🚨Introducing Portland's Public Street Life!🚨
Formerly known as Portland's Public Street Plazas Newsletter, Portland's Public Street Life showcases not only plazas but also community events, block parties, play streets, and all the ways PBOT is transforming our streets into vibrant public spaces.
Upcoming Events
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 a PBOT Street Plaza? Check out the Plaza Directory!
Saturday, March 15th
Concordia Garden Fair at Concordia Commons, 10 AM - 12 PM:
Meet your neighbors and grow a greener community! Join the Friends of the Commons for a Garden Fair featuring a free seed and plant exchange, plus engaging booths on mason bees, gardening, pollinators, and more. Come connect, learn, and share!
Want to Throw a Free Event in a PBOT 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 of less than 100 people that build social and community connections in PBOT plazas. Best of all, permits under Small Plaza Activation are 100% FREE.
Mayor and Community Leaders Speak at the Unveiling of the Great Light Way
City and community leaders, including Mayor Keith Wilson, pose in the newly lit Ankeny Alley. Last month, Portland’s Old Town community members and city leaders gathered in Ankeny Alley Plaza to celebrate the ceremonial lighting of the reimagined Great Light Way. This vibrant installation was made possible through a multi-partner collaboration between PBOT, local artists, community organizations, and other key stakeholders.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson was among the event’s speakers, joined by representatives from the Ankeny Alley Association, Street Roots, the Portland Winter Light Festival, Interim Prosper Portland Executive Director Shea Flaherty Betin, and Public Works Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal. Despite the chilly temperatures, the energy was electric as the event lit up the heart of Old Town during Portland’s annual Winter Light Festival.
District City Administrator Priya Dhanapal was one of the many speakers at Ankeny Alley. “Ankeny Alley is a powerful example of what’s possible when the city and community co-invest in public spaces. This is just one of nearly 20 public plazas that PBOT’s Plaza Program has helped transform across the city. These are places where people gather, where small businesses thrive, and where neighborhoods come to life. They show how strategic investments in public space can have a lasting impact.”
-Priya Dhanapal, District City Administrator
Mayor Wilson spoke to the crowd at Ankeny Alley before lighting the plaza. “Portland becomes the best version of our city when we fill our street plazas with families, bicycles, farmers' markets, music, and small businesses. From Ankeny Rainbow Road to St. Johns Plaza, this visionary flourishing of public spaces has grown from a dream to a community staple.”
-Mayor Keith Wilson
Visitors can expect projections and other art installations in Ankeny Alley all year long. Visitors to the modern Great Light Way can look forward to an array of attractions over the coming months, including historical projections, glowing murals, immersive light shows, and sculptures. This project has brought together businesses, artists, and community organizations to celebrate and revitalize this historic neighborhood!
Streets of Possibility: Urban Leaders Share Bold Visions for Portland’s Future
On February 24th, planners, urban designers, community advocates, and other engaged participants gathered at Revolution Hall for the Streets of Possibility showcase, a featured event of the City of Possibility Expo, which runs from January 31 to March 27. Twelve presenters shared their visions for Portland’s future, with many focusing on the importance of developing infrastructure that supports public street life.
Sarah Figliozzi Presents "Implementing Streets of Possibility in Portland: Lessons From the Street Plaza Pilot Years" Sarah Figliozzi on the Evolution of PBOT’s Street Plazas
PBOT’s Public Realm and Street Activation Section Manager, Sarah Figliozzi, reflected on the early days of the plaza program and shared insights into its future direction. In her presentation, Figliozzi highlighted the power of co-investment, emphasizing how collaboration with local community groups helps plazas thrive and ensures they meet neighborhood needs.
Sarah also explored future plaza design toolkit concepts, emphasizing the importance of city-provided elements of continuity that create a cohesive identity across PBOT plazas as well as the need for elements of distinction, such as the colorful unique street murals or overhead installations, which bring unique character, whimsy, and flair to each space.
"Elements of continuity" create a distinctive aesthetic, signaling to the community that a plaza is a PBOT-managed public space. Like landmark plazas around the world, "Elements of distinction" could give each of Portland’s plazas a unique character, whimsy, and flair. Dylan Morgan on Global Inspirations for Portland’s Streets
Dylan Morgan from PLACE drew inspiration from international projects, showcasing ideas that could shape the future of Portland’s streets. Morgan highlighted his work in Hiroshima, Japan, where ambitious plans are underway to transform Aioi Street—a notably wide 40-meter (131-foot) corridor—into a vibrant, pedestrian and transit-focused boulevard through the concept of Hokomichi.
