Lane County is buzzing with autumn activities, from pumpkin patches and corn mazes to spooky swims and harvest festivals. Clay Fest, Eugene’s yearly ceramic show and sale presenting the beautifully crafted works of over 60 local and regional artists, is scheduled to open on Friday. And it’s First Friday ArtWalk week. What will you do?
October 3
Rally in the Alley | Calling all Duck fans! The evening before the Saturday University of Oregon football home games, flock with other fans at the 5th Street Public Market Alley. There will also be vendors with Duck specials, a screen showing UO highlights and craft beverages available. Market Alley, 5stmarket.com
October 3
Thi Nguyen – “Love Cats” | Inspired by cats and The Cure, these paintings tell stories, some heartfelt, others funny, all are loved and show the different personalities of cats and their relationships with people. Content for these images derive from personal experience and photos shared by friends and art enthusiasts. New Zone Gallery, newzonegallery.org
October 4
First Friday ArtWalk | Start your self-guided tour at the Farmers Market Pavilion (85 E 8th Ave), where you can pick up your ArtWalk Guide and shop the Artist Marketplace before exploring the many galleries and arts venues of downtown Eugene. 5:30-8 pm and always free. Get inspired with Music Education & Performing Artists Association (MEPAA), including performances by GRRRLZ Rock musicians along with local singer-songwriters Apis Mellifera and John Shipe! Downtown Eugene, lanearts.org
October 4
Oakridge First Friday Art Walk | Oakridge has a host of galleries and partnering businesses and showing artists situated on Uptown’s First Street. The First Friday Art Walks are presented and supported by community partners such as The Oakridge Council for Art and Culture, The Uptown Business and Revitalization Association, and the Community Festivals Association. Discover local artists’ paintings and photography and try some artisanal foods while mingling with friends new and old. Uptown Oakridge, facebook.com
October 4
Night at the Raptor Center | Join Cascades Raptor Center after hours for this fan-favorite event series. Tour the center after hours and meet raptors out on the glove while enjoying wine, beer, cheese, and charcuterie. Cascades Raptor Center, cascadesraptorcenter.org
October 4-27
“Something Rotten” | A hilarious mash-up of 16th century Shakespeare and 21st century Broadway, “Something Rotten” has been hailed by Time Out New York as “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years.” Cottage Theatre, cottagetheatre.org
October 4
Ducks vs Spartans | The University of Oregon Ducks football team take on the Michigan State Spartans. Autzen Stadium, goducks.com
October 4
Dave Wentz | Friday nights at Elizabeth’s Wine Lounge means great live music and a perfect dinner night out with friends, family, or a special date! Explore the complete lineup of gifted musicians on the Lounge’s online calendar. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Elizabeth’s Wine Lounge, heartoforegonwine.com
October 4
Joy Regime | Joy Regime combines smooth vocal melodies, catchy keyboard motifs, electric guitar, and intriguing percussive elements, all artfully woven into unique songs that span a wide spectrum of musical styles. With more than 20 years of combined performance experience, the group has shared the stage with renowned acts such as The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Jay Leno. Drop Bear Brewery, dropbearbrewery.com
October 4 & 5
Themed Wine Tastings at Sundance Wine Cellars | Sundance Wine Cellars’ free themed wine tastings highlight various wine regions on Fridays, and on Saturdays, they host local and regional wineries. Apart from the weekends, their tasting bar is always open and has free samples of their featured wines. Sundance Wine Cellars has Oregon’s largest selection of wine and is one of the oldest wine retailers in the Willamette Valley. Since 1983, Sundance Wine Cellars has provided an unparalleled selection of wine from Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and around the world. Sundance Wine Cellars, orwines.com
October 4-6
Haunted Lagoon | A spooky swim with ghosts, goblins, and other creepy creatures is awaiting you. Bring your kids to this family-friendly event and come dressed as your favorite scary creature, princess, or superhero and enjoy a fun haunted house outing before changing and taking a dip in the “Haunted Lagoon.” Regular swim admission prices apply to everyone attending the event. Willamalane Park Swim Center, willamalane.org
October 5
