Portland Winter Light Festival 2024 | 9 Days of FREE, Outdoor Winter Art Across The City

The Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) is Portland’s premier outdoor winter art activity that transforms, illuminates and animates Portland’s nighttime urban landscape February 2-10.

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From Press Release:
Portland Winter Light Festival 2024
February 2-10, 2024
FREE | All Ages
6-10PM unless otherwise noted
Free
More info: pdxwlf.com

Where: At sites throughout Portland, with anchor locations at Pioneer Courthouse Square, World Trade Center, and The Electric blocks

The annual Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) will take place February 2–10, 2024, and promises to enchant visitors of all ages with a dazzling array of light-based sculptures, projections, digital interactive art, pop-up art in storefront windows, performances, and participatory events. For the ninth year, PDXWLF will be Presented By PGE, and admission is free. PDXWLF is an annual program of the Willamette Light Brigade, a Portland nonprofit.

The PDXWLF 2024, themed “What Glows Under Pressure,” is slated to take place at dozens of locations throughout Portland and will feature the work of over 125 local and regional artists and creative firms. Live event sites in the central city will include Pioneer Courthouse Square, the World Trade Center, and the Electric Blocks, and the event will showcase pop-up art installations in storefronts and public spaces such as Waterfront Park, the South Park Blocks, and locations throughout the Portland region. Live event sites will be open on the evenings of February 2-3 & 9-10, and pop-up art and participatory events will be available at various times.

PDXWLF 2024 highlights will include:

• Heather Dawn Sparks – “Nautilus Deep Sea”: a public sculpture at Waterfront Park that marks PDXWLF’s second formal artist commission.
  Nicky Alice – “Tesseract”: a mesmerizing infinity mirror art sculpture cube recently featured at Miami’s Art Basel.
• Olivia Guethling, Mar Ricketts, and Trevor Blackann of GuildWorks- “Migrations”: a large-scale migratory bird sculpture debuted at Burning Man 2023.
• Andrew Wade Smith – Projection Magic: a returning favorite, Smith’s large-scale projection mapping of a central Eastside building will once again become a tapestry of light.
• Stephen Schieberl – “Bubble”: a colossal interactive inflatable installation featuring fantastical sea creatures and liquid ripples.
• Opening Night Fire Show, Bright Heart Circus, Spencer Sprocket, and More: Beloved performance acts return to add their creative flair to the festival.

Glowing Success: Examining the Impact of the 2023 PDXWLF on Portland from Portland Winter Light Festival on Vimeo.

“The Light Festival has always been about invigorating Portland during the darkest time of year,” says Executive Director Alisha Sullivan. “Now more than ever, we love seeing Downtown Portland and neighborhoods filled with smiling faces exploring and looking for art, eating dinner out, and exploring local businesses. This event highlights Portland at its best, with the community coming together, rain or shine, to make something creative and beautiful happen.”

The PDXWLF has a projected economic impact of $5.5 million and will feature the work of hundreds of local creatives, providing cultural and economic stimulation during the slowest time of the year. In addition to Presenting Sponsor PGE, the event receives crucial support from Prosper Portland, Downtown Portland, the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Killian Pacific, Travel Portland, NECA IBEW, TriMet, Oregon Media Group, and others.

Locations: The festival will occur at anchor locations and pop-up art sites across the city, including Pioneer Courthouse Square, World Trade Center, Electric Blocks in Central Eastside, and other pop-up venues. This year’s festival will extend to surrounding communities such as St. Johns, Oregon City, Tigard, and Argay Terrace.

Theme: The theme for the 2024 festival is “What Glows Under Pressure,” inspiring local and regional artists to create works inspired by the enigmatic depths of the ocean.

Presented By PGE: PDXWLF is proudly presented by PGE. PGE’s support is vital in bringing this beloved winter tradition to life and illuminating Portland’s urban landscape. “Clean, renewable energy is a great way to make our present and our future brighter. We love powering the creativity of the communities we serve, and we’re thrilled to be a part of the ninth annual Portland Winter Light Festival,” says Kregg Arntson, director of PGE’s Community Impact initiatives.