This week in Lane County, celebrate spring with First Friday ArtWalk downtown and free admission to local museums this Friday. Catch Empire of the Sun live at the Cuthbert, sip creative cocktails at MargaritaFest at Beergarden all weekend, or head to Oakridge for the 72nd Annual Tree Planting Festival packed with family fun. What will you do?
May 1
Empire of the Sun at Cuthbert Amphitheater | The Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah spend thousands of hours annually cultivating native plants for Buford Park restoration and throughout the Willamette Valley. Beginning in spring, while supplies last, they open their doors to the community for you to take home a piece of Buford Park to plant in your own backyard. Place an online order and pick it up during the open house on May 3. A great activity or gift for Mother’s Day. Grow a piece of Pisgah in your garden, with a selection of over 60 species of native plants for sale. You can choose from a wide variety of beautiful wildflowers, such as bleeding heart, tall larkspur and California poppies. You’ll also find historically important plants like camas and tarweed, used by the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley. They also will be offering grasses and shrubs that enjoy a variety of growing conditions. Saturday, 9am – 1pm, bufordpark.org
May 1
First Friday Artwork | Come downtown and be part of Eugene’s vibrant arts scene during the May 2nd First Friday ArtWalk. Bike to the Farmers Market Pavilion (85 E 8th Ave), where you can pick up your ArtWalk Guide and shop the pop-up Artist Marketplace before exploring the many galleries and arts venues of downtown Eugene from 5:30-8:00pm. The monthly First Friday ArtWalk is presented by Lane Arts Council and is always free. lanearts.org
May 1
Free First Friday at the Museum | The Museum of Natural and Cultural History and Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art both offer free admission on the first Friday of the month. At MNCH, tickets should be reserved in advance. mnch.uoregon.edu/visit
May 1
Empire of the Sun at Cuthbert Amphitheater | Join Empire of the Sun on their “Ask That God” tour and experience an electrifying live show featuring the Australian electronic duo’s signature blend of vibrant, otherworldly visuals and infectious, synth-driven music. With a mix of their biggest hits and new tracks, this tour promises an immersive and unforgettable performance. General Admission Lawn tickets: $45; Reserved Seated tickets range from $59-$99, etix.com
May 1
Native Plant Gardening at Hendricks Park | Join the volunteer work party every Thursday in the native plant garden at Hendricks Park. Learn about the Willamette Valley native plants and their uses while supporting the garden’s continued growth. Beginner and experienced gardeners welcome, and tasks vary by season.
No RSVP required, tools and guidance provided.Thursday, 9am – noon. Recurring weekly on Thursdays. eugene-or.gov
May 1-4
Oakridge Tree Planting | Welcome to one of the world’s longest-running tree planting heritage events. Held in Oakridge, Oregon, the 72nd Annual Tree Planting Festival will be four days of activities including live entertainment, a parade on Saturday, quilt and craft shows, children’s activities, food trucks, a run/walk, disc golf and more; all culminating in tree-planting. Thursday, 6pm – Sunday, 7pm, owtreeplantingfestival.org
May 1-5
MargaritaFest at Beergarden | Join the Beergarden for an exciting Cinco de Mayo weekend featuring a wide selection of margaritas, Mexican lagers, and specialty brews on draft. Enjoy live entertainment on the patio, including Thursday with Batanga offering tastings and giveaways from 5-7pm, Friday at 7:30pm with Rootdown, Saturday at 7:30pm with LoGee, and Sunday at 4pm with El Borko! Surf. Sunriver Brewing will also be there Saturday from 2-4pm for sampling and swag giveaways. The food trucks will showcase unique tacos variations for the week. As always, the event is free and open to all ages. beergardenme.com
May 1-4
Men’s Baseball | The University of Oregon baseball team will take on Everett Aquasox. PK Park, goducks.com
May 2
Free Live Music at Territorial Vineyards & Wine Company | Free live music three times a week! Various bands and types of music. Delicious wine, local beer, cider, and snacks are available. Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 6-9pm. Recurring every 3 weeks on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Territorial Vineyards, territorialvineyards.com
May 2
Friday Night Live Music at Elizabeth’s Wine Lounge | Friday nights at Elizabeth’s Wine Lounge mean great live music and a perfect dinner night out with friends, family, or a special date! A variety of music performances will be showcased on Friday evenings, with some outdoors, weather permitting, though most will be inside the Lounge’s beautiful indoor space. heartoforegonwine.com