5K for 4J | Run as an individual or part of a team to support 4J schools, or fundraise for Eugene Education Foundation (EEF) grants to educators. Enjoy local food trucks, fun family activities and information from local organizations. EFF supports initiatives that go above and beyond the regular 4J school district budget. Since its inception in 1993, EEF has supported 4J classrooms and students. Alton Baker Park, getmeregistered.com
October 5
New Music Festival | Eugene Difficult Music Ensemble (EDME) presents their third annual New Music Festival, a celebration of composed sound works, with a special focus on those that push composition’s boundaries. These scores explore the visions and sounds of young artists writing music today, compositions profoundly engaged with the world as we live it now, post-pandemic, climate changed, and culturally embattled. This year EDME is joined by the IMPULSE Ensemble, a student-run new music ensemble at the University of Oregon School of Music & Dance. Berwick Hall, edmensemble.org
October 5
JSMA First Saturday Tour | Enjoy a gallery tour led by an experienced exhibition interpreter on the first Saturday of each month. Tour is free with admission. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, jsma.uoregon.edu
October 5
WildCraft’s 10 Year Anniversary and 10th Annual Harvest Party | This will be WildCraft’s last big event in the Lincoln Street space in anticipation of their move to Yachats. During the daytime event, along with live music and comedy sets, they will be hosting a native plant sale by Doak Nursery in benefit of Cascadia Wildlands. Community Cider Pressing, Street Food Court, Cider tastings, Juice Bar and more! WildCraft, wildcraftciderworks.com
October 5-16
Ghostly Golf | Camp Putt is inviting you and your group of fearless four to a fun night of glow-in-the-dark golf. An 18-hole course covered in lights, gravestones, and more spooky ambiance is waiting for you this Halloween! Register starting October 1. Camp Putt, willamalane.org
October 6
Picc-A-Dilly Flea Market | Picc-A-Dilly Flea Market brings visitors a shopping experience unique to the Eugene lifestyle. Here, visitors will find diverse and special finds provided by an array of local vendors. As Eugene’s largest and longest running flea market, the Picc-A-Dilly Flea Market boasts a continuously fresh mix of vendors, shoppers, and unique wares for sale. Lane County Fairgrounds, piccadillyflea.com
October 6
Power of Pink | Join Power of Pink for a half-mile loop around the lawn at Alton Baker Park and walk as many laps as you would like. The event will also include pink-themed activities and accessories for purchase, a DJ, a photo booth, and breakfast snacks and coffee. Dress in your best pink outfits! Awards will be given for best dressed individual, duo, and group. Alton Baker Park, ticketleap.events
October 6
OMP’s Artistic Director Festival | Oregon Mozart Players kicks off its 2024-25 season with the highly anticipated, three-concert series that will serve as the final audition for the next Artistic Director of OMP. Central Presbyterian Church, centraleugene.church
Through October 6
Visual Arts Week | Stroll through Eugene’s galleries throughout the week to discover masterpieces by local artists. Experience captivating public art with new Cultural Currents installations, iconic 20×21 murals and the latest season of CITY Exhibitions. Enhance your creative skills with a variety of hands-on workshops led by accomplished artists. Various Eugene locations, eugene-or.gov
Through October 6
Beergarden’s Oktoberfest | Each day of this 17-day event will feature German-inspired food, German brews, and live entertainment. Beergarden, beergardenme.com
Through October 6
“Hello, Dolly!” | Shedd Theatricals presents the 1964 musical blockbuster “Hello, Dolly!”. The Shedd, theshedd.org
October 8
Bonnie Raitt | The legendary Bonnie Raitt takes the stage during her Just Like That… Tour 2024. Raitt’s timeless voice and masterful guitar skills will captivate your heart and leave you in awe. Hult Center, hultcenter.org
October 11
Clay Fest | Clay Fest opens on Friday, October 11 at Lane Events Center in the Auditorium at 796 W 13th Avenue in Eugene. This is an exceptional family-oriented event that offers clay activities for children, demonstrations by clay artists, and an opportunity to meet the artists. Event runs from Friday, October 11, 5 – 8pm and continues through Saturday, October 12, 10 am – 6 pm, and Sunday, October 13, 11 am – 5 pm. Admission is free. For more in
information visit www.clayfesteugene.com
Through October 12
