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The 2025 Public Realm and Street Activation (PRSA) Report summarizes key developments across plazas, community events, block parties, play streets, and other PRSA programs. It incorporates community feedback gathered throughout the year and identifies opportunities for continued growth.
*This web version is designed to meet accessibility standards. A visual version of the annual report is also available.
Overview: Public Realm & Street Activation Team
Managing more than 20% of Portland's land area, PBOT is uniquely positioned to support communities in reimagining city streets as places for connection, responding to the growing demand for people-centered public spaces. PBOT's Public Realm and Street Activation Team (PRSA) oversees programs that partner with community members, organizations, and businesses to transform streets into inclusive public spaces. From the Public Street Plaza Program to large-scale community events, block parties, street murals, public art, and more, the team supports Portlanders in activating their business districts and neighborhoods, strengthening community, culture, and public life.
Programs under the Public Realm and Street Activation Include:
- Public Street Plazas
- Community Events
- Art in the Right of Way
- Street Paintings
- Block Parties
- Play Streets
- Signage in the Right of Way
- Adopt a Landscape
- Green Loop Development
What is the Public Realm?
The public realm refers to all spaces that are open and accessible to everyone. This includes streets, sidewalks, plazas, parks, and other publicly owned or publicly accessible areas where people move, gather, and interact. In practice, every time you step outside your front door, you enter the public realm. It is the collective, shared environment that supports mobility, social life, economic activity, and cultural expression.
What is Street Activation?
Street activation refers to programming, design strategies, and built changes that bring energy, activity, and public life into the public right-of-way (i.e. streets, sidewalks, trails, alleys, or other public areas used for the movement of people and goods). Street activation can include community events, block parties public art, plazas, parklets, and other temporary or permanent pedestrian-oriented spaces.
2025 Impact Snapshot
- Plaza Growth & Reach Continues to Expand: Three new plazas and one seasonal plaza were established this year in partnership with community based organizations, bringing the total to 21 active plazas in 2025.
- Plazas' Benefits to Portlanders Stay Strong: Plazas continue to deliver strong community value, with 88% of survey respondents reporting substantial community benefits, and 91% saying plazas contribute to spaces that feel safe and welcoming.
- Growth in Partner-Led Plaza Programming: Over 300 events activated plazas through music, art, cultural programming, and community causes—an increase from the previous year and a sign of growing plaza stewardship
- Community Events Reach Over a Million Portlanders: PBOT issued 344 community event permits in 2025, supporting gatherings that drew more than 1.3 million attendees, exceeding 2024 participation levels.
- Neighborhood Block Parties Strengthen Local Connections: A total of 881 Block Party permits were issued, an increase from 2024.
- Play Streets Provide Opportunities for Safer Recreation: PBOT supported 22 Play Street events with 5 local non-profits creating safe, temporary street closures that prioritized play, physical activity, and family-friendly community space.
- Record-Breaking Street Paintings: 17 new street paintings added color and identity to streets across the city, the most approved in a single year since the first street mural was approved in 1996.
2025 Engagement Milestones
- Conducted the 2025 Plaza Survey with input from 827 Portlanders
- Collected survey feedback from residents near the new Heart of Hawthorne Plaza, mailing 4,644 postcards to households with half a mile
- Convened an ADA-centered focus group and held stakeholder meetings for the Pride and Darcelle Plazas
- Led focused District 1 outreach for the Plaza Partner Open Call, including 100+ targeted emails, meetings with four District 1 organizations, and one-on-one technical assistance
- Delivered presentations to Neighborhood Prosperity District Managers, Venture Portland, the Office of Small Business, and the Oregon Active Transportation Summit
- Led plaza design sessions with partners at Heart of Hawthorne and Rainbow Road Plazas
- Hosted the first-ever Plaza Partner Social to strengthen collaboration across partners
- Conducted the 2025 Play Streets Survey with 100% participation from program partners
- Conducted tabling and outreach at over 10 community-led events
- Hosted an information session and Q&A with the Pedestrian Advisory Committee
- Published a monthly Public Street Life newsletter reaching over 4,000 subscribers
- Provided a mobile plaza tour for visiting urban planners and city leaders from across the U.S. at the MPACT Conference
- Continued the Street Life Ambassador Volunteer Program, providing hands on engagement experience to aspiring urban planners in the Portland Metro area
Public Street Plaza Program
Program Vision: "The PBOT Plaza Program will transform select Portland streets into vibrant, welcoming, and resilient public plazas that bring communities together." .
