Monday, Oct. 14 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day all about honoring the cultures and histories of Native communities.
Learn about the history of the holiday in Portland, plus how to participate in a local event.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Formerly celebrated in Oregon as Columbus Day, the state Legislature voted to recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021. The Metro Council estimates that the Portland area’s urban Native population is the ninth largest in the US, totaling 58,135 people (or 2.8%) in 2017.
Because the holiday is still federally recognized as Columbus Day, expect closures at federal offices, post offices, and some banks.
Celebrate
Portland Indigenous Marketplace hosts events supporting businesses of color and Indigenous origin. This year, the organization partnered with Future Generations Collaborative to bring together many of those businesses for the Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration on Monday, Oct. 14, at Barbie’s Village. Attendees can expect foods like frybread, 14+ vendors to shop from, a children’s powwow performance, and a free dinner.
Follow Portland Indigenous Marketplace on social media to see what they’ve got going on throughout the year.
