Eugene — indeed, Lane County as a whole — always has been haven for out-of-state settlers. Why? Let Julie Furst Henning, herself a recent transplant from the Midwest, explain in the preface of her 2018 travel book, 100 Things to Do in Eugene Before You Die.
“When I tell people why I love living in Eugene, Oregon, I point and say, ‘Mountains that way. Ocean the other way.’”
With plenty to do in the middle, we might add.
So Eugene Weekly presents a sampling of all the summer richness that Lane County has to offer in our annual Summer Guide issue. From the boardwalk in Florence to the biking trails of Oakridge, from running events and music concerts that cover all genres, from children’s camps to festivals, with holiday events on July 4 and, of course, the Lane County Fair, EW attempts to cover all the bases for the warm and lazy summer days ahead.
“The quality of life [in Eugene] is fantastic,” Henning says in an interview with EW. “It boggles my mind. It’s on par with any big city, and you don’t have to fight traffic.”
Henning moved to Eugene with her three children (now teenagers) in 2015 from Madison, Wisconsin. By day, she works for Cognitopia in downtown Eugene, which researches assistive technology and caring for individuals with autism and other cognitive disabilities.
She also has travel writing credits with the Tourism Board in Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and she writes a travel blog, roadtripsforfamilies.com. Henning is accustomed to large college towns. Madison has upwards of 100,000 more people than Eugene and is, she says, similar to our community (“more hipster than hippie,” she notes).
Henning would love to have had more than 100 listings to her book (“I had way more than 100 ideas,” she says) but was hamstrung by her publisher. She also would love to publish a second volume, this time including Maude Kerns Art Center and the Eugene Masonic Cemetery.
There is no way to touch every event, and you are free to send any events we missed or need to know about this summer to EW’s weekly calendar listings. We enjoy publishing them. Also, the recurring calendar and music listings in EW will continue to be listed throughout the summer.
In the meantime, revel in the summer days ahead! There is so much to do, and Lane County awaits you.
100 Things to Do in Eugene Before You Die can be found at bookstores throughout Eugene.
Road Worthy EW Summer Guide picks worth the drive
Party On, Garth Pop country superstar and OCF’s 50th highlight summer concert season
A Flavorful Feast for Foodies Lane County Fair offers various food options
Art Camp! Send your kids to the Schnitzer for some artistic fun
Food, Wine, Music and Maude Art and the Vineyard is a benefit for Maude Kerns Art Center
Ride On, Cowboy! Pro Rodeo in Eugene
Skoolies Rule! Check out school buses that have been converted into living spaces in Oakridge
Bach to Summer The Oregon Bach Festival is back — as are Eugene Symphony’s outdoor concerts
Fast Times in Coburg Marathon Offers Fast and Good Times
Will Run for Wine After Ten years, One last run through Dundee-area vineyards
Comments are closed.