The Playlist — Things to do Nov 27-30, 2025

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A Note from the Instigator....

Hello, Friends! As the first wave of holiday events lands this weekend, we’re feeling especially grateful for you...for reading, supporting, and showing up for Salem’s arts, culture, and community. Thank you!

— Carlee, The Instigator

PS: In celebration of Small Business Day, the City of Salem will temporarily suspend paid on-street parking in the Downtown Parking District from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov 29. Go Downtown - Shop Local!

Santa arrives in Salem aboard the Carousel Express Train 12 p.m. Nov 28. Scroll down for details. Photo by Carlee Wright

THURSDAY HIGHLIGHTS

Salem Cinema is open on Thanksgiving. See Sentimental Value at 6:30 p.m., Wake up Dead Man at 7 p.m., and Rental Family 7:30 p.m. Click here for tickets.

⭐ FEATURED PICKS

Santa Arrives

A Salem tradition returns as Santa pulls into Riverfront Park aboard the Carousel Express Train at 12 p.m. Nov 28. Watching his arrival is free, and once he steps off the train, Santa will greet families before settling in at the carousel for the first ride of the season. Visits without photos are always free, or you can purchase a keepsake one. Santa will be available for visits and photos throughout the holiday season.

Riverfront Carousel has a full slate of festive events and will also collect letters to Santa throughout the season. Click here for tickets and more info.

Santa will also make a few other appearances around town.

  • 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov 29 at Wavra Farms.
  • 12 to 4 p.m. Nov 30 at West Hills Vineyards, 4785 Salem Dallas Hwy NW.
  • and at Magic in the Mill...(keep scrolling)

Magic at the Mill

Willamette Heritage Center lights up the season as Magic at the Mill returns November 28 through December 1. For four evenings, the historic grounds glow with thousands of lights, creating a walk-through winter scene that blends history and holiday cheer.

From 5:30 to 8 p.m. each night, guests can visit with Santa, enjoy live entertainment, browse local vendors for handmade gifts and seasonal treats, and watch heritage craft demonstrations. The event takes place at 1313 Mill St. SE.

Tickets are $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $12 for youth ages 4–17. Members and children 3 and under are free. Attendance is capped at 1,000 visitors per night; remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Online ticket buyers are automatically entered into a drawing for a holiday tree donated by Noble Mountain Tree Farm, available for pickup the first week of December.

Holiday Parade

The Holiday Parade returns to downtown Salem with a lively mix of floats, bands, and local performers making their way through the core. It’s a bright, family-friendly kickoff to the season that brings the community out in full force. Expect plenty of lights, music, and festive energy. It begins at 5:30 p.m. Nov 28 on Court Street, east of the Oregon State Capitol, and wraps with a tree lighting at the corner of Court and Commercial Streets.

Polar Express

All aboard! 🚂 After the Downtown Salem Holiday Parade, keep the festive fun rolling with a cozy screening of The Polar Express, 8 p.m. Friday, November 28 at Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre. Pajamas welcome. Tickets are $8, plus fees. ​​Get them here. 

The Nutcracker

The Nutcracker returns with World Ballet Company’s lavish, family-friendly production, inviting audiences to follow Marie and her Nutcracker on a Christmas Eve journey through swirling snow, mischievous mice, and the sparkling Kingdom of Sweets. Featuring 40 dancers, more than 150 hand-sewn costumes, and hand-crafted sets, the 1 hour 40 minute performance offers an accessible holiday classic for newcomers and seasoned ballet fans alike. World Ballet Company, led by Sasha Gorskaya and Gulya Hartwick, tours nationally with a roster of international artists and a mission to make ballet available to all. 7 p.m. Nov 28 and 6 p.m. Nov 29 at Elsinore Theatre. Click here for tickets.

Be there for Opening Night

Pentacle Theatre wraps its 2025 season with In-Laws, Outlaws & Other People (That Should Be Shot), a fast-paced holiday comedy where a Christmas Eve dinner derails thanks to two would-be robbers and a steady stream of unexpected guests. Directed by Karen McCarty, the show blends chaos, heart, and the kind of relatable family mayhem that feels right at home this time of year. 7:30 p.m. Nov 21-22 and 2 p.m. Nov 23 (with shows into December) at Pentacle Theatre. Click here for tickets. Read our Press Play feature story here.

​Cheers

Many local wineries are hosting Open Houses for Thanksgiving Weekend. Here are a few of the highlights —

Tasting along with live music at Cória Estates, 8252 Redstone Ave SE. The vineyard is hosting Portland-based Soul/Americana singer-songwriter Karyn Ann, 3 to 5 p.m. Nov 28, and Garreson, who is known for his thoughtful lyrics and soulful melody, 3 to 5 p.m. Nov 29.

Bryn Mawr Vineyards, 5935 Bethel Heights Rd NW, is celebrating the holiday weekend with a flight that highlights their three pillars of production: Sparkling wine, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The tasting room is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here to make a reservation. 

Ankeny Vineyard is filling Thanksgiving weekend with back-to-back live music and wine. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov 29, Mark Seymour & Friends take the stage with a mix of acoustic, electric, and bass guitar. Cost is $5. Then, from 3 to 5 p.m. Nov 30, hear the Orvil Ivie Duo, joined by Latin percussionist Smiley Mike Renwick, for a blend of contemporary smooth jazz and Santana-inspired rhythms. Ankeny Vineyard is located at 2565 Riverside Dr. S.

Pentacle Theatre's production of In-Laws, Outlaws, and Other People (Who Should Be Shot) is on stage now. Photo by Vicki Woods.

