This week in Eugene is peak Halloween. For those seeking autumn activities, the Eugene area is bustling with farm events, pumpkin patches, and Halloween festivities. Visitors can enjoy corn mazes, hayrides, u-pick pumpkins, and festive decorations at various locations including Detering Orchards, A&M Family Farms, Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm, Johnson Farms, and Thistledown Farm. Plus there are many other seasonal events such as the world’s first interactive murder mystery ballet at the Hult Center, presented by Ballet Fantastique. Trick or treat in Downtown Eugene or at EWEB’s Truck-or-Treat. What will you do?
October 24
Revelers Contemporary Circus | Enjoy a spooky carnival and aerial show at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion in Eugene. Look for face painting, pumpkin bowling, games, costume contests, bracelet making, casual circus skill workshops, and more! At 8:30, be thrilled and delighted as the Revelers Advanced Performance Troupe takes you through “A Cabinet of Curiosities,” their original aerial show. In addition to all this fun, there will be opportunities to contribute toward RCC’s mission via an Aerial Drop Shop, a silent auction, and numerous prize drawings. Farmer’s Market Pavilion, revelersaerialworks.com
October 25
Calvin Orlando Smith | Swing Shift Jazz Orchestra is pleased to present an evening of Great American Songbook classics with legendary vocalist Calvin Orlando Smith. Join Calvin and this award-winning 17-piece big band for a wonderful night of beautiful melodies, lush harmonies, and enchanted storytelling. Wildish Theatre, wildishtheater.com
October 25
EWEB’s Truck-or-Treat | Jumpstart Halloween at EWEB’s Truck-or-Treat customer and crew appreciation event! Bring your kids to EWEB to see work trucks magically transformed into electrifyingly fun trick-or-treating stops. Collect candy, enjoy light refreshments, and learn more about winter preparedness. EWEB Roosevelt, eweb.org
October 25
Linda Kanter & Gerry Rempel | 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 24-27
Murder at the Ballet | Ballet Fantastique invites you to experience the Halloween season like never before with a world premiere performance of groundbreaking, immersive theatrical adventure. Get ready for the world’s first interactive murder mystery ballet! Don’t miss experiencing the world premiere of BFan’s Murder at the Ballet, with international award-winning film, television, and game composer Juan Luquí in his first-ever ballet score. Be there when BFan innovates a thrilling new sort of penny dreadful—in the era of Jack the Ripper. Hult Center, balletfantastique.org
October 25
Halloween Laser Spectacular | Celebrate the spooky season with this sing-along laser show at Eugene Science Center. It’ll include the popular Halloween hits like “Monster Mash,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Purple People Eater.” Bring the family for a spooky good time. This laser show isn’t recommended for those with high sensitivity to light and noise. Eugene Science Center, eugenesciencecenter.org
October 25
Rally in the Ally | Calling all Duck fans! Rally before the Fighting Illini game! The evening before the Saturday University of Oregon football home games, flock with other fans at the 5th Street Public Market Alley. The university’s cheerleaders and pep band will help energize the crowd. There will also be vendors with Duck specials, a screen showing UO highlights, and beer courtesy of Steelhead Brewery. Other Rally’s take place on 11/3 and 11/10. Fifth Street Public Market, 5stmarket.com
Through October 25
Coffee Cocktail Competition | Play’s talented cocktail lounge team created four coffee concoctions to compete to make it onto the winter cocktail menu. You choose! Play, playeugene.com
October 25 & 26
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 25-27
FunaCon | This three-day board game convention boasts hundreds of games to try out, plus the ability to bring your own game. Contests, tournaments, party games, prizes. Buy tickets at Funagain Games at 2817 Oak St, Eugene or online at eventbrite.com. Lane Events Center, funagain.com
October 26
Pumpkin 5K | Partake in a 5K run through and around downtown Coburg and enjoy spotting the town’s display of harvest scarecrows. The start and finish will be at Pavilion Park. This event is presented by Coburg Fit Club. Coburg, coburgmainstreet.com
October 26
