Discover Some of Eugene's Favorite Holiday Traditions

1. Snow Fall at the 5th Street Public Market

All the malls dress up for the holidays — you can see reindeer at Oakway Center and Santa at Valley River Center — but the stunning 5th Street Public Market creates a fantastic winter setting where it "snows" at dusk every Friday and Saturday evening from Thanksgiving through Christmas. Plan your holiday shopping to coincide with the weekly snow fall! This magical experience begins with the festive Night of a Thousand Stars where the twinkle lights are turned on, along with the mall tree. Float through this magical indoor/outdoor shopping complex with a warm drink in hand and a smile in your heart.

2. The Springfield Christmas Parade

Billed as the "Oldest and Coldest" Christmas Parade, this family favorite has been filling the streets of downtown Springfield on the first Sunday of December each year for 73 years. Go early to stake out your spot along the boulevards which are crowded with families in a festive spirit. Along Mohawk Blvd, adjacent the Willamalane Park, is a good spot for active kids. For the most scenic view, Main Street is spectacular. 

While this day time delight is the first parade of the season —  it is not the end of parade opportunities across the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region. Santa is welcomed in Historic Old Town Florence with a holiday parade, followed by beautiful evening light parades rolling through the smaller nearby communities of Coburg, Junction City and Veneta. Mid-December, in case you missed all the earlier celebrations, Creswell stages another parade!

3. Family Visit to Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm

The picturesque Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm opens for the holiday season with choose 'n cut trees, a gift shop piled high with wreathes and holiday items and a coffee bar with warm drinks. Add in the food trucks, farm animals, bonfire and tractor tours and you have a fun-filled afternoon making memories with your children. Just remember to wear your boots!

Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm may be one of the top spots for cute farm photos, but it is not the only farm in the vicinity. Check out Spring Creek Holly Farm for a chance to meet Santa and discover other tree farms from the McKenzie River to Pleasant Hill.

4. The Saturday Market's Holiday Market 

Eugene's vibrant artisan fair moves indoors for the holiday season — discover all your favorite vendors plus even more at Lane Events Center for an expanded market schedule through Christmas. Packed with entertainment, delicious food and unique gifts, the Holiday Market is a fantastic place to find one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone!

And look for pop-up fairs and markets throughout the communities as the region's many artists display the wares they've been crafting all year. You'll find marketplaces at festivals and events and community granges and centers.

5. Ice Skating at the Rink Exchange

Take a spin around the ice to celebrate the winter season! Eugene's Rink Exchange is home to local figure skating and hockey teams, and hosts public skating sessions with skate rentals available. A free holiday showcase by the Eugene Figure Skating Club marks the season!

6. The Nutcracker by Eugene Ballet

Year after year, this holiday tradition introduces children to ballet along with visions of sugar plum fairies, mice kings and the Land of Sweets. Who doesn't want to be Clara or the Nutcracker turned prince? Dress up for a special night at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and meet Clara in the lobby! Eugene Ballet is one of several esteemed local ballet companies. You can also see Ballet Fantastique's Christmas in Toyland for a creative twist on holiday stories, or get tickets to one of the many holiday shows throughout the region from jazz to choirs.

7. Select a Local Wine for Your Holiday Table

Grace your table with your favorite Pinot Noir from one of the South Willamette Valley wineries. Over the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, residents drive out to the tasting rooms to choose their bottles for the upcoming festivities. Kick off Cellar Season with a winery ramble or stop by one of the wine shops in town to explore your options. There are also great craft beer options across the city.

8. Friendly Street Church Live Nativity 

For two nights in December, a charming live nativity scene is staged around the perimeter of the Friendly Street Church. After seeing the vignettes, head over to the Garden on Friendly to enjoy beverages and food trucks and more of the fun community vibes. This food truck hub offers roof top, patio and indoor dining spaces along with weekend entertainment.

9. Tour the Holiday Lights 

By mid-December the neighborhoods are fully decked out and the local limousine drivers know where to find the best spots. Book a holiday limousine tour through the city and include a drive to the top of Skinner Butte for a dramatic view of downtown Eugene. A new tradition in the making is the Winter Wonderland light display at Cottage Grove Speedway. They inherited the thousands of twinkle lights from the former Village Green gardens and now transform the race track into a magical lighted experience. 

10. Run or Walk a Holiday 5K or 10K

This is TrackTown after all! Of course we have a running tradition here! Starting with the Run to Stay Warm EWEB fundraiser to the first run of the year at New Year's, there are so many opportunities for lacing up your running shoes. So bring the family and join in one of several community running/walking events held during the season!

Bonus: Victorian Christmas at Heceta Head Lighthouse - on the Coast!

Oregon's winter coastline is beautiful, dramatic cliffs and wide beaches swept by winter storms — and crowning the cliffs is the Heceta Head Lighthouse, over a hundred years old, shining its powerful beams into the fog. Attend the Victorian Christmas celebration staged at the Heceta Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast every December. The former assistant lightkeeper's house is bedecked with twinkle lights!