Festival Lanterns, Sculpture in Portland, Oregon
Festival Lanterns were a group of granite and steel sculptures installed in 2006 by artist Brian Goldbloom along the streets of Portland's Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. Each lantern, standing about 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, featured carved designs that depicted stories about local people and places.
The sculptures were installed in 2006 as part of a public art project celebrating Portland's neighborhood histories and cultures. In 2025, community leaders decided to remove them after determining that carvings with certain Asian features were offensive to some groups.
The sculptures in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood served as reminders of the area's diverse past, including the former Japantown that existed before World War II relocation. They stood as visible symbols connecting community members to shared local stories and identity.
The sculptures were arranged in a line along the streets of the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, making them easy to view while walking. Visitors could explore the carved details at their own pace while enjoying the surrounding shops and cafes in the area.
One sculpture specifically commemorated the historic Japantown that once stood on that site before residents were displaced during World War II. Another piece depicted the story of Portland's rail system development, marking an important chapter in the city's transportation history.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
