The Light in the Dark – Portland gears up for its annual Winter Light Festival (6-14 February 2026)

While January is for reflection, it builds momentum for the Portland Winter Light Festival. This year’s theme is “All The Little Things,” focusing on how small actions, and small art installations, can illuminate a community.

Travellers visiting in late January will see the city in transformation with huge, luminous sculptures beginning to appear in Pioneer Courthouse Square and along the Eastbank Esplanade.

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, Portland Dumpling Week runs alongside from 5-21 February. Now in its 12th year, this city-wide celebration sees dozens of restaurants create “one-week-only” dumpling specials. It’s a great way to explore one of Portland’s 90+ neighbourhoods through a culinary lens with creative twists including Bay shrimp ravioli and Italian rye bread dumplings with speck.

Click here to find out more about visiting Portland.