Brighten the season with Oregon’s top lighting displays: Holiday Events Guide 2023

Amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays, sometimes a break to just wander (or drive) among festive lighting displays is just what the elves ordered. We’ve gathered a list of state-wide displays, some of which have been burning bright for more than 100 years (Peacock Lane celebrated 100 years this summer). Gather up the kids and check out your favorites or try one that’s new-to-you.

Magic of Lights (Salem)

Nov. 17-Dec. 31

New this year in Salem is the “Fox 12 Magic of Lights” display at the Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center. This drive-through attraction features lighting displays and animation made from millions of individual LED lights. Stay warm inside your car as you drive through classic holiday favorites including Winter Wonderland, the 12 Days of Christmas, Toyland, festive Elves, and Reindeer Road.

Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday through Dec. 31, State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St N.E., Salem; tickets are per vehicle and prices vary by night starting at $30 (early purchase discount pricing available); tickets.magicoflights.com.

Silverton Christmas Market

Nov. 17-Dec. 31

This enchanting holiday extravaganza features more than a million lights, new event layout with larger and brighter displays than in years past, and 15 vendors including a few that sell German-imported goods including nutcrackers. There’s also snow-less tubing (extra fee). Santa will be visiting at various times too. Market closed Nov. 22-23, Dec. 24-25.

Various times daily Nov. 17-Dec. 31, Oregon Garden, 895 W. Main St., Silverton; admission $8-$20; silvertonchristmasmarket.com/tickets.

Zoolights

Nov. 19, 2023-Jan. 7, 2024 (closed various dates and on Christmas Day)

Zoolights, the hugely popular light display at the Oregon Zoo, is back this year with more than 1.5 million little twinkling lights. Enjoy the festive displays on the traditional walking tour. There will be no drive-through nights this year. New this year, the zoo has scheduled a special sensory-friendly Zoo Lights on Nov. 20. The event will feature the same stunning light displays, but the music will be softer and flashing lights will be adjusted. Calming rooms also will be available to accommodate those who need to take breaks.

Timed-entry tickets must be purchased in advance, Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road; $12-$26 based on date and time; oregonzoo.org/lights

Umpqua Valley Festival of Lights

Nov. 20-Jan. 1

This annual tradition in southern Oregon features animated characters from Disney’s “Frozen,” as well holiday music playing on your car’s radio. More than 90 animated displays will light up your winter nights. The website says it takes about an hour to drive through the displays.

Open 5:30 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1, River Forks Park, 380 River Forks Rd, Roseburg; $10 per vehicle; uvfestivaloflights.com.

PIR Winter Wonderland

Nov. 24-Dec. 31

The drive-through light display at the Portland International Raceway, which claims to be the largest holiday light display in the Pacific Northwest, is back with another drive-through event for 2023. Stay dry and warm inside your own vehicle as you view more than 250 colorful light set pieces and many fully animated scenes along the racetrack. This year there will be more car-free nights: Lights & Leashes on Monday, Nov. 27, and Wednesday, Nov. 29, and Bike the Lights Night, Tuesday, Nov. 28. Admission varies on these special nights, see the website for details. All proceeds from the event will benefit Sunshine Division’s year-round hunger relief efforts that provide thousands of free, nutritious meals to Portland families in need.

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 4:30-11 p.m. Fridays-Sundays, Nov. 24-Dec. 31, Portland International Raceway, 1940 N. Victory Blvd.; general single vehicle admission varies depending on date, and starts at $37; winterwonderlandportland.com/general-info.

Grotto’s Christmas Festival of Lights

Nov. 24-Dec. 30 (closed Christmas Day)

The Grotto’s Festival of Lights is a popular combination of Christmas lighting displays, festive decorations, outdoor caroling, puppet shows, and an assortment of musical guests during nightly choral concerts (see website for schedule).

Festival hours are generally 5-9:30 p.m. nightly, closed Christmas day, entrance at Northeast 85th Avenue at Sandy Boulevard; admission value nights $5-$12; $6-$14 standard nights; no cash sales at the gate; thegrotto.org/christmas-festival-of-lights.

Holiday Lights at Shore Acres State Park

Nov. 23-Dec. 31

The Holiday Light show features thousands of lights and displays in the formal garden along Oregon’s south coast. Timed entry tickets are required in advance.

4:30-9 p.m. nightly through Dec. 31, at Cape Arago Highway, 13 miles southwest of Coos Bay/North Bend; $5 parking fee required. Info on how to reserve times/dates available at this link: stateparks.oregon.gov.

Pastega Christmas Light Display (Corvallis)

Nov. 24-Dec 31

It would hardly be Christmas in Corvallis without driving through the county fairgrounds light display. With bright lights and whimsical characters from Santa Claus to Supergirl, the monthlong event has been a community tradition since 1981. The refurbished display now includes some 200 characters. And donations go to benefit five area nonprofits that share in the 7,000-8,000 pounds of nonperishable food donations.

5-10 p.m. daily through Dec. 31, at Benton County Events Center, 110 S.W. 53rd St. Corvallis; pastegachristmasdisplay.com.

Oregon Coast Aquarium ‘Sea of Lights’ (Newport)

Weekends only Dec. 1-30

Sea of Lights will be open weekends only this December with a different attraction each weekend. Folks can get photos with Santa, visit with elves, and meet reindeer during the first weekend of Sea of Lights! Visitors on the second weekend can get in for $5 with a food donation (see website for details). The remaining weekends feature live music performances, face painting, Santa visits and more.

Event hours 5-8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Dec. 1-30, Oregon Coast Aquarium, 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Road, Newport; admission $10 at door; aquarium.org/sea-of-lights.

Christmas Ships

Dec. 1-17

A metro area favorite, the Christmas Ships celebrate their 69th season in 2023 with boats decked out with holiday lights. Grab a spot along the Willamette or the Columbia rivers to watch as the boats pass by. Spectators can get an excellent view of the lights from riverside locations in Portland, Milwaukie, St. Helens, Vancouver, Camas and Lake Oswego. Some restaurants book out early on Christmas Ship nights. Get your reservations in soon.

Times, dates and locations vary some nights both fleets will join to do a larger parade on each river. See the schedule online at christmasships.org; free

Peacock Lane

Dec. 15-31

Peacock Lane will be open for the 2023 holiday lights and the residents are currently untangling a million lights and getting ready for what has been one of Portland’s “must-do” holiday traditions for 100 years. Car-free nights (walkers only) are December 15-17.

6-11 p.m. nightly Dec. 15-31, Peacock Lane, along Southeast Peacock Lane north of Belmont Street; free; peacocklane.org

- If you have events you’d like to see highlighted at OregonLive.com or in the weekly printed A&E section of The Oregonian, please email submissions to events@oregonian.com at least three weeks prior to the start of your event. Digital images or links to videos are helpful.

— Rosemarie Stein

503-221-4376, events@oregonian.com; @trafficportland

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