Citywide Art Trail Arrives To Downtown Portland August 2026: Giant Crows And The Upcoming Wildwood Movie (Photo) - 03/05/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 5, 2026 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Monice Wong, Media Relations Manager

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, Portland Metro Chamber

mwong@portlandalliance.com 

Citywide Art Trail Arrives to Downtown Portland August 2026

Wildwood: Follow the Crows Trail to bring giant crow statues to Downtown Portland ahead of upcoming Wildwood movie 

(Photos attached. Please email Media Contact for higher resolution graphics)

PORTLAND, Ore. — Following the massive success of Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail, a citywide public art trail which brought tens of thousands of visitors to Downtown Portland and raised significant funds for OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland will once again transform with a whimsical citywide art experience. 

Launching in early August 2026, Wildwood: Follow the Crows is a new public art trail presented in partnership with LAIKA, OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Wild in Art, the Portland Metro Chamber, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, and supported by the Visit Downtown Campaign. The trail will feature almost 6-foot-tall artist-designed crow sculptures inspired by LAIKA’s upcoming stop-motion fantasy film Wildwood, placed throughout Downtown Portland to create a free, self-guided art adventure for locals and visitors alike that benefits pediatric healthcare. Yesterday, the organizations offered a sneak peek of the sculpture design. 

Local and regional artists designed each crow sculpture into a one-of-a-kind work of art, bringing color, storytelling, and imagination into Downtown public spaces. Maps, apps, digital tools, and programming will guide residents and visitors in exploring the trail. 

“After seeing the joy and energy that Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail brought to Downtown Portland, we knew we wanted to build on that momentum with another bold, creative experience,” said Andrew Hoan, President & CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber. “Downtown pedestrian activity has consistently been on the rise, with events and cultural activations driving the recovery. Wildwood: Follow the Crows will once again invite people to explore Downtown in a playful, meaningful way while supporting a great cause.”  

“Wildwood is deeply rooted in the places and story of Portland, and this art trail gives us a beautiful way to celebrate the film’s themes of adventure, bravery, and community in our hometown,” said David Burke, Chief Marketing & Operations Officer of LAIKA. “We’re thrilled to partner with the OHSU Doernbecher's, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, the Portland Metro Chamber, and Wild in Art to bring this remarkable cinematic story into Portland’s public spaces.” 

“This trail creates moments of joy and connection for families while directly supporting the care we provide to children across the region,” said Dr. Dana Braner, Physician-in-Chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “We are grateful to everyone who is helping bring this project to life.”  

Wildwood is a handcrafted epic fantasy that transports audiences into a secret, dangerously alive world. A girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother unfolds into a spectacular, high-stakes adventure through a forbidden forest full of enchanted creatures, endearing allies, and formidable adversaries—where an entire hidden realm hangs in the balance. In an era of automation, LAIKA delivers its most ambitious and globally accessible film yet—a bold fusion of human-crafted artistry and cinematic storytelling from the makers of Coraline. 

Deeply rooted in Portland, Wildwood is directed by Travis Knight and based on the bestselling novel by the lead singer and songwriter for the Decemberists, Colin Meloy, with illustrations by Portland artist Carson Ellis. 

The cast includes Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant. 

Wildwood is set to arrive in theaters nationwide on October 23, 2026. 

In the lead-up to the film’s release, LAIKA’s early promotional efforts for Wildwood are intentionally highlighting Portland destinations and landmarks, celebrating the city as both the creative home of the studio and the imaginative birthplace of the story. Presented by LAIKA, Wildwood: Follow the Crows extends that storytelling into the public realm, inviting residents and visitors to experience Portland through the same sense of adventure, curiosity, and magic that defines the film. 

This project is built on a powerful local story and a deeply rooted community partnership model. The trail is project-managed by OHSU Foundation, which is building on the remarkable success of Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail to once again combine public art, placemaking, and philanthropy in support of children’s health. 

Additional support comes from Wild in Art, the internationally recognized producer of large-scale public art trails around the world. 

Charlie Langhorne, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Wild in Art said: “We are delighted to be teaming up once again with LAIKA, OHSU Foundation, the Portland Metro Chamber, and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe as we continue our collaboration for what will be our second trail in Portland. Our events enable thousands of people of all ages to experience art by making it part of everyday life, while offering new ways for people to explore their local area. Through this trail, we hope to bring people together to create something special for the city that will deliver real and lasting impact.” 

Local delivery and management are led by the Visit Downtown Campaign, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, and the Portland Metro Chamber, organizations with deep experience in activating public spaces, supporting local artists, and driving positive downtown visitation. 

At the conclusion of the trail, the crow sculptures will be auctioned to raise funds for OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, continuing the tradition of public art serving both creativity and community impact. 

Wildwood: Follow the Crows will take flight in August 2026 until October 31, 2026. 

