# Thanksgiving weekend with kids in Portland, 2026

> We haven’t found a 2026 Thanksgiving parade in Portland, but Tree Lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square is Friday, Nov 27. In all we found eight Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around Portland: two turkey trots with kids’ races and six Black Friday weekend picks, and three are free. We also list three places and whether they’re open on Thanksgiving Day.

- Last checked: 2026-10-28
- 8 listings with dates; 0 not posted or announced yet
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/thanksgiving/
- Free things to do (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/free/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/llms.txt

## Turkey trots with kids’ races

- **Turkey Trot at the Zoo** at Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221. When: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Time: Stroller start 7:39am; Tot Trot (ages 0–4) 8:30am; Gobble Gallop (5–10) 8:40am. Price: Register on RunSignUp; no race-day sign-up. A hilly 5K from the zoo to the Rose Garden and back, plus short kids’ runs in Elephant Plaza. Every runner gets a beanie and a chocolate turkey. Zoo food stands are closed. Official page: https://orrc.net/events/event-list/turkey-trot/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Tofurky Trot** at OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave., Portland, OR 97214. When: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Time: 9am. Price: Free for ages 0–6; adults $30 to Oct 31, then $35. A paved course along the Willamette over the Tilikum and Hawthorne bridges, with no street crossings. Strollers are welcome. Official page: https://nwveg.org/tofurky-trot (checked 2026-10-28)

## Friday, the day after Thanksgiving

- **Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto** at The Grotto, 8840 NE Skidmore St., Portland, OR 97220. When: Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026; closed Christmas Day. Time: 5–9:30pm. Price: Online $17.95 ages 12+, $8.95 ages 3–11; 2 and under free. Light display opening this weekend. Lights around the sanctuary grounds, an hourly puppet show and free parking. Value nights are Nov 30–Dec 3 and Dec 7–10. Official page: https://www.thegrotto.org/christmas-festival-of-lights (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Tree Lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square** at Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97204. When: Fri, Nov 27, 2026. Time: 5:30–6:45pm. Price: Free. Light display opening this weekend. The 42nd lighting of the square’s tree, with music and a countdown. Official page: https://www.thesquarepdx.org/event/42nd-annual-tree-lighting-ceremony/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Holiday Express at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center** at Oregon Rail Heritage Center, 2250 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214. When: Nov 27 – Dec 27, 2026. Time: Departures 10am–7pm. Price: Adults $35, kids 3–13 $25, under 3 free on a lap; family pass $105. Santa visits opening this weekend. A steam train ride with Santa aboard. Strollers can’t go on the cars, so plan to carry little ones. Official page: https://orhf.org/holiday-express/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Santa at Cedar Hills Crossing** at Cedar Hills Crossing, 3205 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005. When: From Nov 27, 2026. Time: During mall hours; reserve a photo time online or walk up. Price: Photo packages priced at the booking site. Santa visits opening this weekend. Reserving a time online skips most of the line. Walk-ups are welcome when slots are open. Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/1027 (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Vancouver Rotary Tree Lighting with the Christmas Ships** at Grant Street Pier, Vancouver, WA. When: Fri, Nov 27, 2026. Time: 4–5pm (the ships escort Santa to the waterfront). Price: Free. Official page: https://www.christmasships.org/parade-schedule (checked 2026-10-29)

## Saturday and Sunday

- **Breakfast with Santa at Kennedy School** at McMenamins Kennedy School gym, 5736 NE 33rd Ave., Portland, OR 97211. When: Nov 28, Dec 5 and Dec 6, 2026. Time: Seatings at 9am and noon. Price: $36 per person or $265 for a table of 8. Santa visits opening this weekend. Breakfast in the old school gym with a visit from Santa. Each date has its own ticket page on mcmenamins.com. Official page: https://www.mcmenamins.com/events/279367-breakfast-with-santa (checked 2026-10-28)

## Open or closed on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday

- **Oregon Zoo**: Thursday: Closed Nov 26. Friday: not posted. Source: https://www.oregonzoo.org/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- **ZooLights**: Thursday: Closed Nov 24–26. Friday: not posted. Source: https://www.oregonzoo.org/zoolights (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Oregon Rail Heritage Center**: Thursday: Closed on Thanksgiving. Friday: not posted. Source: https://orhf.org/visit-us/ (checked 2026-10-28)

## Thanksgiving events that come back every year

- [Tofurky Trot](https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/events/tofurky-trot-omsi/): next dates Nov 26, 2026
- [Turkey Trot at the Zoo](https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/events/turkey-trot-at-the-zoo-oregon/): next dates Nov 26, 2026

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Is there a Thanksgiving parade in Portland?
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in Portland yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.

### Are there turkey trots with kids’ races in Portland?
Turkey Trot at the Zoo: Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Tofurky Trot: Thu, Nov 26, 2026.

### What can we do with kids in Portland on Thanksgiving Day?
On Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov 26, 2026) our list has Turkey Trot at the Zoo and Tofurky Trot. Times, prices and the official links are on each card.

### What’s open on Thanksgiving Day in Portland with kids?
Closed on Thanksgiving: Oregon Zoo, ZooLights and Oregon Rail Heritage Center. Check the venue page the morning of, since holiday hours can change.

### Is the Oregon Zoo open on Thanksgiving?
No. Its hours page lists it as closed Nov 26. Holiday hours can change, so check [the hours page](https://www.oregonzoo.org/visit) that morning.

### What can we do with kids the day after Thanksgiving in Portland?
On Friday, Nov. 27: Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto, Tree Lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square, Holiday Express at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center and Santa at Cedar Hills Crossing and 1 more. Times and prices are on each card.

### When is the tree lighting in Portland Thanksgiving weekend?
Tree Lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square: Fri, Nov 27, 2026, 5:30–6:45pm, 701 SW 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97204. Vancouver Rotary Tree Lighting with the Christmas Ships: Fri, Nov 27, 2026, 4–5pm (the ships escort Santa to the waterfront), Vancouver, WA. Times come from each organizer’s page.

### What can we do with little kids on Black Friday weekend in Portland?
Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto, Tree Lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square, Breakfast with Santa at Kennedy School, Holiday Express at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center and Santa at Cedar Hills Crossing and 1 more. Dates and times are on each card.

### What’s free on Thanksgiving weekend in Portland?
Tofurky Trot, Tree Lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square and Vancouver Rotary Tree Lighting with the Christmas Ships are free to watch or attend. More free ideas are on [free things to do in Portland](https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/free/).

### How do you check these Thanksgiving listings?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 28, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).