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The 2024 Plaza Report is Here! Plus Winter Light Festival and More!

News Article
Portland's Public Street Plazas Banner featuring a cartoon scene of people enjoying a plaza.  People are running, biking, sitting, eating, socializing, dancing, and DJing.
Happy New Year from the PBOT Public Street Plaza Team! Our first 2025 issue highlights the 2024 Annual Plaza Report, exciting Winter Light Festival happenings at the plazas, a new improvement to PSU's Montgomery Plaza, and upcoming events..
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The 2024 Annual Report has Arrived!

Plaza visitors dance in a circle while a band plays. The title reads "Portland Street Plazas 2024 Annual Report"

The 2024 Annual Plaza Report is here at last! This year’s report highlights key developments, insights from thousands of plaza goers, and a preview of what’s coming in 2025. This year, we have two options to view the report: an accessible comprehensive web version for in-depth information and an abridged visual slide deck for a quicker overview. Choose your preferred format and discover how Portland’s public plazas are shaping our city.

2024 Impact Snapshot

  • New Plazas Developed in Partnership with the Community: Two new year-round street plazas were introduced, bringing the total number of public plazas to 20 and expanding community access to vibrant public spaces.
  • Launch of a Seasonal Plaza Pilot Program: This year marked the debut of a seasonal plaza program, enabling community members and PBOT to test innovative public space designs and programming opportunities.
  • Enhanced Plaza Features Created More Vibrant Spaces: Plazas became even more dynamic with refreshed street murals, newly installed planters, captivating art installations, and the addition of a performance stage.
  • Broadened Community Engagement Offered Deeper Insight: The Plaza team expanded outreach efforts through initiatives like the Plaza Ambassador Volunteer Program, the Lounge Lab furniture test installation, neighborhood meetings, and a significantly wider survey distribution.
  • Strengthened Community Support for Plazas: Public feedback demonstrated strong support, with 96% of survey respondents recognizing substantial community benefits and 97% agreeing that plazas enhance safety and vibrancy—an 8% increase compared to 2023.
  • Community-Led Event Programming Attracted Thousands of Guests: In 2024, more than 250 community-led events were hosted in plazas, showcasing a diverse range of entertainment, cultural activities, and social causes.
  • Exciting New Plaza Partnerships Amplified Impact: PBOT fostered meaningful collaborations with neighborhood associations, local DJs, and the Winter Lights Festival, strengthening the reach of plaza programming.

View the Full Report

View the Visual Presentation


Brightening up the Rainy Season: Winter Light Festival Returns to Plazas

The logo for the 10 year anniversary of the Winter Light Festival features a large 10 with a rainbow zero and the dates February 7 to 15.
The highly anticipated 10th Anniversary Winter Light Festival runs February 7th to 15th. Image courtesy of Portland Winter Light Festival.

It’s almost that time of year again! This February, Portland’s cherished Winter Light Festival returns, running from February 7 to 15. The festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown and features captivating light installations and performances across the city. This year, four public plazas will host Winter Light installations and performances, adding more life to PBOT's Downtown Plazas.

Ankeny Alley & Beyond

During a recent Ankeny Alley Association meeting, the group—now 12 members strong—finalized exciting plans for the plaza’s participation in the festival. In collaboration with the greater Old Town/Chinatown area, Ankeny Alley will revive the historic ‘Great Light Way,’ a nod to the illuminated arches created by 3rd Avenue merchants in 1914. Reimagined for modern audiences, this ambitious project will transform the neighborhood into a showcase of light, culture, and creativity.

a historical black and white photo of the great lightway features large lit arches across 3rd avenue.
The energy and excitement of the Great Light Way, circa 1914, served as inspiration for new lighting initiatives in Ankeny Alley and the surrounding neighborhood.

Visitors can look forward to an expansive lineup of attractions, including historical projections, glowing murals, immersive light shows, and sculptures. Furthermore, illuminated cyclists and skateboarders will bring energy and movement to the area. This project, which spans beyond Ankeny Alley to encompass the entire Old Town neighborhood, has received a $70,000 grant from Prosper Portland, underscoring its importance to the community’s revitalization.

A logo for the Ankeny Alley Experience featuring a rainbow diamond of 3d cubes.
The Ankeny Alley Experience will begin during the Winter Light Festival and extend through the year. Image credit: Nickolas Hash

Each section of the Great Light Way will be divided into unique "experiences," including the Ankeny Alley Experience, featuring stunning projections along the alley's storefronts.

What began as a modest community investment of $5,000, supported by local efforts and PBOT's backing, has transformed into a year-round art installation. Thanks to the combined support of the Portland Environmental Management Office (PEMO) and PBOT, the alleyway will also showcase the Nautilus Deep Sea sculpture by Heather Dawn Sparks through April.

"Never before have I seen Portland come together across so many levels to support local underrepresented businesses, artists, and communities in a shared vision for revitalization. It’s inspiring to witness our city working collaboratively to shape the next chapter of its vibrant story."

