An Indigenous-led punk rock band, 1876, performs on the Granada Theatre stage March 7, the second day of The Dalles’ first’ever “The Hoot” music festival.
An Indigenous-led punk rock band, 1876, performs on the Granada Theatre stage March 7, the second day of The Dalles’ first’ever “The Hoot” music festival.
Photo courtesy of Mikal Wright and Michael Tamayo
The festival’s mascot, “Hoot the Owl,” traipses down a Granada Theatre aisle. Photo courtesy of Mikal Wright and Michael Tamayo
THE DALLES — Nearly two thousand people, including visitors from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, populated downtown The Dalles March 6-8 for the inaugural “The Hoot” community music festival, a free, three-day celebration of arts and local culture presented by the all-volunteer nonprofit The Dalles Overground (TDO).
Designed as a walkable, all-inclusive weekend spread across seven venues, including the iconic Granada Theatre and Historic Herbring House, The Hoot featured 25 musical acts spanning genres from country, punk, and Americana to rock, pop, Latin, folk, and dance.
Beyond the music, festivalgoers participated in a range of community-centered activities, from "Coffee with the Songwriters" on Saturday and Sunday mornings to a 5k fun run, "Yoga + Beer," historic tours, and small-business promotions that energized downtown foot traffic throughout the weekend. Tiny art galleries were installed across the downtown area allowing guests to take a small free piece of handmade art.
TDO Vice President and festival co-director Rian Beach spoke before The Dalles City Council on March 9, expressing thanks and excitement after a momentous weekend — the town’s busiest since the high point of summer, he said.
Though entirely free, headlining performances at the Granada Theatre required registration to attend and sold-out weeks in advance. 400 people piled into the venue on Friday night, and again the following evening. “We encouraged people to turn over their tickets if they couldn’t come,” Beach said. “It was fun putting the tickets up because they would immediately go, meaning people were watching it. There was excitement.”
One of the primary goals of TDO, revitalizing downtown, played directly into the formation of The Hoot, which was pitched as an exciting source of leisure and an attractive economic benefit for local businesses. “It was a 100% success on all accounts,” Beach said. “The positive words I’ve heard from out-of-town folks seeing The Dalles for the first time, or seeing The Dalles in a new light, have been incredible.”
"The event was a huge success, and it was amazing to see the town so busy and full of energy," said Joe Kirkwood, owner and operator of TD River City Saloon in downtown. Kirkwood said Saturday, March 7 resulted in his second largest day of sales in the history of his establishment. "People came from all over the Northwest to enjoy the music, art, and community of The Dalles. January and February can be tough months for small businesses, and this festival gave many of us the boost we need to keep moving forward."
Asked if The Hoot will become an annual event, Beach responded enthusiastically. “That’s the goal,” he said. “If we can keep raising money, we’ll do it forever.”
One way TDO aims to keep the buzz alive in the meantime is through social platforms, disseminating footage captured by media professionals during the event to bolster engagement and attract grant funding. The team also conducted video shoots with headlining artists at various spots around town, which will be uploaded to YouTube once polished.
“It’s great to have people with energy and passion for this town,” said Councilor Dan Richardson. “This was a particularly unique and exciting weekend.”
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