The Pendleton Convention Center is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and marking the event with a special celebration on Monday, Dec. 5.
Originally built as The Pendleton Memorial Veterans Armory in 1956, the city of Pendleton acquired the building now known as the Pendleton Convention Center in 1990 and transformed it through a $1.7 million property tax bond. The Convention Center opened as an event center in 1992. Since then, multiple expansions and renovations have taken place and continue to take place to keep the facility flexible and ready for events large and small.
“The Pendleton Convention Center has been a big benefit to this community,” Convention Center Manager Pat Beard said. “We know that since 1992, the Convention Center has hosted over 5000 events ranging from monthly meetings of local organizations to large multiday conferences or entertainment events.”
The two longest-standing events are the Grand Chapter of Oregon Order of the Eastern Star convention, held at the convention center each year since 1992, and the Oregon School Activities Association 2A basketball tournament, which has been hosted in the building since 1957.
“The convention center plays some sort of a role in every major event in Pendleton, whether it’s Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton Whisky Music Fest, Jackalope Jamboree, the Pendleton Ride,” Beard said. “The way the Convention Center works best is when it brings multi-day events here for people out of town so they’re staying in lodging, eating, shopping, visiting attractions.”
The Pendleton Convention Center anniversary celebration is from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, in the Main Hall at the Pendleton Convention Center, 1601 Westgate, Pendleton.
The event is free, but reservations are requested by calling 541-276-6569.
