Holiday hours may vary and venues may have health guidelines in place—we advise directly checking event websites before heading out.

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Jump to: Dec 22 | Dec 23 | Dec 24 | Dec 28 | Dec 30 | Multi-Day

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22

COMEDY

Milan Patel and Enemies: Yuletide Smackdown
Past Event Like List A sleighful of local and LA-based comics will deliver their holiday gifts in the form of comedy at this raucous performance. Stand-up experts Shain Brenden, Simon Gibson, and Arlo Weierhauser will offer up Santa-approved laughs alongside "famous voice actor" Milan Patel.
(Funhouse Lounge, Hosford-Abernethy, $10-$15)

Robby Hoffman
Past Event Like List Ex-Hasidic queer Jewish stand-up and Chris Gethard Show writer Robby Hoffman is a comic to keep your eye on—the festival favorite was named one of Vulture's Top Comedians to Watch in 2020. We hope she'll share more about her love of dried apricots and hatred of ravines during this set.
(Mississippi Studios, Boise, $15)

FILM

Holy Spider
Past Event Like List Based on the true story of serial killer Saeed Hanaei, this thriller by lauded writer-director Ali Abbasi follows a female journalist who arrives in the Iranian holy city of Mashhad in search of an elusive murderer targeting sex workers. 
(Cinema 21, Nob Hill, $8-$11)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23

COMEDY

Butter: The Comedy Show
Past Event Like List The silliness continues! This edition of Butter, a recurring comedy show that brings open-minded laughs to Funhouse Lounge all year long, features Seth Allen, Toni Nagy, Brent Lowrey, and Milan Patel. Brett "Breadstick" Sisun will turn up for some groovy tunes, too.
(Funhouse Lounge, Hosford-Abernethy, $5)

GORP: So You Think You Can 'Prov
Past Event Like List Host Samantha Graveheart returns with this improv showcase, which riffs off a certain famous dancing competition to spotlight Portland's best comedy vets and up-and-comers. For the event, Comedy Really Cares will raise funds for food security nonprofit Milk Crate Kitchen and collect toy donations for Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Attendees can also enter a raffle for their chance to win tickets to upcoming comedy shows, theater tickets, and more.
(Honey Latte Cafe, Buckman, $15 suggested donation)

Secret Aardvark
Past Event Like List Thirty of Portland's best improvisers will gather again for this who's who of Rose City comedy. Named after the organizers' favorite local hot sauce, each Secret Aardvark event features an extra-special mystery guest (past guests have run the gamut from David Lynch to random high school theater students). This holiday edition of the show will raise funds for Milk Crate Kitchen and collect toy donations for Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
(Honey Latte Cafe, Buckman, $10 suggested donation)

LIVE MUSIC

Art Rock Before Xmas - An Evening with Fox Medicine & Friends Past Event Like List
Dance out your nervous excitement for Santa's arrival with a lively art rock showcase starring "bubblegum doom" duo Fox Medicine, who will play brand-new material from their forthcoming EP. They'll be joined by fellow doom outfit Dog Lord and experimental soloist It&i.
(The Midnight PDX + The Sïx, Sunnyside, $10)

The Soul 2 Soul Holiday Showcase: Urban Soul Alliance with Bridge City Soul, Onyx Sol, and DJ Doc Rock and More
Past Event Like List Some of the greatest holiday tunes came from the R&B genre (queue up Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas" or Otis Redding's "White Christmas"). So, add some new tunes to your Christmas playlist with this free soul music jam featuring new and old school holiday hits performed by a rotating cast of local musicians.
(Alberta Abbey, King, Free)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Afro Beats Presents: 2nd Annual Reunion, XMAS Edition!
Past Event Like List Move and groove the night away to a mix of African rhythms and global club sounds at this festive Christmas bash featuring DJs Margot, Myrie, X-Man, Smokie Dan, and Swaggap.
(Stage 722, Buckman, $15)

