Leisure

Sheet Mulching of Community Garden. Rain or Shine!

Nadaka Nature Park, Gresham OR

40 Volunteer needed! When: Sat, Dec 01, 2012 9AM-1PM Where: Nadaka Nature Park 176th & NE Glisan St Gresham OR Get Map!

Event info
We will be mulching the future community garden site on the South side of Nadaka. Be prepared to get a little dirty and to have fun by supporting and volunteering with Friends of Nadaka and Wilkes East Neighborhood Association.

Rain or Shine! Come dressed for weather and help improve Nadaka Nature Park. Bring working gloves & a water bottle if you have them. Volunteer as long as you can. Drinks and snacks will be provided for volunteers.

Gresham’s beloved holiday kick-off event Tree Lighting, Music and Santa When: Sat Dec 01, 2012 5 PM Where: Arts Plaza 401 NE Second St Get Map!

The Spirit of Christmas features a program full of music and fun including performances by East County’s Got Talent winner Bo Baskoro, The Dickens’ Carolers and the Gresham Christmas Choir.

Santa Claus will hand out candy canes and help light the tree, a 60-foot Ponderosa pine on the Arts Plaza. The free event starts at 5 p.m. and the tree will be lit promptly at 6 p.m. Read more

Solar Flares, Solar Maximum MHCC Planetarium website

Our Sun Reaching Solar Maximum When: Mon Dec 03, 2012 Show Times: 7:00PM and 8:15PM Where: Mt Hood Community College Planetarium Sky Theater 26000 SE Stark St Gresham, OR Get Map!

Admission $2. MHCC students are admitted free.
The Sky Theater is wheelchair accessible.

Our Sun Reaching Solar Maximum
Join planetarium director Pat Hanrahan as he shows visitors how to locate the planets and prominent constellations, star clusters, galaxies and nebulae. You don't want to miss this exciting monthly star adventure into our universe.

All shows are presented under a realistic representation of the night sky, featuring the latest galactic, stellar and planetary images.

Visitors are encouraged to ask questions during each 45-minute program. Children are welcome to attend.

A Victorian Holiday Evening When: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4PM-8PM Where: Zimmerman Park 17111 NE Sandy Blvd Gresham, OR Get Map!

An Evening at the Zimmerman House
If you've enjoyed the Zimmerman House during the day, you should see her at night! The historic Zimmerman House was built in 1874 and was home to three generations of the Zimmerman Family. Their furnishings and personal articles remain in this two-story Victorian home. The second ever evening tour will be held on Tuesday, December 4th, from 4PM-8PM.

There will be carols played on the parlor piano, family recipes on exhibit and ginger snap cookies from the family recipe to take home. Reservations are required and can be made at Event Brite – or by calling 503-261-8078. Tickets for this special event are $5.00 per adult.

Oregon Zoo 'Zoolights" Nov 23-Dec 31

ZooLights is coming to the Oregon Zoo for the 25th year Transforming the Zoo into a winter wonderland Daily, Nov 23 thru Dec 31, 5-8PM

Source: KGW.com (Nov 21, 2012)

The traditional holiday light show begins Friday, Nov 23, and runs through Dec 31 at the zoo.

Last year, a record 193,000 visitors came to see ZooLights’ life-size animal silhouettes, moving sculptures, forests of lighted trees and light-bedecked train.

In keeping with the zoo’s commitment to sustainability, most of the 1.3 million lights displayed are light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which use only a fraction of the power of standard holiday lights.

A new feature of ZooLights this winter is a magical walk through an illuminated forest, with purple rope lighting and neon tube lights creating a special glow.

ZooLights hours are 5-PM Sunday through Thursday, and 5-8:30PM Friday through Saturday. ZooLights will be closed Dec. 24-25.

1874 Zimmerman House. Click to Enlarge

Celebrate The Season When: Sat Dec 15, 2012 10AM-3PM Where: Zimmerman Park 17111 NE Sandy Blvd Gresham, OR Get Map!

A lasting vestige of East Multnomah County's agricultural roots

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse
Take a step back into history at the Zimmerman House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon.

Storybook Lane, Train rides, Christmas ships, Colorful lights, 200+ Tuba concert and much more.

22nd Annual Tuba Christmas Concert
Sat, Dec 8, 2012 1:30-3:30PM, Pioneer Courthouse Square
Downtown will pulse with the melodic sounds of big brass as over 200 tubas play in unison for the 22nd Annual Tuba Christmas Concert in the heart of downtown. FREE.

