Raw States

Christmas Ships Parade

Portland, OR · Holiday

When

December 5–20, 2026

Where

Riverplace Marina (Willamette and Columbia river routes) · Portland · OR

Cost

Not confirmed

Status

Approximate: based on past editions, not announced yet

Dozens of decorated boats parade nightly down the Willamette and Columbia rivers each December, free to view from public riverbanks and parks. Two separate fleets have run the Willamette and Columbia routes since 1954.

The history within reach

• Christmas Ships Paradesame spot

  Dozens of decorated boats parade nightly down the Willamette and Columbia rivers each December, free to view from public riverbanks and parks.

• Portland Dragon Boat Festival0.1 mi

  Club and corporate teams race traditional dragon boats over 500 meters at the south end of Tom McCall Waterfront Park, organized by DragonSports USA since 2004.

• Portland Rose Festival0.4 mi

  A multi-week civic festival built around Portland's rose gardens, with a Grand Floral Parade, a carnival on the waterfront, and a visiting Navy fleet week.

• Tom McCall turns the freeway into a park0.5 mi

  Oregon tore out a six-lane riverside expressway and put a park in its place, the first American city to remove a freeway rather than build one.

• The Portland Building0.6 mi

  Michael Graves's squat, garlanded block is the first major postmodern public building in America and was loathed locally on sight.