Pelikan Hub – Portland 2025

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What is a Pelikan Hub?

Pelikan hubs are a worldwide gathering of fountain pen and ink aficionados to celebrate fountain pens & share inks and papers, sponsored by Pelikan (link),.

The PDX Pen club have hosted these events in Portland and we love how they build connections in our FP community!

You’re on the attendee list if you registered through pelikan-hubs.com and received a confirmation email both from pelikan-hubs.com and from the PDXPen1 gmail.

What are the details?

When: Friday, October 24th, 2025, 6:30-9PM but doors will open early @ 5:30PM for check-in to allow people to bring their dinner & manage their rush-hour traffic challenges. Note – food is NOT available for purchase, but you can bring your own food. No alcohol allowed.

Where: Cedar Hills Recreation Center, 11640 SW Park Way, Portland, OR 97225 in the gymnasium (see photo below)

What’s it cost? There is no minimum entrance fee – this event is funded by donations only. While there is no set fee to attend & Pelikan does not charge for registration, local hubmasters do have to figure out the venue location & funding. The PDX Pen Club has run our local hub for the last decade and we rely entirely on donations to pay for the event space to accommodate 187 registered participants(!!!), and so your support – whatever you can donate, is greatly appreciated! CASH please to make this easy for everyone.

What actually happens at a Hub?

What can you expect? At the Portland Hub we expect to have the following:

  • Pelikan swag: Pelikan has generously provided swag again this year, shipped all the way from Germany. Take lots of photos for social media and tag them with #Pelikanhubs2025 to thank them!
  • Ink sampling! We’ll have fountain pens filled with a variety of inks for you to try out. Bring your favorite paper or your notebook with ink tests to expand your inky horizons. If you forgot paper, the swag bags will have some samples, or buy a new notebook from the vendors.
  • Paper samples! We’ll have some packets of different papers to try out – because the full experience happens with the pen, the ink, and the paper all contributing. A triumvirate!
  • People sharing their favorite pens – an opportunity to see some lovely pens in person, vintage or modern
  • Select vendors to allow for instant gratification if you find yourself inspired to add to your collections – pens, inks, papers, oh my!
  • An ink sample to take home
  • Like-minded folks to socialize with
  • Door prize drawing

Is there parking?

Yes, there is free parking (approximately 120 spaces). If the front parking lot is full, there is an additional back parking lot off of SW Berkshire St. The church across the street is also overflow parking, and there is plenty of legal street parking near the front and back parking lots.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes! The best handicapped parking spots for quick access to the gym are in the back parking lot off SW Berkshire St. The spots in the front parking lot are further away from the gym entrance.

Head straight towards the doors between the gym and the main building – there are no stairs into the gymnasium, and there are restrooms off the gym that have no stairs.

Do not go to the main entrance of the rec center – it has stairs.

Orange arrows in the photo reflect best entrance, and the south parking lot has the closest handicapped parking spots

I didn’t sign up through Pelikan, can I still attend?

Members of PDXpen (FB/Google Groups) who were unable to register may still be able to attend the event, but please contact the hubmaster for pre-approval (post on FB / Google groups to get in touch with us)

Only participants who officially registered with Pelikan will receive a swag bag.

What is the photography policy?

Photographs will be taken at the event and shared in social media (e.g. Instagram, Facebook) where they will also appear on the Pelikan Hubs website. Look for tags #Pelikanhubs2025  #pelikanpassion on social media. We will also share on the PDX Pen web page. A notice will be posted at the event.

Is there food available for purchase?

No food will be available for purchase, but your takeout and snacks maybe consumed on-site.  No alcoholic beverages allowed.

Of course please clean up after yourself, we want to be invited back to this fabulous venue.  Water is available in the drinking fountains, so bring your water bottle!

The Cedar Hills Crossing Shopping Center less than a mile away has a variety of restaurants.

Can I take public transportation?

Yes, TriMet bus 20 runs on Cedar Hills Blvd.  The closest Max station is Sunset Transit Center, which is 0.9 miles away (~20 min walk).