SNAP! – Ugly Xmas Sweater Party Past Event Like List
Resident DJs Colin Jones and Introcut will spin some of your favorite holiday-centric pop favorites while you reenact the iconic "Jingle Bell Rock" dance routine from Mean Girls at thismerry ol' '90s and '00s throwback bash. Don your gay apparel for this one.
(Holocene, Buckman, $10)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

7th Night Spin: A Queer All-Gender Chanukah Dance Party Past Event Like List
Dance the night away at this queer-centered Hanukkah party as DJs HaFemme and BaButchka set the mood. Rabbi Ariel Stone will lead a candle lighting and regale guests with her reading of The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket, followed by a "dancing/teaching" of the Hanukkah story by Caryn Shebowich and Wendy Abram. As if that's not enough, the night will also include Chinese dumplings, beer, wine, and a signature Hanukkah vodka cocktail.
(Eastside Jewish Commons, Kerns, free)

THE ANTI-CHRISTmas Party and Orphan Gathering
Past Event Like List Bah-humbuggers and mistletoe misfits, this one's for you. The 4th Wall's all-day Christmas Eve party will kick off with cocktails and screenings of classic Saturday morning cartoons set to live music, followed by a packed schedule of comedy roasts and game show parodies. It's a cheap, fun option if you fall on the less-festive end of the spectrum, and chances are good that you'll feel a little more spirited by the end of the night.
(The 4th Wall PDX, Buckman, free)

Christmas Eve Karaoke Past Event Like List
Karaoke is sort of like free therapy. So, find yourself alone this Christmas Eve (or sneak away from your chaotic family) and pour your troubles into a song with DJs Danny Chavez and Rockin' Raymond.
(The Spare Room, Cully, free)

PERFORMANCE

Nutcracker Cracked Family Puppet Show Past Event Like List
Set to the music of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, the Portland Puppet Museum will present its idiosyncratic rendition of the magical Christmas tale again this year using over 84 "transforming rod puppets." The 38-minute show is short enough to keep even the wiggliest kid enchanted.
(Portland Puppet Museum, Sellwood-Moreland, $15)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28

FILM

Church of Film: Carnival Night
Past Event Like List As members of a Soviet House of Culture prep for a jazzy New Year's Eve masquerade, a sudden death and a dour apparatchik threaten their good time. Eldar Ryazanov's '56 musical comedy Carnival Night gives Stalin the finger through clever satire and spectacle, and has since become one of Russia's most celebrated New Year's Eve films.
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $8)

Finding Hygge Past Event Like List
Cozy up Scandinavian style at this screening of Finding Hygge, a documentary that digs into the Danish concept of comfy, relaxed contentment. (FYI—hygge is inscrutably pronounced hue-gah.) Nordic Northwest will serve up traditional bites from the region, and attendees can scope out the nonprofit's Christmas craft exhibit Past Event Like List after the screening.
(Nordic Northwest, Metzger, $5-$10)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30

COMEDY

Broke Gravy & Friends Penultimate Night
Past Event Like List The Broke Gravy dudes (Chris, Leon, and Eric) have forged a unique path in improv comedy, using the off-the-cuff medium to inspire deeper conversations on their perspectives as Black Americans. (They're also funny AF.) For this set, they'll be joined by four special guest storytellers for a performance worthy of the new year, and a portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to Kickstand Comedy’s BIPOC Improv Program.
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $15)

Class Out The A$$: A (Kinda) Fancy Comedy Show Past Event Like List
Local laugh lovers Katie Nguyen, Nariko Ott, and oyster pregamer Adam Pasi will bring much-needed post-Christmas comedy at this stand-up set hosted by child of divorce Ross Passeck.
(The 4th Wall PDX, Buckman, $15)

