Weekend Events in Vancouver, WA & Portland (Nov 13–15, 2026)
Mid-November in Clark County means the holidays are creeping in, and this weekend has a little bit of everything: a legendary local mystery, a brand-new Christmas tree farm experience, a scenic train ride, a holiday craft market with a beer garden, and a 21+ night at the zoo.
With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, it’s also the perfect time to start planning the big meal. If you’re a transplant like me, you’ll love my new post on how your Thanksgiving table says where you moved from.
Here are five events worth knowing about this weekend in Vancouver, Yacolt, Ridgefield, and Portland.
D.B. CooperCon 2026 — Vancouver, WA
It’s one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, and Vancouver is part of the story. In November 1971, a man known as D.B. Cooper hijacked a plane out of Portland and parachuted into the night with a bag of cash. Years later, about $6,000 of that money turned up right here on the banks of the Columbia River in Vancouver. D.B. CooperCon returns to the historic Kiggins Theatre for three days of presentations, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and local food and drink events, celebrating the case, the latest clues, and all the folklore.
What to Expect
- Presentations, panels, and Q&A sessions on the case
- The latest case information and theories
- Local food and beverage features around town
- Three-day passes limited to just 200
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Three-day passes are limited, so grab yours early, or pop in for a single day. Tickets are also available at the box office on the day of the show. Make a night of it with dinner downtown. Here’s why I love downtown Vancouver living.
Thorntons’ Treeland Pre-Season — Vancouver, WA
Thorntons’ Treeland has welcomed more than 30,000 u-cut Christmas tree customers a year for over 50 years, and this year it’s launching its first-ever Pre-Season. Think Hallmark-movie vibes on a 50-acre Christmas tree farm, with a tree maze, hayrides, a petting zoo, a barn store, food trucks, and s’mores pits, all just 15 minutes from the Portland airport.
What to Expect
- A Christmas tree maze and hayrides
- A petting zoo and a kids’ fun zone
- A barn store, food trucks, and s’mores pits
- Photo ops all over the 50-acre farm
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Bring the family for holiday card photos before the big u-cut crowds arrive, and scout the tree you want to come back for. Dress for mud. It’s a farm in November. Still debating real vs. fake? Here’s my take on the great Pacific Northwest Christmas tree debate.
Chelatchie Prairie Railroad: Patriot’s Weekend — Yacolt, WA
All aboard! The weekend after Veterans Day, the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad is running its Patriot’s Weekend Special out of Yacolt. A 1941 Alco diesel engine pulls riders, most of them snug inside one of two cabooses or the coach car, through a 330-foot solid rock tunnel to the Heisson area, with a stop at Moulton Station to visit Yacolt Falls.
What to Expect
- A vintage 1941 Alco diesel engine
- Seats in cozy cabooses or the coach car
- A trip through a 330-foot solid rock tunnel
- A stop at Moulton Station to see Yacolt Falls
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Call ahead for ticket prices and availability, and bring layers, since it’s chilly up in the foothills this time of year. Make it a day trip: Moulton Falls is gorgeous after fall rain. Here are more waterfall hikes within an hour of Vancouver.
ilani Holiday Crafts & Ale Festival — Ridgefield, WA
Kick off holiday shopping with a drink in hand. The ilani Holiday Crafts & Ale Festival celebrates local artisans and makers, with a beverage garden pouring holiday-inspired ales from some of the best breweries in Southwest Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Not a beer person? There are holiday-inspired spirits, wines, and cocktails too.
What to Expect
- Handmade gifts from local artisans and makers
- Holiday ales from Southwest Washington and Pacific Northwest breweries
- Holiday-inspired spirits, wines, and cocktails
- Three sessions to choose from across the weekend
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Only the Saturday 5–9 PM session is 21+, so pick the Saturday afternoon or Sunday session if you’re bringing family. Curious about life in Ridgefield? Here’s why it’s Vancouver’s fastest-growing suburb.
BrewLights at the Oregon Zoo — Portland, OR
Picture ZooLights without the strollers. BrewLights is the Oregon Zoo’s 21+ take on its famous holiday light display, with dozens of the Northwest’s best breweries and cideries, live music, food carts, a glowing train ride, sparkling light tunnels, and a magical meadow light show. Tickets include a souvenir cup and ten 3-ounce pours from more than 100 beer, seltzer, and cider options.
What to Expect
- Dozens of Northwest breweries and cideries
- The ZooLights display, train ride, and light tunnels
- Live music and food carts
- Non-drinking tickets for designated drivers
💡 Pro Tip from a Local
Confirm this year’s dates on the Oregon Zoo’s website before you go. In 2025, BrewLights ran on a Friday and Saturday in mid-November and sold out. Last year, your BrewLights ticket also worked as a free TriMet pass to the zoo, but it doesn’t cover C-TRAN, so Vancouver folks will want to drive or park and ride at a MAX station. Who wants to drive to Portland? For a zoo full of lights and local beer, I’ll make an exception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s happening this weekend in Vancouver, WA and Portland (November 13–15, 2026)?
This weekend includes D.B. CooperCon at the Kiggins Theatre, the first-ever Thorntons’ Treeland Pre-Season, the Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Patriot’s Weekend in Yacolt, the ilani Holiday Crafts & Ale Festival in Ridgefield, and BrewLights at the Oregon Zoo, which usually runs in mid-November.
How much are tickets to D.B. CooperCon 2026?
A three-day pass is $75 and limited to 200 passes. Daily tickets are $35 for Friday or Saturday and $30 for Sunday, available online or at the Kiggins Theatre box office on the day of the show.
What is the Thorntons’ Treeland Pre-Season?
It’s the first-ever pre-season at Thorntons’ Treeland, a 50-acre Christmas tree farm at 7617 NE 119th St in Vancouver. It runs Saturdays and Sundays from November 7 to 22, 2026, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a tree maze, hayrides, a petting zoo, food trucks, and s’mores pits. Admission is $10.
Is the ilani Holiday Crafts & Ale Festival 21 and over?
Only the Saturday evening session, from 5 to 9 p.m. on November 14, 2026, is 21 and over. The Saturday noon to 4 p.m. session and the Sunday noon to 5 p.m. session are open to all ages. Beverage garden tickets are $29.
When is BrewLights at the Oregon Zoo in 2026?
BrewLights usually runs on a Friday and Saturday in mid-November. In 2025, it was November 14 and 15. Check oregonzoo.org/brewlights for confirmed 2026 dates and tickets before you go.
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Cassandra Marks
Realtor, Licensed in OR & WA License ID: 201225764
Realtor, Licensed in OR & WA License ID: 201225764