The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is Portland's quietest stretch of the year, and also one of its best for showing off what this side of the city has to offer. Every event below is confirmed for December 26, 2026 through January 1, 2027, and nearly all of it sits within an easy drive of 1111 SW Coronado St. If you are thinking about a move before the new year, this is the week to tour the house and sample the neighborhood at its most festive.
Jan 3
ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo
Nightly from Saturday, December 26 through Sunday, January 3 | 4001 SW Canyon Rd
Portland's glow-in-the-dark holiday tradition lights the zoo's pathways with illuminated animal lanterns, groves of color, and seasonal treats. The zoo is closed December 25, so the holiday-week run starts December 26, with January 1 and 2 reserved as 21-and-over evenings and January 3 as the final all-ages night. Adults run about $13 to $35 and youth $13 to $30 depending on admission and add-ons. Timed tickets and the full schedule are on the Portland events calendar with ZooLights dates.
31
Oregon Symphony: New Year's Eve with Beethoven's Ninth
7:30 PM, Wednesday, December 30 and Thursday, December 31 | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway
The Oregon Symphony's annual Ode to Joy tradition pairs Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with a festive New Year's Eve program, a downtown classic for nearly three decades. Ticket prices start around $35 and the December 31 performance traditionally includes a holiday crowd in full spirit. Details and seating are on the Oregon Symphony calendar.
New Year's Eve Downtown: Free TriMet Rides, the Crystal Ballroom & the Art Museum
Thursday, December 31, 2026 | Downtown Portland
TriMet makes it easy (and free) to ring in the new year responsibly: MAX, buses, and the Portland Streetcar are free after 8:00 PM on New Year's Eve, per TriMet. Downtown, McMenamins' Crystal Ballroom hosts its two-floor 2000s-themed Y2K Ball, the Portland Spirit runs its New Year's Eve party cruise from Salmon Springs Dock, and the Portland Art Museum stays open 10 AM to 5 PM with The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art, 147 works by around 100 artists, on view through January 3. The full rundown of confirmed NYE options is on PDX Pipeline's New Year's guide.
First Day Hikes: A Free Start to 2027
Friday, January 1, 2027 | Oregon State Parks statewide
America's State Parks First Day Hikes return on January 1 with free, guided hikes at state parks across Oregon, roughly three dozen hikes at parks around the state. Tryon Creek State Natural Area, directly across the street from 1111 SW Coronado St, is an Oregon state natural area with a full trail network from the nature center, and park staff publish the holiday-week hike lineup on the Oregon State Parks Tryon Creek page. Start the year with mossy trails and a forest that needs no resolution to enjoy.
New Year's Day Pajama Brunch at Mother's Bistro
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Friday, January 1 | 212 SW Broadway
Mother's Bistro marks its 25th anniversary year with the New Year's Day Pajama Brunch downtown, a downtown Portland favorite for easing back into the year in comfortable clothes. Menus and reservation details are on the Downtown Portland holiday guide.
Dec 31
The Season's Final Nights: Winter Wonderland, The Grotto & Christmas Ships
Late December | Portland
The big holiday attractions all run into the final week of the year. Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway drives through its last night on December 31, with 100 percent of proceeds feeding local families via the Winter Wonderland site. The Grotto's Christmas Festival of Lights closes December 30 after a quarter-mile walk through millions of lights. And the Christmas Ships wrap their season on December 20, so the last chances to catch the illuminated fleet on the Willamette fall in the final evenings before Christmas. Full details are in our early-December guide.
Plan the Week Around the House
One of the quiet advantages of this stretch of SW Portland is how much of the holiday week lands close to home. ZooLights is about 15 minutes up Terwilliger, downtown is a direct shot down I-5, and Tryon Creek's trails are across the street. Winter Wonderland and The Grotto run through the week for families, while the symphony and the museum give grown-ups their own evenings out.
A Home Built for Holiday Guests
For buyers weighing a move before the holidays are over, the week after Christmas is the most honest test of a home there is: guests arrive, cooking happens, and everyone needs a warm corner. At 1111 SW Coronado St, the remodeled kitchen holds the open-concept flow, the gas fireplace anchors the main-level living area, and the daylight walkout basement with its own entry makes a natural guest suite for visiting family over the new year. If you would like to see the house dressed for the season, contact Danielle Bade to schedule a private tour. For what comes after the holidays, our winter events guide covers January through March.
Danielle Bade
Principal Real Estate Broker, Bade Real Estate