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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 largest art museum in Oregon and one of the oldest in the country, 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
Chinese Festival
Chinese Festival is back. As Oregon reopens the Chinese Festival is returning to Pioneer Courthouse Square. This year celebrate, once again, Chinese culture and community. Coming back are the spectacular performances, delicious Chinese food, music and arts from local artists and more. Come celebrate with a full day of programming suitable for all ages.
Holiday Ale Festival
The Holiday Ale Festival, set beneath the region’s largest decorated holiday tree, returns every year with more than 50 big, bold beers designed to keep revelers warm on cold winter nights.
ARCO-PDX at Polka Dot Downtown
Contemporary orchestra ARCO-PDX will be performing on the dots at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Performances will be available virtually on Facebook, Instagram, and at PolkaDotDowntown.org.
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