In its current state, Aioi Street in Hiroshima is heavily car-centric with six lanes and two streetcar tracks, requiring pedestrians to cross through underground tunnels. Credit: PLACE The term Hokomichi, meaning "pedestrian paradise" in Japanese, traditionally refers to streets temporarily closed to cars. This concept became prevalent during the height of COVID, where outdoor public spaces became essential gathering spaces. In recent years, the term has evolved to describe a new approach to urban design—streets that are either fully pedestrianized or primarily pedestrian-focused and elevated in a way that makes them exceptional. The transformative vision of Aioi Street embodies this concept, reimagining urban space to prioritize people, movement, and public life over vehicles.
A conceptual rendering of the long term re-design of Aioi Street into a pedestrian paradise. Credit: PLACE Morgan’s work in Hiroshima poses a compelling question for Portland: How can we apply what we’ve learned from our own right-of-way experiments to transform our streets into true pedestrian paradises?
In some of the most livable and pedestrian friendly cities in the world, Japanese communities are challenging themselves to dream even bigger. In Portland, we have experimented in the right of way with a lot of success. How can we use that knowledge to shift physical and programmatic structures to achieve our own pedestrian paradise?
-Dylan Morgan, PLACE
Reimagining Portland’s Public Spaces
The Streets of Possibility event demonstrated that transformative change is already happening in Portland. By drawing on global ideas, embracing community collaboration, and refining design strategies, the city is moving closer to a future where streets are not just for movement—but for connection, culture, and public life.
Portland in the Streets Releases its 2024 Report!
From block parties to public art, Portland’s streets were buzzing with activity in 2024! The Portland in the Streets Community Use Permitting Annual Report is here, highlighting the incredible ways PBOT collaborated with residents, businesses, and community organizations to bring Portland’s streets to life. Whether through Play Streets, cultural events, or innovative stewardship projects, this report showcases the impact of grassroots placemaking efforts across the city. Dive into the full report to see how Portlanders and PBOT collaborated to make our streets more welcoming, inclusive, and fun!
The 7th Annual Self Enhancement, Inc (SEI) Homecoming brought over 5000 attendees in August last year. Homecoming is described as "a celebration of resilience, belonging, and keeping tradition alive”. Photo Credit: Riley Brown 2024 Highlights
- Play Streets Brought Safe Play Spaces to Communities Lacking Greenspace – 17 Play Street events provided safe, car-free spaces for around 1,500 Portlanders to play, gather, and build community.
- Block Parties Fostered Neighborly Connection – 835 Block Party permits were issued, empowering neighbors to come together and celebrate in their streets.
- Community Events Reached Nearly a Million People – 321 Community Event Permits supported over 500 events, bringing fun and connection to approximately 900,000 Portlanders.
- Stewardship Agreements Fostered Green Space Enhancements: Four new stewardship agreements were established in Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest Portland, enabling community partners to maintain and enhance underutilized green spaces.
- Special Encroachment Permits Supported Essential Services: Partnerships with organizations such as the Union Gospel Mission and The People’s Depot facilitated the provision of weekly shower services and waste disposal options for those in need.
PARK(ing) Day Reimagined Urban Spaces: Held on the third Friday of September, PARK(ing) Day saw three locations in Portland's Central Eastside transformed into temporary parks and social spaces, fostering community engagement and dialogue about urban space utilization.
Read the Portland in the Streets Annual Report
Scenes from the Plaza: Winter Light Festival 2025 Recap
The 10th Annual Winter Light Festival was an absolute blast! ✨ Check out these snapshots of the Winter Light celebrations in Portland’s plazas last month! 📸
Quirk by Fez Gaetz at Pride Plaza. Check it out through March! Catbus brought the grooves to Ankeny Alley on a Saturday night. Over ten DJs performed on the Catbus! LED Drag brought hundreds of spectators to the Cart Blocks, supporting both queer artists and local food vendors. Do you have a great Public Plaza or Street Life Photo?
We'd love to feature it! Share your best PBOT Street Life photo with the world by tagging @PBOTinfo on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly Twitter). You can also email them directly to our team at PortlandStreetPlazas@portlandoregon.gov.
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!
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.
What is Portland in the Streets?
PBOT's Portland in the Streets initiative aims to transform our streets into vibrant community hubs by supporting various programs that encourage social interaction, play, and cultural activities.
The team works closely with plazas and supports Portlanders in permitting for neighborhood block parties, outdoor dining, special events, food trucks, banners over the street, and much more!
Learn more on the Portland in the Streets homepage.
Contact Us
Feedback, suggestions, partnerships, photos or event ideas? We'd love to hear from you!
Email the plaza team at portlandstreetplazas@portlandoregon.gov and Portland in the Streets at portlandinthestreets@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.
