October is here and the spooky season has officially begun! Celebrate the harvest with all the local orchards and farms opening up with fall festivities such as wagon rides, apple cider goodies, corn mazes, and so much more. As the outdoors have been taken up by sunflowers and pumpkins, indoor venues see the return of the performing arts with new shows at the Very Little Theatre and Cottage Theatre, symphony back on the calendar, and the start of Hult Center Broadway season on the horizon.
Top Events This Week:
October 2 – 4
Clay Fest | Celebrating its 28th anniversary, this craft show will feature handmade pottery and ceramic arts for sale. | Times Vary | Lane Events Center | clayfestonline.com
October 2 – 18
“Night of the Living Dead Live” | This reimagining of the horror film brings a hilarious twist and multiple “what-if” endings to celebrate the legacy of the zombie classic. | Thursday – Saturday, 7:30 pm & Sunday, 2 pm | Very Little Theatre | thevlt.com
October 2 – 25
The Addams Family Musical | The creepy and kooky Addams Family is here to show the hilarious story of Wednesday bringing home a disturbingly normal boyfriend to dinner for an evening of musical fun. | Thursday – Saturday, 7:30 pm & Sunday, 2:30 pm | Cottage Theatre | cottagetheatre.org
October 3
Empty Bowls Gala Auction | The 23rd annual Empty Bowls Auction will be an evening of dinner, silent and live auctions, and more in support of Food for Lane County. | 5 – 9 pm | Lane Events Center | foodforlanecounty.org/event/23rd-annual-empty-bowls-auction
October 3 – 4
The Music of Studio Ghibli and Joe Hisaishi | Presented by the Eugene Symphony, hear the music from Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and My Neighbor Totoro live. What the enchanting worlds of Studio Ghibli come to life for this orchestral performance. | Times Vary | Hult Center | hultcenter.org
October 6 – 11
“& Juliet” | Opening the Hult Center Broadway season, “& Juliet” is a twist to Shakespeare’s classic love story. The musical shows an alternate reality where Juliet does not die with Romeo but chooses to live and love again. | Times Vary | Hult Center | hultcenter.org
October 8
Bags of Love Dinner Auction | Bags of Love provides resources to children in situations of crisis due to abuse, poverty, disaster, homelessness, or neglect. All proceeds of this annual dinner and auction will support this mission of helping children across Lane County. | 5:30 pm | Venue 252 | event.auctria.com
Halloween Happenings:
October 1 – 25
Apple Daze | Detering Orchards is hosting their annual Apple Daze. Join for various fall activities including pumpkin picking, wagon rides, corn maze, and more. Craft beer, cider, and homemade caramel apples and pies will also be available. | Saturdays & Sundays, 9 am – 5 pm | Detering Orchards | deteringorchards.com
October 1 – 31
Walt’s Wild Wagon Ride & Pumpkin Patch | Johnson Farms offers wagon hayrides, pumpkin patch picking, apple cider, and more to celebrate the autumn season. Nightfall in the Corn, a haunted corn maze experience, will be available after dark starting October 2. | Times Vary | Johnson Farms | johnson-vegetable-farms.ueniweb.com
Coburg Scarecrow Festival | Local businesses will be displaying harvest scarecrows all of October. There will be a Pumpkin 5k on Sunday, October 25 at 10 am and a Harvest Party at Pavilion Park at 3 pm. | Downtown Coburg | coburgmainstreet.com/scarecrowfestival
October 2 – 31
Thistledown Farm Pumpkin Patch | With wagon rides, Halloween decorations, apple cider donuts, and more, celebrate the fall season at the pumpkin patch! | 9 am – 5 pm | Thistledown Farm | thistledownfarm.net
October 3 – 31
Harvest Days & Corn Maze | Celebrate the harvest season with corn mazes, resident goats, sunflowers, vendors, and more. | 10 am – 5 pm | Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm | northernlightschristmastreefarm.com
Recurring Events:
October 2
First Friday ArtWalk | Walk through downtown and admire Eugene’s vibrant art scene. Pick up an ArtWalk Guide and shop the pop-up Artist Marketplace before exploring the many galleries and art venues the city has to offer. | 5:30 pm – 8 pm | Farmer’s Market Pavilion | lanearts.org
October 3
Lane County’s Farmers Market | Providing locally grown foods from over 100 farmers and food artisans, it is the largest farmers market in Eugene. EBT/SNAP users are welcome with the opportunity for a $20 Double Up Food Buck match at every market! | Free | 9 am – 2 pm | Farmers Market Pavilion at 8th Ave & Oak St | lanecountyfarmersmarket.org
Eugene Saturday Market | Coinciding with the Lane County Farmers Market, the Saturday Market showcases over 250 local artisans selling handcrafted goods with an assortment of food and music along with it. Celebrating its 57th season, it is the oldest weekly open-air crafts festival in the U.S. | Free | 10 am – 4 pm | Farmers Market Pavilion at 8th Ave & Oak St | eugenesaturdaymarket.org
Eugene Warehouse District Art Hop | The Art Hop is Eugene’s newest open studio event that is every first Saturday of the month. Featuring 14 venues, the event will host live music, gallery and studio access, and artist demonstrations. | 10 am – 9 pm | Eugene’s Warehouse District, West Eugene | warehousedistrictarthop.com
October 4
Eugene Native American Arts and Crafts Makers Market | Every first Sunday, this market provides a space for Native and Indigenous artists to share and sell arts, crafts, jewelry, clothing, body products, and more. | Free Admission | 10 am – 5 pm | Farmers Market Pavilion
Springfield Sunday Market | Every Sunday, find local farmers, food producers, artisans, and community organizations at the new Springfield Sunday Market. Support the Springfield community by shopping locally to sustain regional agriculture and small businesses. From now through October. | 9 am – 2pm | Library Parking Lot at Springfield City Hall | springfield-or.gov/springfield-farmers-market-opens-june-7
Whiteaker Community Market | Open every Sunday, the Whiteaker Community Market is a neighborhood farmer and arts market showcasing the community of the Whiteaker area. | 10 am – 3 pm | Scobert Park | whiteakercommunitymarket.com
October 6
Lane County’s Tuesday Market | Providing locally grown foods from over 100 farmers and food artisans, it is the largest farmers market in Eugene. EBT/SNAP users are welcome with the opportunity for a $20 Double Up Food Buck match at every market! | Free | 9 am – 2 pm | Farmers Market Pavilion at 8th Ave & Oak St | lanecountyfarmersmarket.org
