Portland, OR. This December will mark the 65th launch of the Christmas Ships Parade season. Parades on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers will last for 15 nights beginning on Thursday, December 5th through Sunday, December 22nd. There are seven nights where the fleet with be combined. Please click the links below to see the schedules for more details:
Making waves in downtown Portland near the Riverplace Marina in 2018.
Christmas Ships in St. Helens at the Columbia View Park in 2018
Christmas Ships on the Willamette near the Riverplace Marina in 2018.
The boats, 14 to 65 feet long, are brightly lit for the holiday season. Up to 60 holiday boats are expected to make up the two fleets. As in previous years, there will be two “Meet & Greet” events at the public dock near Tom McCall Waterfront Park (Riverplace area). The first Meet & Greet will be from 8 pm until 10 pm on Saturday, December 21st, immediately following the parade run to Lake Oswego. The second Meet & Greet will be from 2 pm until 4:30 pm on Sunday, December 22nd, before the last run down to the St. Johns Bridge (Cathedral Park). This year, the nonprofit Christmas Ships Parade Organization is partnering with William Temple House. During each of the Meet & Greet events, William Temple House will have representatives collecting new kids’ winter coats. (Children come in all shapes and sizes, so any new warm coat from children’s small up through adult XXL would be appreciated.)
From the nonprofit Christmas Ships Parade:
The privately-owned vessels come from Portland, Vancouver, McMinnville, Salem and Hood River areas. Some of the owners of the ships have been part of the Christmas tradition for more than 30 years with many being part of the Christmas Ship fleet for over 20 years. Each skipper is responsible for their own expenses, including fuel and insurance for their vessels over the two weeks. This can run into the hundreds of dollars, which in itself is a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm the Christmas Ship skippers bring to the organization and the community. The organization accepts donations to help cover the cost of maintaining, managing and promoting the organization, but none of these donations go to the skippers, their crews, or their boats. Christmas Ships, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization, with no paid staff or officers, just a large group of friendly individual volunteers/skippers who give back to the community they love.
William Temple House is a nonprofit social service agency located in NW Portland that supports people in need, especially those who are affected by two major concerns in our area: extremely high rates of mental illness and the affordable housing crisis. Their services include affordable access to mental health counseling for individuals, couples, and families; a healthy food pantry; hygiene items; new clothing for children; dental and vision care; and energy assistance so that families don’t have to choose between paying rent or basic living expenses. William Temple House has been making a difference in the lives of Portlanders for 54 years.
Portland, OR. Christmas Ship owners are getting ready to set sail for their 64th year as residents make plans to watch the colorful flotillas during the parade’s 2018 holiday season. The Christmas Ship Parade will launch Friday, November 30th, in North Portland Harbor. The parade will run for 15 nights through Thursday, December 20th. The flotilla has six nights off, so check the Columbia and Willamette River schedules.
The boats, 14 to 65 feet long, are brightly decorated for the holiday season. Up to 60 holiday boats are expected to make up the two fleets. The schedule details for each night list some of the best viewing locations. Sometimes that may be from a shoreline park or it may be from the warmth of a restaurant overlooking the river. On the Willamette, you always have the opportunity to see the ships from a dinner cruise. If you have boat that can run at a speed of at least 6 knots, and you decorate your watercraft, you’re welcome to join the Christmas Ships parade for one night or all nights. To see some of the benefits of joining the parade, visit: Benefits. To sign up, visit: Sign Up.
2018 Columbia & Willamette River Downloadable Parade Schedules:
The privately owned vessels come from Portland, Vancouver, McMinnville, Salem and Hood River areas. Some of the ships owners have been part of Christmas tradition for more than 30 years with many being part of the Christmas Ship fleet for over 20 years. Each skipper is responsible for their own expenses, including fuel and insurance for their vessels over the two weeks. This can run into the hundreds of dollars, which in itself is a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm the Christmas Ship skippers bring to the organization, and the community. The organization accepts donations to help cover the cost of maintaining, managing and promoting the organization, but none of these donations go to the skippers, their crews, or their boats. Christmas Ships, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization, with no paid staff or officers, just a large group of friendly individual volunteers/skippers who give back to the community they love.
