Happy Thursday, Vancouver!

Well, we don’t actually know the answer to that question, but it sure feels like we’re auditioning for Waterworld over here. A stubborn atmospheric river has parked over Southwest Washington, turning Fourth Plain and 1st Street into a water park and keeping the flood watch in effect through this afternoon.

But since there’s a small break in the rain this weekend, we’ve got plenty of events to help you enjoy Vancouver until the next Atlantis-level rain event.

Here's what to expect in today's edition of The PNW Report (Vancouver):

📰 Local News
☁️ Weather
🎉 Events & Things To Do
🤔 Lateral Thinking Puzzle

Let’s get started!

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LOCAL NEWS

📉 Everybody Has Student Loans…Including Vancouver Public Schools and Evergreen Public Schools

Evergreen Public Schools and Vancouver Public Schools are both doing a little fiscal homework…and unfortunately, that means borrowing money just to make it through the school year.

Evergreen has approved a $10 million interfund loan to cover cash flow gaps until state funding finally shows up this summer. Meanwhile, VPS is taking its budgeting woes straight to the principal’s office (in this case, the Clark County Treasurer), securing short-term registered warrants after the state granted only a fraction of its emergency funding request.

Together, the districts are proving that while money may not grow on trees, they’re doing everything they can to keep the lights on, and the students learning.

WEATHER [12/12 - 12/14]

Get those activities in before the rain starts up agin next week!

Friday, 12/12: 55/45 Cloudy + Foggy
Saturday, 12/13: 52/43 Partly Cloudy
Sunday, 12/14: 52/48 Showers

EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO [12/12 - 12/14]

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? You’re in the right place! 🎉

Stay tuned for Monday morning’s newsletter, where we’ll give the lowdown on all the cool upcoming weekday events for next week!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12th

🏠 Marshall House Tour @ Officer’s Row | 10AM (FREE)
Step inside the Marshall House, where Queen Anne elegance meets military history. Once home to General George C. Marshall, this turreted treasure features stained glass, intricate woodwork, and a peek into the past with period furnishings and a recreated study. Walk-in tours available Wed–Fri, 10–2, and select Saturdays, 11–3.

🧩 Puzzle and Game Swap @ Kindred | 10AM – 2PM (FREE)
Dust off your old board games and puzzles and swap them for new-to-you fun! Bring a game, take a game, and leave with hours of entertainment. Dare we say you’ll stave off hours of board-dom with this?!

✨ Brew Lights in the Park @ Ridgefield Overlook Park | 5PM ($25 - $45)
Ready to get beery cheery?! Brew Lights in the Park is ready for you! Come get lit (responsibly) under the twinkling Circle of Trees as you tap into local brews, pour over holiday vendors, and hop along to live music. GA gets you a fancy glass and 5 tastes, Proceeds support Clark County Fire & Rescue, so drink up for a good Claus…er, cause.

💬 Death Cafe @ Art at the Cave | 7PM (FREE)
Let’s talk about the one thing nobody escapes (and no, it’s not taxes). The Death Café invites you to sip, snack, and speak freely at this event led by a certified end-of-life doula. Bring your questions, fears, and existential hot takes for a conversation that’s surprisingly full of life.

🦁 Narnia @ Washougal High School | 7PM ($17 - $21)
Journey Theater invites you to walk through the wardrobe and into a world of whiskers, wonder, and wintery wow. “Narnia” roars to life with Aslan, adventure, and enough magic to melt even the White Witch’s frosty vibes.

👑 Descendants: The Musical @ Prairie High School | 7PM ($5 - $10)
River HomeLink Theatre brings some wicked good fun to the stage with Descendants: The Musical. Journey to Auradon, where villains, royals (and everyone in between) learn that you can’t judge a book by its (spellbinding) cover.

🎭 Pippin @ MPA | 7PM ($20 - $30)
MPA Mainstage is pulling out all the stops (and maybe a few acrobats) for Pippin, the Tony-winning, circus-splashed revival about one prince’s quest to find his “extra-ordinary” life…only to discover the magic hiding in the everyday. Catch the high-flying fun this weekend and next!

👒 Little Women @ Magenta Theatre | 7:30PM ($30)
March on over for sisterly shenanigans, heartstrings, and a little bit of meg-giddy mischief! Magenta Theater brings Louisa May Alcott’s classic to life with laughs, love, and plenty of Beth-tastic moments. Don’t miss this Jo-mazing tale of family, dreams, and drama!

👹 Gremlins Film Trivia & Ugly Sweater Contest @ Caps n’ Taps | 8PM (FREE)
Get ready for festive, freaky fun in Downtown Camas! Start at 8pm at Caps N’ Taps for holiday film trivia and an ugly sweater contest. Then, hop over to the theatre for the 10:05pm screening of the holiday cult classic Gremlins, where breaking three tiny rules unleashes maximum mayhem. Come dressed in your most festive fits and enjoy the chaos for just $8.50!

🎶 Sweet Rounds @ Brickhouse | 9PM ($5)
Aram Arslanian is serving up December’s Sweet Rounds…sugared, spiced, and everything nice-ly improvised. He’ll be joined by Kiley Jeanne and Owen Kortz as they trade tunes, spill creative secrets, and generally bake up musical magic.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13th

🛒 Vancouver Farmers Market @ Esther Short Park | 10AM - 2PM (FREE)
Your weekly reminder that vegetables can be aesthetic and bread is always the answer. Stock up, stroll around, and try not to spend all your money on honey and hot sauce. But, if you do, at least you’re spending local?!

