<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1eqQYf_0jmsasXQ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1eqQYf_0jmsasXQ00" width="1280" height="960" >Hundreds of people lined the shore of the Willamette River in Milwaukie Bay Park on Saturday to watch the Christmas Ships Parade during the city of Milwaukie’s annual <a href="https://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/events/wintersolsticeevent">Winter Solstice celebration</a>.On shore, the event included a beer garden, hot food, a visit from Santa and a bonfire, along with several smaller fire pits to keep ship-watchers warm.On the water, the decorated Christmas Ships made two passes of the Milwaukie party, circling several times for the crowd.The Christmas Ships have sailed the Willamette and Columbia rivers around Portland and surrounding communities since 1954. The fleet is comprised of small boats decorated with Christmas lights for the season. Over the decades, the lighted boat parade has grown to include some 70 boats.If you missed Saturday’s ship parade, you can still catch the fleet for three more evenings. On most parade nights, about half the fleet can be found on the Willamette while the others are on the Columbia. Parades will take place on the Columbia and Willamette rivers on Dec. 20 and 21.The last chance to see the combined fleets is this evening, Dec. 18, when they will start at <a href="https://www.riverplacemarina.com/">Riverplace Marina</a> on the Willamette at 5 p.m., then make their way upriver (that’s south) to the <a href="http://www.johnslanding.org/area.html">John’s Landing area</a> by the Sellwood Bridge. The fleet will then turn and travel downriver (aka north) to the St. Johns Bridge, arriving at approximately 6:45 p.m.For more information and a full schedule, visit <a href="http://christmasships.org/">christmasships.org</a>.-- Samantha Swindler, sswindler@oregonian.com, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/editorswindler/">@editorswindler</a></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Portland’s Christmas Ships parade for 3 more evenings

Hundreds of people lined the shore of the Willamette River in Milwaukie Bay Park on Saturday to watch the Christmas Ships Parade during the city of Milwaukie’s annual Winter Solstice celebration. On shore, the event included a beer garden, hot food, a visit from Santa and a bonfire, along...