More details, including artist announcements, trail locations, and event programming, will be released this spring.

LAIKA: Founded in 2005 just outside Portland, Oregon, LAIKA has produced five films: Missing Link (2019), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009).  All were nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA® Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. LAIKA’s next animated feature, Wildwood, will be released globally October 23, 2026.  Among the animated films in development are The Night Gardener, from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series Ozark, and Piranesi, based on the NYT bestselling novel by Susanna Clarke with a screenplay to be written by Dave Kajganich.   

LAIKA’s Live Action subsidiary has a range of projects in development including a feature film based on the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow; the original script Crumble, written and directed by Brian Duffield (Spontaneous) with Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-verse films) producing, and an original project from Oscar®-nominated screenwriter Jon Spaihts (Dune).  Captain Marvel filmmakers Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck will write and direct LAIKA’s live action adaptation of #1 New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel Atmosphere.  Lucy Liu and Charles Melton will star in director Lulu Wang’s film version of Katie Kitamura’s bestselling novel Audition, which LAIKA is producing alongside Higher Ground Productions. www.laika.com   

Wild in Art: Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events that entertain, enrich, inform and leave a lasting legacy. Connecting businesses, the creative sector, education and community, Wild in Art brings people together through the creation of uniquely designed, artist-painted sculptures. 

Since 2008, Wild in Art has animated cities across five continents, delivering world-class art trails that transform places, drive economic impact and make art accessible to all. 

Wild in Art events have: 

• Enabled over $40.8m to be raised for charitable causes 
• Injected $7.1m into local creative communities 
• Engaged over 1.5 million young people in learning programs 
• Helped millions of people of all ages to experience art in non-traditional settings 

wildinart.com | @wildinart | #wildinart 

OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital: OHSU Doernbecher offers the region’s broadest range of pediatric treatments – to more children in more places than any other hospital in Oregon or Southwest Washington. Doernbecher also provides education to pediatric specialists throughout the region and finds cures and treatments to change the face of pediatric medical science. Learn more at OHSU.edu/Doernbecher 

Portland Metro Chamber: The Portland Metro Chamber was founded in 1870 and represents the largest, most diverse business network in the region. The Chamber brings together more than 2,200 members represented by dynamic and varied employers from around the region. Grounded in its mission to create opportunity and advance well-being for all who live and work in the greater Portland and SW Washington region, the Chamber envisions a healthy and resilient business ecosystem where we work together to increase collaboration in governance; engage community; increase civic leadership; and advocate for a vibrant, livable place for all. Learn more at PortlandMetroChamber.com. 

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe: The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District was established in 1988 to support additional cleaning and security in a 273 block-area of Portland's Central City. In addition to these important services, the district supports market research, retail recruitment and retention for Downtown Portland. The district is managed by the Portland Business Alliance under the direction of the district's board of directors.  

The Visit Downtown Campaign is a program run by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and the Portland Metro Chamber with additional funding from the City of Portland. Learn more at DowntownPortland.org. 

Media Advisory: Citywide Art Trail - Theme Announcement And Design Preview, March 4 - 02/26/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Feb 26, 2026 
 

Media Advisory: Citywide Art Trail Coming to Downtown Portland – Theme Announcement and Design Preview, March 4

What: Media Invitation – Art Trail Theme Announcement and Design Preview 
When: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | 4:00 – 6:00 PM 
Where: NW Natural, 250 SW Taylor St, Portland, OR 

Who: 

• LAIKA
• OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital 
• Wild in Art 
• Portland Metro Chamber 
• Downtown Portland Clean & Safe 
• Visit Downtown Campaign 
• Corporate Sponsors 

What to Expect: 

Media are invited to attend a special announcement of the theme and sculptures design of a citywide public art trail coming to Downtown Portland in August 2026. Please RSVP ahead of time with Monice Wong, Media Relations Manager at Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, at mwong@portlandalliance.com to help with event planning. 

This announcement event will include: 

• Announcement of the Art Trail theme. 
• Preview of the design for the Art Trail sculpture 
• Remarks from project partners 
• Photo and video opportunities 
• Interviews with LAIKA, OHSU Doernbecher, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, Portland Metro Chamber, and Wild in Art 
• Information on how businesses and sponsors can participate 

More Information:  

With a uniquely Portland theme, the Art Trail will celebrate an upcoming animated feature, similar to the 2025 Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail which descended upon Downtown Portland in celebration of the 15th anniversary of LAIKA Studio’s debut film, Oscar®-nominated Coraline. 

Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail featured 31 almost six-foot-tall ‘Cat’ sculptures stationed throughout Downtown Portland, corresponding with the release of LAIKA’s remastered 3D stop-motion feature Coraline. Local artists were commissioned to hand-paint each Cat sculpture. Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail ran for 10 weeks, was free to the public, and culminated with an exciting auction where an incredible $324,500 was raised to benefit OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. 

