We’re easing into the holiday season this week with several fun events that will get your warmed up for festive fun. And we didn’t forget Thanksgiving either. Burn a few calories and enjoy the lights at the annual Hood to Coast Turkey Trot next Wednesday.
Holiday Gem Faire
Holiday gifts just got a whole lot more sparkly. At this gem and jewelry show you can shop directly from importers and wholesalers who offer a variety of crystals, gems, beads, minerals, and fashion accessories from around the world. There is also jewelry repair vendors, and cleaning and ring sizing available. The Portland Bed Society offers displays and demonstrations all weekend.
Noon-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21-23., Westside Commons, 801 N.E. 34th Ave., Hillsboro; $7 general, ages 12 and younger free; gemfaire.com/event/hillsboro.
Oregon ZooLights
Has it been YEARS since you walked around the Oregon Zoo at night looking at the light displays? Even if you went last year, this season offers a few new highlights that will make it worth the trip.
- New panels in the central plaza will highlight the zoo’s conservation efforts on behalf of species such as California condors, northwestern pond turtles and Oregon silverspot butterflies.
- 30 more luminous creatures are joining the regular cast of glowing wildlife and lanterns along the train route, including flamingos, beavers, bears and elephants.
- This year’s ZooLights is offering its first 21+ night where grown-ups get to take in the holiday magic without kids around. Date is Saturday, Jan. 3.
Timed-entry tickets must be purchased in advance. 4:30-8:30 p.m. nightly, with exceptions Nov. 21-Jan. 4, Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road; $13-$35 based on date and time; oregonzoo.org/lights
Silverton Christmas Market
This enchanting holiday extravaganza features 1.5 million lights that now reside on the grounds of the Oregon Garden Resort. This change offers a longer and more intimate one-way walking path, that eases the flow of traffic and winds through varied landscaping. Visitors can also visit a Biergarten and snowless Tubing Hill, and local artisan vendors including a few that sell German-imported goods including nutcrackers. Santa will be visiting at various times too. Market closed Nov. 24-25, 27 and Dec. 1-2, 8-9, 24-25.
Hours: 5–9 p.m. nightly (with some exceptions) beginning Friday, Nov. 21 through Dec. 31, with timed entry slots available every 30 minutes., Oregon Garden, 895 W. Main St., Silverton; admission $8-$23; silvertonchristmasmarket.com/tickets.
Hillsboro Holly Days
Hillsboro gets a jump on the holiday tree lighting bandwagon by plugging the city’s tree in this Saturday. This cherished tradition brings thousands of locals together each year for an afternoon of lights, music, shopping, and seasonal cheer, culminating in the tree lighting at 6 p.m. Prior to the main event, shop the Winter Artisan Fair, watch live performances, visit with Santa, play some children’s games, and take part in food and drink vendors.
2-7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, Civic Plaza, downtown Hillsboro, 150 E. Main St.; free; downtownhillsboro.org/holly-days-celebration.
“Swan Lake”
The Grand Kyiv Ballet returns to Portland for the story of a prince who falls in love with a beautiful swan princess, Odette, who is under a spell of a sorcerer. Expect stunning choreography, intricate set design, and Tchaikovsky’s captivating music in this ballet classic. The cast includes dancers from Ukraine, Italy, Spain, the USA, and Japan.
7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway; tickets start at $40; portland5.com/newmark-theatre/events.
Fleetmac Wood presents Chiffon Dreams
This isn’t a tribute band show; it’s a DJ and AV party that reworks the classic Fleetwood Mac songs nudging them into the genre of electronica. Expect an infusion of synth-pop, techno, drum and bass beats as you go your own way on the dance floor. 21 and older only.
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, Holocene, 1001 S.E. Morrison St.; $35; holocene.org/event/fleetmac-wood.
Many Voices 2025: Portland Dance Showcase
Portland Dance Collective offers a two-night event highlighting the talent and creativity of Portland’s dance artists. Choreographers, who created works especially for this show, include Annabel Kaplan, Jessica Post, RoseLynn Dance, Sadie Leigh, and Susi Mendler.
7 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22-23,Echo Theater, 1515 S.E. 37th Ave.; $25; portlanddancecollective.com/event-list.
“Carmina Burana”
Jun Märkl conducts Portland State University choirs and the Pacific Youth Chorus in this Oregon Symphony concert that celebrates nature and the pleasures of love. The concert also includes Debussy’s “Danse” and Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks.”
7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22-23, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 S.W. Broadway; tickets start at $35; portland5.com/arlene-schnitzer-concert-hall.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Christmas music has never been the same since TSO began taking holiday classics and turning them up to 11. This year’s winter tour offers “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” a show featuring TSO “best-ofs” as well as a 25th anniversary salute to Beethoven’s “Last Night.” These shows always include pyros, lasers, and powerful storytelling.
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, Moda Center, One Center Court; tickets start at $55; rosequarter.com/calendar-events.
H2C Turkey Trot
Be the first to see the Winter Wonderland lighting display at PIR and get in some exercise before Thanksgiving at this family fun run that’s been going strong since 2015. The folks from Hood to Coast host this annual event and have opened another heat this year to allow for more runners. Last year’s event sold out with more than 3,500 runners. Sign up for one of two family 5K waves, one competitive 5K wave, or one of two Kids Fun Run waves. Kids run free!
Start times varied from 5-7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, PIR, 1940 N. Victory Blvd; registration $65; hoodtocoast.com/rs/turkey-trot.
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