Explore Albany, Discover your story
Welcome to AVA’s monthly calendar of events. Take a peek and plan your stay-cation or your next visit to our region. The city’s most notable annual events include historic home tours, outdoor summer concerts and movies under the stars, and the Northwest Art and Air Festival.
*Note for event organizers: If you’d like to have your event listed on the AVA calendar, head over to our contact page and submit your event to us.
The Rasani Fair is Oregon’s largest premier body mind spirit holistic fair. There will be a large variety of alternative and holistic independent practitioners, high-quality artisans, creative craftsman, and more. 20 Free presentations; two at the top of each hour will be held on both days. See the lineup of inspirational speakers at www.RaSaniFair.com/speakers. A raffle will be held benefiting Family Tree Relief Nursery, our local nonprofit supporting children and their families to create a stronger healthier community.
Admission is $5 and kids 13 and under are free. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door on the days of the event. Cash is preferred, but cards are accepted.
Thai Express and N’Reeners New York Style Sandwiches will be available both days.
Open Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
This year: on Sunday morning only from 9:30 am-9:50 am the public is invited to our outdoor drumming circle where we set the intention for the day, honor our loved ones, and drum/rattle together. Feel free to bring a rattle or drum and join in or just watch. It’s a powerful event! Held outside the Santiam building near our entrance.
Future Fair Dates:
October 5 & 6, 2024
April 12 & 13, 2025
October 4 & 5, 2025
The Rasani Fair is Oregon’s largest premier body mind spirit holistic fair. There will be a large variety of alternative and holistic independent practitioners, high-quality artisans, creative craftsman, and more. 20 Free presentations; two at the top of each hour will be held on both days. See the lineup of inspirational speakers at www.RaSaniFair.com/speakers. A raffle will be held benefiting Family Tree Relief Nursery, our local nonprofit supporting children and their families to create a stronger healthier community.
Admission is $5 and kids 13 and under are free. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door on the days of the event. Cash is preferred, but cards are accepted.
Thai Express and N’Reeners New York Style Sandwiches will be available both days.
Open Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
This year: on Sunday morning only from 9:30 am-9:50 am the public is invited to our outdoor drumming circle where we set the intention for the day, honor our loved ones, and drum/rattle together. Feel free to bring a rattle or drum and join in or just watch. It’s a powerful event! Held outside the Santiam building near our entrance.
Future Fair Dates:
October 5 & 6, 2024
April 12 & 13, 2025
October 4 & 5, 2025
The Hallie Ford Museum of Art’s guided Tuesday Gallery Talks explore the exhibition at 12:30 p.m. on March 5, 12, and on April 2, 9 and 16, and are free and open to the public. A special Tuesday Gallery Talk will be held on March 19 at 12:30 p.m. with exhibition curator Jonathan Bucci.
“Singular Visions probes the dissolving cultural divisions in contemporary art, specifically the historic separation of self-taught and formally educated artists,” says exhibition curator Jonathan Bucci. “It showcases the distinct artistic voices of self-taught artists—artists who are driven to communicate through the creative impulse that is at the core of our humanity.”
The exhibition includes the work of 29 artists, each offering a unique lens into how they see the world, from personal life experiences to the communities in which they work and live. Alongside artists well-known in the contemporary art world such as James Castle, Louisiana Bendolph and James Lavadour, are works by lesser-known artists like Gregory Blackstock, Russell Childers, Burlon Craig and Royal Robertson.
“Singular Visions” also highlights the recent museum acquisitions created by contemporary artists working with Living Studios, a studio program for neurodivergent artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Living Studios is based in Corvallis and the museum is pleased to highlight and raise awareness of their newest studio in downtown Salem.
Living Studios director Bruce Burris says, “We believe the defining mark of a human being, that phenomenon which provides both purpose and pleasure, is our inherent human need to contribute to our community in a meaningful way. Artists working with Living Studios are encouraged to contribute to their community through their own inspired efforts.”
Living Studios artists featured in the exhibition include Kris Askew, Laura Bruyere, Matt Conklin, Patrick Hackleman, Ben Kelly, Greg Persons, Amy Turner, and Bonnie Wald, Linda Bach and Ruth Van Order. In addition, a collaborative artwork created by Living Studio artists titled “Walker, after Judith Scott” is on view in the museum lobby.
Complimentary collaborative events with HFMA and Living Studios
On Wednesday, February 28 and Saturday, March 2, from 1 to 3 p.m., visitors can join in the all-abilities art-making workshop, or just drop in with Jill R Baker, artist-in-residence at Living Studios and art faculty at Linn-Benton Community College, and Salem-based artist, Paul Meuse. Reservations are not required. For additional information, please contact Burris at bburris@cornerstoneassoc.org.
On Wednesday, February 28 at 6:00 p.m., Burris will discuss his own work and his work with neurodivergent artists at the Paulus Lecture Hall at the Willamette University College of Law at 245 Winter St. As part of the evening, attendees are invited to join in a participatory performance by Living Studios artist Pierre Pyke entitled “Unfold Your Book, Hold Each Page.”
Dam Right Drag Night – April 20, 2024 at Calapooia Brewing
Queer drag + variety show for the babez!
Featuring drag and performing art talent from throughout the Willamette Valley.
Bring your dolla billz! Make it rain on these queens!
This is a 21+ event. $10 cash cover at the door.
Doors open at 7:30
Show Starts at 8:30
Join the Albany Arts Commission (AAC) as they participate in Historic Downtown Albany’s First Friday event, May 3, 2024.
They will host a community art show featuring works by over 20 artists for the entire month of May.
Members of the AAC will host a First Friday reception for the Community Show artists at the Albany City Hall, 333 Broadalbin St SW, on Friday May 3rd from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.
This event is free and open to the public. Come meet your AAC active artist members, enjoy refreshments, view the variety of their work, and learn more about AAC’s mission and goals to support the arts in our community.
The AAC has raised public funds to support ongoing artist receptions for First Friday downtown for the rest of 2024.
Every First Friday, you can meet the artists whose artwork will be displayed this month at Gallery Calapooia at their Artist Reception. Refreshments will be served.
May feature artists: Bill Marshall and Linda Herd
Visit the Calapooia Clay Pottery Studio for a fabulous Cinco de Mayo sale event!
There will be a variety of pottery for sale by several artists who work in the studio, including work by the owner, Ed Sweet. There will be functional ware for sale like mugs, bowls, plates, vases, etc. Plus there will be decorative work and art pieces for sale.
During the sale a couple pottery wheels will be available for customers to try their hand at throwing a pot. Who knows, you just might be a potter and you didn’t know it!
Lebanon Garden Club annual fundraiser plant sale. Friday, May 10 & Saturday, May 11, 2024, 10am – 4pm.
880 Tangent St, corner of Tenth, Lebanon.
This is an one day event to highlight some talented people in Albany. There will be artists demonstrating their crafts or just selling their works at various locations in the downtown area. Stroll through the Monteith district to discover these treasures. Be prepared to be dazzled and surprised by all the creativity right here in Albany.
Lebanon Garden Club annual fundraiser plant sale. Friday, May 10 & Saturday, May 11, 2024, 10am – 4pm.
880 Tangent St, corner of Tenth, Lebanon.