The Rocky Horror Show Cabaret | Let’s do the time warp again! A film and stage favorite translated to dinner/theater by Actors Cabaret. Get your tickets to see the greatest cult musical of all time. If you’ve seen it, you need to see it again. If you’ve never seen it, you’re in for the campiest, goofiest, good time in a long time! Don’t dream it, be it, and give yourself over to absolute pleasure! Fish out those fishnet stockings and step into the best show in town…The Rocky Horror Show! Dinner and brunch will be served 90 minutes before curtain time. Actors Cabaret of Eugene, actorscabaret.org
Through October 19
Rick Bartow: Crow’s Fear | Karin Clarke Gallery presents Rick Bartow: Crow’s Fear, a richly diverse selection of works from the Bartow Trust Collection. Included are large pastels, hand-colored lithographs, and small drawings, while Bartow’s characteristic bird imagery (crows, hawks, owls, eagles) features prominently in monotypes, mixed media works on handmade Japanese paper, and some of the finest drypoint prints still available. The pieces, created between 1991 and 2015, have been freshly framed for this exhibit. Together, they provide a highly representative cross-section of Bartow’s works and of his powerful mark-making, reaffirming his stature as one of the most important leaders in contemporary Native American art. Karin Clarke Gallery, karinclarkegallery.com
Through October 27
Apple Daze | Have a blast at Detering Orchards, where all your favorite fall activities are: U-pick pumpkins, wagon rides, cow train rides, a corn maze, tractor rides, apple blaster and corn cannon, and mechanical bull rides. They’ll also have craft beer and cider, as well as homemade caramel apples and pies. U-Pick for fruits and vegetables will be available daily from 9 am – 4 pm. Detering Orchards, deteringorchards.com
Through October 29
Sarkis Antikajian exhibit | Cheshire’s Sarkis Antikajian has recently published his memoir, “An Artist’s Odyssey, from Dream to Reality.” Many of Sarkis’s stunning works are featured in a new show, which opened June 23. Studio 7, Studioevents
Through October 30
A&M Family Farms Pumpkin Patch | Pick your own pumpkins and enjoy a peaceful atmosphere, shop for local produce, pasture-raised meats, and delicious baked goods. Bring the kids along to feed the goats and capture some memorable Halloween photos! If you’re interested in professional photography sessions, please call ahead to schedule an appointment. A&M Family Farms, amfamfarms.com
Through October 31
Harvest Days & Corn Maze | Celebrate the harvest season with a unique fall experience on a family farm. Say hi to the resident goats Teeny and Tiny, explore the corn mazes, and pick a pumpkin from the field. There is a full-service espresso bar, pumpkins, gourds, squash, u-pick sunflowers and sweet corn for purchase as well as unique gift items. The daytime, family-friendly corn maze includes the Clue-like game of “Who Kidnapped Farmer Brown?” Or take it up a notch with the night time corn maze, Friday and Saturday evenings only. Tickets are required for the mazes. Hayride tractor farm tours are offered on the weekends for $2 each. Boots for mud are recommended. Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm, northernlightschristmastreefarm.com
Through October 31
“Walt’s Wild Wagon Ride” & Pumpkin Patch at Johnson Farms | It’s that time of year again when the leaves change colors, the air turns crisp and pumpkins are ripe for the picking. Johnson Farms has wagon hayrides, a U-pick pumpkin patch, pumpkin slingshots, apple cider and other fall treats, and ample room for exploring and photo opportunities. Johnson Farms, johnsonfarmseugene.com
Through October 31
Coburg Scarecrow Festival | While driving through Coburg, enjoy spotting the town’s display of harvest scarecrows. Visit the scarecrows at local businesses and take photos with them! The exhibit will kick off with a Harvest Festival on October 4 at Mill Street Square. There will also be a Pumpkin 5K on October 26. Coburg, coburgmainstreet.com
Through November 3
Thistledown Farm Pumpkin Patch | Enjoy the magic of autumn with wagon rides, Halloween decorations, and a variety of pumpkins and fall produce. Don’t miss the famous Apple Cider Donuts on weekends, and check out the collection of fall nursery plants to brighten your pots for winter. For a family-friendly outing, hop on a tractor-drawn or horse-drawn wagon ride to the pumpkin patch, with rides on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for $5 per person. No reservations are required but please note that wagon rides are not available Monday through Thursday, and the pumpkin patch is accessible only via wagon rides. Thistledown Farm, thistledownfarm.net
Through February 2
Calvin and Hobbes | Selections of original art and strips of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes, 1985-1995. All original art is from the Bill Watterson Deposit Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, jsma.uoregon.edu