Plaza Program Formalization
On October 1st, the Public Street Plaza Program reached a major milestone, officially transitioning from a pilot to a permanent city program with a unanimous vote by City Council. This decision marks a significant step in the City of Portland's long-term commitment to integrating the public street plaza model into city infrastructure. At the Council session, PBOT was joined by current plaza partners who spoke to the meaningful impacts these spaces have had in their neighborhoods.
"PBOT has a team of people that are amazing. I've worked with probably 8 to 10 people in PBOT, and they've been creative...By voting to adopt the PBOT Public Street Plaza Program, you'll keep Portland at the forefront of creative, community-led public spaces."
-Alex Murrell, Executive Director of Dream Big City
Plaza Program Key Moves
Through the formalization of the Street Plaza Program, City Council approved PBOT's short term action plan that focused on 7 Key Moves to advance and improve the program for all Portlanders.
- Transparency: Increasing transparency around street plaza process and clarity around expectations.
- Partnership: Building a stewardship framework that ensures plazas remain clean, attractive, and vibrant.
- Co-investment: Creating and promoting mechanisms for co-investment in building, programming, and maintaining street plazas.
- Design Consistency: Finalizing a plaza design toolkit and site design standards to support successful public spaces.
- Belonging: Ensuring strategies and partnerships to ensure all Portlanders feel welcome in street plazas across the city.
- Equity: Developing initiatives to increase street plazas and other community building tools across the four council districts in Portland.
- Climate Resiliency: Supporting climate resiliency by prioritizing landscaping and shade opportunities in plazas.
Plaza Typologies
In 2025 the Plaza Program formalized Street Plaza Typology for the program to guide plaza design and investment, ranging from short-term, low-cost pilots to long-term, high-investment projects:
- Seasonal Pilots: Short term test sites allowing communities to test a new plaza concept and begin building partnerships for activation and gathering. (e.g SE Sandy & 7th)
- Exploratory: Longer-term pilots that allow communities to build momentum for future investment. Most current street plazas are exploratory. (e.g. Montavilla Plaza)
- Permanent: Future plazas featuring durable, higher-quality materials like paving or permanent seating. PBOT is developing the first permanent plazas and plans to upgrade others as funding allows. (next page for details)
- Transformative: Future, high-impact, permanent projects that fully redesign a street or space. These may include depaving and curb removal.
Progress to Permanent Plazas: Pride Plaza and Darcelle XV Promenade Development
In 2025, PBOT advanced design and planning toward permanent plazas. Funded by a federal Economic Development Administration grant and transportation system development charges, this marks PBOT's first permanent street plaza investment, embedding plazas more durably into downtown while supporting community gatherings, culture, and daily activity. The project includes upgrades to Pride Plaza on SW Harvey Milk Street and planning for the new Darcelle XV Promenade on SW 9th Avenue, adjacent to Portland Park's Darcelle XV Plaza (formerly known as O'Bryant Square) and providing a link of the future Green Loop.
Open Call for Plaza Partners
In 2025 PBOT launched its first Plaza Partner Open Call, establishing a fairer and more transparent process for creating new plazas. In addition to social media and newsletter promotion, the team conducted outreach to local community organizations, sending more than 100 emails. The Plaza Team hosted a virtual information session and led focused outreach in District 1. This included meetings with four District 1 organizations and providing technical assistance to District 1 applicants. Applications are currently under review, with partner selection in early spring. Selected partners will lead a summer-long pilot to test the location, evaluate capacity, and gauge community support.
