Saturday Market Returns with Spring

Eugene Saturday Market is the oldest open-air craft market in the country, celebrating its 56th season this weekend. It opens every spring from the first Saturday of April through mid-November. The Saturday Market fills the heart of downtown with hundreds of artisans, selling handmade products and art. The event features an international food court with 14 booths of versatile fresh foods and local favorites. Renee Thompson, Saturday Market’s marketing manager, says, “For most Eugeneans I know, it is not truly considered spring until there is a nice full downtown presence from us, the Lane County Farmers Market and folks over at the drum circle.” Live music is performed by local talents throughout the day, and dancing is always encouraged. On Saturday, April 5, performances come from Young Jim Carr (singer-songwriter); Mike & Carleen McCornack and the Garden Variety Band (acoustic folk); Basin Street Band (traditional jazz); and The Joe Goodwin Project (rock). During opening day, there will be a ceremony to crown the new SLUG queen at 12:30 pm, as well as a scavenger hunt bingo to encourage patrons to explore the market. “We try and think of each Saturday as its own celebration of the arts,” Thompson says. “And then sometimes we like to do something a little bit extra, too.” — Samantha Sobel

The Eugene Saturday Market is 10 am to 4 pm every Saturday from April to November at the Park Blocks, East 8th Avenue and Oak Street.

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!