#PlantWednesday Spotlight
2025-12-10 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-12-17 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-12-24 11:00 - 11:30, 2025-12-31 11:00 - 11:30, 2026-01-07 11:00 - 11:30, 2026-01-14 11:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Lan Su Chinese Garden, 239 NW Everett Street, Portland, Oregon, 97209
Join our horticulture team every Wednesday for a tour diving into a plant in its peak, gardening tips, and more.

Wednesdays, 11-11:30 AM | Free with admission or membership

The #PlantWednesday Spotlight is a unique “show & tell” program featuring different captivating topics every month. Meet Lan Su’s horticulture team each Wednesday to explore, learn, and connect with the natural beauty of Lan Su. These are short 30-min sessions that showcase a horticultural wonder, technique, or tool that our passionate horticulturists want to share with fellow plant enthusiasts. Each session will shine a light on the behind-the-scenes operations of the garden, highlight a plant at its peak beauty, or focus on recent improvements to our collection.

Each session will explore a different part of the garden based on that week’s topic. When you arrive, please check in with the front door staff or volunteers for the exact location to meet in.

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This program is FREE with garden admission or membership. No registration needed.

Dongzhi: A Chinese Holiday Party
2025-12-12 17:00 - 19:00, 2025-12-13 17:00 - 19:00, 2025-12-19 17:00 - 19:00, 2025-12-20 17:00 - 19:00
Celebrate Dongzhi (冬至, the Winter Solstice) with a dazzling lion dance, live music, and hands-on fun. Explore the activities below, then grab your tickets for a night of festive fun among the holiday lights!

Tickets | Dongzhi: A Chinese Holiday Party

Lan Su Member – $10.95

General – $22.95

General Child (ages 5 and younger) – FREE

EBT Cardholder – $10.95. Limited availability only at Lan Su Ticket Booth. Show your EBT Card to purchase. Up to 4 tickets per cardholder.

Dec. 12

Dec. 13

Dec. 19

Dec. 20

*Note: Each paid ticket includes a $0.95 service fee

Activities

Roar of Winter: Illuminated Lion Dance Performance

Fridays & Saturdays, Dec. 12-13 & 19-20 | 6:00-6:40 PM

On a calm winter night, a magical, powerful, and graceful lion comes to life at Lan Su, dancing among the shimmering holiday lights. Come experience the breathtaking illuminated lion dance—where radiance, strength, and beauty meet in celebration!

Melodies of Winter Cheer

Fridays & Saturdays, Dec. 12-13 & 19-20 | 5:00-6:00 PM

Relax in the joyful atmosphere of classic Christmas songs and festive melodies with a touch of Chinese elegance, performed by local duo Sharon and Dan.

Meet the Musicians

Daniel is a composer, a classical guitarist, and a bassist who enjoys playing world music. He plays with the Beaverton Symphony and with local groups like Arco PDX. He scores music for films and writes screenplays for educational videos. He enjoys building cross cultural understanding through music performances.

Sharon Gan is the founder of Heart Strings Mandarin, an early-childhood Mandarin music and movement program taught in local libraries and online to students worldwide. Her Mandarin songs are available on major music platforms. She also teaches piano from her home studio; composes and performs with other musicians.

Dongzhi Kitchen: Hands-on Tangyuan and Dumpling Making

Fridays & Saturdays, Dec. 12-13 & 19-20 | 5:00-7:00 PM

A debate unresolved for centuries: Dumplings or sweet rice balls—what should you eat for Dongzhi?

Join us for a hands-on experience making both tangyuan and dumplings, then sample each and decide your favorite!

Tickets | Dongzhi: A Chinese Holiday Party

Lan Su Member – $10.95

General – $22.95

General Child (ages 5 and younger) – FREE

EBT Cardholder – $10.95. Limited availability only at Lan Su Ticket Booth. Show your EBT Card to purchase. Up to 4 tickets per cardholder.

Dec. 12

Dec. 13

Dec. 19

Dec. 20

*Note: Each paid ticket includes a $0.95 service fee

Warm Hearts, Warm Ears: The Story of Dumplings
2025-12-13 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-14 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-20 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-21 11:00 - 15:00
You love dumplings—but do you know where they come from? At the Lan Su Chinese Garden Dongzhi celebration, uncover the tale of compassion and cleverness wrapped inside every dumpling.

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Meet Asian Santa
2025-12-13 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-14 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-20 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-21 11:00 - 15:00
Saturdays & Sundays, Dec. 6-7, 13-14, & 20-21 | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Join us for a unique cross-cultural holiday experience! Take photos with Asian Santa, enjoy the festive atmosphere, and receive a blessing that carries both the brightness of the holiday season and the serenity of ancient Chinese aesthetics.

Cost: $5 per group of 6 people, $10 for 7-12 people, $15 for 13-19, etc. Regular garden admission is also required for each person in the group.

Nourishing the Body and Mind: Tea Chat with Tea Master Eric
2025-12-13 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-20 13:00 - 14:00
This season let’s step into Lan Su to experience the gentle side of winter. Discover how ancient Chinese scholars cultivated health and happiness with tea.

Meet Tea Master:

In the last 15 years, Eric Arthur has journeyed from hating tea, being surprised by it, to obsessing over it. While hosting tea tastings, he blends the knowledge, lore, grace, and fun of tea to perfection. His skill in pouring tea is heavily influenced by being a practitioner of Tai Chi for 20+ years, moving and partnering with the leaf and its energy. Come spend an hour being surprised, or find a new obsession with tea and tea service!

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Scent and Seal: An Incense Art Experience (打香篆)
2025-12-14 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-12-21 10:00 - 11:00
Incense seal making is a refined way of burning incense. Using special tools, participants gently smooth the ash and press a mold to create intricate incense patterns. The process is both calming and creative. Join us to discover how Chinese scholars transformed this simple ritual into a moment of peace and inspiration.

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Scholar’s Centerpiece: Exploring Qing Gong (清供)
2025-12-14 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-12-21 13:00 - 14:00
Qing Gong (清供), also known as “pure offering” is the cultivated expression of a scholar’s taste, creativity, and cultural refinement. The theme of this particular Qing Gong is 光輝歲月 “Radiant Years”. This display is a collection of scholarly and aesthetic items that someone in their peak years would have been proud of. Lan Su’s Curator of Horticulture, Josie, will be explaining the intention behind the elements included.

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Weekly Member Hour
2025-12-17 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-12-24 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-12-31 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-01-07 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-01-14 09:00 - 10:00
Members and their guests are invited to enjoy an exclusive hour in the garden in the early morning glow.

Wednesdays, 9:00–10:00 AM (December 1, 2025 – April 8, 2026)

This exclusive hour allows members to take a quiet morning stroll through the garden as the city begins its day

Members are encouraged to bring guests in accordance with their membership level. This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce friends and family to Lan Su, sharing the peaceful ambiance of the garden during these exclusive hours.

Explore Membership

Artist Member Hour
2026-01-06 09:00 - 10:00
First Tuesdays, 9:00-10:00 AM

This extended garden access gives Artist Members the opportunity to set up tools such as easels and tripods for focused creative expression.

*Please note that the Artist Hour is exclusively for Artist Members and is intended as a dedicated time for creative activity.

What is the Artist Membership?

The Artist Membership provides benefits created specifically for artists, including additional access to Lan Su, the ability to sell photos and paintings of the garden, and invitations to events tailored for artists.

Explore Artist Membership

Parking & Directions

Free Lan Su Parking

There is free first come, first served parking in our sister lot next to the garden at 424 NW Third Avenue. Additional metered parking and garages are available on surrounding streets.
