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Oh Eugene, you’re not happy unless you’re complaining about the heat, the rain, too little to do downtown, too many bars downtown … and the fact that it costs money to go to the Eugene Celebration, Aug. 23-25. Pony up, kids, and get ready for three days of what makes Eugene what it is: SLUG queens roaming the streets, anarchists dancing to local music while the mayor grooves nearby, good eats and good fun. Continue reading
Most people peruse the Eugene Celebration looking for things to buy, food to eat or entertainment to watch. Most don’t think of it as an opportunity to time travel. However, on 8th Avenue between Charnelton and Olive, the Show ‘n’ Shine Classic Car Show will give Eugeneans the opportunity to travel nearly 90 years in one stroll of about 100 cars. At the Celebration, you might expect to see a bike show rather than a car show, but cars still seem to be a timeless way to look at American culture. Continue reading
Eugene has a lot to celebrate: flourishing restaurants and breweries, a refurbished downtown area, leadership in all things green and the friendly vibe, just to name a few. Eugeneans, give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back. Since our city has so much to sing about, who better to help ring in another glorious Eugene Celebration than a smorgasbord of national and local musical acts? We’ve put together our list of must-see acts that love the city as much as we do. Friday, August 23 Continue reading
On a Tuesday afternoon in the Springfield Library, a small group of science-curious “kiddos” wait for a session of the Science Program to Inspire Creativity and Excellence (SPICE) to start. A few of the librarians and teachers hint that a celebrity may be in their midst today. Continue reading
For the 32nd year in a row, Lane County is gearing up to gay it up at Alton Baker Park with the annual Eugene-Springfield LGBT Pride Festival. The all-day affair starts at noon and features a good gaggle of local acts, including Coyote Grace, Lauren Joiner and Spin Cycle, and the whole thing is hosted by downtown celebs Daphne Storm and Trai La Trash (who have hosted events of many different varieties all over town). Continue reading
Last weekend, Kat and I attended the annual salmon bake at the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) in McMinnville, urban heart of the north Willamette Valley wine country. This remarkable annual event (2013 marked the 27th version) in wine culture draws participants from nearly all the regions of the world where pinot noir is cultivated and vinified —Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (!), Germany, California and, of course, France (Burgundy) and Oregon. Continue reading
This must be nature’s designation of the Year of the Nut. Filbert trees all around town have an abundance of swelling husks. When growing close to the curb, nuts are being knocked off their branches by passing trucks and smashed on the street by subsequent traffic. Squirrels and crows leap out onto the street to snatch up the soft, as yet unripe, meat of the seed inside, what we call a nut. Walnuts are also showing a major crop, especially the Turkish walnuts, in abandoned orchards and back yards. Continue reading
On the first Saturday of each August, Eugeneans gather to celebrate the spirit of the Whiteaker, Eugene’s funkiest neighborhood. The Whiteaker Neighborhood itself is a whir of activity; as one of Eugene’s few mixed-use areas, it melds microbreweries, restaurants, artist communities, young folks, old folks and family life. Block Party exemplifies the beauty — be it messy or harmonious — of all that verve. Continue reading
When many residents of the Whiteaker are sound asleep recovering from Block Party, volunteers will gather Sunday, Aug. 4, to clean up after the event. “We try to have the neighborhood look cleaner than it did before the party,” says Zoe Gadsby, the event coordinator. “It’s really hard to get volunteers the next day.” The work of the volunteers at the Block Party cleanup points to an even bigger community effort: picking up needles. Continue reading
Before books and magazines, newspapers and scrolls, e-readers, tablets, tabloids and texts, the spoken word reigned supreme. The oral tradition still exists in many forms, in almost all cultures, so it’s only fitting that our seven-year tradition, the Whiteaker Block Party, should collide with one so formidable. Continue reading