Christmas is coming and there are lots of great Holiday activities to bring the family to in and around Portland. Here is a sampling of events. Take a look at our events calendar, for more great ideas of things to do with the family.

Things to Do

Nov. 13-15, 17-20, 21-22, 24-25, 27-29, Dec. 1-6, 8-23: 5 pm
Nov. 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25 and 29 and Dec. 1- 3, 6, 8-10: 8 pm
Polar Express
Train ride to the North Pole with Santa and reading of the Polar Express. PJ’s encouraged.
$26 adults, $18 ages 2 and up.
Mt. Hood Rail Road
110 Railroad Ave
Hood River
800-872-4661

Looking for something special, a unique gift, or holiday decorations? There are lots of Holiday sales in Portland and the surrounding area, where you can get a one of a kind piece of artwork or craft that is sure to be a gift to remember.

Nov 10-Nov 13, 9 am – 8 pm & Nov 14 9 am – 5 pm
Country Christmas Bazaar – 36th Annual
Great Christmas gifts and decorations at this bazaar in the main pavilion of the fairgrounds.
Free admission and Parking.
Clackamas County Fairgrounds
694 NE 4th Avenue, Canby
503-266-1136

http://www.aharegioniv.com/
June 14-20, 2009

The Arabian Horse Association Region 4 Show is an annual event held in Salem, OR at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. The event is focussed primarily on the competitor; however, horse crazy children will enjoy seeing the beautiful horses and watching them perform. The horses are gorgeous and impeccably groomed. Thursday, June 18, at 5:30 was a hula-hoop contest and barbecue. Saturday, June 20, at 11:00, children took part in stick horse construction followed by a stick horse competition where young children competed on their own stick horse. The leadline class also took place Saturday and every child who participated was rewarded a ribbon. For the competitive rider, the show offers classes for youth riders as well as adults. For kids wanting to get into horses, the show is a good introduction to the Arabian Horse breed and an opportunity to get to know trainers and breeders in the area.

www.oakspark.com
May 25, 2009

Over Memorial Day weekend, Oaks Park held the 103rd annual Multnomah County Fair. Offering free parking, free admission and a free petting zoo made the fair too good a deal to pass up on, so we headed out to the fair Monday afternoon to see what was there.

Finding quality entertainment and amusement in Portland is not a challenging task. After all, the city lends itself to curious travelers interested in experiencing things their individual hometowns can’t offer.

Thus, when travelers are searching for the best activities in Portland, they may find themselves overwhelmed with the incredibly large list of choices. There are family-focused choices and opportunities for single travelers as well. From day to night, there is always something fun and entertaining to do in the great city of Portland.

Day Entertainment and Amusement in Portland

April 24, 2009
www.portland.jbfsale.com

Friday night, we headed over to the Just Between Friends (JBF) Consignment Sale hoping to find a great deal on a stroller for the little one I am expecting in September. The sale was free, but since it was at the Expo center, we did have to pay $7 for parking. Any time you are going to the Expo center, the more people you put in your car, the less you’ll have to pay for parking for each one. Plus for carpools of 3 or more, the Expo center charges $6, so you save an extra $1.

Wilsonville Celebration Days’ Fun in the Park
www.funinthepark.com

August 6, 2011, 10 am – 5 pm
Wilsonville’s Town Center Park
29250 SW Parkway Court, Wilsonville, OR

Fun in the Park is a community get-together with lots of great entertainment for families.

Entertainment this year includes arts and crafts, airbrush tattoos, balloons, a bike raffle, bubbles, caricatures, carnival games, face painting, a football toss, inflatables, model trains, an obstacle course,  putt putt gold, and a rock wall. See Bullwinkle, dancing, exotic birds, reptiles and amphibians, a martial arts demonstration, Radio Disney, and Ronald McDonald.

www.petfairs.com
April 18, 2009

Saturday morning we gathered up two our canine children, Jake and Clyde, and headed off for the Expo Center to go to the Northwest Pet and Companion Fair.

The first thing to remember when you go to the Expo Center is that the facility charges for parking and there aren’t any good places to park nearby for free. If you want to avoid parking charges, take Tri-Met (not an option with two large dogs). Otherwise the Expo Center offers a discount for carpools of three or more (unfortunately they do not count dogs in that number), so gather a crowd to save money on parking.