Happy Friday, Vancouver. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! In today’s edition: Christmas Festival of Lights, Vancouver Holiday Market, Winter Wonderland, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Parade, market and festivities: On Nov. 28, Vancouver’s Community Tree Lighting at Esther Short Park featured Santa arriving by tugboat, music, and 6 p.m. tree lighting, with lights glowing through New Year’s Day — see the full schedule.

Beloved fantasy on stage: Journey Theater’s musical Narnia arrives at Washougal High School in December with performances Dec. 5, 6, 12, and 13. Jaisey Pace is the White Witch and Isaac Wood plays Edmund — see showtimes and ticket info.

A night of recognition: The Building Industry Association of Clark County installed Alexa Lee as 2026 president, marking her second term and the association’s second female leader, with new officers seated and awards presented — see who was honored.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Scams are rampant: Last week, my step-dad got a call from someone pretending to be his grandson, all beat up and asking for bail money. They knew his grandson’s name, how old he is, and what city he lives in. How? Data brokers. They sell your info to anyone willing to pay for it (yup… anyone). Incogni removes your info from all of those sites so scammers can’t use it against you. Annual plans are 55% off until Sunday — check it out here.

Highlights this week

• Take pictures with Krampus while shopping
• Shop the Native-made holiday market
• Empower women through collective generosity
• Treat yourself to festive afternoon tea
• Enjoy sensory-friendly Santa photos at Vancouver Mall
• Need new windows? Check out RBA’s latest deals
• Pet parents: Don’t miss Chewy’s Black Friday sale

🫶 We got your back

Volunteers drive lifesaving care: Furry Friends Cat Rescue in Vancouver is rallying support for Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2. Donations fuel rescues, vet care, and spay/neuter, and help fund their upcoming medical building. Even small gifts go far: $50 vaccinates and microchips an adoptable cat. $250 can cover emergency care for cats like Sinatra or Plum. Learn how you can help.

Big changes for riders: Construction for The Vine on Highway 99 is beginning at two NE 139th Street eastbound station sites and will roll out in phases over the next two years. A key upgrade will transform Salmon Creek Park & Ride into the Salmon Creek Transit Center. Weekly project updates will be available. See how to get updates.

Spin something new: Downtown’s family-owned Ronald Records stocks curated new and used vinyl, cassettes, CDs, plus turntables and speakers. Expect listening parties and live sets that make browsing feel like an event. If your collection needs a spark, bring a trade stack, dig around, and leave with something surprising.

Health drinks that don’t taste like grass: With tasty tea and matcha blends for everything from recovery and radiant skin to energy without the crash, a metabolism boost, and immune support, everything in Pique’s lineup tastes as good as it makes you feel. They’re clean, there are no additives, and all new monthly subscriptions are 20% off for liferight now. Yup… literally forever (or until you cancel).

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🔢 Bingo night @ Full Force Fitness | Friday (11/28) at 5:30pm – Trade burpees for B-12 and hit Full Force for charity bingo benefiting Cloth and Foster. It’s $25 to play, bring your own chair and snacks, and prizes include a SodaStream, a Nest thermostat, massages, a Portland Spirit gift card, and more. RSVP.

🎤 Jessie Leigh @ Ponderosa Lounge & Grill | Friday (11/28) at 9:00pm – Skip the doorbusters and hit the Pondo for Jessie Leigh’s Black Friday homecoming, full band, high-energy country, heartfelt tunes, and dancing. It is the kind of local buzz you actually want, 21-plus and tickets online, a fun alternative to Black Friday shopping.

This weekend

🏛️ Museum Day @ Devil-ish Little Things Museum | Saturday (11/29) at 10:00am – Skip the saccharine stuff and swing by for a no-appointment museum day, your first peek at a black holiday tree flaunting devil and Krampus ornaments, and yes, a photo with the rascal. Think solo or two-person tours, limited slots, a gift shop, and optional absinthe.

🎭 Black Nativity @ Alberta Abbey | Saturday (11/29) at 3:00pm – Holiday madness calls for soul, not mall Muzak, and Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity delivers. Scripture, poetry, gospel, and griot storytelling, all lifted by dance that actually moves you. It is Sunday service meets block party, family-friendly, and guaranteed to raise the roof.

✨ Christmas Festival of Lights @ The Grotto | Saturday (11/29) at 5:00pm – The Grotto is glowing with the Christmas Festival of Lights, the world’s largest choral fest, with nearly 160 indoor concerts in that echo-perfect chapel. Stroll the paths, sip something warm, and let the lights, the carolers, and even the puppet show charm your inner skeptic.

🎅 Photos with Buddy The Elf (& Santa) @ Civilized Wolf | Sunday (11/30) at 9:00am – Whether your kid, your corgi, or your inner child wants proof, Buddy the Elf and Santa are doing photo ops at Civilized Wolf. Spots are limited, $5 benefits a local rescue, and yes, pets welcome.

🛍️ Vancouver Holiday Market Day Three @ Hilton Vancouver Washington | Sunday (11/30) at 9:00am – Final-day shopping calls for zero mall chaos, free entry, and 120-plus local makers under one roof at the Hilton Vancouver. Scoop handmade holiday gifts, enjoy live music, kids’ crafts, raffles, and photo ops, then pretend you planned ahead all along. Buy local, feel great about finishing your holiday shopping early.

🎵 The Musical Gauntlet @ Curious Comedy Theater | Sunday (11/30) at 7:30pm – If you love musical improv with a competitive twist, this is it. Fifteen improvisers sing, scramble, and scheme through a musical gauntlet at the Annex, and you decide who survives. Whose Line meets Ninja Warrior, with fewer injuries, more show tunes, and bragging rights.

Next week

🐾 ‘Santa Paws’ Photo Nights @ Vancouver Mall | Monday (12/1) at 4:00pm – Think your dog is on the nice list? Vancouver Mall has pet photos with Santa in Elf-themed digs, so bring your leashed or kenneled furball, book ahead to dodge the line, and drop a coat for One Warm Coat, saint. Humans without pets welcome.

❄️ Winter Wonderland @ Portland International Raceway | Monday (12/1) at 5:00pm – Roll into PIR for the region’s biggest holiday light show, a drive-through where traffic is slow on purpose and the heater finally earns its keep. Not driving? Bike the Lights or bring the dog for walk nights, then bask in 250-plus twinkly displays.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 11/28 Black Nativity @ Alberta Abbey – 7:30 pm
• 11/30 Tristan Damron @ Alberta Street Pub – 5 pm
• 12/1 Untapped Trivia @ Tough Luck – 7 pm
• 12/3 Untapped Trivia Wednesdays @ Oakshire Beer Hall – 7 pm
• 12/4 You Won’t Get What You Want @ Alberta Street Pub – 7:30 pm
• 12/5 Tony Furtado @ Falcon Art Community – 5 pm
• 12/5 Meteora and more @ Billy Blues – 9 pm
• 12/6 Eagle Eyes @ Billy Blues – 9 pm
• 12/7 Infinite Skies @ Vancouver School of Arts & Academics – 3 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Vancouver edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Shane Cone (Keller Williams Realty Portland Central)

Three floors maximize flexibility and income potential, with several apartments each with a private entrance, including a main level ADU, plus a main-floor primary suite. Entertain in the high-end kitchen with two dishwashers or the lower level movie theater with kitchenette. A large bonus room with bath and office adapts easily. Five-zone geothermal keeps every corner dialed in, with a Generac on standby.

Outside, a 1,225 square foot deck, fenced garden with greenhouse, RV hookups, and a 220V EV charger sit on flat, usable acreage. Close to Whipple Creek trails, schools, and the hospital, with no HOA or CC&Rs.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →