Red, wine and blue! Art and the Vineyard (and Maude Kerns) turns 30! There aren’t many other events in the area that can rival the sheer scope of art at Alton Baker Park, July 4-6, with over 85 artist booths. Don’t miss the delicate koi fish watercolors of Susan Elle, the mystical photographic landscapes of Jack Kelly and the brilliantly whimsical illustrations of Erika Beyer. Visit artandthevineyard.org for details about participating artists and wineries, as well as the Freedom Festival Fireworks, beer garden, food court and Youth Art Arena.
After recovering from being oh-so-patriotic on the 4th, walk it off for First Friday. The New Zone Gallery is showing watercolors by Sarah Crow featuring snoozing jaguars, and then stroll down Broadway to the Pacific Rim Art Guild for a retrospective of Dan Chen’s work, from pastels to bronze sculpture. Make sure to stop at Out On A Limb Gallery for the gorgeous, bright, windswept landscapes of Tehran-born artist Abbas Darabi. Next, pop into Passionflower for a book-signing and reading by New York Times bestselling author Laurie Notaro.
Do you hear the people sing? Escape the heat and head to Actors Cabaret of Eugene for the musical adaptation of one of French literature’s crowning achievements: Victor Hugo’s revolutionary Les Misérables. Follow the trials and tribulations of the stoic Jean Valjean, the brave Fantine and the dastardly Inspector Javert 8 pm Fridays and Saturdays (and some Sundays) July 5 through Aug. 10.
You remind me of the babe. Has David Bowie ever been better than in his portrayal of the Goblin King, surrounded by Jim Henson puppets, in 1986’s Labyrinth? See this trippy fantasy flick as part of the Summer in the City series 9 pm Friday, July 5, at Petersen Barn Park (870 Berntzen Road).
Explore 2000 years of Russian Orthodox Church architecture at the Jordan Schnitzer with a talk by UO Professor Emeritus of Art History Dean McKenzie, 5:30 pm July 10. Somehow we don’t think his presentation will include the music video for “Punk Prayer -— Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!” — by the punk-rock activist group Pussy Riot, filmed at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior …