Central Eastside’s Monthly Newsletter

February 2026

We teamed up with Portland Streetcar to roll out a Central Eastside PDX–inspired streetcar wrap, and it’s officially on the move.

As the wrap says: Roll In. Venture Out. Catch a ride on the streetcar and experience the Central Eastside—great food, drinks, live music, shops, and hidden gems around every corner.

This wrap shines a spotlight on the district, showcasing the businesses, artists, and makers that make it unique, and invites people from all over Portland to experience the Central Eastside and keep it bustling day and night.

The Portland Winter Light Festival is back this weekend February 13–14, filling the city with free light-based art, performances, and moments of wonder. Whether you arrive early or stay late, the Central Eastside is ready to meet you in the glow.

To keep the district moving all festival long, Central Eastside Together, our enhanced service district, is sponsoring FREE Biketown e-bikes, e-scooters, Party Bikes, and Portland Streetcar rides. It’s an easy way to explore more installations, discover district businesses, and wander to all corners of the district all weekend.

Portland is experiencing a transportation funding crisis. Since 2020, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has cut over $42 million of General Transportation Revenue–backed expenses. These significant cuts to the city’s discretionary transportation revenue impact all our work. Our streets are falling apart, our bridges are aging, and we can’t afford to make the safety improvements our communities are asking for. The cost of transportation construction has increased, but funding hasn’t kept pace. The longer we wait to repair our transportation assets, the more expensive and expansive the problems get.

Portland City Council is talking about how to solve this problem. Come to an open house to learn more and give your feedback.

Last month, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield spent the afternoon in the Central Eastside meeting with local business owners to see firsthand how federal tariff policies are affecting Oregon’s economy and what those impacts mean for small, locally owned businesses, their workers, and their customers. The visit highlighted the challenges businesses face, from rising import costs and supply chain disruptions to difficult decisions about pricing, staffing, and long-term viability.

Organized by the Central Eastside Industrial Council, the tour included visits with a range of businesses, including Cargo Emporium, Ranger Chocolate, Archetyp Wines, and Lippman Company, showcasing how tariff policies ripple beyond individual businesses to affect workers, consumer prices, and investment decisions across Oregon.

The Transportation & Parking Advisory Committee (TPAC) leverages transportation and parking systems to assist, foster, and expand employment and business growth in the Central Eastside Industrial District.

Our efforts focus on improved parking management, freight mobility, ride-sharing, and public transport; facilitating bicycle and pedestrian use; and promoting sustainable measures to improve air quality and livability for district residents, employers, and employees.

Bring your Valentine or Galentines for a weekend full of fun! Enjoy epic eats, delicious drinks, interactive art, fabulous photo moments, Blind Date with a Book, and incredible vendors.

Little Red has a treat in store with a pre-Valentine’s Day market featuring mystical friends. Visitors can have their cards read, receive a custom poem, browse apothecary tinctures, herbs, soaps, candles, jewelry, and baked goods.

Milagro presents the annual Women’s History Month Festival, celebrating the voices of Latina/e women whose creativity reflects culture, heritage, and lived experience. The festival features staged readings of plays, a stand-up special by Andrea Menchaca Hall, and a visual arts gallery with IDEAL PDX, honoring stories, struggles, and brilliance through art.

For more events happening in the Central Eastside, see our events calendar.

New to the Central Eastside and not sure how to get involved?

Join our community of businesses for free within the first year of operating your business in the District. You’ll get access to our exclusive updates, networking events, and more!

1028 SE Water Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
(503) 236-6830
ceic@ceic.cc

Central Eastside Industrial District is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization.

Our mission is to serve the business interests of our members by advocating for a vibrant, safe, prosperous and welcoming Central Eastside Industrial District.