Tap, take transit to festival sites across Portland
The Portland Winter Light Festival returns in February, lighting up sites across the Portland City Center with vibrant displays, live performances and more.
See them all when you go by TriMet — the best way to enjoy the Winter Light Festival!
Check out the Winter Light Festival’s three anchor sites — all of them are easy to reach by riding transit — and watch out for pop-up art installations around Portland.
The Winter Light Festival runs Feb. 6 to Feb. 14. Don’t wait to plan your trip! Visit trimet.org to make a plan today.
Lighting up Portland
The Winter Light Festival is anchored by three locations that feature dazzling lighted art, video projections, music, food carts and more. From 6-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays during the Festival, these sites will come alive. Experience all three with TriMet!
Pioneer Courthouse Square
One of the most iconic locations in Downtown Portland is a hot spot during the Winter Light Festival. “Portland’s Living Room,” 701 SW 6th Ave., is also the place where all five of TriMet’s MAX lines converge.
Ride any MAX line to the Square, or take one of the many bus lines that serve the Portland Transit Mall.
World Trade Center
Who says you can’t mix business and pleasure? This Downtown Portland office complex will host displays and performances during the Winter Light Festival. Located at 131 SW Salmon St., it’s just a couple blocks from the Morrison/SW 3rd Ave and Yamhill District MAX stations.
Get there on the MAX Blue or Red line, or hop off Line 6-Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Line 10-Harold St or Line 14-Hawthorne/Foster at a nearby bus stop.
The Electric Blocks
This fittingly named pocket of the Central Eastside will blaze with colorful lights and other Winter Light Festival attractions. Walk or roll to 236 SE Clay St. from bus and streetcar stops just a few blocks away.
TriMet’s Line 6 and the Portland Streetcar serve Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Grand Avenue, stopping close by the Electric Blocks. The nearest MAX service is at the OMSI/SE Water MAX Station, on the MAX Orange Line.
Festival fun
Need a place to relax and unwind after seeing the sights? The Winter Light Festival is bringing back its popular Glow Bar — open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays during the festival. It will host special dance performances from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Thursday, Feb. 12.
Ride the MAX Green, Orange or Yellow Line to the City Hall/SW 5th & Jefferson or SW 6th & Madison MAX stations, just a few blocks west of the Glow Bar, 111 SW Columbia St. TriMet also has several bus lines in the area. The MAX Blue and Red lines stop about seven blocks to the north. Plan your trip at trimet.org to see travel options!
In addition to the three anchor sites, Glow Bar and other locations, the Winter Light Festival will “pop” all over Portland with light-based art installations in unexpected places! You might see these displays for a limited time in hotel lobbies, local businesses and even vacant retail spaces, temporarily transformed into a winter wonderland.
Check out pdxwlf.com to see where the Winter Light Festival is popping up!
Go by TriMet
TriMet is a reliable, convenient and affordable way to get around the Portland metro area. When you go by TriMet instead of driving, you’ll avoid hefty parking fees in the City Center, as well as the general hassle of traffic and limited parking. Let a professional do the driving for you!
We make it easy to travel by TriMet with our trip planner at trimet.org, as well as fare payment options — as simple as tapping your bank card, or smartphone with digital wallet, at a green Hop reader to pay Adult fare.
With one tap, you can ride for up to 2½ hours. Tap again after that for unlimited rides the rest of the day. That means it’s easy and affordable to go by TriMet to any Winter Light Festival location!
Traveling with kids? Children age 6 and under ride TriMet for free. Youths ages 7-17 ride for half the price of Adult fare. Many students can ride for free using the Hop card issued through their school.
Be a respectful rider — check out TriMet’s Rules for Riding before you go. Call or text 503-238-7433 (RIDE) at any time to report unwanted or suspicious behavior, vandalism, or littering.
When you plan your trip, make a note of where you’re getting off the bus, train or streetcar. Look and listen for stop announcements on all vehicles. You can also track your vehicle at trimet.org and see real-time arrival information at all MAX stations, as well as many bus and streetcar stops.
If you’re coming from outside the City Center, consider using a TriMet Park & Ride. We have dozens of parking facilities throughout the tri-county area where you can leave your car and catch the bus or train. Parking is free for transit users for up to 24 hours at most locations!