Picture This: Ashland’s year in photos

The 32nd annual powwow, organized by the SOU Native American Student Union, celebrates Native American culture through music, dance, art and food at the Lithia Motors Pavilion at Southern Oregon University.
December 31, 2025

A reflection on the past year through Ashland.news photographer Bob Palermini’s camera

A group of seasoned performers, including Nate Carlson, brought back a part of Ashland’s culture that hadn’t been seen in over a decade. Lauren Angell started Ashland Fire and Flow. She remembers how fire spinning used to happen every Friday on the Plaza and brought the tradition back to the community.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Tim Bond delivers the keynote address at Ashland’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration Jan. 20, 2025, at the Historic Ashland Armory.
Nearly 150 people attend a living history event at the historic cemetery on East Main Street behind Safeway, meeting seven pioneer families buried there. Jesse and Katy Repp portray Capt. John McCall and his wife, Lizzie.
An early February snowstorm dumped more than 20 inches of snow on parts of Ashland, transforming the town into a winter landscape and disrupted life.
Deltra Ferguson (center), was one of two newly elected Ashland School Board members along with Jordan Rooklyn and incumbent Board Chair Rebecca Dyson as a result of the May 20 special election.
The drive for equity, john a. powell explains, has fallen short because it develops an “us vs. them” view that leads to fear and opposition. (Note: powell spells his name in lowercase in the belief that we should be “part of the universe, not over it, as capitals signify,” according to UC Berkeley News.) Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Seventeen artists from across the Rogue Valley, including tattoo artist and muralist Alex Brehmer, participate in the second annual Mural Fest in June at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland.
Raider softball players show off their rings. Many also wore rings from their 2021 national championship. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Ashland participated in the national “No Kings” rallies, drawing the largest Ashland turnout in recent memory. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Ashland High School cheerleaders, including Peyton Nomura, cheered their way up Main Street. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Ashland artist Micah BlackLight cuts the ribbon at the unveiling of a permanent “Say Their Names” memorial plaque he designed, installed in the sidewalk along Railroad Park at the intersection of A Street and Seventh Street.
Maroun Aguero, an organizer with Rogue Climate, leads a rally by Ashland Youth for Electrification outside the City Council chambers on Jan. 21, 2025. The group has advocated for stricter limits on natural gas use in the city.
Artists and audiences gather for three days of unconventional performances and creative expression during the inaugural Ashland Fringe Festival. Inspired by the global Fringe movement and rooted in the former Oregon Fringe Festival, a new grassroots event showcased underrepresented voices and experimental works across multiple disciplines in May 2025.
Guanajuato Mayor Samantha Smith and Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham sign documents renewing the Sister City relationship, now in its 55th year. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Zoriya Blalöck holds a mirror for Ayla Heller, 8, as she admires her face painting at the first A Street Block Party celebrating Earth Day. The event drew a large crowd for food, music, activities and environmental awareness.
Seventy volunteers signed up to help and over 230 food donations were collected for the 10th annual Community Thanksgiving Meal. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., speaks during a well-attended town hall meeting at the Ashland High School gym as other elected officials canceled similar events.
Friends, co-workers and community members gathered at the site of Matthew Vandersande’s death to share their memories of him. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Brian Kitchel, son of former Ashland head football coach Dave Kitchel, tosses the coin to start the 2025 Pacific Rim Bowl at Walter A. Phillips Field in Ashland. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Interim Oregon Shakespeare Festival Executive Director Javi Dubon’s career in marketing and audience development includes work with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Auditorium Theatre and Texas Performing Arts. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Kelly Burns, Ashland’s emergency management coordinator, led fire readiness training at the Historic Ashland Armory which focused on evacuation planning. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
More than 350 high school alpine racers from across Oregon competed in the Oregon High School Alpine Ski Racing State Championships at Mt. Ashland in March.
Architect Christopher Brown discusses accessibility, sustainability and resilience features of a proposed housing project on the former baseball and soccer fields across from Ashland High School during a public session Feb. 28.
About 20 people participated in the polar plunge at 8 a.m. on New Year’s Day 2025. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Ashland High School team members Riya Madrone, Tahvo Hansen and Cooper Quinn plate their pork, squash and green beans dish in a cooking competition at Phoenix High School. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Oregon Department of Transportation and Ashland Streets Department workers open the North Mountain escape ramp for residents to try evacuating on the ramp for the first time. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Willow McCloud lines up flower arrangements on a wall in front of Talent Maker City. She hopes the flowers feel like “a group hug” to residents as they observed the anniversary of the Almeda Fire. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Hundreds gather with signs April 19 to protest actions of the Trump administration.
Jonas-Kai Green was the Scarecrow, Zinnia Merwin was Dorothy, Ethan Stachel was the Tinman and Sixten Ljungkvist was the Lion in the Emerald cast version of the musical “The Wizard of Oz” at Ashland High School. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Interim Principal Francisco Atanes greets students at Ashland High School on the first full day of classes in August. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Gov. Tina Kotek delivers the keynote address at Southern Oregon University’s Class of 2025 commencement ceremony June 14, her first college graduation as governor. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
A young parade watcher reaches out to the Gingerbread Man. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Our top pick for this year’s holiday light displays, and a reader favorite, was at 122 Church St where the display has been updated a bit from last year.
Asa and Zinnia help Jeff Golden kick off the Abundance Swap by drawing colors to set the order for participants to select gifts. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini

Jan. 1, 2026: Story updated to explain that john a. powell spells his name in lowercase.

Picture of Steve Mitchell

Steve Mitchell

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