Pendleton, located three hours east of Portland, knows how to throw a party. Home to one of the country’s most iconic rodeos, the annual Pendleton Round-Up, this Eastern Oregon ranch town also draws summer crowds for the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest and the Jackalope Jamboree. Come festival season, the streets fill with live music, cowboy hats and revelers, with the Blue Mountains rising dramatically beyond town.
In 2026 there’s a new reason to come. Interwoven: Where Cultures Meet runs October 15-17, bringing Indigenous and Western fashion together with runway shows, chef-led feasts, artist talks, cultural panels and hands-on workshops. Think less traditional fashion week, more three-day celebration of the people, makers and traditions that make Pendleton what it is.
Here are highlights to experience on your next trip to this Old West town.
Celebrating Maker Culture Year-Round
“There’s a beautiful harmony here between Indigenous and Western culture,” says Justin Waldron, director of Travel Pendleton. “Since the very beginning, the Round-Up has placed Indigenous and Western culture side by side, and that is part of what makes it truly special and a standout in the world of rodeo.”
That connection stretches beyond the arena. The springtime Two Cultures – One Community Powwow also brings Western heritage together with Indigenous dance and regalia. For Waldron, Interwoven has been two years in the making, drawing inspiration from the town’s legendary events while shining a light on the region’s talented makers.
“We also wanted to highlight Pendleton’s deep textile heritage,” he says. The town is home to Pendleton Woolen Mills, whose oldest operating mill has been weaving here since 1909. But the textile story doesn’t end there. A thriving creative community includes hat shapers, bootmakers, saddlemakers, leatherworkers, designers and bead artists.
Waldron is calling fall “Maker Season,” putting these year-round craftspeople in the spotlight. At the heart of the festival, the Interwoven Market features 70 regional artists and makers, along with shopping, workshops and demonstrations. Watch wool being dyed, try your hand at beadwork and get a peek at the fashion-making process.
Then comes the Rodeo of Runway, where the runway leaves the floor for the saddle. Horses become models, showing off custom tack, blankets and saddlery alongside the designers who made them.
“We see this event combining the greatest hits of Pendleton,” Waldron says. “Equine culture, Western and Indigenous culture, food, fashion, art” — all rolled into one immersive celebration.
Indigenous Food at the Festival
Friday’s programming leans into education, with many sessions free and open to the public. Explore the connections between First Foods and Eastern Oregon agriculture, watch demonstrations of open-fire and cast-iron cooking, or learn traditional food-preservation techniques. “We’re looking to create as many learning moments as possible,” says Waldron.
The culinary lineup is anchored by Shoshoni Wildbill, the Indigenous entrepreneur behind Wildbill Market on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, whose work champions tribal-food sovereignty; supports Indigenous farmers and makers; and expands access to fresh, traditional foods in Native communities.
Saturday’s Fashion Bites is one of the weekend’s most playful pairings: a multicourse brunch where chefs transform designers’ collections into artfully composed bites. After the runway shows, the party moves to a pop-up lounge, with Indigenous vendors from Tx̣táyma Food Truck Park serving late-night eats.
“Every event is based around creativity and connection,” says Waldron. That spirit extends to Saturday’s storytelling and creative-writing workshops led by local artists from Pendleton Center for the Arts and Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, a Native-led printmaking studio open to the public on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
Where to Eat, Stay and Play
Check into Motolodge, a retro-cool 1950s motor court with a heated pool and a six-person sauna crafted from reclaimed whiskey barrels. For a stay in the heart of downtown, The Hotel Pendleton puts shops, restaurants and galleries within walking distance, while Oxford Suites Pendleton offers spacious rooms and an indoor pool just outside the historic core.
For dinner head to Hamley Steakhouse & Saloon, a century-old saddlery turned dinner house known for its prime rib, beer-battered halibut and cowboy-size portions. For something more casual, graze the Tx̣táyma Food Truck Park just south of Wildhorse Resort & Casino, where Fry bread, street tacos and Italian classics share the same lot.
Locals flock to Moe Phở for vibrant Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai dishes, from spicy sesame-cucumber salad to Singapore noodles. For barbecue fans, there’s the smoked-brisket dinner and house-brewed porter at The Prodigal Son Brewery and Pub, the town’s original craft brewery.
Be sure to leave time to see the city beyond the festival. Experience rodeo legends at the Pendleton Round-Up & Happy Canyon Hall of Fame, join Pendleton Underground Tours for a look at the city’s underbelly, or spend an afternoon at Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, where exhibits share the living history and traditions of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla peoples.