-Nickolas Hash, Arts Director for the Ankeny Alley Experience

A black and white photo of Nick Hash
Nickolas Hash is excited for what's to come in Ankeny Alley and beyond. Photo Credit: Nickolas Hash

Elsewhere in Portland's Public Street Plazas, Montgomery Plaza is developing an exciting new installation, while Pride Plaza will feature Quirk by Fez BeGaetz. Additionally, The Cart Blocks will host the 3rd annual LED Drag Show—a dazzling event not to be missed! (more details in upcoming events below)

Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter for more updates on these incredible art projects bringing life to Portland’s public street plazas!


From Parking Sign to Student Hub: Montgomery Plaza’s Little Free Library Inspires Sharing and Connection

Two curious students inspect the little free library at Montgomery Plaza.

Move aside Miller Library, PSU’s Montgomery Plaza is kicking off 2025 with an exciting new upgrade. Recently, PBOT’s Planning and Sustainability Office, the community stewards of the space, installed a Little Free Library at the center of the plaza. The project creatively reused an old parking sign pole. This addition is more than just a place to exchange books—it serves as a hub for sharing resources, snacks, and anything else students dream up, empowering them to make the space their own.

"We are so excited to officially unveil the Little Free Library on Montgomery Plaza! This library represents the spirit of this vital community gathering space as a place to come together and share ideas and resources. We hope this can serve as an example for other plazas across the city! Share a book or a fruit snack!"

-Liz Hokestra, Assistant Director of Campus Planning

On a recent visit, PBOT staff caught some students and alumni checking out the new library. We wanted to get their thoughts on the new addition

Two smiling students excitedly hold up the books they found in the little free library at Montgomery Plaza
Martha and Sarah found exciting new reads from the Little Free Library!

“I really love this new addition to the plaza. I think it’s a great to be able to come here, read a book and enjoy coffee with friends between class.”

-Martha Dimgba, PSU Computer Science Student

Looking ahead, the plaza is set to undergo further enhancements, including a renovation of modular furniture designs originally developed by the Center for Public Interest Design (CPID) and used in the plaza in 2019. These updates aim to create a more functional and welcoming space for the PSU community to gather, connect, and innovate.


Do you have a great Public Street Plaza Photo?

We'd love to feature it!  Share your best PBOT Street Plaza photo with the world by tagging @PBOTinfo on InstagramFacebook, or X (formerly Twitter).  You can also email them directly to our team at PortlandStreetPlazas@portlandoregon.gov.


Upcoming Plaza Partner Events

There are always events popping up at the plazas. Here is what's on our radar for the month. New events from our partners are also regularly re-posted on the PBOT Instagram page.

Need help finding the plazas? Check out the Plaza Directory.

Saturday, February 8th

Saturday, February 15th

  • LED Drag at the Cart Blocks 7-9pm: Missed round one of LED Drag? Catch the second performance produced by Rose City Drag the following Saturday for weekend two of the Winter Light Festival.

Want to throw an event at a PBOT Public Street Plaza?

Plazas are for Portlanders and we love to see them thrive! Want to throw a performance, dance party, craft market, seed swap, game night, neighborhood meet and greet, or something else? Reach out and email us at PortlandStreetPlazas@portlandoregon.gov and we can help you navigate throwing an event.

The Small Plaza Activation Process is intended to remove barriers for small-scale neighborhood-based activities that build social and community connections in PBOT plazas. Best of all, permits under Small Plaza Activation are 100% FREE.


Where can you find PBOT's Street Plazas?

PBOT has numerous active plazas that are ready for you, your friends, and family to enjoy. They are great places to grab a bite to eat, relax, enjoy live music, meet up with friends, and so much more. Check out our directory to find out about plazas near you!

A map of PBOT Street Plazas featuring a sloth mascot and the tagline "All are Welcome Here"

What is the Portland Public Street Plaza Program?

Originally started during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist businesses and Portlanders, PBOT's Public Street Plaza program-built partnerships with community and local businesses to transform select streets into public spaces for cultural events, street fairs, pop-up markets, and more. The program uses PBOT's Livable Streets Strategy, adopted by Portland City Council in 2017 as its policy foundation to turn streets into inclusive public spaces that foster public life.

What started as a temporary solution is now becoming a permanent fixture in our city. The Street Plaza program reflects PBOT's commitment to climate action, mobility for all, and community building by creating spaces that everyone in Portland can use and enjoy.


Contact Us

Feedback, suggestions, partnerships, photos or event ideas?  We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at portlandstreetplazas@portlandoregon.gov.


Portland Public Street Plazas Funded by the American Rescue Plan

This project is funded by the American Rescue Plan, a federal economic stimulus bill designed to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession. The City of Portland is receiving $208 million of local recovery funds. Investments focus on three key priorities: houselessness response and household stabilization, business and commercial district stabilization, and community health and safety.

The City of Portland's America Rescue Plan Logo.  The subtitle reads Investing in Portland
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