Portland hosted an annual parade on Thanksgiving for 29 years, from 1987 to 2016.[9] The parade was started by Meier & Frank and known as the Meier & Frank Holiday Parade; some locals called the tradition "the Christmas parade" because it featured Santa Claus.[10] After Meier & Frank was acquired, the parade became known as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or Macy's Holiday Parade.[11] The parade stopped after the Macy's store in downtown Portland closed in 2017.[9][12] In 2016, KGW said the parade had 25 inflatable floats, marching bands from local middle and high schools, community drill teams, and approximately 650 costumed characters. Inflatables included an elf, a polar bear, and a snowman.[13] Grant Butler of The Oregonian said the final parade had "Victorian carolers, caterpillar and polar bear floats, and plenty of marching bands". He wrote, "As if on cue, it started snowing just as the parade wrapped up. Santa couldn't have asked for a bigger finish."[9] Footage of some of the parades are available on YouTube, according to the newspaper.[9]
Turkey trots
Portland sees multiple turkey trots organized annually. Established in 2015, the PIR Turkey Trot is an annual fun run at Portland International Raceway, held on the night before Thanksgiving.[1] The event has multiple races and also serves as a preview of the Winter Wonderland light show.[14][15] In 2025, Brianna Wheeler of the Willamette Week opined, "If Thanksgiving as a concept bums you out, this is a great moment symbolically to run away while simultaneously making new running buddies."[14]
The Oregon Road Runners Club[15] and Oregon Zoo also hosts an annual Turkey Trot; races include a 5K run, as well as the Gobble Gallup and Tot Trot, both of which are for children. Participants go through the zoo and the International Rose Test Garden, and costumes are encouraged.[1] Thousands of people participated in the zoo's Turkey Trot in 2025; entrants received a knit cap and a chocolate turkey.[16][17]
Tofurky sponsors the family-friendly Tofurky Trot annually.[18] The event benefits the organization Northwest VEG and includes a 5K, a costume contest, and vegan snacks. Participants start near the Oaks Park Roller Skating Rink at Oaks Amusement Park, then take the Springwater Corridor to cross the Sellwood Bridge, before returning to the park.[17][19] In 2019, Maura Fox included the Tofurky Trot in Outside magazine's "unofficial guide to America's best Turkey Trots".[20]
Various organizations have offered free Thanksgiving meals, including Portland Rescue Mission and Union Gospel Mission.[33][34] Union Gospel Mission planned to serve approximately 450 meals in 2025.[35] A division of The Salvation Army has hosted Thanksgiving dinner at the Moore Street Corps Community Center in north Portland for a decade; the 2021 event served 170 and organizers planned to feed 300 people in 2022.[36] In 2025, between 500 and 1,000 volunteers with the Sunshine Division delivered approximately 2,750 Thanksgiving meals in Portland and Gresham.[37] Approximately 50 employees of Zupan's Markets helped assemble the food boxes in 2025, as part of the company's almost two-decade partnership with the Sunshine Division.[38][39] In 2025, the Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Resource Center hosted "Queersgiving" for LGBTQ youth.[28] The Celebration Tabernacle Church in north Portland has hosted Proper Thanksgiving Feast-ival and the Mt. Scott Community Center and Pool in southeast Portland has hosted Feast for Southeast.[40]
Public transport and travel
There can be changes to schedules on public transport around the holiday; for example, TriMet's bus, MAX Light Rail, and streetcar operations have followed a weekend schedule on Thanksgiving, and the Portland Aerial Tram and WES Commuter Rail services have stopped service for the holiday. With some exceptions, parking meters were not enforced on Thanksgiving in 2025.[1][41]Portland International Airport sees increased traffic around Thanksgiving. In 2010, approximately 290,000 passengers were expected to use the airport during Thanksgiving week, including between 34,000 and 43,000 per day on November 24, 28, and 29.[42] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 200,000 people were expected to use the airport during Thanksgiving weekend.[43] In 2025, approximately 367,000 travelers were expected to visit the airport between November 25 and December 1, with 60,000 alone on the Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving.[44] There can be longer driving times to reach Eugene via Interstate 5 around the holiday.[45]
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