The Riverfront Holiday Lights Display, admission free of charge, event will take place throughout December 2025, 6-9 p.m., at the Salem Riverfront Park.
Why Christmas Lights?
The array of Christmas lights at the Riverfront park brings forth the Christmas spirit and cheer. The colorful Christmas lights with the Willamette River in the distance makes for the perfect cozy ambiance. Along with this, walkers with warm drinks in hand, seemed to be cherishing every moment while with family and friends. To the side of the installation, there is a large Christmas tree with multicolored Christmas lights. The Holiday Lights Display can be enjoyed by all ages. It is a great way to spend quality time with family and friends for free.
Salem’s Riverfront Carousel is located near the event, making it a great place for children of a young age to play. With numerous festive activities, bookings available on the Riverfront website, this event is a central spot for holiday traditions.
The Riverfront Holiday Lights Display is right next to the heart of downtown Salem. The handful of local shops and cozy cafes made for the perfect evening walk.
“My favorite part of the Christmas lights at the riverfront is how they light up downtown Salem. I believe that the holidays are not holidays without the lights.” says Tavroop Gogia ‘28, a student from South Salem High School.
Locals View
As a local resident and student in Salem, Gogia takes joy in seeing the Christmas lights at the riverfront. She enjoys seeing the festivity that Salem can cultivate as a community.
“I think the Christmas lights in Salem are a very good way to spend time with family and friends. It brings loved ones together to go out and make new memories together,” Gogia said.
The lights foster a community spirit, of which cultivates a healthy community where people can thrive and co-exist together. The Christmas lights bring festivity in the small city of Salem and creates a unified connection between society, regardless of differences.
“Seeing lights always makes people feel joy and being with the people you care about makes the whole experience even better,” says Gogia.
In terms of local shops near downtown, whom also celebrate the holidays with Christmas lights, the festivity brings joy to Gogia.
“It’s really fun seeing local businesses tying in holiday themes into their everyday services and it’s fun seeing everyone decorating their businesses. It makes Salem very festive,” says Gogia.
The Riverfront Holiday Display unites people together. Fostering a sense of community spirit. This festivity in Salem is a small yet impactful way to spend time with family, friends and loved ones.