Plaza Partnerships
Stewarding PBOT's plazas is a deeply collaborative effort. PBOT partners with local businesses, community groups, city bureaus, and non-profits, fostering relationships that are central to the program's community-focused mission. Throughout 2025 the Public Street Plaza Program has continued to strengthen and build new partnerships. We thank our key partners and everyone else who make plazas possible.
2025 Key Partners Included:
- Ankeny Alley Association
- Axiom Event Productions
- 2025 Partners Include:
- Ankeny Tap + Table
- Born and Raised Construction
- Clinton Business Group
- Concordia Neighborhood Association
- Crema
- Depave
- Dream Big City
- Friends of Rainbow Road
- Friends of The Green Loop
- Gino's & Notary Ceramic
- Ground Score Association
- Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association
- Mayfly
- Montavilla East Tabor Business Association
- Moonshot Tavern
- Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association
- Old Town Neighborhood Association
- Portland Parks and Recreation
- Portland State University
- Portland'5 Centers for the Arts
- Roseway Neighborhood Association
- Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
- St Johns Boosters
- SymbiOp
- Winter Light Festival
Partner Spotlight: Ground Score Association
Ground Score Association is a collectively organized network of informal recyclers and waste pickers in Portland creating low-barrier waste management jobs for people facing housing and employment insecurity. A close partner of PBOT, Ground Score helps keep public plazas clean, safe, and welcoming. Worker-led and radically inclusive, the organization provides living-wage work, healthcare access, job training, and resource navigation, including support with housing, addiction treatment, mental health services, legal ID, and re-entry into the formal workforce.
At a glance
- In 2025 Ground Score collected 2120 pounds of trash from plazas
- Formally employs 62 people, about 90% of whom are currently or previously houseless.
- Over 70% of unhoused workers have become housed the program
"I appreciate the opportunity to work at the PBOT plazas...I believe in the importance of creating safe and welcoming environments for people to gather. My team and I take pride in maintaining these areas, ensuring they remain clean and secure for users."
-Andrew Nelson, Ground Score Coordinator
New & Seasonal Plazas
Heart of Hawthorne
At a glance:
- Events: 25
- Partner: Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association
- Amenities: Custom Furnishings, street mural, trash receptacle, and planters
- Fun Fact: 4,644 postcards were mailed to residents within a half-mile radius for the post-pilot survey with over 960 responses
Piloted as a seasonal plaza on SE 37th Avenue near Hawthorne Boulevard, the project was delivered through a partnership between PBOT, the Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association, and the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association and funded by a Venture Portland grant. A survey of nearby residents and businesses showed strong support, with 87% in favor of keeping the plaza year-round.
Portland Dream Plaza
At a glance:
- Events: 14
- Partner: Dream Big City
- Amenities: Community-built skate features, basketball, furniture, street mural
- Fun Fact: Features the largest skateboard mural in the United States
Portland Dream Plaza opened in summer 2025 as a new, community-driven addition the program. Located at SE Taylor Street and SE 9th Avenue in the Central Eastside Industrial District, the plaza transformed a previously underutilized intersection into a recreation hub through its weekly summer Fam Jam/Play Street events. Many of it's amenities, including its skate features, were built or donated by the community.
"We've probably had 100 volunteers...We turned a block once avoided for drugs and guns into a safe hub, now drawing 200 to 800 people daily. People and businesses come and are just so excited to bring love and safety to the area.
-Alex Murrell, Executive Director of Dream Big City
Roseway Plaza
At a glance:
- Events: 6
- Partner: Roseway Neighborhood Association
- Amenities: Basketball hoop, furnishings, trash can, permanent median barriers, street mural
- Fun fact: City Councilor Angelita Morillo and Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal attended the grand opening—and even took a moment to enjoy the on-site bounce house, demonstrating that civic leadership and community celebration can go hand in hand.
