Lea este artículo en español: La tradición de Las Posadas ofrece un mensaje de resiliencia para la comunidad latina de Portland
Dressed as the pregnant Virgin Mary and her husband, Joseph, a couple moves from door to door, singing a plea for shelter. Each time, the innkeepers respond in song, turning them away. After a long journey, the couple is finally welcomed into a stable, where a joyful chorus breaks out and the community gathers to share a meal. The next night, the ritual begins again.
The tradition repeats for nine nights — a hallmark of Las Posadas, celebrations rooted in Latin American culture that commemorate Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Las Posadas celebrations are popping up across Portland during the Christmas season, bringing together religious tradition and community celebration. Following a successful event in Director Park on Saturday, Milagro Theatre and M&M Marketplace will each host free posadas this weekend with reenactments, live entertainment and food for purchase.
The word “posada” means “inn” or “shelter” in Spanish. In Mexico, most posadas include a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey, as participants go from house to house (or place to place), symbolically asking for shelter through song. The celebrations may also include performances, dance, activities for all ages and large community feasts.
“It is more like a cultural event nowadays,” said Antonio Lara, director of business development for Lara Media Services. “And even though a large percentage of people in Mexico are Catholic, everybody participates, whether you are or not.”
In Latino communities, many events held before Christmas are referred to as posadas, ranging from religious reenactments to cultural gatherings centered on food, music and dance.
On Saturday, Lara Media Services, in collaboration with Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, hosted the first annual Las Posadas in Director Park, a celebration of Latino culture that included performances, a musical reenactment and family-friendly activities.
“It’s a strong tradition from our countries that we feel is missing or has been missing here in Portland,” Lara said. “It was a very successful event. We were not expecting as many (attendees) for the first time, and we are very happy with the efforts.”
The atmosphere was energetic and positive, organizers said, with music, dancing, crafts, Latino vendors and a blessing by Indigenous dancers. The strong turnout, Lara said, showed the community’s desire for an event celebrating the posadas.
“Regardless of what our community has experienced, with everything that ICE is doing to our community, we also have to send a message,” said Victoria Lara, Antonio’s sister and CEO of Lara Media Services. “Our community is still here; our community is strong and our community is resilient.”
This Saturday, M&M Marketplace in Hillsboro will host its second Posada Navideña from 2 to 6 p.m. after a Dec. 13 event. The celebration will include the traditional reenactment with celebratory elements such as piñatas, aguinaldos (gift bags), champurrado, sweet bread and a special toy giveaway for children.
Although foot traffic in the marketplace has been much lower than usual, M&M Marketplace founder Jaime Miranda said the event last weekend was successful and brought many people in the community together to celebrate the festive tradition.
“A lot of our customer base are Latinos,” Miranda said. “And sadly people are scared to come out and so they stay home. … We’re just trying to keep the businesses afloat, but at the same time, we also want to continue doing our celebrations and being resilient and hopefully bring some smiles to the kids and the parents that are able to go out.”
The strategy, Miranda said, has included inviting the general community and people of other cultures to come and support the businesses in the marketplace. While the customer-base is still lower than usual, the support has kept many vendors in business.
On Sunday, Posada Milagro will take place at 2 and 4 p.m. in inner Southeast Portland. The free family-friendly celebration features a pastorela performance (a traditional Mexican Christmas folk play), ballet folklórico dancing and live music. Beyond the stage, attendees can take part in holiday crafts, break piñatas and purchase tamales.
“It’s really an event about bringing the Latino community together,” said Mia Torres, artistic associate at Milagro, “giving them a space to celebrate our traditions during this time of year, uplift our culture, sing our songs, which is always so necessary. But especially in times like these, it’s really important for us to be together with one another in community.”
The pastorela, written by students from Roosevelt High School, spins a twist on the traditional reenactment typical of posadas.
“It’s kind of set in a new way, where the story transcends that very specific religious context,” Torres said. “It might be applied somewhere else. For example, it could be a story about refugees instead of Mary and Joseph and how they were offered a place and found community.”
Regardless of how posadas are celebrated, either in religious or secular contexts, the events remain a reminder that we are all on a journey, said Victoria Lara.
“Posadas are important because, again, it reminds us that Christmas is not just one day,” she said. “Christmas is a journey. It’s a journey where you have to prepare your heart and prepare your life to become better and to be better for others.”
Posada Navideña hosted by M&M Marketplace: 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20; 346 S.W. Walnut St., Hillsboro; free; instagram.com/p/DR5rFRIk3bk
Posada Milagro: 1-5 p.m. with performances at 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21; 537 S.E. Stark St., Portland; free; milagro.org/event/posada-milagro-2025
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