A festive Portland holiday tradition where hundreds of carolers gather at Pioneer Courthouse Square for a public carol-off, with performances spreading across a ten-block radius.
The 12th Annual Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition returns to Pioneer Courthouse Square on Friday, December 18, from 6 PM to 8 PM. It's a free caroling competition that's become a Portland holiday tradition, and it's one of those events that actually lives up to the 'community' label. The main event is a public carol-off at the square, where groups go head-to-head in front of a crowd, but the singing doesn't stop there. On the night, the caroling spreads beyond the square, with singers performing within a ten-block radius of the venue, so you'll hear it echoing through the downtown streets long after you've left the main stage.
If you're thinking of entering, registration opens in October. It's a free competition, so you don't need a professional choir to get involved—just a group and a carol. Whether you're a seasoned ensemble or just a bunch of friends who can hold a tune, the public carol-off is where the action happens.
The venue itself is part of the draw. Pioneer Courthouse Square is known as Portland's Living Room, and the city presents it as a symbol of the community, with its bricks representing the people who make Portland extraordinary. It's a fitting spot for a night that's as much about the people showing up as it is about the singing. Between the competition at the square and the caroling spilling out into the surrounding ten blocks, it's a good way to spend a December evening downtown.
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Registration opens in October, and the competition runs from 6 PM to 8 PM on December 18 at Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave. It's free to enter and free to watch.
