By Ellen Spitaleri
The rainy season is in full swing, and people are starting to looking for something different to do inside. Sure, there are TV shows and movies out there, but now Hopscotch Portland has brought something new to town that allows guests of all ages to have fun while creating art and at times, to even be the art.
Hopscotch Portland, behind Market of Choice on SE 10th Ave., opened June 2023. It “sits at the intersection of your traditional institutional art gallery and an immersive and interactive world. Our exhibits are large-scale and use different lights, sounds, colors and illusions to create a one-of-a-kind artistic experience,” said Gage Martin, senior experience manager. “You can be the viewer, the art or the artist throughout the space,” he added.
The first Hopscotch opened in 2020 in San Antonio, TX, and the founders were drawn to Portland for the second location, “because of the ever-changing and creative energy of the community. We love the vibrancy of Portland and the art, culture and food scene,” said Martin.
“We’re honored to be a part of the development on the Central Eastside, where we share community space with like-minded neighbors,” he said, adding that the location “serves as a hub for creative and innovative projects.” He also noted that the founders chose to name the business Hopscotch, because it is a name that “sparks nostalgia.”
There are 14 different light and sound installations “that inspire creativity and encourage fun and play” throughout Hopscotch Portland, many of them created by Portland artists, Martin said.
Popular installations include the Quantum Trampoline that lets guests create a video projection with every bounce, and Laser Graffiti that allows visitors to become artists as they “paint” on the walls with 3D-printed spray cans. Martin said that one of his favorite installations is Diodic Daydream, a colorful LED ball pit that invites guests to interact with light diodes and translucent orbs.
Sierra Naiser, guest engagement coordinator, has seen Hopscotch Portland come to life from the beginning and noted that some of the rooms have a message to convey, like Rainbow Cave, an installation made from 86,000 plastic bags, meant to show people the environmental consequences of a throw-away culture. “Every 27 seconds, someone in the US discards a plastic bag,” Naiser said.
There are two other rooms with a more serious purpose, she noted. One is the Secret Garden, where visitors can anonymously write a secret or something they want to get off their chests. The purpose of the room is to support mental health. And the final exhibit features a walk through, maze-like room where panels contain statements of affirmation that are words of positive support to everyone, including the LGBTQ community. “We want people to leave, feeling comfortable about themselves,” Naiser said.
Hopscotch Portland also features a large, colorful lounge, complete with a café serving curated food and drinks like one might find at a gallery opening, Naiser said, and as guests leave, they pass through a gift shop packed with creative treasures, many made by local artists. For her, Hopscotch is about more than art, “it is the ability to connect, it is about playfulness and creativity and it is about making memories with a loved one,” she said. Her favorite part of the job is when guests tell her that they loved the ball pit, that falling backwards into a pit filled with colorful balls “ignited their inner child,” she said. Naiser added, “Every day I see how impactful this place can be; it is a unique experience.”
Tickets (adults $24, children under 16 $15, seniors/teachers/military personnel $20 with ID) must be purchased in advance online. Hopscotch is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11 am-9 pm, Friday-Sunday 10 am-10 pm, closed Tuesdays.
Hopscotch Portland
1020 SE 10th Ave.
letshopscotch.com/locations/Portland
Jumping on the Quantum Trampoline goes beyond gym class, in that every bounce creates a fluid, colorful and magical moment. Photo by Hopscotch Portland.
