Summer in (and out of) the City

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.

Summer Guide Listings

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

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!