The holidays certainly help soften the blow of wintertime, but even once they pass, there is a certain determination in the Pacific Northwest to defy the short daylight hours and bone-chilling cold by getting out of the house and having some fun. Across the region, you’ll find seasonal celebrations, from the family-friendly outdoor exploration at the Silver Falls Winter Festival to the jubilant Christmastown and Winter Karneval in Leavenworth.
But they say the lights shine a bit brighter in the big cities, so get out your calendars, here are some to check out in Seattle and Portland.
WildLanterns is a spectacle for the entire family. Photo courtesy of Woodland Park Zoo
The last month takes on a particularly wild flair at Woodland Park Zoo WildLanterns (Nov. 14–Jan. 18) and the Oregon Zoo’s ZooLights (Nov. 21-Jan. 4). Each offers the chance to visit the zoo after dark (most animals will be sleeping) to walk immersive and illuminated installations, from a towering moose to swinging gibbon. The Seattle Center Winterfest brings all kinds of winter magic to one place, including a Christmas market and World Bazaar, a massive model train set, ice sculpting, and movie nights. And to ring in the new year, Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square will host two drone displays — one at 9 p.m. and another at midnight — while the Space Needle will employ drones and good old fashioned pyrotechnics. Book a stay at the nearby MarQueen Hotel to be close to the action.
With a sway and a jab of the conductor’s baton, Seattle Chamber Music Winter Festival (Jan. 23-Feb. 1) brings a melodious energy to the early days of 2026, as 31 world-renowned classical musicians will take to the stage to perform the big names: Beethoven, Bach, and more. The tunes have a tad more twang to them at the Portland Old-Time Music Gathering (Jan. 15-18), a weekend of concerts, square dances, workshops, informal jamming, and kids programming that showcases some of the best local stringband musicians.
Lunar New Year brings vibrant colors to this typically dreary month, and you can help ring in the year of the horse in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (date TBD) or bring the family to Seattle Art Museum (Feb. 21) for a day of live lion dances, exploring the galleries, hands-on creative activities, and immersive storytime. Portland Winter Light Festival (Feb. 6-14) is a citywide activation with hundreds of art installations that come to life when the sun goes down. Zwickelmania is a great opportunity to raise a glass and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Rose City’s breweries, and ValenTango (Feb. 12-16) gets the blood pumping with dance classes for all levels and milonga parties. Finally, it’s time to look forward to spring at Seattle’s Northwest Flower & Garden Festival, where green thumbs can find inspiration from 20 display gardens and more than 115 workshops and seminars.
Header photo courtesy of the Portland Holiday Brew Fest, Dec. 5-6