Mid-summer is officially upon us in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Linn County is abuzz with exciting fun things to do. You can start out celebrating First Friday in downtown Albany, then take a short ride to the Linn County Expo Center for the Mother Earth News Fair. If gardening and milking goats isn’t your thing, maybe vintage Chevys are. And, the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum is turning two years old on August 17th with a family carnival fundraiser that’s not to be missed.
Look for whatever gets you out and movin’ in our list of featured August events below:
Month of August Threads In Time Living Rock Studios in Brownsville is hosting a fiber art show Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be demonstrations of spinning and weaving, hands-on fun for kids, handmade quilts on display, and lots of beautiful handicrafts for sale: yarns, tapestries, scarves, shawls, and woven items. Living Rock is a free museum filled with Oregon history and unique rocks and minerals. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Aug 2nd First Friday at the Albany Regional Museum The museum is open late (until 8 p.m.) for your enjoyment. Stop by and enjoy art, refreshments, and learn more about Albany and Linn County history. Admission to ARM is free, but your donations help run the museum for everyone.
Aug 2nd First Friday at Gallery Calapooia So many great First Friday events in downtown Albany, and it all starts with a reception at Gallery Calapooia, on August 2nd, from 6 to 8 pm. This month, Lori Garcy and Cindi Conder are the featured artists. Come meet them and see their latest works.
Aug 3rd Mid-Summer Arts in the Park features performances from local dance, music, and theater companies, and much more, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m on Saturday the 3rd at Monteith Riverpark. This fun and interactive event is all about hands-on ways to get involved, from workshops to arts and crafts activities for kids. This annual festival is definitely a family-oriented affair.
Aug 3rd – 4th Mother Earth News Fair is where the bees, honey, and biscuit lovers gather to learn about homesteading skills such as gardening, food preservation and animal husbandry. Experts in fields such as cheesemaking, mead production and lavender farming will host workshops and participate in demonstrations. Buy your specially discounted weekend pass now online and save $20 (pass is $5 for a limited time).
Aug 7th – 10th 48th Annual Vintage Chevy Northwest Meet Hosted by the Columbia River Region VCCA, this year’s theme is “Vistas, Valleys, Vineyards and Vintage Chevrolets.” A full program of events for those with classic cars is planned, including tours, judging, and an awards banquet.
The public can see the cars in one spot on Thursday, August 8th, at Timber Linn Park from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Vintage Chevrolet Car Show. Be sure to look for these amazing vintage cars as they make their way across Albany and Linn County. It’s a great photo opportunity for our local photographers. For more information visit the event website.
Aug 10th Family Bug Crawl From 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. join entomologist Richard Little and hunt for the often overlooked wildlife living along riparian and urban boundaries near trails. Expect to be thrilled and maybe chilled by the creepy crawlers you’ll encounter. You don’t have to be a family to love this event, so come one, come all. If you’d like, bring a magnifying glass and a bug collection box, plus sunscreen and a hat. Meet at Riverview Park, 1025 Mountain River Dr, in Lebanon. For additional information, visit the park’s trails website.
Aug 10th First Annual Car Show at the Mall If you didn’t get to see the cars at the vintage Chevy meet, Heritage Mall is hosting a car show behind the covered mall. There will be lots of hot rods, custom builds and classics, and food vendors. Hours for the free show are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Aug 11th Covered Bridges Bicycle Tour Get your spokes a’ twirling! The 41st Annual Covered Bridge Bicycle Tour is a premier one-day cycling event sponsored by Mid Valley Bike Club. Rides vary from 40, 68, 85, or 101 miles on quiet country roads and through five well-preserved historic covered bridges. The tour starts and finishes at the Linn County Expo Center. For more information visit the event website.
Aug 12th – 16th Paddle Oregon This year’s trip will wind along 85.5 miles of river, beginning at Marshall Island Access in Junction City and end at Wallace Marine Park in Salem. The tour will camp in Bryant Park, August 14th, so even if you aren’t a participant this year, and you’d like to meet the paddlers or do some colorful photography, come down to the Albany Visitors Association booth at the park. Follow along with the Willamette River Water Trail maps provided in the “more information” links below.
