Skip to main content
The organizers of the Portland Winter Light Festival have a tip for visitors this year: Look up.
Some of the art at this year’s festival, which runs Feb. 7–15, has gone skyward.
There will be a two-story installation at the World Trade Center called Light Falls by Brazilian artist Vigas, a glowing waterfall that will cascade down the side of the building. Cosmic Delight by New York artist Jason Peters will be installed atop 350 SW Taylor St. downtown. And keen-eyed Portlanders might have noticed there’s already a giant disco ball made of stainless-steel mirrors hovering over Director Park for the festival by artist Ivan McLean.
Those are just three of the approximately 200 free, light-based art installations—organizers like to call them “activations”—at over 100 locations around town at this year’s festival.
This is the 10th anniversary of the festival that grows a little each year.
As festival spokeswoman Therese Gietler puts it, “The snowball is an avalanche now.”
Other highlights include: the return of Glow Bar at Southwest 1st Avenue and Columbia Street for burgers, drinks and dumplings; the popular silent disco and illuminated bike ride events; and an 17-foot fire-breathing dragon named Dread of Dufur that will be installed at the Salmon Springs Fountain at Waterfront Park.
The full artist roster and map went up this week at pdxwlf.com/program for Portlanders to plan their art routes now. This year’s theme is “A Light for Tomorrow: A Technicolor Future” and aims to explore the intersection of art, technology and sustainability.
GO: 10th Anniversary Portland Winter Light Festival, locations throughout Portland, pdxwlf.com/program. 6-10 pm, unless otherwise noted, Feb. 7–15. Free.