May 2 & 7
Volunteer Gardening at Owen Rose Garden | Share your passion for roses and gain hands on experience in year-round care of perennial shrubs! Meet by the garage door of the shop at the garden wearing weather appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes. No experience necessary. Depending on the season, help weed, prune and deadhead a variety of roses on Fridays to keep Eugene’s iconic botanical garden looking beautiful. On Wednesdays, help plant their collection of Heritage Roses, along with weeding, mulching, and pruning. Often these rare kind of roses are more disease resistant, have stronger scents and longer blooms than modern rose varieties. Wednesdays and Fridays, 9am – noon. RSVP by contacting the email or phone number provided. [email protected] | eugene-or.gov/calendar.aspx
May 3
Eugene Retro Game Fest | Relive the nostalgia at the Eugene Retro Game Fest. This epic event returns for a day of family fun and retro gaming goodness. Join us at Wheeler Pavilion and take a trip to the video game past with everything from Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and more. Your ticket gets you play access to the expanded Console Game area, Arcade1ups, and you can browse the most retro themed vendors we’ve ever had. Check out the photos from the previous game fest and please join us for another fun day of family friendly shenanigans. Tickets required for ages 4 and up.$10 in advance online, $15 cash at the door. Saturday, 11 am-5pm, Lane Events Center, eugeneretrogamefest.com
May 3
Lane County’s Farmers Market | The Lane County Farmers Market is Eugene’s largest farmers market, providing locally grown foods from over 100 farmers and food artisans. The market is year-round, and all items are grown or produced in Oregon. The Saturday Farmers Market is open 10am to 2pm. during February and March, and 9am to 3pm from April to December. They welcome EBT/SNAP users and provide them the opportunity for a $20 Double Up Food Buck match at all markets to be used on fresh produce. See the LCFM Information Booth for more details. Free. 85 E 8th Ave, Eugene
May 3
The Eugene Saturday Market | The Saturday Market is a weekly celebration of local arts and food. Over 250 artisans sell handcrafted goods, amazing international cuisine and live music – this is the perfect place to shop for unique gifts and try unique food. The Saturday Market is the oldest weekly open-air crafts festival in the U.S. It has been operating for 54 years and is open every Saturday 10am- 4pm. The Saturday Market coincides with the Lane County Farmers Market. Parking is available on-street and at nearby garages. Do not miss this iconic Eugene experience. eugenesaturdaymarket.org
May 4
Eugene VeganFest | Eugene VeganFest is all about embracing a lifestyle that’s kind to the planet, animals, and your health. Spend the day enjoying amazing plant-based food, discovering unique local vendors, and hearing from passionate speakers. You’ll explore ways to make a real impact- whether it’s by fighting climate change, promoting animal welfare, or boosting your personal wellness. The event features a wide variety of local businesses offering tasty vegan bites and drinks, inspiring nonprofits making a difference, sanctuaries rescuing and caring for animals, sustainable products, and more. $10 general; $5 seniors, students, low income; ages 12 and under free. Sunday, 10am – 4pm. Lane Events Center, eugeneveganfest.org
May 4
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. Picc-A-Dilly is family-affair, with many of their longtime vendors’ children having grown up to become vendors themselves. Come visit Picc-A-Dilly Flea Market at the Lane County Fairgrounds for the fun atmosphere and great finds. Early Bird 8 – 10am, $7.50; General 10am 3pm, $1.50. Sundays, 8-10am (Early Bird) and 10am-3pm (General), Lane Events Center, piccadillyflea.com
May 4
Whiteaker Sunday Market | Looking for the perfect Sunday outing? Head over to the Whiteaker Community Market, Eugene’s only Sunday farm and artist market. Located in the scenic Scobert Gardens Park by 4th and Blair in the historic Whiteaker neighborhood, the market will feature live music and over 30 emerging and established small businesses in the community offering farm-fresh produce, artisanal goods, and handmade crafts. New art, craft and maker vendors join each week. Plus, EBT customers can use their Oregon Trail Card to get SNAP tokens to spend on food at the Market and they’ll get up to an additional $20 in Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) to spend on fresh fruit and veggies. Kids under 12 also receive a $5 token to spend on fresh fruits and veggies. Sundays, 10am-3pm, whiteakercommunitymarket.com
