PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Portland Winter Light Festival is returning in February to cast a bit of brightness during what can otherwise be a very dark and dreary time of year.
Organizers say 2022 marks the seventh annual Portland Winter Light Festival. The event takes place with sites and events across the city. There will be more than 100 art installations to view around Portland.
The Portland Winter Light Festival is an annual event organized by the Willamette Light Brigade, a local non-profit. The event is free and organizers say it “builds community by bringing art and technology to inclusive audiences while invigorating Portland in the winter.”
The festival takes place Feb. 4-12 and kicks off with an illuminated bike ride on Friday, Feb. 4 that starts at Montgomery Street Plaza downtown, between Southwest 6th Avenue and Broadway. Everyone is invited to take part in the ride. Participants are encouraged to dress in layers, wear masks, and put lights on their bike before riding 4-5 miles through the central city.
The 2022 event will feature pop-up art in windows, businesses, and unusual spaces and is meant to encourage guests to explore the city. Like in 2021, the 2022 event is featuring touch-free installations to help adhere to COVID-19 guidelines.
Organizers say many of the installations are accessible by bicycle and the anchor instations are located within walking distance of one another.
A citywide map of art installation locations is available online.