From parades to winter lights, here are some free, fun holiday events in Lane County
The holiday season is a special time for families who celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or even just the coming of winter to finish out another year together.
For many, it's the first holiday season gathering with family after another year dealing with COVID-19 and foregoing activities last December.
There are many free events happening across Lane County this month for those looking to get out of the house and into the holiday spirit.
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Here are some events to look forward to this holiday season:
Springfield Christmas Parade — 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4 at starting at 21st and Olympic streets and moving down Mohawk Boulevard to Main Street. This year's theme for the parade and its floats will be honoring people of service, with a "SUPER HERO CHRISTMAS." Read more about it here: Annual Springfield Christmas Parade set to roll Saturday; participants can line route this year
Cottage Grove Christmas Kickoff — 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4 at the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, 836 E Main St. Santa will light the tree to start the evening, then greet families and pass out treats. Several churches will be providing soups, drinks and more and the "Festival of Tress" will have 40 free tree giveaways.
Creswell Winter Lights Celebration — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. The day will include a holiday market and Christmas tree silent auction that runs all day at the community center. There will be vendors and activities such as writing letters to Santa with cookies and cocoa. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Creswell Heritage Foundation will have an open house with tours. Finally, the community celebration will commence at 5 p.m. featuring a parade with Santa, singers, a tuba ensemble and the Creswell High School band.
Junction City Community Christmas Tree Lighting — 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 at at the First Baptist Church of Junction City, 28957 W. 18th Ave. This third annual event will have cookies, crafts and other fun with hot cocoa for families as the tree is lit at 5 p.m.
Veneta Light Parade — 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9. This 18th annual parade will start on Territorial Highway near Luther Lane.
Free photos with Santa — 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at Santa Clara Church, 175 Santa Clara Ave., Eugene.
Eugene Holiday Lights Bike Ride — 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15. The bike ride, put on by local mountain bike club Disciples of Dirt, will start at 1912 Lemming Ave. in Eugene and head north to the light displays in the North Gilham Road area. Festive clothing and lighting are highly encouraged. Bike helmet and front and rear lights required.
UPDATE: This event was canceled on Tuesday, Dec. 14 due to omicron variant NAACP Kwanzaa — 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 at WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Ave., Eugene. Eugene-Springfield NAACP will host Kwanzaa, a free, family festival and celebration of family, community and culture. It will feature an educational webinar and family crafts and activities during the daytime, followed by a free community meal and live entertainment in the evening.
Coastal whale watching — Gray whales will soon be making their migration south from Alaska to Mexico, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The peak time to see the animals along the Oregon Coast is from mid-December through mid-January as they travel south to the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico. For tips on where to go and how to spot whales, go to stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=things-to-do.whale-watching.
Where to eat: Here are some of the restaurants open Christmas Day in Eugene-Springfield
Contact reporter Jordyn Brown at jbrown@registerguard.com or 541-246-4264, and follow her on Twitter @thejordynbrown and Instagram @registerguard. Support local journalism, subscribe to The Register-Guard.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Free holiday events in Lane County 2021: Christmas parades, winter lights
