Professional Holiday Light Displays in Portland, Oregon

Viewing holiday light displays makes a fun winter outing. If you're in Portland, Oregon, and want to see more than just your neighborhood lights, check out these fun venues around town.

The Grotto Christmas Festival of Lights
The Grotto, also known as the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, is a 62 acre Catholic shrine at NE 85th and Sandy Boulevard (www.thegrotto.org). It includes beautiful botanical gardens and both indoor and outdoor sanctuaries. At Christmas-time, the Grotto adds light displays, musical performances, and family activities, and calls it the Festival of Lights.

Musical performances include school, church and civic choirs from around the Portland area. Other activities include puppet shows, living history theater, and a petting zoo. Light displays include over half a million lights, and depict scenes from the biblical Christmas story.

The Festival of Lights is open November 23rd to December 30, 2007 (except Christmas Day). Gates are open from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and the grounds close at 10:00 p.m. Admission is $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for children ages 3-12 (2 and under are free). The Grotto also invites visitors to bring a gift of baby food for Snow-CAP, an organization that runs a local food assistance program.

This is a walk-through, outdoor event (with the exception of concerts, which are held indoors), so be sure to dress for the weather. For more information, visit the Festival of Lights web page at http://www.thegrotto.org/events/lights.htm.

Oregon Zoo ZooLights
From November 24 to December 30, the Oregon Zoo (off Highway 26, west of downtown Portland) is transformed by nearly a million lights into a winter wonderland.

The zoo's unique displays include animated animals like monkeys swinging through trees, leaping frogs, and diving penguins. Not all of the regular zoo exhibits are part of ZooLights. According to the zoo website, "Mountain Goats, Leopards, Tigers, Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Primates, Polar Bears, Farm Animals and Elephants will be visible." Visitors will also see costumed characters around the zoo, such as Rudolph the Reindeer and holiday elves.

The best way to experience ZooLights is from the Zoo train. The admission package which includes the train ride is $9.75 for adults, $8.25 for seniors (65 and older) and $6.75 for children 3 to 11 (2 and under are free). Tickets can be purchased online at http://oregonzoo-cascadeoutfitters.stores.yahoo.net/zopa.html .

ZooLights hours are Sunday through Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. Visitors may remain until one hour after the gate closes. For more information, visit the ZooLights web page at http://www.oregonzoo.org/Events/ZooLights/index.htm.

Fred Meyer Winter Wonderland (Portland International Raceway)
Portland International Raceway (off exit 306B on I-5) is the site of a drive-through Winter Wonderland, said to be the largest holiday light show west of the Mississippi (http://www.globaleventsgrouppdx.como/wonderland/general.html).

This extravaganza includes 250 light displays and 40 fully animated scenes. Highlights include a 200+ foot Tunnel of Lights and an animated Dinosaur World.

The Fred Meyer Winter Wonderland is open November 22, 2007 to January 1, 2008. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Admission varies depending on the size of your vehicle; a standard car carrying up to seven passengers costs $15. Visitors are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Sunshine Division (donation barrels are located at the entrance).

SOURCES
The Grotto, Christmas Festival of Lights, http://www.thegrotto.org/events/lights.htm
The Oregon Zoo, ZooLights, http://www.oregonzoo.org/Events/ZooLights/index.htm
Global Events Group, Winter Wonderland, http://www.globaleventsgrouppdx.com/wonderland/general.html