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Label:
Community event
Celebrate the return of the Thompson Elk statue! Join the City of Portland and our partners to celebrate Portland's investment in public art downtown. The free celebration will take place at Chapman and Lownsdale Squares on Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
1:00 pm
to
4:00 pm
This April, the iconic Thompson Elk statue will return to its historic location on SW Main Street for the first time since 2020.
Celebrate the return of the Thompson Elk statue! The City of Portland, Portland Parks Foundation and Regional Arts & Culture Council welcome all to come to a free community celebration on Sunday, April 12. Join us for a day of festivities, entertainment, and family-friendly activities.
When: Sunday, April 12, 2026, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Program starts at 1:30 p.m.
Where: Chapman and Lownsdale Squares, SW Main St. between Third and Fourth Avenues, in Downtown Portland
Get the full list of vendors and activities on the Portland Parks Foundation elk homecoming event page.
About the Thompson Elk Fountain restoration project
The Thompson Elk is nearly ready to return to its pedestal, and we're just as eager as you are to unveil the finished fountain. The multiyear makeover means that the elk is more sustainable, seismically resilient, and elegant than ever before.
In summer 2020, fires in the fountain base damaged pieces of the stonework. The bronze elk statue was not damaged. When we examined the fountain, we discovered that the statue was not properly secured to the stone base and was at risk of falling. We removed it soon after, along with parts of the fountain base.
This project is working to
- Restore, rehabilitate, and reinstall the fountain in its original location
- Comply with standards for treatment of historic properties
- Increase the seismic stability of the Thompson Elk statue
- Retrofit the fountain with a recirculating water pump