Pioneer Courthouse Square
Known as Portland’s “living room,” this brick-lined park is bustling with activity and events.
Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Pioneer Courthouse Square is affectionately known as the city’s “living room.” Once a grim parking structure, the square is now a thriving urban park and the single most-visited site in Oregon, attracting more than 9.5 million visitors annually. The square’s on-site resources include the TriMet public transit ticket office.
Named after the Pioneer Courthouse (the Pacific Northwest’s oldest federal building) located on the public space’s eastern side, the square began as the Portland Hotel in 1890. In 1950 the hotel became a two-story parking garage, and in 1984 it was reborn as a bustling city park where light rail and buses converge. These days, the square is where workers, visitors and families gather to enjoy the city, catch a ride elsewhere and even enjoy a meal at the food carts parked on the bricks.
In the summer, the Noon Tunes concert series fills the lunch-hour air with free live music on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The square is also one of Portland’s leading outdoor venues, hosting 300 events each year, from large-scale concerts to cultural festivals. In the summer, the Noon Tunes concert series fills the lunch-hour air with free live music on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on Fridays, Flicks on the Bricks transforms the “living room” into Portland’s biggest movie theater, with no-cost, family-friendly fare.
Pioneer Courthouse Square Events
Summer Concert Round-Up
Portlanders' pent-up desire for sun may explain our skill at making the most of summer's long days and warm nights with outdoor concerts.
Summer Events and Activities in Downtown Portland
The city’s sunniest season makes it easy to fill your calendar with summer fun.
Holiday Events at Pioneer Courthouse Square
Portland’s living room bustles with free, festive activities every holiday season.
But the square hosts more than summertime excitement; every year, the city celebrates the day after Thanksgiving with the lighting of the region’s largest decorated holiday tree, and an array of festive events, like the Tuba Christmas Concert and the Holiday Ale Festival, keep the space merry and bright.
More Things to Do Downtown
Downtown Portland Activities
Walk to a wide range of entertainment in downtown including theaters, museums and parks that play host to festivals and farmers' markets.
Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum is central to the city's cultural district, housing a large and wide-ranging collection of artworks.
Downtown Shopping
Downtown Portland boasts a wide array of shopping options, from major national and international retailers to locally owned boutiques and specialty shops.
At the Square
Festival of Flowers
For more than 30 years, the Festival of Flowers at Pioneer Courthouse Square (in the heart of downtown Portland) has been one of city’s most renowned festivals. Every year, the Square works with a local artist or design firm to create a masterpiece of vibrant color utilizing more than 24,000 flowers and plant material, filling…
Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series
The Noon Tunes Summer Concert Series will return for its 30th year on Tuesdays in July and August! From noon-1:00pm enjoy music from some of Portland’s best regional and local musical talent. With eight FREE concerts, dancing, some of Portland’s favorite food vendors at Carts on the Square and interactive activities, the Square is sure…
Flicks on the Bricks
On five Friday evenings in July and August, the Square will be transformed into Portland’s largest outdoor movie theater for the entire community to enjoy! Flicks on the Bricks will kick-off on Friday, July 17 and continue through August 14 on Friday nights. IKEA will offer movie-goers a chance to sit in the “Best Seat…
Chinese Festival
Join the Oregon Chinese Coalition for the city’s annual Chinese Festival in the Square! Celebrate Chinese American culture and enjoy nonstop entertainment, delicious Chinese food, authentic arts, crafts and much more.
Pan African Festival
Oregon’s annual Pan African Festival celebrates the presence, resilience, strength, and influence of Pan Africans (Africans, Caribbean and African Americans) in Oregon. We believe the festival is a cultural vehicle to galvanize, mobilize and empower Diaspora Africans in Oregon. It is a springboard to community capacity building, to increase understanding within and between communities and…
India Festival
India Festival brings India to downtown Portland! This festival is a celebration of India’s Independence Day with live music, dance, food and other entertainment. India Festival is hosted by the India Cultural Association, a non-profit dedicated to enhancing Indian cultural awareness.