There are certain things you expect to find at a Christmas market. Handmade ornaments, holiday decorations, cookies, and at least one person selling something that smells aggressively like cinnamon.
Goats, however, aren’t usually at the top of that list.
But this is Portland, where we apparently can’t celebrate Christmas without making things a little more interesting.
On Saturday, November 28, the Scandinavian Christmas Goat Market returns to Northeast Portland for its fifth year. Families can enjoy Nordic food, live entertainment, traditional holiday crafts, and a huge LEGO display featuring creations inspired by Scandinavian Christmas traditions.
And yes, there’s a reason goats are involved.
What Exactly Is a Christmas Goat Market?
The Scandinavian Christmas Goat Market takes place at Norse Hall, located at 111 NE 11th Avenue in Portland. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and brings together Scandinavian holiday traditions, local vendors, food, music, and activities for children.
The celebration is organized by the New Sweden Cultural Heritage Society, which helps preserve and share Swedish culture in the Pacific Northwest.
The market features more than 30 vendors selling Nordic goods, along with traditional foods and live entertainment. Families can wander through the historic building, explore holiday decorations, and learn about Christmas customs that might be different from their own.
For children, it’s a chance to discover that Christmas traditions aren’t exactly the same everywhere. Different countries celebrate with different foods, decorations, songs, and stories.
And in parts of Scandinavia, those traditions include a Christmas goat.
So, What’s With the Goats?
The Christmas goat, known as the julbock in Sweden, has been part of Scandinavian holiday traditions for generations.
Today, families might recognize the Christmas goat as a decoration made from straw, often tied with red ribbon. These ornaments appear in homes and holiday markets throughout Sweden and other Nordic countries.
The tradition has a much longer history, with connections to older winter celebrations and changing Christmas customs.
For children growing up in Oregon, where holiday decorations tend to revolve around reindeer, snowmen, and Santa Claus, a Christmas goat might seem a little unusual.
But that’s what makes it interesting.
It’s also an opportunity to talk about how holiday traditions develop. Families might discover that something considered completely normal in one country seems surprising somewhere else.
And if your child decides the family Christmas tree needs a straw goat ornament this year, well, at least it’s smaller than an actual goat.
There’s a Giant LEGO Display for Kids
One of the biggest reasons I’d recommend this market to families is the LEGO display.
The Portland LEGO Users Group, better known as PortLUG, is participating in this year’s event with a large exhibition of original LEGO creations.
The display will feature holiday-themed builds inspired by Scandinavian traditions, including Christmas goats, gnomes, Lucia celebrations, and Nordic architecture.
The group plans to arrange its creations across four six-foot tables, creating a continuous 24-foot display. That’s a lot of LEGO bricks, especially for parents who have spent years trying to convince their children to keep them off the living room floor.
There will also be an interactive building activity for visitors.
I love that addition because holiday markets aren’t always particularly exciting for younger children. Parents might enjoy browsing handmade gifts, but kids can lose interest after approximately three booths.
Giving children something creative to explore makes the outing feel more like a family event than a shopping trip they were forced to attend.
And for kids who love building, seeing what experienced LEGO creators can make might inspire a few new projects at home.
Just don’t blame me if your child suddenly wants another 2,000-piece LEGO set for Christmas.
Kids Can Experience Scandinavian Holiday Traditions
Beyond the LEGO display, the market offers an opportunity to experience holiday customs that families might not encounter during a typical Portland Christmas outing.
Visitors can enjoy Nordic food, music, and entertainment while exploring the market’s vendors.
Scandinavian holiday celebrations often emphasize gathering with family, sharing food, and enjoying traditions passed down through generations.
For parents, the event offers an easy way to introduce children to another culture without turning the afternoon into a formal history lesson.
Younger children might be most interested in the decorations and food. Older kids may enjoy learning why certain symbols appear in Scandinavian Christmas celebrations or how those traditions compare with their own family’s customs.
And sometimes the best cultural discoveries happen through food.
A child who refuses to try something unfamiliar at the dinner table might suddenly become much more adventurous when that same food appears at a festive market.
I’m not promising miracles, but it’s worth a try.
It’s Surprisingly Affordable
One of the most appealing details about the Scandinavian Christmas Goat Market is the admission price.
Tickets cost $8 for adults ages 16 and older and $4 for children ages 4–15. Children ages 3 and younger can attend for free.
That means a family with two adults and two school-aged children can attend for $24, before purchasing any food or gifts.
Compared with some holiday attractions around Portland, that’s a relatively affordable outing.
Of course, the market features plenty of opportunities to spend money. There will be vendors selling holiday decorations, gifts, and other Nordic products, along with food to enjoy during your visit.
But families don’t necessarily need to turn the afternoon into an expensive shopping excursion.
You can enjoy the entertainment, explore the LEGO display, learn about Scandinavian traditions, and browse the market without buying something from every booth.
Although I make no guarantees about your child’s ability to walk past a table full of interesting Christmas decorations without asking for one.
Make It a Family Holiday Tradition
One thing I appreciate about smaller cultural celebrations is that they offer something different from the enormous holiday attractions that dominate November and December.
There’s nothing wrong with Christmas lights, visits with Santa, or elaborate seasonal displays. Those activities can be wonderful.
But sometimes it’s nice to find an event where children can experience something they haven’t seen before.
The Scandinavian Christmas Goat Market combines familiar holiday excitement with traditions that might be new to many Oregon families.
Kids can see impressive LEGO creations, listen to music, discover unusual decorations, and perhaps learn a little about Scandinavian culture along the way.
Parents can browse vendors, enjoy Nordic food, and spend an afternoon exploring something a little different.
And because the event takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it also offers families a reason to get out of the house after a couple of days of leftovers, football, and relatives asking children what they want to be when they grow up.
A Different Kind of Portland Christmas Experience
Portland has no shortage of holiday markets, but this one has a personality all its own.
Where else can families spend an afternoon surrounded by Scandinavian decorations, traditional food, Christmas goats, and an enormous collection of LEGO creations?
It’s a fun reminder that holiday traditions don’t have to look exactly the same from one family to another.
Sometimes discovering how other people celebrate is what makes the season more interesting.
And if your kids leave Norse Hall talking about Christmas goats instead of asking when Santa is coming, I’d consider that a pretty successful afternoon.
Just remember that the goats are part of the holiday tradition. This isn’t an excuse to bring a farm animal home.
Scandinavian Christmas Goat Market: Event Details
Date: Saturday, November 28, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Avenue, Portland
Admission: $8 for adults ages 16 and older, $4 for children ages 4–15, free for children 3 and younger
Activities: Nordic vendors, traditional foods, live entertainment, LEGO displays, and children’s building activities
For additional information, visit the New Sweden Cultural Heritage Society’s official Christmas Goat Market page.
Families interested in the LEGO exhibition can also learn more through the Portland LEGO Users Group.
Tiffany Wilson is a 42-year-old stay-at-home mom from Tigard, Oregon, raising three kids—Sophie, Noah, and Riley. She’s a warm, hands-on parent who mixes daily routines with creative fun, whether it’s a backyard scavenger hunt or building a blanket fort in the living room.