On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the City of Portland and local community celebrated the grand opening of Roseway Plaza. Located at NE 72nd Ave and NE Mason St and developed in conjunction with the Mason/Skidmore Neighborhood Greenway Project, Roseway Plaza represents a significant step in the expansion of the city's public street-plaza program. Rather than focusing solely on dense commercial areas, this project demonstrates community-centered street plazas can be successfully integrated into wholly residential neighborhoods.
"Roseway Plaza is a central gathering space for the neighborhood. Unlike most plazas, it's nestled in a residential area which makes it a peaceful gathering spot. Neighbors come here to share a lunch, children ride their bikes and shoot hoops, and we use the space for community events. We thank PBOT for making these spaces possible."
-Chris Hansen, President of the Roseway Neighborhood Association
Plaza Events
This year, over 300 events were held in plazas. Plazas continue to host a wide range of events, including performances, cultural celebrations, craft days, educational activities, work parties, markets, disaster preparedness events, clothing swaps, and social causes, alongside many informal gatherings ranging from busking to wedding photo shoots.
All events were free and open to the public. Strong, active partnerships along with a free and easy permitting process help reduce barriers and empower grassroots activation of these spaces.
Plaza Event Highlight: Winter Light Events At Ankeny Alley
To support downtown activation, Ankeny Alley played an active role in Portland's Winter Light Festival. The plaza featured the ceremonial lighting of the reimagined Great Light Way and a series of immersive art-filled events. City and community leaders, including Mayor Keith Wilson, spoke at the plaza as part of the celebration, which brought projections, light installations, and music to downtown's historic alley during the festival and months to follow. Highlights included the Catbus DJ pop-up and the Nautilus Deep Sea sculpture, a Winter Light Festival mainstay.
"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 Speaking at Ankeny, February 12, 2025
Plaza Community Engagement
In 2025, the Plaza Program continued it's annual summer survey. Feedback from 827 community members provided a foundation for future program development.
88% Agree that Plazas provide substantial community benefit
"There is a plaza a few blocks from my house that is amazing! I use it every day. Public spaces help create community and foster new relationships, and I personally have multiple friendships to thank because of the public plazas."
91% Feel that Plazas contribute to a safe and welcoming environment.
"When people are able to congregate and walk in their neighborhoods, it opens so many doors to chance encounters with strangers and friends alike, and builds a stronger sense of community, as well as a safer place to walk/bike/roll."
82% Rated Plaza maintenance as above average.
"They make our neighborhoods cleaner, quieter, and more beautiful. They get people out and about and help make our city safer and healthier. We need more of them!"
Key themes from community input
- Plazas support a people-first vision for Portland
- Many respondents see plazas as a hopeful shift away from car dominance toward a more humane, walkable city.
- Programming brings life to city streets
- Events, music, markets, and art are widely praised for activating plazas and making them destinations.
- Plazas provide accessible places to rest and gather
- Seating and open space are valued as everyday amenities, especially for older adults, families, and people walking or biking.
- Plazas enhance neighborhood identity
- Respondents appreciate how plazas reflect local culture and give neighborhoods a distinct sense of place.
- Plazas support local artists, vendors, and small businesses
- Many respondents see plazas as platforms for local creativity and economic activity.
Why are people visiting Plazas?
Portlanders' motivations for visiting plazas underscore their function as multifunctional public spaces and vital neighborhood anchors. Supporting local businesses, outdoor dining, public seating, and community events were the primary reasons for visiting plazas, highlighting their role in economic support, relaxation, and social connection. On average, survey respondents reported visiting plazas about once a week.
2025 survey respondents said:
- 77% support local businesses
- 67% dine outdoors
- 65% use public seating
- 45% attend a community event
- 35% attend a market
- 28% attend a music performance
- 12% participate in sports and recreational activity
"Plazas are a great attractor of community activity, whether it's restaurant seating, temporary rest stops, or community events...I appreciate the community-oriented nature and bustling lively atmosphere they provide."
-2025 Survey Respondent
Means of Transportation to Plazas
Most plaza goers skipped driving in favor of active transportation alternatives or public transit.