How can I donate to help pay for the event space?

Thank you! Donations in cash are greatly appreciated. There will be a donation point at the venue where you pick up swag bags & can inspect the fabulous door prizes after you’re checked in and free to wander.

Note that vendors may or may not take credit so consider your cash reserves if you’re thinking of browsing to add to your collection.

Where is the closest ATM?

There is an OnPoint ATM in the Cedar Hills Crossing Shopping Center, and a little further away is a Chase Bank.  There is also a Wells Fargo north of 26 on Barnes road.

Are there age restrictions?

No (this has not changed from previous years). Since this venue does not sell or allow for the consumption of alcohol, younger registered attendees are welcome!

Why did you change the venue?

While we love the Lucky Lab Beer Hall and continue to go there for our regular pen club meetings, the Portland Pelikan Hub has outgrown the space. Their event space capacity is 100 attendees, and we projected that we would need space for 150 people (or more!). Finding a venue that is cost effective, accessible by public transit, wheelchair accessible, has parking, and allows food is very challenging.

I don’t have a fountain pen, can I still come?

Yes! This event is for anyone with a fountain pen, who is interested in eventually owning fountain pens, who likes inks, or is just curious about fountain pens. You don’t need to own a Pelikan fountain pen or Pelikan inks to attend. You don’t even need to own a fountain pen, Pelikan just wants people to have fun and meet over a love or curiosity concerning fountain pens, inks, and papers.

What should I bring?

  • your favorite fountain pens to show & tell with others, if you have one!
    • maybe it’s inked
    • maybe it’s clean & dry and you fill up with a sample from the No-Kill Ink Shelter
    • Pelikan fountain pens are, of course, encouraged, but any that make you happy are welcome! Vintage, modern, show them off!
  • A notebook to try out inked-up pens
  • Cash / credit if you’re planning to donate or shop
  • Ink that does not bring you joy – drop it off at the No-Kill Ink Shelter, and maybe pick up one that you want to try (of course, with anything, it’s use at your own risk)
  • Anything else pen-adjacent that you think others would love to see
  • Snacks and a water bottle to keep your energy up
  • A smile!

What is a “No-Kill Ink Shelter”?

The No-Kill Ink Shelter was started by PDX Pen at an earlier Hub. The concept is simple: unloved inks are offered up for adoption to find a new home.

Browse through the bottles, samples, and cartridges to see if there’s one you wish to adopt, or bring an under-used ink for someone to try out. There is no requirement to donate in order to adopt, but with everything, please do leave some to share with others.

Can I share the location with my friends?

NO. Please do NOT share the location of the Hub meeting on any fountain pen sites or on social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Once the Hub begins, feel free to post using the hashtags #Pelikanhubs2025  #pelikanpassion

Will there be vendors?

Yes! So far we have:

I’d like to help out, do you still need volunteers?

Thank you! We can definitely use extra hands packing up the room at the end of the evening. We’ll be folding up tables & chairs and putting them away, and leaving the gymnasium *spotless* so that we’ll be invited back. Otherwise, if you just wander around, socialize, help any new folks explore the fun things the Hub has to offer, that’s a wonderful contribution as well.

If you think you can help with clean-up, please contact the hubmasters at PDXPen1 at gmail and we’ll add you to our volunteer email distribution list.

I missed the event, can you ship me my swag?

We’re sorry you didn’t make it. We will not ship swag, even if you pay for shipping. In 2024, 145 people signed up for the hub, and 105 people showed up. In 2025, 187 people registered and we project 140-150 people to attend.

If you are able to attend the November Pen Club meeting, you can arrange with the hubmaster to pick up at that time.

How can I contact the Hubmasters?

Please use the PDXPen1 at gmail.com address to contact our hubmasters. Alternatively, if you are a member of the PDX Pen Facebook Group or Google groups, you can pose your question there.

a photo of cursive written in multiple different ink colors, indicating the ink brand and color
Ink sample test page
an open glass bottle of teal ink on a wooden table, with fountain pens in a case in the background
Iroshizuku Ink (Shin-ryoku)