ABOUT US

Pioneer Courthouse Square is where Portland comes together—residents and tourists, diners and coffee drinkers, activists and people watchers, or those just looking for a quiet seat in the sun.

Our nonprofit carries out a vision that goes back decades: an urban public space that helps downtown thrive, and a thriving downtown that is critical to the health of our city. In 1984, Friends of Pioneer Courthouse Square raised more than 1.5 million dollars selling engraved bricks for $15 apiece to ensure the park’s completion. Those bricks remain to this day, as does our practice of selling personalized bricks to new Portlanders to help fund the upkeep of The Square.

With more than 300 events per year, The Square is home to many of Portland’s favorite community traditions—from concerts, to festivals of food and drink, to cultural celebrations. It’s also a diverse, living canvas for Portlanders’ creativity and generosity. Integrated with the TriMet transit system, The Square is not just a destination, but a hub for exploring downtown, greater Portland, and beyond.

Our volunteer board brings together artists, cultural institutions, community leaders, neighbors, businesses, and civic organizations. Together, we help foster the civic role of The Square within the City of Portland and reflect the evolving needs of the community that it supports. Our bricks don’t just lay the foundation of Portland’s most popular urban park, but of the city itself.

Our Goals

To be stewards of the park.

For The Square to serve its purpose as Portland’s living room, it’s essential that it be clean, safe, and accessible to all.

To activate the city.

Our organization plans and executes some of Portland’s most exciting live events and beloved traditions. We offer The Square as a living canvas for the diversity, creativity, and generosity for which the city is known.

To be a collaborative conduit for the community.

Fostering healthy relationships within the community, The Square listens to Portlanders and quickly directs resources and attention toward their ideas, needs, and visions.

To create sustainable funding for The Square’s present and future.

Through collaborative fundraising, events, brick sales, and management of civic resources, we execute a strategic plan for the present, and ensure that The Square is in a position to serve the community in the future.

Each Year at the Square

300

Events

11

Visitors

10

Social Media Reach

100

Regional Transit Riders