All of us from the Christmas Ship group urge your support to keep the Parade afloat. Your donation helps to sustain the parade that sails on the Columbiaand Willamette Rivers annually. Our lighted boats bring holiday spirit to thousands of viewers in the area and a showcase event for your customers and guests.
Our members pay all of their own expenses, from decorations to operating costs. It is a huge time commitment but we all enjoy the Parade season. Donated funds help to defray the cost of administering, maintaining and promoting our non-profit organization. Christmas Ships, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization, there are no paid staff, all donations are returned to the community through the continued existence of the Christmas Ship Parade.
This website is used extensively by our visitors to make reservations for restaurants to watch the Christmas Ship Parade and to plan home parties to view the fleet. Please consider sending your donation today.
We thank you in advance for your help in making this year’s Christmas Parade the best ever. We list our contributors on our Supporters page (unless you choose to remain anonymous).
Christmas Ships, Inc. is a tax exempt organization. EIN #93-1157902
Although we are a non-profit organization (with IRS 501(c)(4) status), we are not a charitable organization. Personal donations are most likely not tax deductible. Please check with your tax professional.
For those that don’t want to donate online (via Paypal), checks can be mailed to:
Christmas Ships, Inc PO Box 55331 Portland, OR 97238-55331
The Christmas Ship Parade will launch Friday, December 1st, in North Portland Harbor. The parade will run for 15 nights through Thursday December 21st. (There will be no parades on Dec 3rd, 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, and 18th.) Christmas Ships, Inc. is a non-profit corporation. Some restaurants and hotels along both rivers, and private citizens, donate to the insurance fund for the lead boats each year. Minimal administrative costs for the year are paid from the fund.
The boats, 14 to 65 feet long, are brightly decorated for the holiday season. The ships draw thousands of residents each night to the banks of the rivers for their performances. Up to 60 holiday boats are expected to make up the two fleets this year.
Restaurants and hotels along the Columbia and Willamette rivers are already taking reservations with nights already booked for some evenings.
There’s always room for more boats in the parade of Christmas ships:
The privately owned vessels come from Portland, Vancouver, McMinnville, Salem and Hood River areas. Some of the ships owners have been part of Christmas tradition for more than 30 years with many being part of the Christmas Ship fleet for over 20 years. Each skipper is responsible for their own expenses, including fuel and insurance for their vessels over the two weeks. This can run into the hundreds of dollars, which in itself is a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm the Christmas Ship skippers bring to the organization, and the community. The organization accepts donations to help cover the cost of maintaining, managing and promoting the organization, but none of these donations go to the skippers, their crews, or their boats. Christmas Ships, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization, with no paid staff or officers, just a large group of friendly individual volunteers/skippers who give back to the community.
From The Christmas Ships:
The Christmas Ship Parade started in 1954 with one lone sailboat from Portland Yacht Club. Bows of green with some ribbon where tied along the rails and it paraded on the rivers. The next year the parade started to grow. Today, The Christmas Ship Fleet averages about 55 to 60 boats between the Columbia and Willamette River fleets. Things have changed from the first lone ship. Now the displays are brightly lit and can be seen from bank to bank on each river.
The Portland tradition packs restaurants along the two rivers. Many reservations are made a year in advance. Many hotel rooms are booked by mid-summer. Corporation Christmas parties are scheduled around the Christmas Ship Parade schedule. By the thousands every night regardless of the weather Portland-Vancouver residents line the banks of both rivers to watch the parade. To show their appreciation for the all volunteer effort and the performance they give, many homes and cars along the way flash their porch and headlights as the fleet passes.
Each boat owner designs and builds their lighted Christmas display and pays their operating costs which includes fuel. Many of the displays can be seen each year, but new boats join the flotilla each year and bring with them new Christmas oriented lighted exhibits. As skippers retire, they also hand down their well known displays so the tradition continues. Even though not all boats make it out every night of the two weeks the ships parade on the rivers of Portland, most do. For many of the boat owners, this is a family Christmas tradition, offering the Portland area thrilling Christmas time parades. Many of the operators also have small private parties for friends and families aboard their vessels during the parade. All costs are borne by the owners.
Weather is the only element that will cancel the ships performance. That determination is made by the leaders for the evening about a half hour before the ships are scheduled to begin performing.
