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| January
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January saw the annual removal of the city's 75ft tree generously donated by Stimson Lumber Company for the 12th consecutive year. Tree removal is a multi-day process of removing branches and debris to prepare the tree to be repurposed as landscaping bark in other Portland Parks and Recreation sites throughout Portland.
The University of Oregon Ducks store celebrated the football team's Rose Bowl win with a pop-up tailgate party complete with free hot dogs, snacks, t-shirts, frisbees, and more!
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| February
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Food Truck February kicked off its first year at the Square. This month-long event brought various local favorites to the Square including bowls from Thrive, the infamous Voodoo Doughnut, sandwiches from Bunk, wood fired pizza and more from Tastebud, and dumplings from
The Dump Truck.
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| March
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To raise awareness of the one in five Oregonians who struggle with hunger, KGW hosted their annual Omelet Breakfast at the Square, giving free Tillamook Cheese omelets to the first 200 people who donated cash or food to the Oregon Food Bank.
The American Cancer Society hosted a day of awareness for colorectal cancer to inform attendees of ways to lower their risks for the disease and get involved in local community events to fight it.
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| April
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Bloomfest celebrated its 25th annual tulip fundraiser for Easter Seals. The organization sold 10 locally-grown tulips for $5 with all proceeds going toward programs to help children and adults with disabilities.
The third annual Singin' In The Square presented by ShedRain took place on April 19th. This fun community event was curated by Thomas Lauderdale and featured members of Pink Martini, The von Trapps, PHAME, and the Pacific Youth Choir. Attendees enjoyed free commemorative songbooks, cupcakes, and clear ShedRain bubble umbrellas.
The South MAX platform was temporarily closed to allow TriMet to install their new e-fare readers, which was a city-wide effort to upgrade public transit stops with new technology to make boarding trains and buses more efficient.
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| May
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Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Portland Saturday Market partnered to bring a special Mother's Day Artisan Market to the Square. Forty vendors sold locally made woodworking, jewelry, and art to give downtown shoppers a chance to purchase unique Mother's Day gifts and support small, local businesses.
In partnership with the Regional Arts and Culture Council, Portland Mall Management, Inc. placed four artists along the transit mall to paint live scenes during the lunch hour. One of the artists painted the Visitor Information Center and seating of the Square, while the other three artists painted en plein air at PSU, Pioneer Place, and the food carts on SW 5th Ave.
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| June
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The annual Festival of Flowers
display took place the first two weeks of June with the fun and delicious design Doughnut Trip created by Portland-based landscape architecture studio PLACE. Nearly 18,000 flowers and plants including Begonias, Pansies, and Black Mondo grass constructed this unique, beautiful installation depicting a baker spilling a dozen doughnuts over the Square. The two-week celebration included National Doughnut Day giveaways of over 1,200 doughnuts, appearances at the Square by Coco Donuts and
Voodoo Doughnut, and the annual flower sale, where the plants used in the design were sold at cost.
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| August
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Dollar For Portland, a new charitable organization, hosted their kick-off party at the Square. Dollar For Portland helps local families with their medical bills by raising money to go towards those debts. The organization pledges 100% of donations to the families they help. The National Brain Tumor Society hosted the Portland Brain Tumor Walk to raise awareness and resources to fund critical brain tumor-specific programs.
India Festival, a celebration of Indian culture made possible by the India Cultural Association, returned to the Square with food, dancing, and music. Festa Italiana also came back for its 24th year. Festa Italiana celebrates Italian American culture with local restaurants, traditional music, Opera performances, and more.
August was one of the most eventful months of the year overall, including the Portland Fashion Expo, International Praise Festival, Catch the Orange, EV Fest, the Heaven To Earth Festival, and the
101.9 Kink presents Portland Farmers Market at the Square every Monday during the month.
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| September
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Feast Portland, the flagship food and drink festival from the Pacific Northwest, hosted two of their popular events at the Square for food lovers from throughout the region. The Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting and the Tillamook Brunch Village showcase some of the great culinary talent and ingredients Oregon has to offer.
The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) and other local organizations hosted the 9th Annual American Indian Day Celebration. This day-long celebration included drum circles, dancing, food, and art. The event also raised awareness about the challenges American Indian communities face.
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| November
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The Stimson Lumber Tree Arrival heralded in the holiday season downtown with a procession from Portland State University to the Square by the Beat Goes On Marching Band, RAM Trucking, and Santa himself. Stimson Lumber's Rodney Jacobs presented the tree to city officials Commissioner Amanda Fritz and Warren Jimenez, as well as Pioneer Courthouse Square Board President Dan Lavey.
The Dickens Carolers entertained attendees with classic holiday songs.
The 31st Annual Tree Lighting ceremony took place the day after Thanksgiving with a sing-a-long curated by Thomas Lauderdale including members of Pink Martini, Oregon's Own 234th Army Band, PHAME, the von Trapps, and the Pacific Youth Choir. Over 14,000 multi-colored LED lights, spanning 2.5 miles in length, lit the city's tree.
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| December
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The holiday season programming at the Square was festive and exciting this year, with over 50 events during the month of December! This year, the Square hosted free Atmospheric performances, including 12 by local school groups like the Wilson High School Jazz Band, the Beverly Cleary School Choir, and the Buckman Elementary School Chorus.
In partnership with Portland Mall Management, Inc., The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition returned with 11 singing groups positioned along SW Morrison and SW Yamhill streets. This competition was judged by The Dickens Carolers. The Cleveland High School Clevelan'Daires took home the grand prize of $1,000!
The 25th Annual Tuba Christmas presented by SmartPark took over the Square on December 12th. This year's concert featured 289 tubists playing in unison, the biggest show in the Square's history!
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