2021 Portland Winter Festivals

Portland Winter Light Festival. Photo by Brooke Hoyer

Portland winters are long, dark and rainy. Bring a little light, music and culture into the drizzly season at these Portland winter festivals. All of the festivals below are either free or inexpensive to attend. Find one that sparks your interest.

Make sure you check back often! I’ll keep adding to this list as I find more cheap festivals.

2021 Portland Winter Festivals

Cascade Festival of African Films

Feb. 5-March 6 | FREE

In celebration of Black History Month, Portland Community College is hosting the 31st Annual Cascade Festival of African Films. The films celebrate Africa’s achievements, expose its failures, and reveal possibilities for a hopeful future. This year’s event will be virtual.

Chinese New Year

Feb. 12-28 | $12.95

Portland’s most popular Chinese New Year Celebration is back at Lan Su Chinese Garden. The two-week festival features hanging red lanterns, a contact-free scavenger hunt, festival audio tour and cultural displays.  General admission is $12.95.

Portland Winter Light Festival

Feb. 5-6, 12-13 | FREE

Portland Winter Light Festival is a citywide art display featuring illuminated art installations, vibrant performances, and kinetic fire sculptures throughout the city. For its 6th year, the festival will take on a new shape. Instead of a large, centralized festival event, activities will take the form of pop-up light art installations throughout the Rose City.

Volkfest

Feb. 12-14 | Varies

The annual event in Mount Angel is embracing community spirit. While there will be no gathering in the Festhalle, you are encouraged to put on your dirndls and lederhosen and support the Mount Angel community during Volkfest weekend. Explore the town to find German beer, get your sausage and sauerkraut fix, and shop the unique storefronts. There will also be a Volkswalk Passport you can complete for a chance to win a raffle prize. 

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