Two days of participatory Sacred Harp singing using the 2025 edition, open to the public with no prior experience required.
The 35th Annual PNW Sacred Harp Convention takes over The Laurelhurst Club on Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, for two full days of singing. It's an open event, so you can just show up and join in.
If you've never heard of Sacred Harp, it's a singing-school tradition of participatory, unaccompanied four-part harmony. There's no stage and no audience—everyone who comes is part of the singing. The music is sung from the Sacred Harp 2025 edition, which people around here call the 'ivy book' for its cover. You don't need any previous singing experience to take part, and newcomers are encouraged to come along and find their voice in the mix.
The convention is held on the third Sunday in October, and the singing school on the Friday evening before is part of the tradition. The singing itself runs from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM both days, with registration opening at 9:00 AM. Around noon, there's a dinner on the grounds, which is as much about the community as it is about the food.
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It's free to sing, and loaner books are available if you don't have your own copy of the 2025 edition. You'll find the convention at The Laurelhurst Club, 3721 SE Ankeny St, Portland, OR 97214.
