Showing The Animals

If the hair-raising screams of those carnival rides gets to be too much, or the densely rich fare from almost any food booth needs to be walked off, the Lane County Fair has just the place for you. Wander over to the livestock area and say hello to the animals and the kids from 4-H and the Future Farmers of America. The fair, which kicks off July 19, has plenty to offer for livestock fans this weekend, with classes judging the quality of the animals, as well as showmanship class judging how well the exhibitors show off their animals. Poultry, dairy cattle, sheep and goats will be judged on July 20, followed on July 21 with swine showmanship and a master showmanship class of small animals such as rabbit, poultry and cavy (think small and sturdy rodent). Large animals — cattle, horses, sheep and more swine — take center stage July 22, and the 4-H awards ceremony is in the evening. The final day of the fair, July 23, has the 4-H dog show and the adorable small children of 4-H, the “Cloverbuds,” in the afternoon with a show-and-tell hour and the Cloverbud Horse Buddy Race. The kids work hard year-round working with and learning about the animals, so if you’re at the fair, be sure to drop by and show your support.

The Lane County Fair is 11 am to 11 pm through Saturday, July 22, and 11 am to 8 pm Sunday, July 23. Schedule information for livestock shows is at Extension.OregonState.edu. Ticket information for the fair is at AtTheFair.com.

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!