🖤 Kwanzaa Celebration @ Vancouver Arts Hub | 9AM – 5PM (FREE)
Ring in the spirit of Kwanzaa with a full day of music, dance, art, and culture at the Vancouver Arts Hub. The celebration is free, but the Karamu feast brings the flavor ($9.99 for kids, $19.99 for adults, and $39.99 for VIPs).

🎄 A Christmas Bazaar @ Clark College | 9AM – 4PM (FREE)
This 4th Annual Christmas Bazaar sleighs the season with handmade gifts, baked goods, and more. Grab a bite from the food vendors before you fa-la-la-fall over from shopping, then sip your free hot cocoa and candy canes. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on stage from 10AM – 1PM for free photos.

🚜 Farm Arts Open House @ Plas Newydd Farm | 10AM – 4PM (FREE)
Join the come-and-go festivities at the Plas Newydd farmhouse where warm drinks, snacks, and crafty fun (think wreath-making, writing, rock painting and more) are all on the menu. Stay briefly or settle in…either way, you’ll get a peek at our biggest wins from the past year and a tease of what’s brewing for 2026.

🎄 Heritage Holiday @ Fort Vancouver | 10AM - 2PM (FREE)
Celebrate the season (past and present) at Fort Vancouver! Visitors will get to enjoy hands-on demos in the kitchen, blacksmith shop, and carpenter shop as part of Fort Vancouver’s Heritage Holiday. In addition, visitors will get to enjoy fur-trade living history, traditional carols from the Season Singers, and a cozy reading of A Christmas Carol.

🐶 Pawliday Pet Portraits @ For Pup Sake | 11AM – 3PM (Donations)
Get ready to paws for holiday cuteness! Bring your furry elves to Pawliday Pet Portraits for donation-based photos, snapped on a first-come, first-served basis, with 1–2 festive digital images emailed straight to your inbox. It’s the purr-fect excuse to dress up your fur babies and make some howl-iday magic!

🏔️ Highland Holiday Experience @ Gather & Feast Farm | 12PM – 6PM (FREE)
Get ready to have a moo-ry little Christmas at the Highland Holiday Experience & Maker’s Market: a totally free, no-admission-needed festivity filled with twinkle lights, crafty delights, and the fluffiest local legend…the udderly photogenic Gandalf the Highland calf. Wander the artisan market for gifts that are a cut above the hoof, warm up with wood-fired pizzas, cocoa, cider, and s’mores that will leave you grinning from ear to steer, and craft your heart out inside Gandalf’s Workshop.

🐴 Peppermints & Ponies @ Silver Buckle Youth Equestrian Center | 12:30PM ($10)
Saddle up for some holiday magic at Silver Buckle Youth Equestrian Center’s Peppermints and Ponies, where Santa will trade his sleigh for a saddle (because why not?!) Meet the horses, snap photos with Santa and his four-hoofed helper, craft something festive, and sip hot chocolate while demolishing cookies.

🌼 Pollinator Posse @ Three Creeks Library | 1PM (FREE)
Join the Pollinator Posse and bee a part of the buzz! This small, hands-on intro from WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardeners will help you meet all the hive-minded pollinators, learn which plants they’re pollen for, and gather tips to make your garden the bee’s knees.

🎻 Oregon Mandolin Orchestra Concert @ 4300 Main Street | 3PM ($10 - $15)
Get ready to pluck some holiday cheer! The Oregon Mandolin Orchestra presents “Gingerbread Crumbs”: Baroque-era carols, silver screen classics, and Nutcracker delights.

🏛️ “Echoes of Fort Vancouver” @ Clark County Historical Museum | 5PM (FREE)
Step back in time and trade your usual Saturday plans for history! The Clark County Historical Museum debuts Echoes of Fort Vancouver: How the Fur Trade Shaped Clark County with a free opening reception. Celebrate 200 years of fur, trade, and local stories that helped pelt together the region’s past!

🎶 Holiday Pops Concert @ Skyview Concert Hall | 7PM ($15 - $50)
Get ready to jingle all the way because the VSO Holiday Pops 2025 is bringing Broadway legend Liz Callaway to town for a night of festive showstoppers, warm fuzzies, and holiday sparkle. If you like your carols with a little extra fa-la-la flair, this is your Superbowl!

🦁 Narnia @ Washougal High School | 7PM ($17 - $21)
Journey Theater invites you to walk through the wardrobe and into a world of whiskers, wonder, and wintery wow. “Narnia” roars to life with Aslan, adventure, and enough magic to melt even the White Witch’s frosty vibes.

👑 Descendants: The Musical @ Prairie High School | 7PM ($5 - $10)
River HomeLink Theatre brings some wicked good fun to the stage with Descendants: The Musical. Journey to Auradon, where villains, royals (and everyone in between) learn that you can’t judge a book by its (spellbinding) cover.

🎭 Pippin @ MPA | 7PM ($20 - $30)
MPA Mainstage is pulling out all the stops (and maybe a few acrobats) for Pippin, the Tony-winning, circus-splashed revival about one prince’s quest to find his “extra-ordinary” life…only to discover the magic hiding in the everyday. Catch the high-flying fun this weekend and next!

🎼 Junior Symphony of Vancouver Holiday Concert @ Cascades Presbyterian Church | 7:30PM ($15)
The Junior Symphony of Vancouver is back to string you along with holiday cheer! Join them for festive favorites like Pachelbel, Torelli, and other sing-alongs.

👒 Little Women @ Magenta Theatre | 7:30PM ($30)
March on over for sisterly shenanigans, heartstrings, and a little bit of meg-giddy mischief! Magenta Theater brings Louisa May Alcott’s classic to life with laughs, love, and plenty of Beth-tastic moments. Don’t miss this Jo-mazing tale of family, dreams, and drama!