Halloween Eugene | The Saturday before Halloween, partake in a spine-tingling Halloween celebration in the heart of downtown Eugene. Families with young children can enjoy safe trick-or-treating with local businesses and friendly characters. Thrill-seekers looking for something scarier may dare to navigate the Monstrous Map of the Macabre, unraveling a coded message for a chance to win exciting prizes. With restaurants, music, vendors and eerie entertainment, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss—especially the return of the fan-favorite pet parade! Don your best costumes for the perfect blend of family fun and hair-raising scares. Downtown Eugene, eugene-or.gov
October 26
Halloween Pet Parade | Get your costumes ready and come to downtown Eugene for a family-friendly Halloween pet parade as part of Halloween Downtown. You’ll find trick-or-treating, costumed entertainment, a live DJ, food and craft vendors, a photo booth and flash mobs! Downtown Eugene, eugene-or.gov
October 26
The Magic Forest of Strings | Hosted by Eugene-based singer, songwriter, and artistic director Evynne Hollens and featuring Eugene Symphony chamber ensembles, This new Family Musical Adventures concert series is your family’s perfect introduction to the orchestra! Embark on a magical journey through an enchanted forest to meet the String Family! Recommended for children 0-12. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Free and open to the public. Hult Center, eugenesymphony.org
October 26
Duck Football | The University of Oregon Ducks football team takes on Illinois. Autzen Stadium, goducks.com
October 26 & 27
“Open Studio at the Garden” | Eight regional artists are showing off their new venue for their 10th annual studio show. Artists: Roka Walsh, Anna Golden, Indra Stern, Sheri Smith-Holgate, Lilli Kemp, Demetra Kalams, Tom Borerner, and Karin Spurgin. Accepting donations of non-perishable food for Food for Lane County. The Eugene Garden Club, eugenegardenclub.org
October 27
Mushroom Festival | The Mushroom Festival includes a mushroom exhibit, live music, guided nature walks, mushroom vendors, food, arts and crafts vendors, kids’ activities, and hayrides. Tickets are required to be purchased on their website beforehand. Free for Mount Pisgah Arboretum members. Mount Pisgah Arboretum, mountpisgaharboretum.org
October 27
Sunday Funday | On the fourth Sunday of the month from 4 to 5:30 pm, bring the whole family to the Y for an afternoon of fun and laughter. Whether it’s an epic game of adults vs. kids dodgeball, a friendly round of corn hole, or building forts out of giant foam blocks, there’s something for everyone. Plus, enjoy a calming art activity with your crafty little ones. Free to Y members; non-members purchase day passes. Eugene Family YMCA Don Stathos Campus, eugeneymca.org
October 27
Halloween Carnival | Experience an afternoon of Spooktacular delight at this year’s Halloween Carnival. Unleash your creativity with crafts, seek thrills through fun carnival games, and indulge in an abundance of sweet treats—all within this indoor, all-ages event. Register in advance this year. Bob Keefer Center, eugenecascadescoast.org
Through November 2
Día de los Muertos Exhibit | The Maude Kerns Art Center is presenting the work of 10 Mexican printmakers and a large Catrina sculpture in collaboration with Día de Muertos Oregon during the Art Center’s 31st annual Día de los Muertos Exhibit, which is on view through Saturday, November 2. In addition, the Día de los Muertos Exhibit includes artwork in a wide array of media by 23 artists, six altars or ofrendas, and a seventh community ofrenda honoring the dead, and a Day of the Dead Gift Shop with authentic crafts from Mexico. Maude Kerns Art Center, mkartcenter.org
Through October 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
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 October 31
Walktober | Do you like walking for fun, exercise, or errands? Or wish you had more reasons to walk? Mark your calendar for Walktober – The entire month is filled with events to get you motivated to explore Lane County. Enjoy over 35 walks and tours including art walks, nature walks, historical walks, walk challenges, and more. wewalklane.org
Through October 31
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
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/pumpkin-patch
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