For more information visit: https://paddleoregon.org/
Aug 14th History Bites at the Albany Regional Museum Are martinis shaken or stirred? Well if its the former, you might want to come on down to the noontime presentation at the museum this month—it’s all about how to prepare and stay safe in case the Cascadia Earthquake hits. The presentation starts at noon. You can bring your own lunch and learn tips and scientific facts while you nosh. As always, the presentation is free, but donations to keep the museum open to all are graciously accepted. For more information visit https://www.armuseum.com
Aug 16th (and dates through and beyond August) It’s the ACT Youth Summer Camp presentation of the musical “Seussical Jr.” at the Albany Civic Theater. Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat and all of your favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in this fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. For information and tickets visit: albanycivic
Aug 17th It’s a second anniversary party at the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum—so you don’t want to miss the “Carnival at the Carousel” celebration. Expect carnival games of the past, old-fashioned carnival characters, a cakewalk, carousel-made photo-boards, kissing booth, and much MUCH more. Free admission and 25 cent game tickets help this fundraiser be accessible for all. For more information visit http://albanycarousel.com
Aug 17th Vets Helping Vets 12th Annual Picnic Bring the family and spend the day at Timber Linn Memorial Park enjoying live entertainment. Hourly raffle drawings for prizes and a silent auction. Enjoy a free lunch featuring hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and soda, but please bring salads or desserts to share. For information telephone 541-791-4357.
August 22nd Tomato Day at the Lebanon Downtown Farmers’ Market. Come taste a variety of tomatoes and tasty dishes made starring the humble but glorious tomato. Get tips from OSU Master Gardeners and learn the best preserving methods for this ultimate sunshiny fruit. So many tomatoes, so little time to eat them all!
August 23rd -24th Ninth Annual Albany Coin Challenge Every year for the past eight years, the Albany Visitors Association has sponsored a family Geocaching event over the Northwest Art & Air Festival weekend. This year’s challenge will begin with a meet and greet on Friday, August 23rd, from 5:00 PM -7:00 PM at Albany Mennonite Church, 3405 Kizer Ave NE, prior to the hot air balloon “night glow” event at Timber Linn Park. On Saturday, August 24th, the hunt will begin at 10:00 AM at Allan’s Coffee & Tea Wholesale Distribution Warehouse parking lot, 1852 Fescue St SE. Approximately 175 keepsake coins and passports have been created. Each passport lists the coordinates for 10 local businesses, five historic homes and five non-business locations, along with a question that needs to be answered at each location. Every person completing the passport is guaranteed a one-of-a-kind trackable geocoin. The event runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM; coins are available for pickup from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Allan’s coffee parking lot. More information is available on the geocaching website or telephone Don Bacher at 541-974-1068.
Aug 23rd – 24th You’ve waited all year for the hot air balloons and shaved ice to arrive, so mark those calendars for the NW Art & Air Festival! Friday night, the balloon regatta lights up on the grounds under the night sky, creating a magical skyscape. During Friday and Saturday, artists fill the grassy meadows of Timber-Linn Park with booths containing a wide variety of handcraft and artwork. Visit the family zone, food vendors, and live music throughout the day. Rick Springfield performs a free concert at the Timber Linn Ampitheater on Saturday night. Festival parking is $10, admission is free. For more Art & Air information, visit the festival website.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE CHANGE Although the fair schedule does not run through Sunday this year (please note this a change from previous years), on the 25th there will be an early morning balloon launch at 6:45 a.m. and Young Eagles flights at the airport. (Registration for Young Eagles begins at 9:00 a.m.) The airport is hosting all kinds of activities on Sunday, including booths, food and drink. Please check the Infinite Air Center website for Sunday’s schedule.
Aug 24th Head on down the road to historic Brownsville and participate in “Hands On History” at the Linn County Historical Museum. This free family event includes trying out pioneer skills, crafts, and cooking. Listen to tales of long ago, dance in the street, and try on pioneer garb at the museum and Moyer House. For event hours and other information telephone 541-466-3390 or visit https://linnparks.com/museums/linn-county-historical-museum/
Aug 31st It might be the tail end of the month, but you can still find all the delicious things to eat at the Albany Farmers’ Market on Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Stock up on honey, jam, berries, greens, bread, and meats at the market. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a freshly baked gluten-free cupcake with mile-high frosting. So many yummy things, so little time—so bring your grocery bags down to the market early at 4th and Ellsworth, and start exploring!
See you in September
Just so you know, September will be a gorgeous month to visit our fair city as well. Here’s a sneak preview of what’s happenin’ below:
Sept 15th Festival Latino 2019 This free event includes cultural performances, children’s activities, delicious food, a fun run, and a community resource fair, including a legal clinic. Hosted by Linn-Benton Hispanic Advisory Committee. The festival is held at Monteith Riverpark, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ¡Venga a celebrar la Cultura Latinoamericana en el Festival Latino de Albany 2019! Evento Gratuito para el público. Habrá comida para comprar, actividades para los niños, espectáculos culturales, carrera/caminata familiar y una feria de recursos comunitarios, incluyendo consultas con abogados legales! No se lo pierda! Se tomarán inscripciones para la feria de recursos, puestos de comida y música entre el 15 de julio al 15 de agosto.