When asked how they get to plazas, 2025 survey respondents said:
- 74% walk or roll
- 58% bike
- 32% take public transit
- 30% drive
While Plazas encourage sustainable and health-conscious commuting options, the design and programming of these spaces further encourage physical activity, social interaction, and overall well-being, making them integral to building healthier communities.
Suggestions for Plaza Program Improvement
- Upgrade temporary features to more permanent infrastructure
- Some respondents feel plazas would be more inviting with sturdier materials and long-term design investment.
- How PBOT is addressing: The program plans to launch its first permanent plazas in 2026, alongside the development of a permanent plaza design toolkit. Early examples of these permanent features will be piloted at the Pride/Darcelle location.
- Improve accessibility and inclusive design
- Respondents note uneven surfaces, limited ADA access, or designs that don't work for all users.
- How PBOT is addressing: In 2025, PBOT held a focus group with members of the disability community to understand needs based around mobility, sight, and other factors. Feedback from these sessions will support future design choices in 2026
- Expand plazas to underserved neighborhoods
- While plazas are appreciated, respondents note gaps in access across the city.
- How PBOT is addressing: The new Open Call for Plaza Partners is designed to make opportunities for new plazas more transparent and accessible to community organizations citywide. This effort includes extensive outreach to organizations in District 1.
- Improve safety and cleanliness in downtown plazas
- While people overall found plazas clean, safe, and welcoming, concerns about trash, drug use, and unmanaged behavior affect comfort and use in select plazas.
- How PBOT is addressing: PBOT will engage in focused, plaza-specific conversations and coordinate with other City partners, including Police and Enhanced Service Districts, to assess conditions and service level needs. PBOT will bring updates to City Code 17.43 to the City Council Safety Committee to strengthen and clarify plaza enforcement tools.
- Expand and sustain programming over time
- Respondents want programming to be more frequent and consistent, not limited to special events.
- How PBOT is addressing: Launching a new, streamlined, user-friendly application for 2026; actively promoting the Community Event in Plaza permit; and building partner capacity through Plaza Partner Socials.
- Invest in comfort and weather protection
- Shade, trees, and rain protection are seen as necessary for year-round use.
- How PBOT is addressing: The team is developing a pre-approved shade structure and will explore external funding opportunities to support shade and weather-protection initiatives.
Street Painting Program
In 2025, PBOT's Street Painting Program added 17 new murals, the most in a single year since Portland's first permitted street painting in 1996. The program continues to serve as a tool for community engagement, creative expression, and the enhancement of public streetscapes. Highlights from 2025 include collaborations with Leodis V. McDaniel High School and Safe Routes to School to integrate artistic elements into a safety project and a major new mural at the Electric Blocks at SE 2nd and Market led by the Portland Street Art Alliance.
Spotlight: SE 10th & Belmont
This culturally significant installation on SE 10th Avenue between Belmont and Morrison, completed in partnership with the Native American Arts and Culture Foundation. This last project, led by artists Jacob Meders (Mechoopda/Maidu) and Toma Villa (Yakama Nation), centered Native visibility, cultural celebration, and community participation, reflecting the program's commitment to inclusive, meaningful public art.
"Looking down at this powerful street mural with these vibrant colors there's a stillness and a strength in seeing it completed. This isn't just paint on pavement. This is presence. To show up as a Native community is to root ourselves in visibility. This mural to me felt like a prayer, a statement, and a celebration. It felt like a tribute to our ancestors. A bright spot for our youth and a welcome to all those seeking belonging and connection. I feel proud to have Native Arts and Cultures Foundation facilitate this work into being. To our artists, elders, youth, and allies who showed up in the rain and painted with us all day, I raise my hands to you. You held brushes, shared stories, danced with us and showed up in community as one. You made this happen! I see this not just as a piece of art, but as a reminder to continue to create and lead with culture."
- Shyla Spicer Native American Arts and Culture Foundation
Through these projects, the street painting program continues to create visible, engaging spaces that strengthen neighborhood identity, celebrate diverse communities, and invite Portlanders to engage with the streets in new and creative ways.
Play Streets Program
- Play Street Events: 22
- Portlanders Served: around 4,200
- Organization Feedback: 100% of partners indicated they are likely to host a Play Street again
- Partner Organizations: Pacific Refugee Support Group, Sabin CDC, Playworks Pacific Northwest, Sellwood Community House, and Dream Big City
A Play Street transforms neighborhood streets into recurring pop-up community hubs for intergenerational socializing, play, and physical activity, by closing the street to vehicle traffic. They create a fun, active space, especially in places where recreational areas are scarce. Play Streets are free and open to everyone. In 2025, the Public Realm and Street Activation Team collaborated with community based organizations in focused areas to host a Play Street series. Using City resources (including two trailers stocked with games and furniture), five organizations hosted unique Play Streets across Portland. Partner outreach in 2025 consisted of emails, phone calls, and meetings in focus areas. Focus areas were determined based on income level and proximity to green space.
"Play Streets brought a sense of normalcy, joy, and connection during a time that has been especially challenging and frightening for many, particularly those affected by immigration issues. Through Play Streets, we were able to create a space filled with laughter, friendship, and belonging...Everyone was welcome to participate, share a smile, and enjoy simple joys like popcorn, games, and community activities. In a moment when fear and uncertainty often dominate, Play Streets offered a glimpse of hope, happiness, and shared humanity."
-Sahar Wilson, Pacific Refugee Support Group Employee
Partner Spotlight: Playworks Pacific Northwest
Event Location: SE 79th and Pine, adjacent to Montavilla Plaza in District 3
Playworks Pacific Northwest is the local affiliate of Playworks, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well‑being of children by increasing opportunities for safe, meaningful play and physical activity. Founded in 1996 and expanding to the Pacific Northwest in 2009, Playworks PNW partners with schools and youth programs across the Portland metro area to create healthy play environments where all children can join in and build valuable social, emotional, and leadership skills through structured play and inclusive games.
In 2025, Playworks brought three successful Play Streets events to Montavilla despite some inclement weather. Their activities at SE 79th and Pine emphasized free play, collaboration, leadership development, and relationship‑building among children and families, reflecting the organization's broader mission to use play as a catalyst for connection and community well‑being.
"Play Streets brought the power of play beyond the playground and into the heart of the community. Rain or shine, families came together to connect, and experience firsthand how play builds belonging and joy. Parents and caregivers modeled positive behavior, discovered new games, and learned simple ways to bring play into everyday family life. For Playworks, this was a meaningful opportunity to extend our impact beyond students and educators, connecting directly with the families. Local businesses also joined in, showing their support for community engagement and the shared belief that play can strengthen neighborhoods."
-Marie DeShetler | Playworks Pacific Northwest
Block Party Program
- Number of Block Parties: 880
- BIPOC applicants: 108
"We've gotten amazing feedback from the fall harvest block party the past two years - neighbors love the chance to get to know each other a bit better. Really appreciate the program and how easy PBOT makes it to get the permit."
-Amelia Templeton, Woodstock Resident & Block Party Host
The PBOT Block Party Program offers free permits that let Portland neighbors temporarily close a local residential street for community gatherings such as potlucks, play, or neighborhood celebrations. The program's intent is to make it easy for residents to reclaim their streets as welcoming, people-oriented spaces where neighbors can connect, build relationships, and strengthen community ties in a safe, car-free setting. By removing barriers like permit fees, complex paperwork, and signature requirements, PBOT encourages broader participation across diverse neighborhoods and supports people coming together in public space.
Where were block parties in 2025?
Unique locations per District*
- District 1: 24
- District 2: 250
- District 3: 250
- District 4: 87
District 1 still experiences geographic disparities in block party participation. Strategies to increase engagement include:
- Consulting with the community to identify participation barriers
- Conducting focused outreach to raise awareness of the program
- Offering translated program materials to improve accessibility
Block Party Highlight: Halloween Block Parties
This year, PBOT launched a Halloween block party promotion campaign to increase awareness of the program and support safe, community-oriented street use during the holiday. The initiative used coordinated outreach across social media, PBOT newsletters, the city website, and partner communication networks to inform residents about the permit and encourage neighborhood participation. Messaging focused on safety, accessibility, and the value of local streets as shared public spaces.