On Stage

Pentacle Theatre wraps its 2025 season with In-Laws, Outlaws & Other People (That Should Be Shot), a fast-paced holiday comedy where a Christmas Eve dinner derails thanks to two would-be robbers and a steady stream of unexpected guests. Directed by Karen McCarty, the show blends chaos, heart, and the kind of relatable family mayhem that feels right at home this time of year. On stage through Dec 13 at Pentacle Theatre. Click here for tickets. Read our Press Play feature story here.

Magic of Lights

Magic of Lights, a unique and dazzling drive-through holiday lights experience, is bigger and brighter than ever with more than a mile of spectacular light displays that bring to life your favorite holiday scenes and characters. Don’t miss the larger-than-life sparkling Holiday Barbie™ display, the supersized Bigfoot® Monster Truck, and life-sized dinosaurs of Prehistoric Christmas! Pile everyone into the car and experience more at the same low price! One carload, one price for the entire family. Open nightly through Jan 3 at Oregon State Fair & Expo Center, 2330 17th St NE. Click here for tickets.

This weekend at Salem Cinema...

Shop Local

Shop Local in Downtown Salem. A handful of businesses are participating in a promotion to encourage your support. Pop in to Art Department, All City Sweets, CreativiTee, Willamette Valley Music Company, The Book Bin, BigWig Donuts, and The Bike Peddler to get all the details and pick you your punch card.

Check out the Dash Wash Vintage Holiday Night Market, 4 to 9 p.m. Nov 29 The Reed, where there will be vintage vendors, accessories, plants, beverages and more.

Arrowhead Lavender Farm marks Small Business Saturday with a full day of local shopping, product sampling, and holiday specials. Visitors can browse handmade lavender goods, winter scents, soaps, teas, candles, and gift sets, along with pop-ups from local makers. The day includes permanent jewelry by 27th Ave Designs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Santa photos from 2 to 4 p.m., giveaways, and a visit from Fruitland Creek Farms’ miniature donkeys. The farm is located at 6373 Sunnyview Rd NE.

There’s a Fiber Arts pop-up happening 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov 28 at Green Space Design by Jude. Felting, macramae, and spinning, plus Uji Cafe beverages are just a few of the handmade items waiting for you.

Laugh

The Road to Ron Comedy Competition continues. Preliminary Show 2 takes place 7 p.m. Nov 30 in the Grand Theatre Ballroom, 187 High St NE. This week features Zach Chappell, Cody Chasteen, Josh Cousins, Luke Miller, Eleanore Ryan, Armando Santoyo, Dave Williams, and Chadhurst Jainlett Sharpe. The show starts promptly at 7, and due to the competition format, late audience members will not be admitted, so plan to arrive early and grab a good seat. Click here for tickets 

Skate

Traveling Wheelz is hosting an Adult-Only Open Skate for ages 18 and older, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Nov 28 at The Mad House, 1335 Madison St NE.

Get Crafty

Learn the traditional art of hand-dipped beeswax candlesticks with Hannah of Waxing and Raining, 1 p.m. Nov 30, at Green Space Design by Jude, 990 Commercial St SE. Participants will create four pairs of candles using raw cotton wicking, with snacks and non-alcoholic beverages provided. $60. Click here to register. 

Celebrate Museum Store Sunday

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art will be open 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov 30, in honor of Museum Store Sunday, with free admission, and proceeds from sales will directly support the museum’s core services of collections, exhibitions, and programs. You can also check out two special exhibitions currently on view: Memories & Inspiration: The Kerry and C. Betty Davis Collection of African American Art and The Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts Biennial. The museum is located at 700 State Street. 

MUSIC

Garcia Birthday Band

Garcia Birthday Band brings its long-running, improvisation-driven Grateful Dead tribute to the stage for a night of expansive jams and deep-cut exploration. For more than 20 years, the Portland-based group has been a cornerstone of the Pacific Northwest Dead community, using the band’s catalog as a launchpad for spontaneous, kaleidoscopic performance. Known for blurring the line between stage and crowd, GBB’s shows welcome newcomers and longtime fans alike into a communal, high-energy experience led by some of Oregon’s most seasoned players. 8 p.m. Nov 29 in Salem's Historic Grand Theatre. Click here for tickets.

Caminhos Cruzados

Caminhos Cruzados blends jazz guitar, Spanish flamenco, Brazilian bossa nova, and West African rhythms into a vibrant, cross-cultural sound. The Portland-based trio features electric guitarist Alex Balmer, flamenco guitarist Nat Hulskamp, and Ghanaian percussionist Israel Annoh, with a style rooted primarily in Brazilian music. 7 p.m. Sat, Nov 29, at Christo’s. Click here for tickets. 

🎨 ON EXHIBIT

The Space Between Earth and Sky by Christina Stefani

Explore art from prints to paintings...

  • At Hallie Ford Museum of Art, see Memories & Inspiration: The Kerry and C. Betty Davis Collection of African American Art
  • At Stefani Art Gallery, see Restoration – New Paintings by Christina Stefani
  • At Artists in Action Gallery, November brings a dual celebration: guest artist James Southworth’s vibrant pastels and AiA’s inaugural Fiber Arts Show. Southworth’s expressive works, inspired by Oregon and abroad, capture color and texture with award-winning finesse. Meanwhile, the fiber exhibition showcases the breadth of textile artistry, from traditional techniques to wearable fashion, marking an exciting new chapter for AiA and the region’s fiber arts community.
  • At Salem Art Association, see High Fiber Diet | A Sense of Place, Shine On | Jo Hamilton, plus shop Small Wonders and the Holiday Show.
  • At World Beat Gallery, a new exhibit about Dolls of the World is now open.
  • At Roy John Jewelry, 315 Court Street NE, see Inner Spirits, featuring work by Susan Appleby.

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