Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour Marks 20 YearsA Celebration of Art, Place, and Community
Free, Self-Guided Art Event Returns May 1st- 3rd, 2026
In 2026, the Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of inviting the public into the working studios of artists throughout the Mid-Columbia Gorge. This free, self-guided spring event takes place May 1–3, daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and offers visitors an opportunity to experience art at its source-where ideas, materials, and stories converge.
Set within one of the Pacific Northwest’s most dramatic landscapes, the tour reflects the deep relationship between creative expression and place. Artists are often driven by powerful and deeply personal forces: a love of materials, a need to make sense of the world, the desire to create beauty or social commentary, or memories-both cherished and challenging-that insist on being told. At its core, art is a form of storytelling, a practice as old as humanity itself, reaching back to the earliest known cave paintings created more than 17,000 years ago.
This year’s anniversary tour features 50 artists across 41 studio locations in Hood River and Wasco Counties in Oregon, and Skamania and Klickitat Counties in Washington. While early artists worked with limited tools, today’s artists draw from an expansive range of techniques and materials. Visitors will encounter work in painting, pastel, watercolor, ink, printmaking, photography, ceramics, basketry, woodworking, fiber and textiles, jewelry, enamel, and more.
Stepping inside an artist’s studio offers something rare: insight into process, intention, and the lived experience behind the work. It is a place where curiosity is welcomed, conversations unfold, and stories are shared- directly with the person who made the art.
Yard debris and large items, such as furniture, may be disposed of at the Wasco County yard at the corner of West 10th Street and Walnut Street only on this date and time.
This year, the city is again asking to make a special effort to prevent unsightly damage to street trees that have low-hanging branches.
Trimming branches before collision breaks branches is healthier for trees.
Tree trimming also prevents damage to tall vehicles like garbage trucks and school buses.
On community clean up day, up to two standard -sized pickup loads per household of tree trimmings can be disposed of for free.
Citizens are encouraged to separate usable goods from trash. Gently used items may be donated to the on site reuse fair.
Event participants may pick up ''new'' treasures from the reuse fair area at no cost.
Friends and neighbors are encouraged to help the ederly or handicapped dispose of unwanted items. Civic groups are encouraged to adopt an area of town for cleanup.
Volunteers are welcome! Please call Cindy Keever at (541) 506-2004 to learn about many task assignments available.
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If you love cars, come and join a like-minded group to people for a fun, relaxing time!
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