Welcome to Beer & Gear, a series where we get to know individuals making big moves in Portland’s Athletic and Outdoor industries. In this edition, author Ellee Thalheimer talks with Herbert Beauclere, co-founder of Sneaker Week PDX.
On August 6, 2025, Mayor Keith Wilson officially declared the first week of August Sneaker Week during a civic ceremony at Jupiter Next Hotel. This proclamation day was attended by city and industry leaders during the week-long festival and substantiated Portland’s deeply rooted influence on the sneaker industry. Over the week of August 3-8, nearly 3,000 industry movers and shakers, aspiring professionals, and everyday sneaker aficionados dove into this year’s curated series of experiences.
“Portland has a Nacho Week and a Negroni Week, so it struck Megan that Portland for sure needed a Sneaker Week,” says Herbert Beauclere, who founded Sneaker Week with Megan Davis in 2017.
In 2017, Beauclere was the Marketing Designer at PENSOLE Footwear Design Academy, and Davis was a brand manager at Wacom, a company that makes digital drawing tablets and pens for artists, designers, and creative professionals. Davis continues to work for Wacom while organizing Sneaker Week; for Beauclere, managing Sneaker Week is now his full-time job.
Home to the global and U.S. headquarters of numerous major sneaker brands including Nike and Adidas, the greater Portland region supports approximately 30,000 jobs in the athletic and outdoor industry. “This year we celebrated Portland as the Sneaker Capital of the World. Portland has a thriving footwear industry, and our mission is to support that momentum by connecting and educating people,” says Beauclere.
During the 2025 Sneaker Week, curators, fans, collectors, designers, and leaders gathered for music, design, art, and workshop events across the city. One of the most popular events was the First Thursday “Portland Sole” celebration at Wieden + Kennedy, which fêted Portland sneaker culture with live performances, an interactive photo booth, food, music, and a showcase of 20 Portland-based artists who each customized a white pair of Nike shoes.
“This year I was particularly excited about partnerships with OMSI and the Portland Art Museum,” says Beauclere. “These major Portland institutions are acknowledging sneaker culture as an important element in the fabric of the city.”
OMSI hosted a screening of Piece by Piece, a biopic about Pharrell Williams, one of the most influential, high-profile figures in sneaker culture and design. A Q&A session with Adidas footwear designer Sarah Sabino followed, alongside an interactive building experience for kids, courtesy of Bricks and Minifigs Portland.
The Portland Art Museum honored sneaker design legend Wilson Smith III at its SPARK: Creative Journeys event, which included expert speakers, community storytelling, immersive creative experiences, and music. The momentum continued after the event with design camps for kids.
Not resting on his laurels, Beauclere is already looking forward to next year, which is scheduled for July 31-August 6. “It will be the tenth anniversary of Sneaker Week. We aim to make it bigger and better, with larger venues and more partners, collaborators, and attendees.”
Sneaker fans, mark your calendars.
Migration Brewing was the beer sponsor for both the Wieden + Kennedy and Portland Art Museum events, serving thirsty crowds its Strait Outta Portland IPA, which is a cheeky reference to N.W.A.’s song “Straight Outta Compton.” “It was a great beer for Sneaker Week because Strait Outta Portland is a perfect example of a collaboration, combining sneakers, music, and beer,” says Sneaker Week co-founder Herbert Beauclere. Try it for yourself at Migration’s Portland locations on NE Glisan St. and N. Williams St.
Ellee Thalheimer is a Portland-based freelance writer and guidebook author. When she can’t get to the trails, she’s writing fiction, relishing local IPAs, falling off bouldering walls, and obsessively scheming the next adventure. Find her on Instagram: @pnw_hedonism.
