Posts about Winter Holidays

Hello 2021 | Celebrating the New Year in Vancouver, WA

This has been a unique year full of challenges, but we are grateful for the growth and learning that came along with those challenges. With that said, we are ready to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021! There’s not as much going on around town this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, but there’s still plenty of ways to celebrate the New Year in Vancouver, WA and nearby in Portland, OR. Pink Martini Virtual Concert Bring the holiday cheer to your living room at Acero Haagen Park! Dress up in your fanciest cocktail attire and pop a bottle of champagne while you tune in to this virtual event. Portland’s favorite Little Orchestra is performing a virtual New Year’s Eve concert in Portland that you can stream via the Wonder Ballroom . Enjoy old fan favorites and new songs like “Good Riddance 2020!” The virtual show starts at 6pm online. Rose City Rollers Winter Skating at Lloyd Center Spend time this weekend skating with the Rose City Rollers! Tickets sell fast so get yours asap. They have a truck where you can rent skates and gear from, with enough space for 50 people at a time to skate in this open air parking garage skating rink at the Lloyd Center in Portland. Click this link to learn more! Urban Adventure Quest in Portland Participate in an epic urban scavenger hunt brought to you by Urban Adventure Quest ! This city-wide scavenger hunt is the perfect way to spend a lowkey but fun weekend close to home. All you need is a smart phone to guide you on this three hour tour of iconic landmarks in Portland. Bring a good camera for fun selfies and impromptu photoshoots too! Death to 2020 Cozy up in your living room at Acero Haagen Park and watch Death to 2020 on Netflix. This mockumentary takes a look back at some big moments in 2020 with a comedic twist. Brought to you by the creators of Black Mirror, it’s bound to get weird but so was this year! That’s all folks! We hope everyone has a fantastic time celebrating the New Year with lots of love and laughter this weekend. Come back next week for more PNW living!

Holiday Food Recipes

The winter holidays are here! Hanukkah started yesterday, and Christmas is right around the corner. Celebrate the holidays with good food and good company. We’ve got a few quick recipes here for tasty drinks and snacks that the whole family can enjoy. Read on for a diverse holiday recipe roundup. Mulled Wine Don’t let the wine part fool you, this can be made without alcohol so that the whole family can partake. This warm, spicy holiday drink carries delicious flavors of wine, oranges, and star anise. The best part is that it doesn’t take much time at all to brew. Simply mix your mulling spices, wine, oranges, and sweetener in a pot to boil and you’re all set! This recipe from Gimme Some Oven has a delicious combo of flavors. Check it out! Latkes You don’t need to celebrate Hanukkah to appreciate the classic latkes! These crispy potato pancakes are a Hanukkah staple, and they’re so easy and tasty that we could honestly eat them year-round - and probably will now. This recipe is from Jake Cohen, a famous Jewish chef who has gone viral on social media with his easy to follow recipes. Check out the ingredients below, you’ll probably have most of it at home already! Fruitcake Cookies This recipe combines the flavors of a classic fruitcake in cookie form. Fruitcakes can be heavy with all of that tasty filling, so we love that these cookies are a lighter take that still packs in all the winter spices and fruit flavors. Here’s a quick list of ingredients you can pick up from Winco, just across the street from Acero Haagen Park! We hope everyone is having a wonderful December so far. Take a photo of your favorite holiday recipe and share it with us on Facebook or Instagram! Come back next week for food, fun, and more in Vancouver, Washington.

Holiday Attractions around Vancouver, WA

It’s the most magical time of the year! We could all use some holiday cheer, and this year we have tons of fun holiday attractions around Vancouver and Southwest Washington to kick off the holidays with. Read on for a list of the best holiday attractions and winter events going on in Vancouver, WA and around Clark County. Christmas Ships Parade The Christmas Ships Parade is taking place along the Columbia River, with wonderful views from the Waterfront Renaissance Trail and the Grant Pier at the Vancouver Waterfront. The ships will come sailing by the pier between 7:30 pm and 8 pm on December 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, and 21st. Come out to the waterfront for a crisp evening stroll with a cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy the pretty lights sailing by. You can view the Christmas Ships full schedule on their website , along with all the locations on the Columbia River they’ll sail by this December. Vancouver Symphony Orchestra The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra holds a stunning performance every year, and this year they will be live streaming the event for viewers to enjoy at home. They will be performing December 12th and 13th at the Skyview Concert Hall with a program full of Christmas classics and holiday favorites. Check out ticket prices and the full program and famous musicians on their website today. Tickets sell fast! Winter Wonderland at Portland International Raceway This is a holiday family favorite! The Winter Wonderland at PIR is a drive-thru holiday light show. You get to drive along the racetrack where they’ve set up intricate light displays with holiday music playing. This year the proceeds will go to Sunshine Division’s hunger relief program. This year they aren’t taking cash, so make sure you purchase tickets online beforehand! Re-Imagined Radio: A Christmas Carol The Kiggins Theatre has always been a home for unique cinema and nostalgia lovers, and this performance of a Christmas Carol has a unique spin. Re-Imagined Radio is a mixture of live public and performance art that re-imagines classic radio dramas with local performers and during non-Covid times the audience can participate too. With the event this year being virtual, the audience can still have an immersive experience via social media. It’s a great way to build community, as well as support local actors, sound artists, and the historic Kiggins Theatre. Learn all about it on their website , the show will take place on December 24th! That’s just a few of the events going on in our community! Check out Visit Vancouver and Oregon Live for more information on events happening in the area this year. Come back Friday to find out where to buy Christmas Trees locally!