Thousands are expected to flock to Portland on Saturday as the local iteration of the national, student-led March for Our Lives draws protesters lobbying for gun reform.

The series of marches is just the latest such event meant to pressure lawmakers at the state and national level to draft legislation to address gun violence. Cities across Oregon and southwest Washington will play host to at least 21 such protests on Saturday.

In Portland, things kick off at 10 a.m. at the North Park Blocks with a rally. Student leaders will speak before ushering participants to march south and across Burnside Street.

The half-mile route will end at Pioneer Courthouse Square, where the crowd is estimated to finish marching around noon. That's when Portugal. The Man will take the stage in the midst of a final rally to cap off the afternoon.

According to the Facebook event page, approximately 7,500 people have signified they'll attend with another 13,000 or so interested in going.

Organizers are urging attendees to take the MAX. Between arrivals, the march proper and crowds dispersing afterward, downtown Portland between Powell's Books, the MAX station at Fifth Avenue and Couch Street and the surrounding area will effectively be blocked to traffic from just before 9:30 a.m. until at least an hour after the rally ends at 2 p.m.

The Portland demonstration, like those around the country, signify a wave of youth activism that's seen students — many of whom are too young to vote in this year's midterm elections — mobilize around a single cause.

"We are in this for the long haul. We know what it will take and we are ready for that battle. Do not continue to chide us for being children. Stop telling us that we do not understand what we are talking about. We know what we are talking about," Portland organizers wrote in a guest commentary to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Organizers of marches across the state and country have also encouraged participants to craft signs and posters to carry during the event.

Demonstrations in the wake of the Parkland shooting will continue next month, when a National High School walkout is slated for April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado.

Unlike the March 14 school walkouts, which mostly called for a 17-minute moment of silence for Parkland victims, the April event begins at 10 a.m. and directs students to leave school for the day.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

ecampuzano@oregonian.com