The Vancouver USA Arts & Music Festival returns Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3, 2025, for its third year as a vibrant, free summer celebration of music, art, and community in downtown Vancouver, WA!

Debuting in 2023, this festival has quickly grown into a regional cultural highlight, drawing families, art lovers, music fans, and fun-seekers of all ages. In 2024, the event welcomed over 30,000 attendees to Esther Short Park and surrounding venues in downtown Vancouver.

Organized by Vancouver Parks & Recreation and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA (VSO-USA), the festival was built with inclusivity in mind—from ASL interpretation at the opening ceremony to multilingual events, accessible programming, and sustainable practices. It’s earned statewide praise, including the Spotlight Award for Best Special Event from the Washington Recreation and Parks Association for its community impact and accessibility.

This year’s festival promises an expanded schedule of world-class music, interactive visual arts, family-friendly experiences, and multicultural performances across three stages. Highlights include Grammy®-winning headliners Renée Fleming, Mark and Maggie O’Connor, Sharon Isbin, and beloved entertainers like Tito Puente Jr. and Pamyua, performing alongside the internationally acclaimed Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA.

2025 Schedule & Lineup

All performances and exhibits are free and open to the public.

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Main Stage – Esther Short Park

5 p.m. – Festival Kickoff & Welcome
6 p.m. – Pamyua (Inuit Soul)
8 p.m. – Tito Puente Jr. & His Orchestra (Latin Jazz)

Friday, August 1, 2025 – Family Day

Enjoy roving magicians, free face painting, story time, and a pop-up children's museum from Columbia Play Project.

10 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Juried Art Exhibit (Hilton Vancouver)

Main Stage

6 p.m. – Clark County Little Band (Jazz Combo)
7 p.m. – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, conducted by Salvador Brotons
• The Improvised Violin Concerto – Mark O’Connor
• Double Violin Concerto – Mark & Maggie O’Connor
• Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5

Music Stage

10 a.m. – Too Loose (Cajun/Zydeco)
11 a.m. – School of Rock Vancouver
12 p.m. – WOETOJOY Square Dance Band ft. Caller Bex Bee
1 p.m. – Sweet ‘N’ Juicy (Funk/Rock/Soul)
2 p.m. – Skamokawa Swamp Opera (Eclectic Folk)
4 p.m. – Dina y los Rumberos (Cuban/Caribbean)

Dance Stage

11 a.m. – Yeates Academy of Irish Dance
1 p.m. – Shaun Keylock Dance Company
2 p.m. – Teva Oriata Polynesian Dance
3:30 p.m. – The Kif-Kif Sisters (Circus Theater)

Friday Night Movie: Coco (PG), immediately following the concert. Sponsored by Riverview Bank.

Saturday, August 2, 2025

10 a.m. – 7 p.m. – Juried Art Exhibit (Hilton Vancouver)

Main Stage

5:30 p.m. – VSO Youth Virtuosi USA
• Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 – Zuill Bailey
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 (Movements II & IV)
Conducted by Ken Selden & Gerard Schwarz

7 p.m. – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA with Renée Fleming, conducted by Gerard Schwarz
• A program of beloved arias and songs from Puccini to Rodgers & Hammerstein

Intermission: Spoken word and dance with Clark County Poet Laureate Susan Dingle and choreographer Olga Loktev

Music Stage

10 a.m. – Ants Ants Ants (Family Rock)
11 a.m. – OK Bucko (Indie Rock)
1 p.m. – MANISHA (Pop-Jazz)
2 p.m. – Bang Bang Brass (Funk Brass)
3 p.m. – Conjunto Alegre (Latin Orchestra)

Dance Stage

10 a.m. – Sarada Kala Nilayam (Indian Dance)
11 a.m. – Cottage Dance Academy (Contemporary)
12 p.m. – Columbia Dance (Youth Ballet)
1 p.m. – Folklóric Ballet of SW Washington
2 p.m. – Lao Loun Mai (Lao-American Youth Dance)
3:30 p.m. – The Kif-Kif Sisters (Circus Theater)

Afternoon Workshops with ARTSTRA
• Music with UpBeat Music
• Poetry with Susan Dingle
• Visual Arts with Clark County Open Studios Artists

Sunday, August 3, 2025

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Juried Art Exhibit (Hilton Vancouver)

Main Stage

5 p.m. – Clark County Little Band (Jazz Combo)
6 p.m. – Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, conducted by Gerard Schwarz
• Copland: An Outdoor Adventure
• LeFrak: Miami Concerto (NW Premiere) – ft. Sharon Isbin
• Stravinsky: Firebird Suite
• Ravel: Boléro

Intermission: Conversation with All Classical Radio’s Suzanne Nance, Gerard Schwarz, Sharon Isbin, and composer Karen LeFrak

Music Stage

10 a.m. – Fiddler on the Loop (Electric Violin)
12 p.m. – Mat Randol (Jazz Rap)
1 p.m. – Carpathian-Pacific Express (Klezmer)
2 p.m. – Idea the Artist (Electronic Chamber-Pop)
3 p.m. – Catalpa June (Folk-Grass)

Dance Stage

10 a.m. – The Kif-Kif Sisters (Circus Theater)
12 p.m. – Vietnamese Community of Clark County
1 p.m. – Groove Nation Performing Arts
2 p.m. – Anavai O Te Ora (Tahitian Dance)
3 p.m. – Vancouver Ballet Folklórico

Plan Your Visit

The Vancouver USA Arts & Music Festival offers four days of immersive cultural experiences—from live orchestral concerts and hands-on art to circus theater, food vendors, pop-up galleries, lawn games, and more.

Whether you're a local or planning a summer getaway to Vancouver, WA, this free festival is a can’t-miss celebration of creativity, community, and world-class performance.

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