The final weekend before Christmas has arrived and there is no shortage of things to do around town. Need a creative and unique last-minute gift? No problem. Need some live music to get all the holiday energy out? There’s plenty. How about strange and off-the-beaten path things to do? It’s all right here in the Weekend Guide.
Friday the 17th
Bad Santa:Ugly Sweater VS. Onesie Party | 12:00 PM – Lunch | 10:00 PM – Dance | The Yard
Join everyone for a TRL (Total Request Live) ugly sweater and onesie party! Starting at 10pm- we open up the dance floor! Open at 12 pm for lunch and the kitchen closes at 10pm. Grab a burger or one of our delicious apps before the festivities. Request your favorite song! Your DJ will take requests all night for a TRL take over!
Magic of Christmas | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Merrill Auditorium | Tickets
Watch this beloved holiday tradition (now in its 42nd year!) in-person or online! Magic of Christmas will be led by Music Director Eckart Preu and feature special guests, including Laura Darrell (star of Frozen Live), the Magic of Christmas Chorus, Ray Cornils, and James Kennerley! Celebrate the season with Christmas classics
The Polar Express | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Portland’s Ocean Gateway
Come enjoy a fun filled train ride, with singing, dancing, the story of the Polar Express and of course Santa himself. Hot Chocolate will also be available as you arrive back at the station.
Train rides are 45 minutes long and run at various times during the season.
NAWA Wrestling | Doors: 8pm Bell Time: 9pm | Geno’s Rock Club
Professional wrestling is back at Geno’s with a loaded card from North Atlantic Wrestling. A lumberjack title match highlights the action with performances by The Conqueror before and at intermission.
Saturday the 18th
Batson River Portland 1st Birthday | 11:30 AM | Batson River
Celebrate their first year in Portland with a fun and festive birthday bash. Enjoy a special birthday brew for $1.00 and the photo opportunity of the season with Maine Photo Booth Bus parking in the back bar space!
Queer Craft Winter Market | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM | 15 Casco St. Portland
Come to our market to support Maine’s queer artist community, and do all your shopping for the holidays! Queer Craft Maine is an organization dedicated to creating spaces and opportunities for Maine’s queer arts community. We hope to give every queer artist in Maine support in pursuing their artistic goals, and to strengthen the connection between LGBTQIA+ artists across the state.
Shop & Sip: Holiday Craft Fair | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Stroudwater Distillery
The event will be held in the tasting room and in their distillery for the second annual craft/maker fair. What’s better than roaming a cozy holiday market with your friends and family? Doing it with a festive holiday cocktail in hand.
Stroudwater Distillery: 5th Anniversary Party | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Stroudwater Distillery
They will have live music, raffles, drink specials and more! Come and join the staff to celebrate 5 years of business! The party will kick off right after the Sip & Shop event. They will be giving away glassware, wearables, and more! Live music from 7:00-10:00!
Indoor Portland Farmer’s Market | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 631 Stevens Avenue
All the fresh produce, flowers and more that you know and love from the outdoor Portland Farmer’s Market moves indoors for the winter.
Creative Collective Market | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Apres
Time is running out to get your hands on last-minute unique gifts made by local and traveling creators. Congregate at Apres on Saturday afternoon and sip on cider or craft seltzer while shopping.
Spose: PDANK XMAS | 9:00 PM | Aura | Tickets
Spose is a rapper/producer from Wells, Maine. Spose first gained notoriety for his self-produced, gold-selling hit single I’m Awesome in 2010. Come together at aura for the 7th annual PDANK XMAS with special guests: Flobots and J.Spin!
Lez Zeppelin | 9:00 PM | State Theatre | Tickets
They will be playing the album “Physical Graffiti” in its entirety! The all-girl quartet, Lez Zeppelin, has since gained unanimous critical acclaim as one of the most exciting acts around, becoming the first ever female rock act to pay homage to Led Zepplin and garner rave reviews across the board!
Winter Glitterland Burlesque | 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Geno’s Rock Club | Tickets
Welcome in the winter solstice with a sultry burlesque party at Geno’s Rock Club featuring Vivian Vice and Creme dela Phlegm.
Winter White | 9:00 PM | Urban Farm Fermentory
Amrit & Collin are reuniting once again for their all white winter affair.
❄︎ Attire: All White
❄︎ Event: Dance Party
❄︎ Genre: Deep House, Techno
Sunday the 19th
Gift Wrapping Party | 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Rising Tide Brewing Company
Join the crew over at Rising Tide to wrap up your holiday gifts while sipping some delicious beers! If you need to add some last minute gifts, they have lots of those on-hand for you to buy and wrap on the spot too. They will provide the wrapping supplies and the holiday cheer!
Jimmy Drinks World Maker’s Market | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Hunt + Alpine
Craft cocktails are on the menu as time is running out for your last minute shopping. Enjoy some pop punk goodness and shop to your heart’s content.
Christmas Swing Dance | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Urban Farm Fermentory
May we have the next dance? See you at the holiday edition of their Sunday Swing Series!
Music provided by the incredibly talented Copacetic Collective Band. Swing dance and drink the night away!
Makers Market | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Brick South
There will be so many amazing maker’s at Brick South on Thompson’s Point in Portland, selling their goods, join them for some holiday shopping while eating some lunch and sipping your favorite drink.
The Front Bottoms | 8:00 PM | State Theatre | Tickets
The Front Bottoms are an indie rock duo from New Jersey whose music is a wildly eclectic blend of pop, rock, and punk influences accompanied by witty lyrics that offer a rapid-fire, slightly surreal perspective on the world around them.
