Children’s Culture Parade at Fort Vancouver
In support of local students and in celebration of the region’s historical diversity, the National Park Service, Evergreen School District, …
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Free Military History Talks at the Fort
Are you a history buff? Or have you ever been curious about local Clark County history? Then you don’t want to miss the “Military History Talks” and the “Annual Military History Conference” presented by Vancouver Barracks Military Association (VBMA).
Springtime Fun at Fort Vancouver
Now that the weather is warming up, there is plenty to do down at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. There is something for everything this, so check out what is coming up this spring.
Open Saturday at Pearson Field
Visit historic Pearson Field every Saturday for free from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. to experience the Fort Vancouver National Trust’s Pearson Field Education Center. This free educational experience features a Flight Simulator Lab, vertical wind tunnel, glider-building station, historic airplanes on-site for viewing, collections on display, and various ongoing educational programs that will propel students of all ages into the wonderful world of flight.
Opening Reception for New Gifford Pinchot National Forest Headquarters
The public is invited to an open house from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, January 7, 2017 at the new Gifford Pinchot National Forest headquarters building on the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site campus. After a welcome from the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service there will be guided tours showcasing the building’s rehabilitation. The new office is located at 987 McClellan Rd. in Vancouver, Washington.
Aviation Winter Break Camps
Keep your kids entertained during winter break at the first-ever Aviation Winter Break Camp at Pearson Field Education Center for youth in grades one through four. Kids can test their aeronautical skills at the whirly-gig table, engineer structures with clothespins and craft sticks, build a wave bottle and make it rain in a jar.
Christmastime at Fort Vancouver
Experience the sights and sounds of the 1840s Victorian-era winter holiday season at the annual “Christmas at Fort Vancouver” special event on Saturday, December 10, 2016, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
30th Annual Veterans Day Parade at Fort Vancouver
Join our community in honoring Veterans of all service branches at the Annual Lough Legacy Veterans Parade. The Fort Vancouver National Trust will host the 30th Annual Veterans Parade at Fort Vancouver on Saturday, November 5, 2016. The parade begins at 11:00 am, rain or shine.
Old Apple Tree Festival and Celebration
Vancouver’s Old Apple Tree is 190 years old, and you are invited to come celebrate at the annual Old Apple Tree Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 1, 2016. Enjoy live music, tours of the Land Bridge, arts and crafts for kids and tree care workshops.
Summer’s End Promenade at Fort Vancouver
The National Park Service at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site will present the annual Summer’s End Promenade on Saturday, September 24, 2016, between 1 pm and 3 pm, as part of the national park’s celebration of National Public Lands Day. Volunteers of all ages will be attired in a range of period clothing illustrating 110 years of history represented at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and the Vancouver National Historic Reserve. They will stroll down Officers’ Row and along the national park’s historic Parade Ground, stopping at the Grant House and its veranda.
Campfires and Candlelight Event Recreates Night of Historic Fire
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site will host its largest living history event of the year, Campfires and Candlelight, on September 10, 2016. event. This free event has been a community tradition for over 30 years a great way to experience history by the glow of candlelight.
Celebrating 100 Years of our National Park Service
The 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Park Service will be celebrated at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (NHS) on Saturday, August 27, 2016. Activities will take place at each of the four sites that make up this national park: the reconstructed Fort Vancouver, Vancouver Barracks, Pearson Air Museum, and the McLoughlin House in Oregon City, Oregon. Additionally, in honor of the centennial, all national parks nationwide, including Fort Vancouver NHS, will waive their entrance fees from August 25-27, 2016.
World War II Living History Encampment
The National Park Service is pleased to announce that a free World War II living history encampment will take place on Saturday, July 23, 2016, 9 am to 5 pm, just west of Pearson Air Museum. This event is in partnership with the Living History Group Northwest, a local World War II living history organization.
Vintage Base Ball Game a Huge Hit with Fans
We are having a ball this summer…1860’s style! The National Park Service at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site will present Vintage Base Ball – a baseball game played by the rules of the 1860s – on Saturday, July 23, 2016, at 6 pm.
