Spooky season is slithering away like a foul ghostly apparition—or maybe that’s just the morning fog. The colder weather might make us want to stay cozy and close to home—maybe sampling the city’s finest rainy-day dishes or checking out the Portland Book Festival. But there are plenty of out-of-town activities to lure us a little farther afield in November—runs, festivals, holiday wine tastings, and more. Here’s what we’re keeping our eye on.
Día de los Muertos at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Nov 1–2, Eugene
Mark the post-Halloween cultural celebration with a procession through the University of Oregon campus and a children’s art workshop.
Yachats Celtic Music Festival
Nov 11–13, Yachats
Concerts, whistle workshops, dance performances, and more pack the schedule at this annual coastal fest, now in its third decade. There’s also a whiskey tasting and, weather-permitting, Piper on the Point sunset performances, featuring a bagpiper against a Pacific Ocean backdrop.
Thanksgiving Weekend in Wine Country
Nov 18–20 and 25–27, various locations in the Willamette Valley
Winemakers large and small throw open their doors before and after the holiday for special tastings, seasonal food pairings, live music, tours, and more. Find events close to Portland as well as farther south.
Run to Stay Warm
Nov 20, EWEB Plaza, 4200 Roosevelt Blvd, Eugene, $30–75
Start at new pre-Thanksgiving tradition in Eugene at the annual Run to Stay Warm race. With 5k, 10k, half-marathon, and kids’ run options, the whole family can put in a good workout before gorging themselves on Thanksgiving. Race through Eugene’s Alton Baker Park to Ruth Bascom River Path, all on smooth, flat paths, for an easy and fun morning run (or you can participate virtually if you can’t make it out to Eugene), the benefits of which go toward local utility’s Customer Care program, which provides payment assistance for low-income customers. Don’t forget to stick around after the run for a post-race party at Riverfront Park.
Shore Acres Holiday Lights
Nov 24–Dec 31, Charleston
Lumber baron and shipbuilder Louis Simpson’s mansion may have burned down a century ago, but his stunning estate garden remains and highlights Shore Acres State Park between Coos Bay and Cape Arago. For the holidays, its blooms come in the form of LED light strings put up by area businesses and community groups.
Oregon King Tides
Nov 24–26, anywhere along the Oregon Coast, free
It’s king tide season on Oregon’s coast, and the Oregon King Tides Project, a citizen-science effort organized by CoastWatch and the Oregon Coastal Management Program, is kicking off its 13th year. During the year’s highest tide sequence, the Oregon King Tides Project asks for help documenting high tide events (known as king tides) in an effort to understand the effects rising sea levels have on coastal communities. Participation in the project is open to anyone willing and able to venture out to the coast and operate a camera.