This year, cinematic brilliance will once again meet the diverse talent of local artists, with artist and fan-designed sculptures placed throughout Downtown Portland. The trail will create a free, self-guided public art experience while benefiting OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. The trail is anticipated to open in early August and will be open to the public until October 31, 2026. 

Press Contact:  

Monice Wong 

Media Relations Manager, Portland Metro Chamber and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe 

mwong@portlandalliance.com 

PDX Pop-Up Shops: A Proven Pipeline For Small Business Growth And Downtown Economic Vitality - 02/25/26

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

February 25, 2026 

Press Contact: 

Monice Wong 

mwong@portlandalliance.com 

PDX Pop-Up Shops: A Proven Pipeline for Small Business Growth and Downtown Economic Vitality 

Multiple PDX Pop-Up Shops Launch Permanent Storefronts from Pop-Ups Success in Downtown Portland. 

PORTLAND, Oregon—February 25, 2026—The 16th annual Holiday PDX Pop-Up Shops, hosted by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, has once again delivered meaningful economic and community impact by supporting local entrepreneurs, transforming vacant storefronts, and strengthening Portland’s innovative small business ecosystem.

Over the past 16 years, the PDX Pop-Up Shops program has established itself not as a one-off seasonal activation, but as a proven retail pathway for emerging entrepreneurs. Alumni ventures like Crafty Wonderland, Bridge & Burn, Amity Artisan Goods, The Pickle Jar, Sinister Coffee, and Bentley Fleurs have all become enduring downtown fixtures, validating this program’s role in long-term business success.

This year’s class of makers and retailers continued that legacy by transitioning their Pop-Up Shops into permanent storefronts:

• Bring! Treats for Dogs is a gourmet dog treats bakery which lovingly makes treats with human-grade, organic, gluten-free, and low allergen ingredients. The team, who opened Oregon’s first-ever food cart for dogs in Southeast Portland, has built a following with whimsical creations such as pupcakes, puptarts, and empawnadas.  
• Madam Cooper’s Parlor has transformed a vacant Old Town space at Ankeny Alley to offer a particularly unique experience—a glittering boutique with a miniature Music Box Theatre offering six-minute burlesque performances, often accompanied by a live piano player and a menu of Spanish Coffees and hot popcorn. The Parlor channels the history of Old Town’s Entertainment District, which housed vaudeville houses, saloons, cabarets, and offbeat nightlife.  
• Retorica is a bespoke fine jeweler that intertwines artistry and symbolism through custom jewelry crafted from repurposed precious metals. Created by Mexican artist Diana, now based in Portland, each piece embodies romance, strength, and storytelling. 

Small Businesses: The Backbone of Portland’s Economy 

Portland’s economy is deeply rooted in small business activity*: 

• Nearly 95% of all establishments in the Multnomah County region are small businesses. 
• Small businesses in Multnomah County employ over one-third (35%) of the local workforce. 
• In the state of Oregon as a whole, nearly 99.4% of all firms are small businesses, employing well over half of the workforce.

​These figures underscore not just the scale of small business in the region, but the outsized role of local entrepreneurs in driving job creation, cultural vitality, and neighborhood commerce. 

Many of the entrepreneurs have overcome meaningful barriers in their journeys, navigating the challenges of scaling home-based businesses, reviving historical art forms for modern audiences, or taking bold steps to grow into brick-and-mortar storefronts and the central city for the first time. Their experiences reflect the momentum of Portland’s downtown recovery and small business climate. 

What’s Next: From Pop-Ups to a Year-Round Retail Pipeline

Looking ahead, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is building on the success of the PDX Pop-Up program by piloting new models that create more frequent, flexible on-ramps for small businesses to test, grow, and transition into permanent spaces. The next evolution of the program will include the PDX Retail Lab, with a goal of launching a 12-month rotating retail and pop-up program that supports entrepreneurs year-round and continues activating underused storefronts in Downtown Portland. 

“We’re excited to build on the success of PDX Pop-Ups through the PDX Retail Lab and explore a year-round rotating pop-up model. Retailers need opportunities to experiment in a rapidly changing retail landscape, and shoppers love discovering unique, local experiences. When we bring those two things together, it's a powerful combination and it’s exactly how we continue building a more lively, welcoming downtown,” said Sydney Mead, Senior Director of Downtown Programs at Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. 

The PDX Pop-Up Shops program proves that strategic placemaking and creative support of small businesses can do more than create buzz, they build permanent businesses. By lowering barriers to entry, activating underutilized space, and connecting entrepreneurs to customers and media exposure, the program fosters measurable economic growth. 

Media interested in arranging interviews, capturing on-site activity, or speaking directly with the business owners are encouraged to reach out for coordination. 

*Sources: