Many folks start getting jazzed about the holidays as soon as they’ve handed out the remainder of their candy to their last trick-or-treater.  Others are not quite ready to embrace the holiday spirit until December. Regardless of where you might land on that yuletide-loving spectrum, it won’t take much of a nudge to get you into the holiday spirit if you make it to McMinnville in December. Here’s how McMinnvillians do it.

Horse-drawn Carriage Rides | Weekends throughout the season (weather permitting)  Maybe it’s the beautiful, jingle bell-adorned white horse, or the cozy carriage, but nothing invokes the feeling of an old-fashioned Christmas quite like a horse-drawn carriage ride.  Arriving most weekends during the holiday season, you can catch Gypsy Rose Carriage right outside of Serendipity Ice Cream.  McMinnvillians believe that there’s no better way to experience the old-timey charm of our lovely downtown. 

Gallery Theater’s Christmas to Remember | December 10-12  

Gallery Theater ushers in the holiday cheer with three chances for folks of all ages to see a Christmas cabaret-style musical production.  Catch our favorite Gallery performers singing all of your favorite carols.  Note: Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the performance required.

McMinnville Holiday Market | December 17-19 

If you’re still looking for a gift or two, head to The Bindery for their downtown holiday market.  Find locally crafted and/or selected items from vendors who were handpicked for their wares to create a perfect holiday vibe.  This year promises to be their biggest year yet, with such a wide variety of gifts from plant sculptures and wine, to tea and more!  You only have two weekends to catch this market, so be sure to get this event on the calendar.

Bubbles and Twinkle Lights on 3rd Street | Available year round

Many a joyous occasion begins with the pop of a cork, and that sound practically reverberates throughout McMinnville’s downtown corridor.  You could start at one end of 3rd Street, and work your way down, and with nearly a dozen tasting rooms/wine bars, you’ll have plenty of options.  You can’t go wrong with any of the choices, but you might start at R. Stuart & Co., Troon Vineyard's Biodynamic Wine Bar or HiFi Wine Bar.  As you jump from place to place, be sure to link arms with your loved ones and enjoy the stroll beneath a stunning canopy of trees decked with warm, white twinkle lights.

New Year’s Eve Celebration at McMenamins Hotel Oregon | December 31 

No one throws a party like McMenamins Hotel Oregon, and what better way to ring in the new year than to jam out to a great line-up of live music whilst sipping on a cold beer or festive cocktail?  The evening’s music kicks off with John Nilsen followed by Castletown in the cozy and intimate Cellar Bar, and just before 10, make your way back up to the main floor’s Paragon Room for J. Graves. 

If you do all of these things, and are still not in the holiday spirit, well, there’s no helping you to get there!  Either way, we hope you join us in McMinnville this year during one of our favorite seasons! Go to VisitMcMinnville.com to learn more about McMinnville and all that our wine country destination has to offer.

About the Author: Jamie Corff is the Marketing Coordinator for Visit McMinnville. You’ll likely find her enjoying the arts in the form of theater, music, and the written word. She is also a passionate cheerleader for the people and businesses that are integral to the vibrancy of her beloved Downtown McMinnville.