The 10th Vanport Mosaic Festival
May 17 – June 1, 2025

“The annual festival is a highlight of Portland’s cultural calendar, blending history, culture, arts and activism into a living and highly creative memorial.”
– Oregon Arts Watch / Bob Hicks

Join us for two weeks of memory activism to explore the many silenced histories that surround us, and REMEMBER, REPAIR, RECLAIM, and RE-IMAGINE our collective story.

Festival HQ: The Historic Alberta House, 5131 NE 23rd Ave
Events will take place in various Portland venues and are free/sliding scale.
Contact: info@vanportmosaic.org | (510) 717.2441

📌 PROGRAM IN PROGRESS
Check back on Friday, April 18 for the full schedule and registration links.

With Gratitude to Our Sponsors

The 10th Vanport Mosaic Festival is made possible by the Autzen Foundation, Oregon Historical Society, Metro, and Travel Portland, with additional support from RW Naito Foundation and the City of Portland Office of Arts & Culture. Special thanks to the Portland Expo Center.

We're still seeking support — partner with us today!

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Saturday May 17 | Private Event

Annual Reunion For Vanport Residents

By invitation only

Sunday May 18 | 11:00 AM | Walking Tour

Black Panthers Walking Tour

Location: NE Portland (starts at Matt Dishman Center parking lot)
Tickets: Sliding scale – RSVP required

Join Kent Ford, co-founder of Portland’s Black Panther Party, for a tour sharing personal memories of revolutionary activism.

Sunday May 18 | 1:00 – 3:00 PM | Open House

Celebrating 10 Years of Memory Activism

Location: Alberta House

Screening of Vanport Oral History docs with special guests from the Vanport Community, and artistic offerings.

Tuesday May 20 | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Bus Tour

Fair Housing Tour

Location: Starts and ends at Alberta House

Explore the history of housing discrimination in Portland.

Wednesday May 21 | 6:00 – 7:30 PM | Lecture

Oregon Racial History

Location: Alberta House

Presented by historian Dr. Raymond Chong.

Thursday May 22 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Workshop

Global Water Movement Workshop

Location: PSU Vanport Building Room 262

Facilitated by Mindy Chappell, PSU College of Education.

Saturday May 24 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM | Screening + Music

Lost City, Living Memories

Location: Alberta House

Short documentaries from the Vanport Mosaic collection with special guests and live music from the Northwest Freedom Singers.

Wednesday May 28 | 11:00 AM | Ceremony

City of Portland Proclamation

Location: Portland City Hall

Mayor Keith Wilson declares May 30 as Vanport Day of Remembrance.

Wednesday May 28 | 6:00 – 8:00 PM | Talk + Music

Not a Fad or Frill: A Love Letter to Vanport’s Music Teachers

Location: Alberta House

Presented by public historian and ethnomusicologist Kelly Bosworth.

Saturday May 31 | 12:00 – 4:00 PM | Placekeeping

Vanport Day of Remembrance

Location: Delta Park, Expo Center/Assembly Center

  • “Remember Us” Memorial – by Chisao Hata
  • Force Lake Birdwatching & Tour – with Marti Clemmons & BIRDHERS
  • Walking Tours – with Vanport survivors and educators
  • Japanese American Museum of Oregon exhibit
  • The Architecture of Internment – Graham Street Production
  • History Is Now – Museum Without Walls

Sunday June 1 | 3:00 – 6:00 PM | Performance

The Portland Assembly Center / We Are Still Here

Location: Expo Center/Assembly Center

Music, theater, and remembrance led by Chisao Hata, Resonance Ensemble, and community partners.

EXHIBITS @ Alberta House (Gallery Hours TBD)

  • Vanport: A Surge of Social Change
    Curated collection exploring Vanport’s lasting impact.
  • The Climate Refugees of Vanport
    Art by Henk Pander
  • Beyond Vanport: Remembering Native North Portland
    Art by Peggy Ball-Morrill
  • Buckman 3rd Grade Vanport Posters
    Youth interpretations of Vanport’s story

STORY HARVEST

Did you or a family member live in Vanport?
Your memories matter. We invite you to contribute to the Vanport Mosaic Living Archive. For over a decade, we’ve been collaborating with the Vanport former residents and descendants to preserve and amplify this essential chapter of Oregon’s history. Together, we’ve built the largest existing archive of Vanport oral histories, with over 100 stories already recorded.

Throughout the Festival the Vanport Mosaic team will digitize your scrapbooks, photos, and artifacts about Vanport, and conduct interviews.

Contact our Program manager Greta Smith at greta@vanportmosaic.org

(Photo by Julie Keefe: Ms. Betty Jones at the annual Vanport Reunion.)