Despite poor weather, the campaign generated significant results. More than 48 Halloween and Día de los Muertos themed block parties were held across Portland. One University Park block party drew an estimated 17,000 hundred trick-or-treaters and several other events reported attendance in the hundreds. Activities included trick or treating, potlucks, cultural celebrations, pumpkin carving, and other family-focused programming. Feedback from hosts indicated that the streamlined permitting process made it easy to host.
"It was absolutely amazing and definitely a necessary feature for us for years to come! We had over 200 trick or treaters and everyone mentioned how awesome it was to have a safe space to trick or treat. We got several comments that it felt like the Halloween from the 90s with the amount of people strolling down the street…even in the rain! Taking away the danger of car traffic was such a relief! 10/10 recommend this for Halloween!"
-Kristin Sassano, Brentwood-Darlington Resident& Block Party Host
Community Event Program
Community Event Permits issued: 351
Events: +600
BIPOC Events: 86
Attendance: ~1,400,000 attendees across all events
The Public Realm and Street Activation Team issues Community Event Permits allowing businesses, community organizations, and nonprofits to temporarily close streets for events like farmers markets, street fairs, and cultural celebrations. These permits support pop-up events lasting 1-2 days and help strengthen community connections, highlight local identity, promote economic growth, and support small businesses.
In 2025, Portland demonstrated strong support for community events, with more than 1,000,000 people attending gatherings such as the Portland Winter Light Festival, Portland Farmers Markets, and Urban Art Network's First Thursdays. The City saw a more than 9 percent increase in application approvals, indicating continued growth compared to both pre- and post-pandemic years. This success was made possible by the commitment of both first-time and experienced event organizers.
Where were community events in 2025?
Unique locations per District*
- District 1: 4
- District 2: 55
- District 3: 53
- District 4: 71
Similar to Block Parties, District 1 still experiences geographic disparities in Community Event permitting. Strategies to increase engagement include:
- Consulting with the community to identify participation barriers
- Conducting focused outreach to raise awareness of the program
- Offering translated program materials to promote accessibility
Other Programs
In addition to its larger programs, PBOT's Public Realm and Street Activation team administers and supports a set of smaller programs and discrete projects that facilitate community stewardship, commemorative uses, and artistic activation within the public right-of-way.
Park(ing) Day
Number of Park(ing) Day Permits: 4
Park(ing) Day took place on the third Friday in September 2025, joining cities around the world in temporarily reimagining on-street parking spaces as places for people. The annual event invites residents, businesses, artists, and community organizations to explore alternative uses of the public right-of-way and spark conversation about how street space can better serve community needs.
In 2025, PBOT issued four Park(ing) Day permits, supporting installations led by Councilor Koyama Lane, Oregon Walks, Strong Towns PDX, and the Lloyd EcoDistrict. Participating groups transformed parking spaces into pop-up gathering areas, informal workspaces, seating installations, and conversation spaces focused on walkability, public seating, and the future of public space. Collectively, these installations engaged community members, volunteers, and local partners, demonstrating how small, temporary changes to street space can encourage dialogue, creativity, and community connection.
"We loved seeing neighbors of all ages come together to temporarily repurpose car parking into spaces for people. One of our projects was to build comfortable, functional public seating for our neighbors. Seeing community members resting on the new benches we created really put into perspective why this project was so important."
-Vinayaka Thompson, Strong Towns PDX Volunteer
Sign Donations
PBOT administers several permit types for signage placed in the public right-of-way, supporting uses such as wayfinding, banners, beautification, and neighborhood identification. In 2025, PRSA permitted donated SW Trails signage to support wayfinding along the Hillsdale to Lake Oswego Regional Trail.
