Springfield is hosting its 5th Annual Block Party Friday, Sept. 6, for residents and out-of-towners alike. Benjamin Wilkinson, the organizer of the Springfield Block Party, says the event is your chance to “witness [Springfield’s] economic and cultural resilience up close and personal.” Be careful getting too close, though, as there may be folks on unicycles throwing things! The Grey Matter Jugglers return this year to dazzle passersby with tossed bowling pins and swords. They won’t be the only ones throwing weapons, as the event features free axe throwing for adult attendees. After all that activity, you’ll probably be famished! Not only will shops around the block be open, such as Mr. Ice Cream and Main Street Sweets, but a litany of outside vendors will also be set up to sell their wares. Grab a bubble tea from Boblastic or meat on a stick from The Corn Dog Company while you take in the celebration. And don’t forget all the beer, cider and wine options that will be available for partygoers 21-and-up! Every year so far the Block Party has doubled in size. With anywhere from 7,000 to 10,000 people attending last year, expect there to be quite a crowd. “For Eugeneans,” Wilkinson says, “they can finally, actually cross the river and put to bed any silly nicknames that rhyme with ‘tucky.’” If you’ve called the town sucky, yucky or fucky, the Springfield Block Party is ready to prove you wrong!
The Springfield Block Party is 4 pm to 9 pm Friday, Sept. 6, in Downtown Springfield. Visit SpringfieldBlockParty.com for more details on location. FREE.
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!

Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
