The Bloom Tour PDX
Flowers are always trendy and Portland is well aware. The Bloom Tour PDX is an annual 2-week long floral art exhibition using the city as a gallery for local florists. During the end of May and first weeks of June, Portland florists are assigned to a small business in the area and with collaboration, create a floral motif to display on the entrance of their chosen business. This becomes The Bloom Tour and hundreds of people flock to follow the map around Portland’s West and East sides to check out each piece. This year, Hassalo was on the coveted route and small businesses in the neighborhood were adorned with some beautiful floral displays.
Three Years and Counting
The Bloom Tour began in 2022 by local organization, Visit Downtown, initiating events and engagement in the heart of the city as an effort to get people downtown to shop and recreate. With a few years in operation, The Bloom Tour is now anticipated by locals and visitors alike, with official trifold maps distributed around the neighborhoods weeks before the event. The map lines out the many exhibition spots and the public transportation that connects it all. Go Lloyd, another well known organization in the area, is an advocate for local Trimet services, especially the downtown Portland Street Car, that runs through each Bloom location and connects the East and West side of the river. Getting Bloom Tour participants walking the city and recreating local business is made much easier with seamless public transportation and a carefully thought map of locations that will highlight the best of our city. Along the Tour are wayfinding decals at each exhibition with a QR code to the florist’s information. Most businesses add promos for tour attendees, like a free drink or 10% off select items, further tempting adventurers to go out and complete the whole tour.
Support Local
Covid and unrest hit Portland hard a few years ago, and the city is still constantly changing even though recreation and commerce have mostly returned. This initiative to attract folks downtown during the warmer months is innovative for a few reasons: first, all ships rise with the tide as the florists and business owners alike are promoted at no cost. Second, it boosts traffic to the host neighborhoods and their businesses, not only bringing consumers but a familiarity with the area and potential future residents who fall in love with downtown Portland’s charm (flaws and all). Third, it brings awareness to the many avenues of transportation around the city, highlighting transit and walk paths.
Hotel Eastlund’s floral display in the marble valet drop-off
Lloyd’s First Tour
As a commerce district, transforming into a living utopia, Lloyd was a perfect candidate for a spot on The Bloom Tour citing the new environmental efforts from Lloyd Eco-District and locals who love the area and want to breathe life back into Lloyd’s historic streets. First on the Tour is Greenbridge Coffee, a sustainably sourced café with dedication to green practices. Their floral artist created a large, hanging display from the top of the outdoor entrance (Pictured) . The mossy textures and green shapes reinforces Greenbridge’s eco-friendly personality. Down the street at Hilton’s Doubletree Hotel is a vintage metal bench with a floral arch and neon sign in cursive ‘Portland’ hanging in the backdrop. A cute little selfie spot and the display represents the communal aspect of Doubletree, bringing people together from all over the world to stay, dine, and attend the many conferences/events hosted at the location. Down the road is a radically different hospitality experience, Hotel Eastlund with a more modern/urban vibe. Their exhibition stands in the valet area with bold red poppies sprouting up from the marble entrance. Every piece is is unique to the city and made with love by talented Portland Florists ready to make a name for themselves.
Hassalo and the whole neighborhood are excited to be a standing host for The Bloom Tour for years to come. As Portland transforms into the second half of the decade, people and business are intent on thriving despite past hardships. The Bloom Tour is proof of this, and will continue to elevate the floral artists and small businesses they highlight. The community and relationship building it promotes is an investment, and will keep building momentum until perhaps, one day, it will become a city-wide tradition.