Local Community Events Calendar
Go here to add your community event. (No ongoing camps or lessons.)
Go here to get back to the main calendar page.
- This event has passed.
January 30 @ 8:00 am - 9:30 pm
$10
Clark College hosts the 62 Annual Clark College Jazz Festival in three full days of big band jazz on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, January 29 – 31, 2026 in the Gaiser Student Center, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver WA 98663. Admission is $10 per day. Clark College students and children under 12 accompanied by an adult will be admitted free of charge.
Sixty middle and high school jazz ensembles from throughout Washington and Oregon are scheduled to perform in this year’s competition with trophies presented to the top three jazz ensembles for middle schools and A through AAAA division high schools. Individual outstanding musician and outstanding section awards will also be presented at the end of each division’s preliminary competitions. At the end of Saturday evening, the Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes Award will be presented to one outstanding band selected from the entire festival.
Preliminary competitions for the 2026 festival will begin on Thursday (Jan 30) with middle schools performing from 8am to 1pm and the Division A high school bands competing from 1:40-3:20 pm. The Finals competition for Middle School and Division A begins at 7:00 p.m. The AA Division competes on Friday, (Jan 31) from 8:00 am – noon, and the AAA Division competes from 1:00 pm – 5:20pm with finals beginning at 7:00pm. The AAAA jazz bands take the stage on Saturday (Jan 31) beginning at 9:00am with the division finals at 7:00 pm.
The Clark College Jazz Bands, under the direction of Festival Director Dr. Doug Harris, will perform at following times:
Jazz Band II – Thursday, Jan 29, 4:45 p.m.
Jazz Band I – Thursday, Jan 29, 8:30 p.m.
Jazz Band I – Friday, Jan 30, 8:30 p.m.
Jazz Band I – Saturday, Jan 31,12:00 p.m.
The 2025 Sweepstakes Band, Mountain View I High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Sam Ormson, will hold the spotlight on Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m.
A special ticketed fundraising concert presented by the Clark College Foundation features Stefon Harris & Blackout. Wednesday, (Jan 28) at 7:30pm to kick off the 62nd Festival celebration. The Clark College Jazz Band I opens the performance. Only 400 seats. Tickets https://
Stefon Harris & Blackout, led by the visionary vibraphonist Stefon Harris, is a pioneering force in contemporary jazz. Harris has been named DownBeat Critics Poll Vibraphonist of the Year multiple times and has been heralded as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” (Los Angeles Times). The band, characterized by a stellar lineup of musicians, seamlessly blends funk, R&B, and global influences, transcending traditional jazz boundaries. With influential albums like Sonic Creed (named Jazz Album of the Year by WBGO – the world’s #1 jazz station) and Urbanus (Grammy-nominated), Stefon Harris & Blackout showcase a dynamic interplay of intricate arrangements and soulful improvisation, solidifying their status as trailblazers in the modern jazz landscape. Their performances promise an electrifying fusion of tradition and innovation, leaving an indelible mark on audiences and further shaping the evolving narrative of jazz expression.
For complete information about the Clark College Music Department concerts featuring the orchestra, band, jazz ensemble, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-