Noted herbalist Rosemary Gladstar will be offering a free lecture at 7 pm Friday, Aug. 9, at Mount Pisgah Arboretum, following a free educational plant walk at 5 pm. Mountain Rose Herbs is hosting the event and will provide organic tea. Profits from the sale of event merchandise, DVDs, books and other products will be donated to United Plant Savers, a nonprofit that protects native medicinal plants in the U.S. and Canada. This is the first in a series of events as part of the Free Herbalism Project. See freeherbalismproject.com or mountainroseherbs.com.
The Eugene Celebration is coming up Aug. 23-25 and we hear Saturday Market will be open for business as usual from 10 am to 5 pm that Saturday, and you won’t need a wrist band to get in. The SLUG Queen competition and coronation will be at 6 pm this Friday, Aug. 9, at the Saturday Market Stage. Candidates are Gloria Slimem, Professor Mildred Slugwalk Dresselhaus, Nina T Slime, Professor Bulbus Slimebodor and Jeannine. Good idea to bring your own chair to the competition.
The Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival supporting human rights and civil rights organizations will be from noon to 7 pm Saturday, Aug. 10, at Alton Baker Park. Basic Rights Oregon, Human Rights Campaign, DonateLifeNorthwest, Planned Parenthood, Womenspace and HIV Alliance are among the groups participating. See eugenepride.org or call 342-5088.
We hear the Eugene Jewish Film Festival has gotten off to a great start, selling out the Bijou’s downtown theater twice. “We had to turn so many people away, we decided to add a second showing and discussion,” says Shmuel Shalom Cohen, the executive director of Jewish Events Willamette-valley (JEW). Hava Nagila: The Movie (2012) will be the second feature of this once-a-month film festival, to be shown at 2 pm Sunday, Aug. 11, at the Bijou downtown, with a discussion to follow. Ticket prices are $5 with donations above $5 going to JEW. See JewishEventsWillamette-valley.org and Bijou-cinemas.com/bijoumetro.
Savona’s bitchin’ bohemian boutique is now open at 285 E. 13th Ave., next door to Full City Coffee. Owner Savona Cook tells us she is the daughter of Andrea Proudfoot, “who owned the first hippie clothing and fabric shop in Eugene, called Andrea’s Clothes and Cloth,” and was one of the original members of the Oregon Country Fair and Saturday Market. Savona sells new and used clothing, jewelry and accessories “in that beautiful, casual, Eugene bohemian style.” Find her on Facebook or call (206) 708-0240.
Gemini II Enterprises is a new Springfield business offering several products and services at 637 W. Centennial Blvd., a location previously occupied by a travel agency, tanning salon and animal rescue organization. Owner Andie Williams says she’s offering e-cigarettes and other tobacco alternatives, a Zodiac Wedding Chapel for walk-in weddings, other wedding services and a professional sound system. She also does karaoke for parties and special events. Phone number is 246-8679.
The nonprofit Mobility International USA in Eugene is about to publish its new book, the Brilliant & Resilient Photography Book, featuring profiles of 50 disabled women activists from 41 countries. A book launch event is planned for 6 pm Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Ford Alumni Center, 1720 E. 13th Ave. on campus. Email sdunn@miusa.org or call 343-1284 for more information.
Chocolate Decadence, a locally owned maker of fine chocolates, has opened a retail store at 5th and Olive in the Down to Earth complex. Owner Larry Bradley says the store offers a full line of chocolates, gifts, art from New Zone Gallery and ice cream from Red Wagon Creamery. See chocolatedecadence.com.
The Eugene support branch of India Partners is seeking to provide emergency aid to poor families in Andhra Pradesh, India, after sustained flooding forced thousands of villagers to flee their homes. For more information, visit IndiaPartners.org or call (877) 87-INDIA.
A date of Sept. 8 has been set for the fifth annual BRING Home and Garden Tour, a self-guided tour of 12 homes and gardens that exemplify the art of sustainable living. See bringrecycling.org or email tour@bringrecycling.org.