MULTI-DAY

FILM

Babylon
Past Event Like List Damien Chazelle's glittery tale of '20s Los Angeles decadence features an ensemble cast of Hollywood heavy hitters like Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Olivia Wilde. The cacophonous, epic tale channels the glamour and excess of the era, and critics are torn—some refer to the film as "phenomenal filmmaking" (Variety), while other outlets describe the film as "a bloated mess" (Paste Magazine). See for yourself!
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $7-$10, Dec 22-Jan 2)

The Big Lebowski
Past Event Like List Although the Clinton Street Theater changed hands earlier this year, the historic movie house's new owners will continue a longstanding tradition of screening The Big Lebowski in magical 35mm for the holidays. Nothing says Christmas in Portland like laughing alongside an audience of folks sipping sake-based White Russians—if you haven't made it a tradition yet, now's the time.
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $8, Dec 22-24)

Eo
Past Event Like List Inspired by Robert Bresson's 1966 film Au Hasard Balthazar, renowned Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski's Eo follows an inquisitive donkey on a trek through the European countryside, where he experiences a wide range of emotions and human interactions. The film does contain some depictions of animal cruelty, but if you can stomach it, Eo is rumored to be brilliant—the film already boasts a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and won the Jury Prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $7-$10, Dec 23-Jan 2)

The Whale
Past Event Like List True to his provocateur style, Darren Aronofsky's latest flick has already generated a polarizing response. Roxane Gay described The Whale, which follows a withdrawn English teacher's endeavors to reconnect with his estranged daughter, as "a gratuitous, self-aggrandizing fiction at best" with "a demeaning portrayal of a fat man." The Daily Telegraph disagreed, giving the film a perfect rating and praising Brendan Fraser as "seal[ing] his comeback in a sensational film of rare compassion." 
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $7-$10, Dec 22-Jan 2)

LIVE MUSIC

Holiday Performances at the Square Past Event Like List
Some of Portland's finest bands and musicians will flock to the Square with a series of free festive concerts all December long. This week, don't miss performances from blues and jazz vocalist LaRhonda Steele, actress/vocalist Jennifer O’Leary, and vocal chorus The Fireside Carolers.
(Pioneer Courthouse Square, Downtown, free, Dec 22-23)

PERFORMANCE

Our Town Past Event Like List
This adaptation of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1938, follows the goings-on in a small town in the early 20th century. Told through a queer lens, this rendition of the three-act production challenges heteronormativity with a cast of actors from across queer and gender spectrums.
(Back Door Theater, Sunnyside, Pay-what-you-can, Dec 22-24)

SHOPPING

Mike Bennett's Snow Day Past Event Like List
All holiday season, professional joy bringer Mike Bennett will set up shop at The Cleaners with a snowy wonderland of seasonal goodies—think wrapping paper and tree ornaments, plus lawn decorations, greeting cards, and other brand-new holiday merch. (Does this dude ever sleep?)
(The Cleaners at the Ace Hotel, West End, free, Dec 22-31)

VISUAL ART

Ann Hamilton: Sense
Past Event Like List Ann Hamilton is, by all accounts, an art star—the Yale-educated textile artist, performer, photographer, and videographer has built her career around site-responsive, tactile, larger-than-life installations since the '80s. While this recent body of work is smaller, it doesn't sacrifice any of Hamilton's signature sensuousness and attention to detail; Sense includes paper and cloth prints and collages developed from a unique process of flatbed scanning animal specimens, stones, fallen leaves, and more. 
(Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Pearl District, free, Dec 22-30; closing)

Ceramics Northwest Gallery
Past Event Like List Featuring work by over 40 Oregon Potters Association members, the Ceramics Northwest gallery will set up shop downtown for the holidays, offering unique handmade gifts for all the clay appreciators on your list.
(300 SW Yamhill St, Downtown, free, Dec 22-31)