Alpenrose Storybook Lane
Dec 7-22, Fri 3-6PM, Sat-Sun 11AM-6PM, 6149 SW Shattuck Rd, Portland
A family tradition for more than fifty years. Alpenrose's old western town is transformed into a winter wonderland where you are invited to peek at the animals on display in nostalgic Storybook Lane. Visit with Santa. Bring a can of food for the Oregon Food Bank. FREE

2012 Christmas Ship Parade
Nightly thru Dec 31st, Columbia River and Willamette River
The Christmas Ship Fleet averages about 55 to 60 boats between the two Columbia and Willamette River fleets. Both fleets will be out most every night. Visit the website for schedule details. FREE.

Lights on Peacock Lane
Nightly Dec 15-31 6PM-11PM, SE 40th between Stark & Belmont
Since the 1920s, each house on Peacock Lane has been decorating for Christmas. Tudors style houses are adorned with sparkling lights, nativity scenes, rotating Christmas trees plus Santa, Frosty and the gang. (Dec 15-16 pedestrians only) FREE.

Pittock Mansion Christmas
Daily, 11AM-4PM, 3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland
Home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock, pioneer owners of the Oregonian newpaper, this beautiful mansion is decorated will all the splendor of the holiday season. Adults $9.50. Children under six free.

Portland's Holiday Express
Dec 7,8 & 9; Dec 14,15 & 16; 2250 SE Water Ave, Portland
Join Santa and his elves on a steam powered and heated railroad adventure along the scenic Willamette River and Oaks Bottom wildlife refuge. Tickets $8.50 to $17. Each ride about 40 minutes. Check ORHF website for schedule and availability.

Oregon ZooLights
Daily 5PM-8PM, Oregon Zoo
More than a million LED lights transform the Oregon Zoo into a luminous winter wonderland filled with moving sculptures, forests of lighted trees and animal silhouettes. Adults $10. Children (3-11) $7.

WinterWonderland at P.I.R.
Fri,Sat & Sun, 5PM-9PM, Now thru Dec 25th, Portland Intl Raceway
Recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest as the "Largest Holiday Light Show West of the Mississippi", the 20th annual Winter Wonderland will grab your attention with glimmers and glows around every corner. $16 per car.

The Grotto: Festival of Lights
Nightly 5PM-9:30PM thru Dec 30th, 8840 NE Skidmore, Portland
With over 500,000 lights, 150 choral performances, a petting zoo, carolers, puppet shows and hot chocolate this is a special event for the whole family.
The Grotto’s Christmas Festival of Lights is the largest Christmas choral festival in the world. The 2012 festival features nearly 180 indoor holiday concerts performed by many of the region’s finest school, church and civic choirs. Adult $9. Children (3-12) $4.

Need More?
Check out the Oregonian newspaper's 2012 Holiday Events Guide. 20-pages of local bazaars, gift ideas and holiday events. Something for everyone!

The Pleiades MHCC Planetarium website

Sleeping Beauties and the White Dwarf When: Mon Nov 05, 2012 Show Times: 7:00PM and 8:15PM Where: Mt Hood Community College Planetarium Sky Theater 26000 SE Stark St Gresham, OR Get Map!

Admission $2. MHCC students are admitted free.
The Sky Theater is wheelchair accessible.

Sleeping Beauties and the White Dwarf
Join planetarium director Pat Hanrahan as he shows visitors how to locate the planets and prominent constellations, star clusters, galaxies and nebulae. You don't want to miss this exciting monthly star adventure into our universe.

All shows are presented under a realistic representation of the night sky, featuring the latest galactic, stellar and planetary images.

Visitors are encouraged to ask questions during each 45-minute program. Children are welcome to attend.

Inside this Issue

• Celebrate The Spirit of Christmas: Dec 1
• Free Grease Kits for Holiday Cooking
• Personal Safety Awareness Class: Dec 3 (RSVP Nov 30)
• Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program
• It’s Dark Early Now: Be Safe, Be Seen
• Fall Leaves: Your Help Needed
• Tips for Heavy Rains
• Chamber Honors Businesses, Volunteers: Dec 6
• Holiday Gift of Music: Dec 2
• MHCC Planetarium Show: Dec 3
• Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol: Dec 7-16
• Wings Exhibit Reception: Dec 11

Keep up with what’s Happening in your City!