101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun around Portland, OR - 2025
Portland's big list of 2025 holiday events: Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve.
The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for Portland, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
Below are even more holiday events that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions ;about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
Celebrating 20 Years! Cinnamon Bear Cruises Return for the Holidays.
Embark on a magical holiday adventure aboard the Portland Spirit the whole family will cherish! This beloved holiday event is for kids, parents, and grandparents alike! The whole family will enjoy reserved seating and a plated breakfast while whimsical characters entertain the kids with storytelling, music and magic. Tickets include a printed souvenir photo with Cinnamon Bear atop his magical throne, and much more. Cinnamon Bear has been a cherished holiday tradition for generations — see Cinnamon Bear's history.
Tickets start at $70 for adults or $50 for children 12 and younger. LEARN MORE
2025 Holiday Events for the Portland Area
Santa Sightings
Old-Time Christmas
| Multiple dates starting Nov 21, 2025 | Silverton Christmas Market 2025 |
| Nov 28 & 29, 2025 | European Bazaar at the Goat Blocks |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 29, 2025 | Christmas at the Museum 2025 - Gresham Historical Society |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Portland Lucia Fest - New Sweden Cultural Heritage Society |
Light Displays
| Nov 17, 2025 | ZooLights Sensory Friendly Night - Oregon Zoo |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 21, 2025 | ZooLights 2025 - Oregon Zoo |
| Nov 22, 2025 | Hillsboro Holly Days Celebration |
| Nov 28, 2025 | 61st Annual Tree Lighting Festival - Lake Oswego |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 | Winter Wonderland Portland 2025 |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2025 | Christmas Lights on 96th Street |
| Dec 4, 2025 | Lighted Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting - City of Washougal |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Annual Holiday Tree Lighting - City of Gladstone |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Umbrella Parade & Tree Lighting - City of Milwaukie |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Troutdale Tree Lighting - Mayor's Square City Park |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 9, 2025 | Lightopia: An Illuminated Journey - Gordon Faber Recreation Complex |
Living Nativities
| Multiple dates starting Nov 29, 2025 | Nativity Lights - Neighborhood Church On Stafford Road |
| Dec 13 & 14, 2025 | Christmas on the Campground |
Holiday Theatre
| Multiple dates starting Nov 7, 2025 | Miracle on 34th Street - Lakewood Center for the Arts |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 26, 2025 | Christmas in Door County - Broadway Rose Theatre Company |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Santa Sing-Along at Broadway Rose - Broadway Rose Theatre Company |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 5, 2025 | George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 13, 2025 | A Nutcracker Tea - Northwest Dance Theatre |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 10, 2025 | Merry-achi Christmas with Mariachi Sol de México® de José Hernández |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Michael Allen Harrison's Christmas at The Reser |
| Nov 29 & 30, 2025 | Cirque Nutcracker |
| Dec 4, 2025 | The Reser Presents: Irish Christmas in America |
| Dec 5, 2025 | Kalani Pe'a's Hawaiian Christmas - Patricia Reser Center for the Arts |
| Dec 6 & 7, 2025 | Gospel Christmas - Oregon Symphony |
| Dec 12 - 14, 2025 | Handel's Messiah - Portland Baroque Orchestra |
| Dec 13 & 14, 2025 | Oregon International Ballet Academy presents The Nutcracker |
| Dec 13 & 14, 2025 | Holiday Pops - Oregon Symphony |
| Dec 19, 2025 | The Reser presents Mark O'Connor's An Appalachian Christmas feat. Maggie O'Connor |
| Dec 20, 2025 | The Reser presents Portland Cello Project Holiday Show |
| Dec 20 & 21, 2025 | Elf in Concert - Oregon Symphony |
| Dec 26, 2025 | Concert-at-Christmas: A Popcorn Solstice - Portland Youth Philharmonic |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Multiple dates starting Nov 21, 2025 | Christmas Trees - Frog Pond Farm |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 22, 2025 | Christmas Tree Season - Plumper Pumpkin Patch & Tree Farm |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 22, 2025 | Christmas Tree Season 2025 - Washougal River Christmas Trees |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 | 2025 Season at Thorntons' Treeland |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 | Christmas Tree Weekends - Helvetia Christmas Tree Farm |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 | Christmas Season - Furrow Farms |
| Lee Farms Christmas Tree Season 2025 |
Ice Skating
| Lloyd Center Ice Rink | |
| Mountain View Ice Arena | |
| Winterhawks Skating Center |
Kwanzaa
| Dec 13, 2025 | 2025 Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration and Karamu |
| Dec 27, 2024 | Joyous Kwanzaa Celebration - Tualatin Hills Athletic Center |
Hanukkah
| Nov 16, 2025 | CKA Hanukkah Bazaar - Congregation Kol Ami |
| Dec 5, 2025 | Hannukah Craft Fair - Leikam Brewing Company |
| Dec 7, 2025 | OJMCHE Hanukkah Crafternoon and Storytime 2025 |
| Dec 14, 2025 | Chanukah Day of Service |
| Dec 18, 2025 | Latkes and Schmooze - Mittleman Jewish Community Center |
| Dec 21, 2025 | CNS Community Chanukah Party |
| Dec 26, 2024 | Vancouver Community Menorah Lighting - Esther Short Park |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
New Year's Eve
| Dec 31, 2025 | The Reser presents Kid's New Year's Eve |
| Dec 31, 2025 | "Noon" Year's Eve - Gilbert House Children's Museum |
| Dec 31, 2025 | New Years at Noon - Mittleman Jewish Community Center |
Miscellaneous
Christmas Tree Farms
Do you cut your own Christmas tree? Here's our big list of farms where you can cut your own Christmas tree in the Portland area.
Subscription Boxes: Gifts That Keep on Giving
Send thoughtful choices to the ones you love near and far, and plan some excellent expected surprises for your own family in the months to come. KidsOutAndAbout has put together of some of our favorite choices with a range for all different ages and interests.