The Earth Laughs Past Event Like List
Installed in The Lobby, the fresh gallery space housed within the Ellen Browning cohousing building, The Earth Laughs includes a 12-monitor installation by international art collective teamLab. Exploring the life cycle of a flower, teamLab's installation employs motion sensors for immersive audience interaction. Organized by Austin-based curator Sima Familant, The Earth Laughs also showcases bright flora-inspired works by David Hockney and Andy Warhol.
(Ellen Browning Building, Richmond, free, Dec 22-31; closing)

Mujer: cortney morentin
Past Event Like List Curated by arts writer Luiza Lukova, LA-based photographer cortney morentin's Mujer spotlights subtle moments of femininity that often go overlooked—softness, fluidity, and grace are elevated to center stage through empowering imagery of bodies swimming, holding each other, and at rest.
(Well Well, Kenton, free, Dec 22-Jan 1 by appointment; closing)

Probably Just The Wind Past Event Like List
Work by over 15 artists is compiled in this somewhat macabre exhibition, which focuses on death, necropolitics, and transformation through "incarnation[s] of social haunting[s]." Probably Just the Wind was curated by Aaron Gach, founder of the Center for Tactical Magic—check out the show all autumn while the veil is thin.
(Parallax Art Center, Pearl District, free, Dec 22-23)

a useless task it seems Past Event Like List
Reflecting on the "cyclical nature of repression, resilience, and resignation," internationally exhibited design duo Midgray (Kris Blackmore and Simon Boas) will present new investigations in textiles, artificial intelligence, and interactive media for a useless task it seems. The duo will explore zeitgeist-driven topics of mass media, violence, and our post-Roe society.
(Carnation Contemporary, Kenton, free, Dec 24, Dec 31-Jan 1; closing)

WINTER HOLIDAYS

Clackamas County Winter Fair
Past Event Like List For those ISO wholesome holiday vibes, the Clackamas County Winter Fair has returned this year with an extra-sparkly light tunnel, a half-hour "Christmas tree show," and (natch) visits with Santa. Visitors can warm up with hot cocoa and sugary delights while perusing the fair's first-ever holiday market, which will feature over 25 crafty vendors.
(Clackamas County Fairgrounds, Canby, $0-$10, Dec 22-23)

2022 Gingerbread Masterpiece Past Event Like List
The Benson Hotel invites you to gawk at an elaborate gingerbread facsimile of Multnomah Falls, which was created by gingerbread architect and pastry chef David Diffendorfer using over 150 pounds of homemade gingerbread, 50 pounds of marzipan, 20 pounds of chocolate, 10 pounds of Rice Krispies Treats, and buckets upon buckets of royal icing. While you're there, learn more about the hotel's founder and namesake Simon Benson with a "mini-museum" featuring over 160 photos and stories of Portland and its historic landmark buildings.
(The Benson Hotel, Downtown, free, Dec 22-30)

Peacock Lane
Past Event Like List Since 1926, Portland's very own "Christmas street" has gone all out with holiday decor. These days, visitors can expect to see dazzling twinkle lights and nostalgic characters (Rudolph, R2D2, and the Peanuts gang are known to make appearances). Stroll down Peacock Lane to admire the festive Tudor homes up close, or stay toasty in the car and drive down the lane on select dates. (Rumor has it that new residents will be bringing their A game this year, so expect a "holiday unicorn or two.")
(Peacock Lane, Sunnyside, free, Dec 22-31)

Portland’s Public Menorah
Past Event Like List Bask in the glow of a gigantic menorah lit by Chabad of Oregon at at Pioneer Courthouse Square.
(Pioneer Courthouse Square, Downtown, free, Dec 22-25)

Winter Solstice Welcome Back the Sun Community Art Project
Past Event Like List Celebrate the sun's return at this solstice tribute, where artists of all ages can contribute painted rocks to a temporary rock labyrinth at the Leach Botanical Garden entrance. While you're there, take a stroll through the garden's tranquil grounds, which are extra peaceful at this time of year.
(Leach Botanical Garden, Pleasant Valley, $0-$5, Dec 22-23)