Independence Day Celebrations at Fort Vancouver
While the Independence Day Celebrations at Fort Vancouver will end with an exciting Fireworks extravaganza, the entire day is going to be a BLAST! Come celebrate the Fourth of July at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site all day and into the night on Monday, July 4, 2016 starting at 8 am.
Aviation Summer Camps Return to Pearson Field
Building and flying a remote control plane, visiting the PDX control tower, and piloting a real aircraft over Vancouver are among the fun and educational opportunities for youth at the five week-long aviation summer camps offered at the Pearson Field Education Center.
Have a Blast Volunteering on the Fourth
Last call for volunteers for Independence Day Celebration at Fort Vancouver! The Fort Vancouver National Trust still has openings for dedicated volunteers to lend a hand at one of Vancouver’s most iconic summer events: Independence Day at Fort Vancouver on Monday, July 4th, 2016. Last year more than 250 volunteers helped at the event, which was attended by more than 35,000 people.
National Get Outdoors Day at Fort Vancouver
National Get Outdoors Day (GO Day) will bring community partners together to celebrate healthy, active, outdoor fun at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (NHS) from 10 am to 3 pm, Saturday, June 11, 2016. Held on public lands throughout the country, National Get Outdoors Day is a free, family-friendly event promoting healthy, active, outdoor fun.
BioBlitz at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
Are you ready to unleash your inner geek and become a citizen scientist for a day? Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (NHS) will be hosting a Centennial BioBlitz – a treasure hunt to discover living organisms – May 20 and 21, 2016. National park rangers, accompanied by local scientists, will lead volunteers of all ages and backgrounds as citizen scientists for a day. Teams will develop a “snapshot” of biological information in the park by counting and identifying plant and animal species using the iNaturalist app, cameras, and field guides.
Columbia River Waterfront Clean Up Needs You
I love walking the Waterfront Renaissance Trail. It has a great view of the Columbia River, I can walk along a sandy beach and stick my toes in the water, and of course stop at one of my favorite waterfront restaurants for a beverage or bite to eat. What I don’t like: Litter. But, together we can SOLVE this problem!
National Parks Week Celebrates with Free Admission
As the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates 100 years of protecting and preserving the nation’s parks and monuments, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is joining in the celebration! All national parks, including Fort Vancouver, will be fee free from April 16 through April 24, 2016. The week will also feature exciting, fee-free, family-friendly programs.
Romance by Lantern Light
“Lantern Tour: Walking Vancouver Barracks” enjoys the special theme this month of ‘Romance at Vancouver Barracks.’ The ranger-led program will walk visitors through the grounds of Vancouver Barracks by lantern light, connecting attendees to the national park’s military history through thematic storytelling. The upcoming tour is scheduled for Saturday, February 13, 2016.
“These new additions to our Lantern Tour Series give visitors the opportunity to join a smaller, more personal tour at a reduced price-point, through the heart of Vancouver Barracks,” said Greg Shine, Chief Ranger and Historian, “and connect to the stories, people, events, and landscape of the national park’s military era.”
Sweetheart Dance Benefits Fort Vancouver
The 2016 Sweetheart Dance, sponsored by the Friends of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2016, from 7 pm to 10 pm at Pearson Air Museum, located at 1115 E. Fifth Street, Vancouver.
The Sweetheart Dance is reminiscent of the USO dances of the 1940s. Participants are encouraged (though not required) to wear period costumes and Class “A” uniforms, to take a step back in time and enjoy the evening. Beacock’s Swing Band, founded over a decade ago by Vancouver musician Dale Beacock and conducted by Cary Pederson, will perform dance music from the 1920s through the 1950s.
Santa Makes Early Visit at Marshall House
Visitors to Christmas at Fort Vancouver this Saturday, December 12, are invited to stop in the historic Marshall House for a visit with Santa, and to experience the elegant house all decked out for the holidays.
Santa will be in the house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Supplies will also be provided for children to write letters to Santa and put them in the North Pole Mailbox. Cider and hot chocolate will be served. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras.