Portland, OR. The 2016 Christmas Ships Parade season is upon us. About 60 ships, including seven new displays, will be parading on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers for 15 nights, beginning on Friday Dec. 2nd. Organizers combine the fleets for six nights. The schedules are below.
Organizers send out position reports via Twitter on most parade nights. Look for either #ColumbiaFleet or #WillametteFleet at www.twitter.com/ChristmasShips.
From Christmas Ships:
From Christmas Ships:
All of us from the Christmas Ship group urge your support to keep the Parade afloat. Your donation helps to sustain the parade that sails on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers annually. Our lighted boats bring holiday spirit to thousands of viewers in the area and a showcase event for your customers and guests.
Our members pay all of their own expenses, from decorations to operating costs. It is a huge time commitment but we all enjoy the Parade season. Donated funds help to defray the cost of administering, maintaining and promoting our non-profit organization. Christmas Ships, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization, there are no paid staff, all donations are returned to the community through the continued existence of the Christmas Ship Parade.
This website is used extensively by our visitors to make reservations for restaurants to watch the Christmas Ship Parade and to plan home parties to view the fleet. Please consider sending your donation today.
We thank you in advance for your help in making this year’s Christmas Parade the best ever. We list our contributors on our Supporters page (unless you choose to remain anonymous).
Christmas Ships, Inc. is a tax exempt organization. EIN #93-1157902
For those that don’t want to donate online (via Paypal), checks can be mailed to:
Christmas Ships, Inc PO Box 55331 Portland, OR 97238-55331
Portland, December 13th, 2015. This year marks the 61th anniversary of Portland’s Christmas Ships Parade. Volunteers are making it easier for crowds to track the fleet. On parade nights, a crew member from each fleet will be sending out live tweets. Those tweets will provide real time updates. Each tweet will contain either “#WillametteFleet” or “#ColumbiaFleet.” Those tweets can be seen on the Christmas Ship home page or directly from the Twitter feed.
This Loch Ness Monster/Green Dragon breathes real fire!
The fleet is much like the post office, members forge ahead through rain, snow, and of course, dark of night. Organizers say, “The increase contact we see through the web page here, as well as through our Facebook page and Twitter feed, further cement the incredible interest shown for this event. Christmas Ships Parade fans not only show up to visit us in all sorts of weather, but they’re actively involved in communicating with the leadership, sharing pictures and videos, making donations, and offering suggestions. You support is invaluable, and we thank you for all you do for us.” (Below is the schedule for both the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.)
Here’s a preview of some of the floating festivities on display this year. There are some new boats this year!
Yes, that’s the infamous leg lamp from the holiday film, “A Christmas Story” where Ralphie has to convince his parents that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift.
The combined Willamette and Columbia fleets will depart from Coon Island at 4:30pm and arrive in the Scappoose area at approximately 5:00pm. They will travel up the Multnomah Channel to the Fred’s Marina area. This is a long run with the ships arriving at Fred’s Marina at approximately 8:30pm. From there, the fleet will disperse to their respective moorages.
Tuesday, Dec. 15th – OMSI to Fremont Bridge – 7:00PM
At 7:00PM, the Willamette Fleet assembles in front of Riverplace Marina, (1750 SW Harbor Way, Portland). The parade will begin in the OMSI/Riverplace area before heading upstream to the Spaghetti Factory then head downriver to the area of the Fremont Bridge The fleet will go under the bridge and then return to Riverplace Marina. The fleet will be out for about two hours.
The Willamette Fleet assembles in front of RiverPlace Marina, (1750 SW Harbor Way, Portland) at 7:00PM and travels upriver to the area of the Milwaukie Boat Ramp. The fleet will arrive about 7:45PM and about 8:15P the fleet turns downriver and returns to RiverPlace Marina. On the nights that Oregon Yacht Club is listed, the fleet will go in below Oaks Park and in front of the floating homes on the way back to RiverPlace.