This year, PRSA also supported a PBOT pilot wayfinding system designed to encourage pedestrian exploration of Portland's downtown core. This effort was a collaboration between PBOT, Travel Portland, and Oregon Walks and established a cohesive walking loop connecting key Portland landmarks.
Art in the Right of Way
The Art in the Right of Way program supports creative installations within the public right-of-way that contribute to placemaking and neighborhood identity. In 2025, a public art installation was completed at the Montavilla Street Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. Designed by Yaqui-Mexican-American artist Marilyn Shawe and fabricated by local makers High Order, the installation celebrates Montavilla's history as a streetcar stop and strengthens the cultural identity of the Montavilla business district. The front of the piece serves as a visual focal point and photo opportunity, while a historical panel on the back shares information about the neighborhood's transit past. The project was led by the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association with support from a Venture Portland grant funded through the American Rescue Plan, as well as donations and assistance from local businesses. This installation represents the first phase of a broader effort to bring neighborhood-driven art and storytelling into public spaces, with additional projects planned to further activate the businsess district.
"We are so excited about this project because it reflects Montavilla's true identity: a neighborhood shaped by many voices, many histories, and many hands. By honoring stories that haven't always been centered, were strengthening the district's cultural life and creating new opportunities for people to explore, visit, and support our local businesses. Projects like this show how arts and economic vitality can grow together in Montavilla."
Neil Mattson, METBA President
Adopt-a-Landscape
The Adopt-a-Landscape program partners PBOT with community volunteers to steward and maintain underutilized landscaped areas within the public right-of-way, such as traffic islands and greenspaces. In 2025, one new Adopt-a-Landscape agreement was established for the Multnomah Blvd Greenspace Triangle, supporting ongoing maintenance and enhancements to curbside greenery and neighborhood beautification.
Encroachments
An encroachment is a privately owned structure or infrastructure that is placed within the public right-of-way (like sidewalks and parking lanes). Some examples of encroachments are benches, retaining walls, planter boxes, underground shoring, or stairs and handrails.
In 2025, PRSA permitted the Keaton Otis Seating project. This permit was part of a project led by Lloyd EcoDistrict and the Keaton Otis Memorial Collective in remembrance of Keaton Otis, a young Black Portland resident who was fatally shot by the Portland Police Bureau in 2010. Students in the Benson High School construction program designed benches, platforms, and flower boxes that were placed in the public right-of-way. The site serves as a place for reflection, remembrance, and healing to strengthen connections among neighborhood residents.
Looking Forward: 2026 Goals and Initiative
- Engagement Goals
- Increase outreach in District 1 and other target areas to raise awareness of PRSA programs and identify barriers to participation
- Offer translated program materials to ensure accessibility
- Continue Plaza Partner Socials and roundtables to build cooperation between partners
- Activation Goals
- Support downtown activation projects, including a partnership with the Portland Art Museum
- Establish a minimum of three new plazas through the Open Call and other strategic projects
- Support unselected Open Call applicants via smaller-scale or interim projects
- Expand the Play Streets program to an estimated 11 partners, with a focus on District 1
- Increase street paintings in underserved areas by reducing material and cost barriers
- Process Improvements
- Formalize plaza partner agreements to improve clarity and consistency around roles and responsibilities
- open call
- Launch a "Call for Art in Plazas" initiative
Conclusion
In 2025, PBOT's Public Realm and Street Activation continued to demonstrate the value of people-centered public spaces in strengthening Portland's neighborhoods.
The program's flexible, partnership-based model allows public spaces to respond directly to local needs and reflect neighborhood culture. These activations contribute to broader City goals by encouraging walking and lingering, supporting safety and public health through activity, and lowering barriers to participation in civic life.
As Portland navigates economic uncertainty and changing patterns of street use, the Public Realm and Street Activation Program remains a cost-effective tool for community vitality and recovery. Continued and sustained investments will be critical to maintaining momentum, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring equitable access to activated public spaces. The 2025 outcomes reaffirm when public spaces are designed for people, the benefits extend far beyond the street.