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| January
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The 75-foot tall Douglas Fir, donated by Stimson Lumber, came down after six weeks on January 2nd with the help of Hollywood Lights and the Portland Parks and Urban Forestry team. Pioneer Courthouse Square is proud to announce that Stimson Lumber recently renewed their commitment to the City by providing a Tree to Portland through 2019. Each year the Tree is repurposed and used in parks and trails around the city.
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| February
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Portland Mall Management, Inc. (PMMI) hosted a Valentine's Day event on Portland's Transit Mall handing out free roses and cookies along SW 5th and 6th Avenues. PMMI in partnership with Pioneer Courthouse Square hosted 22 events on the transit mall. For more event information visit www.portlandmall.org.
Tazo Tea House promoted a new new herbal hot beverage by providing free tea samples to guests passing through the Square.
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| March
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The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia took place. To commemorate the Games, a temporary Sochi sign was added to the Mile Post sign. Portland's Q Center organized a campaign that encouraged people to take pictures with the sign to raise awareness about Russia's anti-gay laws.
As Portland's most visited park, Pioneer Courthouse Square conducted its annual extensive deep cleaning in March. Positive Action Cleaning and All Pro Metro worked together to prepare the 30 year old space for the busy summer season ahead.
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| April
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Thousands gathered on April 6th to celebrate the Square’s 30th birthday with Singin’ in the Square presented by ShedRain, a free community sing-a-long led by Thomas Lauderdale, featuring Storm Large, China Forbes and Pink Martini. Birthday party guests enjoyed free commemorative songbooks featuring more than 30 favorite sing-a-long tunes, clear Singin’ in the Square umbrellas provided by Portland's ShedRain, and 1,984 free mini cupcakes.
Portland's flagship Starbucks began construction to improve the interior of the store to bring a more community-reflected, localized feel. The renovations were complete in early June.
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| May
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With the help of Portland’s First Lady and Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Oregon Historical Society opened the City’s time capsule on May 30th, 2014. The capsule, originally sealed nearly 30 years ago, was located behind a plaque on the southeast corner of the Square. The capsule’s contents included a pair of Nike tennis shoes, a boombox, a Madonna CD and more. Select time capsule items were showcased in a public exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society Museum.
Portland Parks and Recreation dedicated one week of intense focus to conduct major maintenance and do repairs on a wide variety of issues that come along with being the most trafficked Park in Portland during the annual Parks Week of Maintenance.
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| June
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“A-maze-ing” designed by DAO Architecture opened to the public on May 30th. This two-week Festival of Flowers installation inspired by Pioneer Courthouse Square’s 30th birthday transformed the Square into a colorful interactive maze of nearly 20,000 begonias, marigolds, impatiens and more.
Over 350 people purchased personalized bricks this past year and during the last week of June the new names were inscribed in Portland's Living Room. You too can become part of this rich history by having your name, or the name of a loved one, inscribed as a commemorative brick. To purchase a Brick, or locate one online click here.
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| August
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In August, Portland lived up to its name of "soccer city" by hosting the MLS All Star Game. Pioneer Courthouse Square had a soccer field on the floor of the Square that hosted daily activities presented by adidas. Fans from around the world participated in daily soccer clinics, autograph sessions and live entertainment. Fans also watched the US and FC Bayern game live in the Square on a huge TV screen!
Pioneer Courthouse Square welcomed its newest tenant, Portland Walking Tours. Daily walking tours start from the Square including: the award-winning "Best of Portland," to the indulgent "Chocolate Decadence". Tickets to these and many other citywide events are available here.
August is one of the busiest months at the Square often hosting two events daily. Some of the events in August included: International Praise Festival, Portland Roots Festival, IKEA Catalog Launch, Piano Push Play,
Heaven to Earth, India Festival, Festa Italiana, All Above All Be Bold, McDonald's Feelin' Good Festival,
Toastmasters Meeting and Portland Fashion Expo.
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| September
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The world-class event celebrating Oregon's bounty and chefs and artisans, Feast Portland returned to the Square for the third year in a row. Guests enjoyed the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting presented by Alaska Airlines and the Tillamook Brunch Village.
The Standard's Volunteer Expo event brought over 120 nonprofits together in one place, helping Oregonians and Cincinnatians discover service and donation opportunities that fit their skills and interests.
Mexico's independence day celebrations kicked off at the Square with an evening of dance, food and events at the El Grito Fiestas Patrias.
Other events in September were Smart Cities Summer Tour,
Fashion on the Square, Hunger Action Month, Youth Justice Awareness, Gay Fair on the Square,
National Voter Registration Day, American Indian Day, OnPoint Downtown Grand Opening, Portland Fashion Week
and Ben & Jerry's Voter Registration.
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| October
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Design Week Portland, a weeklong series of events and open houses exploring the process, craft, and practice of design across all disciplines took root at the Square. With three geodesic domes, the event featured public engagement, designers in residence, experimental performances, conversations in the round, and limited edition collectibles.
The first annual NW Ciderfest brought ciders and carnival games to pony rides and pies to the Square to celebrate autumn in the Northwest. The event raised $115,00 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Nearly 1,300 volunteers participated in the 2nd annual Parke Diem city wide volunteer day. 20 volunteers at the Square assisted in counting pedestrians and gathering demographic information from park users.
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| November
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73% of voters were in support of the Parks Replacement Bond, Measure 26-159. Portlanders voted to keep our park system strong: to make urgent repairs on aging assets and to improve safety and access. Without raising the tax rate, this Parks bond will not only help Pioneer Courthouse Square but it will bring $68 million to address emergency repairs, replace aging playgrounds before they’re shut down, prevent closures of community pools, and preserve access to natural areas.
An estimated 15,000 people braved the rain and filled the Square and adjacent blocks downtown the Day After Thanksgiving for the annual community tradition of lighting the Tree. Highlights of the ceremony can be found here.
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| December
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13 groups of holiday singers gathered along Portland’s Transit Mall for The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition – an event that Pioneer Courthouse Square and Portland Mall Management, Inc. resurrected for the Square’s 30th anniversary. The Portland Timbre won the crowd over with their a cappella rendition of 12 Days of Christmas and walked away with the grand prize of $1,000.
Nearly 300 tuba players performed seasonal songs in front of thousands at the 24th Annual Tuba Christmas Concert.
The Saturday Market came to the Square during the week of December 7-10 to make holiday shopping easier. Hundreds of unique items were for sale by local Portland vendors.
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