The Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) is an annual event hosted by the Willamette Light Brigade, a non-profit arts organization. PDXWLF brings art, technology, and inclusivity together, invigorating Portland in the winter. With free admission, the festival fosters community and showcases captivating light installations, projections, and interactive displays, creating an immersive experience for all attendees.
The Willamette Light Brigade was founded in 1988 with a mission to enhance and beautify the city of Portland by lighting the bridges spanning the Willamette River, thereby uniting the East and West sides of the city. Over the last four decades, Willamette Light Brigade volunteers have successfully advocated for and facilitated the lighting of many of Portland’s iconic bridges. The WLB remains part of long-term planning for the bridges in the city of Portland.
In 2015, the Willamette Light Brigade founded the Portland Winter Light Festival to advance its mission of connecting community and enriching the public realm through artful lighting. The light-based art and technology event continues to be a beloved annual winter event presented free to the public each February. It provides significant economic and cultural stimulation to Portland during the darkest time of year.
Willamette Light Brigade
Board of Directors
Officers
Zach Suchara
Board Chair
Photon Lighting Design
Jarrett Altman
Secretary
Neighborhood Works Realty
Don Carlson
Treasurer
Marianne Zarkin
Past Chair
Marianne Zarking Landscape Architects
Directors at Large
Damian Crowder
NAMC Oregon
Robert Hastings
Bridge Lighting Chair
Oregon, By Design
Chelsea McCann
Walker Macy
Art Pearce
Portland Bureau of Transportation
Chelsea Rooklyn
Development Chair
Killian Pacific
Jeff Schnabel
Portland State University
Paddy Tillett
Emeritus
ZGF Architects, Retired
Jonah Cohen
Emeritus
Hacker Architects, Retired
Kohel Haver
Emeritus
2026 PDXWLF PRODUCTION TEAM
Alisha Sullivan
Executive Director
Cari Sánchez-Potter
Deputy Director
Therese Gietler
Communications Director
Bentley Worthy
Art Coordinator
Savannah Hawes, Mile Point Events
Operations Coordinator
Arianne Means, Mile Point Events
Volunteer Manager
Jeremy Reynolds
Survey Specialist
Chris Herring
Creative Director
Misty Post
Artistic Director
Brad NELSON, Mile Point events
Operations Director
Shireen Press
Performance Coordinator
JJ Gonson
Hospitality Coordinator
Kaycia Ogata, Joyko Studios
Graphic Designer
Lindsay Strannigan
Glow Bar Manager
Gray Ayer
Web Developer
11th-ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
The 2026 Impact Report captures our largest and most ambitious Festival yet. Despite the rain, the incredible turnout reaffirmed Portland’s appetite for light, art, and play. This year’s Festival brought more artists and installations than ever before, proving that creativity thrives no matter the weather.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION STATEMENT
The Willamette Light Brigade (WLB) is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential components of the organization and its related programming.
Equity is the pursuit of equal outcomes, a goal WLB can only achieve by identifying barriers to inclusion and creating an environment welcoming to all through intentional actions.
WLB recognizes that people of color and other communities continue to be marginalized and excluded intentionally and unintentionally due to systemic racism and bias. We are committed to fostering an environment of belonging and acceptance by implementing policies/procedures responsive to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, ability (physical and neurological), religion, and other individual identities for all staff, Board members, and community volunteers.
We are committed to being a non-discriminatory organization and providing equal opportunities for employment, volunteering, Board service, and advancement in all areas of our work. Our commitment to place-making through lighting and the arts is to be shared by all segments of the Greater Portland community.
