Culture: Page 260

The World’s Game

Soccer on the rise in Lane County

Sports

Some might say that running is Eugene’s claim to fame, but the art of running while kicking a soccer ball has legions of fans in this town. Known as the world’s game, the sport has taken center stage in the states, particularly in the Northwest. It has grown so big in Eugene that some of Italy’s best female players have hopped on a plane to join in on the fun, while more and more of the city’s youth are getting into the game. And, if that isn’t enough, the possibility of Civic Stadium turning into a soccer field only adds to the buzz.   Continue reading →

Hashing for Hops

I drank beer and ran several miles with a bunch of hooligans

Outdoors

Convening in the parking lot of an unspecified hardware store, passing around “vessels” filled with delicious beer and cracking sexually explicit jokes at any given moment, the Eugene Hash House Harriers will really throw you for a loop if you’re unfamiliar with the tradition (or if you can’t take a joke). The “hounds” do their best to follow the madcap path laid by the “hare,” and once they reach the end, it’s time for more fraternizing.  Continue reading →

Kickin’ Balls

Adult league sports

Outdoors

Akickball outfielder hits the turf at Tugman Park in South Eugene. Play is halted while she’s carried to the sideline. Is it a twisted ankle — or worse? “Need some ice?” teammates ask. “Get her a beer — STAT!” responds a teammate helping her from the field. She ices down the calf cramp with a cold one, cracks it open and is soon sitting with her friends, laughing in the shade. Continue reading →

Flat Track Town USA

The second annual Big O international roller derby tournament rolls into Eugene

Sports

It was bound to happen: A Eugene spoof of the zeitgeisty show Portlandia, called, of course, Eugenia. The viral video lays down the same beat-heavy opening music as its Portland inspiration with “Eugenia” spelled out in an identical gritty typeface in front of a city view of Spencer Butte, followed by downtown shots of the federal building, Voodoo Doughnuts, the bus station, Cowfish and finally City Hall. Continue reading →

Mt. Pisgah Wildflower & Music Festival

Culture

One of the best things about this part of the country is our nature. There’s no shortage of trees and, thankfully, there is also an abundance of wildflowers. The floral draw is just one aspect of the Mt. Pisgah Wildflower & Music Festival that makes it worth the price of admission. The all-day festival, taking place on Sunday, is chock-full of activities, music, food and fun. Continue reading →

A Pressing Issue

EW's 2013 Uncorked

Drink

May in Oregon — a month comfortably nestled between spring and summer. The rains have ceased, the days are sunny and mild, and the nights are breezy and fresh. It’s the perfect time to pop open a pinot warmed in the modest sun or a chilled rosé, grab a blanket and relax in the grass and watch the sun sink into the cool blue valley. Or throw on a light sweater, grab a friend and head for the hills of wine country, where patios and tastings await. Better yet, pour yourself your favorite vino, sit in your favorite chair and take notes on 2013’s Uncorked. Continue reading →