Thursday, Dec. 17th – OMSI to Fremont Bridge – 7:00PM
At 7:00PM, the Willamette Fleet assembles in front of Riverplace Marina, (1750 SW Harbor Way, Portland). The parade will begin in the OMSI/Riverplace area before heading upstream to the Spaghetti Factory then head downriver to the area of the Fremont Bridge The fleet will go under the bridge and then return to Riverplace Marina. The fleet will be out for about two hours.
Friday, Dec. 18th – Milwaukie, Oregon Yacht Club – 7:00PM
The Willamette Fleet assembles in front of RiverPlace Marina, (1750 SW Harbor Way, Portland) at 7:00PM and travels upriver to the area of the Milwaukie Boat Ramp. The fleet will arrive about 7:45PM and about 8:15P the fleet turns downriver and returns to RiverPlace Marina. On the nights that Oregon Yacht Club is listed, the fleet will go in below Oaks Park and in front of the floating homes on the way back to RiverPlace.
From 3 – 5:30pm, there will be a “Meet & Greet” with the Christmas Ships captains at Riverplace Marina (downtown Portland). Come say hello, take a look at the boats up close, or take some pictures with us. Santa will be there! At 5:30PM, both fleets will leave RiverPlace Marina headed to Lake Oswego, arriving about 6:45P – 7:00, subject to weather and river conditions. The ships will go as far as George Rogers Park and turn back to Portland.
At 5:00PM, the Willamette and Columbia Fleets assemble in front of RiverPlace Marina, (1750 SW Harbor Way, Portland). The parade will begin in the OMSI/Riverplace area and proceed upstream to the Spaghetti Factory before heading downriver to St. John’s arriving at approximately 6:30 PM and remain in the area for about 30 minutes. The parade will then continue on to the Columbia River and each boat owners home port. The arrival times are dependent upon bridge openings that are beyond the control of the Christmas Ships. Please check our Twitter feed for updates to our time and location.
The combined Willamette and Columbia fleets will depart from Coon Island at 4:30pm and arrive in the Scappoose area at approximately 5:00pm. They will travel up the Multnomah Channel to the Fred’s Marina area. This is a long run with the ships arriving at Fred’s Marina at approximately 8:30pm. From there, the fleet will disperse to their respective moorages.
Tuesday, Dec. 15th – I-5 Bridge area / Hayden Bay – 7:00PM
At 7:00PM, the Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and turns at the east end of the parking lot to head downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area including Grandma’s Cove, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM at Beaches, and Hayden Bay approximately 8:45 PM.
Wednesday, Dec. 16th – James Gleason Boat Ramp/WA Shores/Wintler Park/I-5 Bridge area – 7:00PM
At 7:00PM, the Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and remains for about the first half hour, then heads across the river to the Washington Shoreline until about 8pm. Then heads downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area, arriving at approximately 8:15 PM.
Thursday, Dec. 17th – I-5 Bridge area / Hayden Bay – 7:00PM
At 7:00PM, the Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and turns at the east end of the parking lot to head downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area including Grandma’s Cove, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM at Beaches, and Hayden Bay approximately 8:45 PM.
Friday, Dec. 18th – North Portland Harbor – 7:00PM
At 7:00PM, the fleet will assemble in the area of the James. M Gleason boat ramp, (NE 43rd/Marine Dr), and then head downriver to North Portland Harbor. North Portland Harbor is located on the Oregon side of Hayden Island.
From 3 – 5:30pm, there will be a “Meet & Greet” with the Christmas Ships captains at Riverplace Marina (downtown Portland). Come say hello, take a look at the boats up close, or take some pictures with us. Santa will be there! At 5:30PM, both fleets will leave RiverPlace Marina headed to Lake Oswego, arriving about 6:45P – 7:00, subject to weather and river conditions. The ships will go as far as George Rogers Park and turn back to Portland.
At 5:00PM, the Willamette and Columbia Fleets assemble in front of RiverPlace Marina, (1750 SW Harbor Way, Portland). The parade will begin in the OMSI/Riverplace area and proceed upstream to the Spaghetti Factory before heading downriver to St. John’s arriving at approximately 6:30 PM and remain in the area for about 30 minutes. The parade will then continue on to the Columbia River and each boat owners home port. The arrival times are dependent upon bridge openings that are beyond the control of the Christmas Ships. Please check our Twitter feed for updates to our time and location.
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Download the Columbia River Parade Schedule
