5th Annual Portland Winter Light Festival Features Over 100 Artists

@remaining.light — Mihaly's Gate / @pacificfiregathering team. Located on the Eastbank Esplanade!

Portland, Or. The Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) presented by Portland General Electric featured over 100 artists in varied media such as video projection mapping, fire sculpture, and live performance. This was the fifth year for the festival and the theme was Into the Dreamscape. The festival weekend kicked off on February 6th and showcased installations like Mihaly’s Gate which was originally created for the Pacific Fire Gathering on the Oregon Coast.

Ring of Fire by Wildstone Arts.

Here’s a video about the festival:

Circus Luminescence is a local circus entertainment group performing at the festival.

Some special highlights included fire dancing, hoop performances, circus acts, a lantern parade, and an illuminated bike ride. It also had the Glow Bar featuring artisan cocktails and a Silent Disco dance party, pop-up art installations by local design and architecture firms, which includes an immersive 2,500 square foot “Light Forest” by Henry V.

Winter Light Festival 2018. Photo by Brooke Hoyer.

Below is another video showing some highlights from 2019 Winter Light Festival:

More about the Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF):

The Portland Winter Light Festival is an annual event of the Willamette Light Brigade, a non-profit arts organization. PDXWLF is presented to guests for free, and builds community by bringing art and technology to inclusive audiences while invigorating Portland in the winter. Our 5th year will take place February 6-8, 2020. If you would like to find out more, explore our website for information on artists, performer schedules, and to see full maps. Last year’s PDXWLF showcased over 114 illuminated art installations, over 60 vibrant performances and live events, educational programs, stunning kinetic fire sculptures throughout our city, and hosted over 150,000 guests. Our 2020 festival promises another year of magic and art.

The Willamette Light Brigade (WLB) founded PDXWLF in an effort to propel forward its mission of connecting community and enriching the public realm through artful lighting. The Festival began as a coalescence of ideas in 2016, and was propelled into existence by dedicated community members too numerous to mention. We are committed to keeping the Portland Winter Light Festival family-friendly, free to attend, and open to everyone. So bundle up and celebrate the power of light and community with us!