Vancouver, WA. —Clark College will host the 62nd Annual Clark College Jazz Festival with three full days of big band jazz performances Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 29–31, 2026, at the Gaiser Student Center on the college’s main campus.
The long-running festival will bring together 60 middle and high school jazz ensembles from across Washington and Oregon, offering students an opportunity to perform, compete, and receive feedback in a collegiate setting. Performances will be held throughout the day, with divisions scheduled by grade level and school size.
The festival will officially kick off Wednesday evening, Jan. 28, with a special ticketed fundraising concert presented by the Clark College Foundation. The concert will feature internationally acclaimed vibraphonist Stefon Harris and his ensemble, Blackout, with Clark College Jazz Band I opening the performance at 7:30 p.m. Seating for the concert is limited to 400.
Clark College’s own jazz ensembles, under the direction of Dr. Doug Harris, will also be featured throughout the festival. Jazz Band II will perform Thursday afternoon, while Jazz Band I will appear multiple evenings, including a Saturday midday performance.
Festival competition schedules are organized by division, with middle school and Division A high schools performing Thursday, Divisions AA and AAA on Friday, and Division AAAA on Saturday. Awards will be presented to the top three ensembles in each division, along with individual honors for outstanding musicians and sections. The Dale Beacock Memorial Sweepstakes Award will be presented Saturday to one standout band selected from the entire festival.
The 2025 Sweepstakes Band, Mountain View I High School Jazz Band directed by Sam Ormson, will be featured in a spotlight performance Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m.
Daily festival admission is $10. Clark College students and children under 12, when accompanied by an adult, are admitted free. The Gaiser Student Center is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, with parking available in the campus Green and Red lots.
Community members requiring disability accommodations are encouraged to contact Clark College’s Human Resources Office at 360-992-2105 or hr@clark.edu
in advance of the event.
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