Happy New Year! This weekend we roll into 2023, and in true Portland fashion there’s never a shortage of things to do!  Venture out or stay at home. Grab a friend or go alone.  You can dance, you can cheer, you can choose to relax or scream and shout. Whatever you do, be grateful for a new year of opportunities, that’s what its all about.

New Year’s Eve Skate Party – Dec 31st

It’s a New Year’s Eve party for the whole family! Enjoy a live DJ, skate specials, party favors, and a countdown to midnight as you “rink” in the New Year at this special, extended skate session! Admission includes conventional skates. Get your tickets through Oaks Amusement Park!

Winter Wonderland Light Show – Dec. 30th & 31st

Recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest as the “Largest Holiday Light Show West of the Mississippi,” Winter Wonderland will grab your attention with glimmers and glows around every corner. Since 1993, a journey through Winter Wonderland has become a holiday tradition for many families, friends, and social organizations to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season. Spectators can enjoy the region’s most spectacular drive-through light show, viewing over 250 colorful light set pieces at Portland International Raceway and many fully animated scenes from the comfort of their own vehicle.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Sunshine Division‘s year-round hunger relief efforts that provide thousands of free, nutritious meals to Portland families in need.

Whale Watching – Dec 30th – Jan 1st

People from all over come to the Oregon Coast for Whale Watching Week, where they can learn about the gray whales that migrate past the Oregon coast each year. For more than 30 years, trained volunteers have helped visitors watch whales at 24 sites in three states along the Pacific Northwest coast. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s Whale Watching Spoken Here program stations volunteers at 24 sites during peak migration times. The two annual Whale Watching Weeks are held the week after Christmas and the last week of March.

New Year’ Eve Sobriety Powwow – Dec 31st

The Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest presents the Annual Sobriety Powwow. The NARA New Years’ Eve Sobriety Powwow is one of the country’s largest sobriety new year powwows. It is undoubtedly the largest sober New Year’s party in Portland, where thousands close out the year with drums, songs and dance (all alcohol-free).

Hockey Game – Dec. 31st

Visit the Veterans Memorial Coliseum to watch the Portland Winterhawks take on the Everett Silvertips