Event includes appearances by Timber Jim, Timber Joey and Head Coach Phil Neville, free admission to Discovery Museum, Timbers Street Team giveaways, and local food trucks
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers will kick off their 15th MLS season and 50th club anniversary with their annual Victory Log blessing at the World Forestry Center on Sunday, February 16 at 12:00pm PT. Fans and the public are invited to join Timber Jim, Timber Joey, Head Coach Phil Neville and the Timbers Army as they lead the group in a traditional Irish blessing of the Victory Log, grown by Hampton Lumber, a local, family-owned wood products company. Hampton Lumber has provided the Timbers with sustainably-sourced Victory Logs from its nearby timberlands since 2017.
“The annual log blessing ceremony is more than a tradition; it’s a heartfelt tribute to the club’s rich history and the passionate community that supports it,” Timber Joey shared. “As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, this year's blessing symbolizes our deep roots to the spirit of soccer in Portland and all those who helped shape it. We are very excited to see everyone there and kick off the 2025 season.”
Courtesy of Hampton Lumber, the event will include free admission into the Discovery Museum for the day. Additionally, the Timbers Street Team will be on site with giveaways and prizes, as well as Marsh & Mallow Co. Smores, Where’s Coffee Girland the Mad Greek Deli.
“We are thrilled to host the Blessing of the Timbers Victory Log at the World Forestry Center,” said Alli Gannett, director of communications. “As a local cultural institution in Portland, we’re honored to participate in this longstanding tradition of the Timbers community. We are also deeply grateful to Hampton Lumber for their generous sponsorship, which allows us to offer free admission to the Discovery Museum throughout the day. This is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to connect with our forests, celebrate the spirit of our community, and kick off the 2025 Timbers season.”
The Timbers will host Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC for their season-opening match at Providence Park on Sunday, February 23 at 1pm PT. The full Timbers 2025 schedule can be found here. Every Timbers match will continue to be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app in English and Spanish as well as local radio broadcasts on 750 The Game (English) and La GranD 1150AM/93.5 FM (Spanish).
About World Forestry
World Forestry Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with over 50 years of working at the intersection of people and forests. Our mission – to create and inspire champions of sustainable forestry – is centered on people. Located in Portland’s Washington Park, steps from the MAX Light Rail, World Forestry Center’s Discovery Museum invites visitors to examine forests and consider how they impact our lives. The dramatic 20,000-square-foot wooden building has been a Portland icon since 1971. Visitors get a bird’s-eye view of a Northwest Forest, meet people who work in the woods, and learn about the challenges and opportunities facing this critical natural resource.
About Hampton Lumber
Hampton Lumber is a fourth-generation, family-owned company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. With over 80 years in the sawmill business, Hampton operates sawmills in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia and markets wood products all over the world. Hampton also manages a wholesale and lumber export division, numerous reload locations, and several remanufacturing and advanced wood manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. All of Hampton’s forestlands are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), an independent, non-profit organization that promotes sustainable forest management. SFI certified forests play an important role in water conservation, wildlife habitat, and climate solutions.
