Portland Winter Light (non)Festival returns with pandemic plans in place
Updated Feb 06, 2021;
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The sixth annual Portland Winter Light (non)Festival returns Friday evening in a format modified for these pandemic times.
Instead of a cluster of illuminated art displays at OMSI and along the Eastbank Esplanade, the 2021 event will be spread out across greater Portland and take place over two weekends. Though past events have focused on interactive, hands-on exhibits and installations, many of this year’s pop-up light displays will be viewable in storefronts, behind glass or even from the streets outside private homes.
“This past year has demonstrated that we all need art, connection and community more than ever,” the event’s executive director Alisha Sullivan said in a press release. “When we approached local businesses, organizations and artists about moving ahead with this year’s experience, we weren’t sure what the response would be – b
In 2021, the
completely freeÂ
event will be the first in-person event to tiptoe back, a hopeful sign for the days and months ahead, even if this yearâs version wonât look much like its predecessors.Â
For starters, this yearâs eventâwhich
kicks off this coming Friday and Saturday
 from 6 to 10 p.m. and repeats on February 12â13, wonât be clustered around the Eastbank Esplanade and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. That area has traditionally been at its heart, resulting in molasses-slow, bundled-up crowds oohing and aahing at the often-interactive light installations positioned every few feet.Â
Instead, says Alisha Sullivan, the festivalâs director,
Jan 31, 2021
Photo: Remaining Light Photography/Artist Tyler FuQua
Celebrating its 6th year, the Portland Winter Light Festival returns this Friday in a brand new way. Taking on an entirely new form to safely reflect our current pandemic reality, the festival has been re-imagined from a centrally located light festival to a series of smaller art installations throughout the entire city, expanded from three nights to two weekends. A map of all sites is available here on this website. Activities are being promoted as the 2021 Portland Winter Light (non)Festival.
Art installation sites range from a boat dock in St. Johns to a private residence in Milwaukie, with the largest concentration of installations located in downtown Portland, centered around Pioneer Courthouse Square. Installations will take the form of architectural lighting, pop-up window displays, projection mapping, and more. For the first time in the festival’s history there will be no installations at OMSI or at the