, The Country Co-Op plays outlaw country and honky tonk music at The Sandy Hut. The bar is always packed with people dancing and singing.
It's Gonna Be Okay
It's Gonna Be Okay is a free WEEKLY stand-up comedy show EVERY Monday. The show showcases the best comedians in Portland, along with national acts. Every Monday at 8 pm in the Tap Room 21 and up only
Bard Bingo at Wonderwood Springs
Bard Bingo at Portland Artist Mike Bennett's Wonderwood Springs is a lively bingo event hosted by a traveling bard's musical musings. Held every Tuesday night, this event features four exciting rounds with cards priced at $5 each. It's cash-only, offering chances to win various prizes such as original artwork, stickers, gift cards, lawn signs,…
B-Movie Bingo
Every first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 pm, Hollywood Theater plays B-Movie Bingo, a game that is exactly like it sounds. Or more. It’s simple. They play bingo to the most awesome movie cliches ever committed to celluloid, like “long boring scene or male ponytail," "teamed up with rookie or animal," and "white suit…
Head Games Trivia Night
Live multi-media trivia every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Free to play. Win prizes. Teams of up to 6. Please arrive early for best seats. General knowledge trivia combines movie clips, sound effects, pictures and popular music to give players a one of a kind 2-hour experience. The pace is relaxed so there is plenty of…
Drag Bingo
Get your ass to The Houston Blacklight for DRAG BINGO hosted by the one + only Peachy Springs every first Wednesday of the month. Play your favorite geriatric game-gone-glamorous with the queen of bingo for a chance to win prizes. Get there early cause they've got drink specials, and your girl’s got a following.
Bangerz Comedy
Portland comics Bjorn RG and Eliza Butler host this weekly show at Neighbors Taproom with curated lineups of local and nationally touring comedians. 21+
Dusty Slay
Slay has close to half a million Tik Tok followers, Four Late Night appearances, a Comedy Central set and a Netflix Half Hour Special under his belt. He enjoys selling out comedy clubs across America on weekends, then chills out at home in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Hannah and daughter Daisy. He’s even a…
Second Saturdays at The Erin Hanson Gallery
You are invited to a unique and lovely afternoon at The Erin Hanson Gallery. Celebrate the advent of spring with vibrant art, delicious wine, and local cheeses. Enjoy Erin Hanson's impressionist paintings while sipping delicious wine. Bring friends and family to see Erin’s artwork in person. 4/13 Winetasting by Chris James Cellars featuring merlot, sparkling rosé,…
Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard is an artist with a unique gift of channeling the spirits of classic R&B, rock, and soul into contemporary terms. His father, Louisiana Hall of Fame guitarist Ted Broussard of “The Boogie Kings,” nurtured his musical gifts at an early age, and the vibrant Lafayette, Louisiana music scene allowed Broussard to practice his…
Burly-Q AF
Fuse Theatre Ensemble and Baby B Stiletto proudly announce ‘Burly-Q AF,’ a monthly burlesque celebration of diversity. Enjoy burlesque on the second Saturday of every month.
Melodies of the Animal Kingdom
Explore the vast and fascinating animal kingdom with your Oregon Symphony. Join a toe-tapping, tail-wagging experience and explore the enchanting world of animals through music. Featuring Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate’s Spirit Chief Names the Animal People, Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee, selections from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, and more, this interactive concert will be a roaringly good…
Itzhak Perlman
“A recital by Itzhak Perlman is inevitably a journey into perfection: virtuosity of the highest order, the sweetest tone imaginable, impeccable intonation, mature musicianship, and a pleasant stage persona to boot.” (Palm Beach ArtsPaper) Enjoy a solo violin recital by the legendary Itzhak Perlman accompanied by pianist, Rohan De Silva. Artists Itzhak Perlman, Violin …
Koyaanisqatsi: Live with the Philip Glass Ensemble
Watch Godfrey Reggio’s groundbreaking film Koyaanisqatsi on the big screen while the Phillip Glass Ensemble and Oregon Symphony perform Phillip Glass’ mesmerizing score live. Widely considered to be one of the most influential fusions of music and film in the last century, this hypnotic exploration of nature, urbanization, and an out-of-balance world promises to captivate…
Frozen in Concert
Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature, Disney’s Frozen follows fearless optimist Anna on an epic journey to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Watch as Elsa and her hilarious snowman companion, Olaf, battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. Experience this…
Los Temerarios
Los Temerarios' bubblegum ranchera was the romantic soundtrack to millions of Mexican and Mexican-American youths' lives during the '90s. Using traditional rock percussion, they created a contemporary sound whose appeal frequently took them to the top tier of the Latin and Mexican Regional Music charts, in addition to placing a whopping 16 titles in the…
Drag Brunch at The Pharmacy
Join hostess Devlin Lynn Phoenixx and her cast of talented queens for a Sunday brunch experience you won’t soon forget. Your ticket includes admission to the show, your meal, AND your first mimosa. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available. So grab your friends and get down to The Pharmacy for a spectacularly fun time.
Magic Tea Party
In this live Dungeons & Dragons show, comedians and performers take to the stage to play some theatre games, share some jokes, and play some D&D.
La Femme
La Femme is an enigma, a mystery. Since 2010, La Femme has toured all over the world, singing mainly in French. With retro-futuristic sounds, the group has toured the United States, South America, Europe and Asia. Their records are journeys, each song has its own importance, and their shows are feasts. They have released five albums,…
Shostakovich 5: Heroism and Hope
Written as Stalin's Great Terror campaign made music a matter of life and death for Soviet composers, Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony is a searing search for hope in a time of darkness and oppression. Fear and vulnerability also hover over Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, its hushed laments and demonic dissonances mirroring the composer's anguish upon his…
Winter in Portland
The colder months bring some of the city's most beloved annual events and festivals.
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.
Portland Winter Light Festival
Brighten your February with glowing sculptures and thousands of twinkling lights at Portland’s annual Winter Lights Festival.
Winter Hikes in and Near Portland
Oregon is the perfect place for outdoor adventure, any time of year — explore our selection of all-weather paths and hikes in and near Portland.