Blog Posts
- Celebrate History and Architecture with Us April 26, 2024
- April in Albany March 31, 2024
- Spring over to Albany February 28, 2024
- 2024 Photo Contest February 7, 2024
- Love from Albany! January 30, 2024
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.
“Celebrating Our Agricultural Heritage” is the theme of the annual History Through Headstones Tour at Albany’s Riverside Cemetery on Wednesday, July 19. It is sponsored by the Albany Regional Museum and the Riverside Cemetery Board of Directors.
This is the 13th year for the free event where light refreshments will be served from 7 pm to dusk. Visitors can park on either side of 7th Ave. west of Albany General Hospital and can begin their tour at either cemetery entrance.
Eleven people associated with the area’s agricultural community will be featured, including six members of the prolific Jenk’s family.
Here is a list of those to be honored along with the names of the docents who will talk about each one: James Benton Jenks (1833-93) and Mary Callaway Jenks (1838-1919), docent and great-granddaughter Mary Jacque Jenks Burck; Enoch Marvin Jenks (1880-1965) and Elizabeth Moser Jenks (1887-1965), docent and great grandson Tim Jenks; Howard Benton Jenks (1893-1963) and Eunice Luper Jenks (1890-1984), docent and grandson Howard Benton Jenks.
Also being honored are Amos Conrad (1925-94), docent and family friend, Pat Hagerty; Cyrill Koos (1863-1943) and Adele Koos (1864-1936), docent and family member Kathryn Koos-Lee; and John Gale Swatzka (1925-09), docent Darrel Tedisch, Riverside Cemetery Board member.
Concluding the featured subjects are Samuel Hill (1804-54), docent Bill Maddy, ARM member; and Mary Pettibone Buchner (1905-2002), docent and family member Kitty Buchner.
Photo credit: “Riverside Cemetary Heart of Linn County Genealogy” by Kimberly Richards
Since 2007, the town has hosted Stand By Me Day, a celebration of the 1986 coming-of-age film that was primarily shot in the city.
Stand By Me Day events run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at the Linn County Historical Museum, 101 Park Ave. in Brownsville, and include guided walking tours, 1950s-style music and games, and a blueberry pie eating contest at 3 p.m.
And the Annual Barbizon Brownsville Paintout, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., is taking place at the Brownsville Art Association, 255 N. Main St. Bring plein air easels, paints, and canvas and unleash your inner artist.
Photo: Coke Sign, Brownsville by Stephanie Low
In May of 1923 the Jefferson Women’s Club appointed a committee to find a suitable place to house a public library. The first library was opened on July 10, 1923, in the Smith and Fontaine General Merchandise Store with club members serving as volunteer librarians.
Join the Jefferson Public Library for their Centennial Open House on Aug. 1 from 10am – 7pm. They’re celebrating the library’s past, present, and future with games, food & fun!
Photo: Santiam at Rest by Dave Maestas
No matter what you’re searching for, you’re sure to find it at Brownsville’s annual Antique Faire in Pioneer Park. 70+ of vendors come together with their treasures and there’s something for everyone. Breakfast and lunch will be available and there’s plenty of shade and tables to relax for a while. You’ll enjoy live music and a beautiful park setting and leave with vintage goodies. Also, be sure not to miss the vintage car show!
Date: Saturday, August 5, 2023 9am-3pm
Location: Brownsville Pioneer Park, 200 W Park Ave.
Free Admission
Photo: “Antique St. Car Show 1” By Oliver J. Anderson
The John Fiechter House, also known as Failing Cottage, is is believed to be the oldest house in Benton County. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visitors to the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge will be able to visit and tour this historic 1855 pioneer house every Saturday, July 8 through Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and learn the history of one of Benton county’s early families.
The Fiechter House is located on Finley Refuge Road, across from the red Cabell barn. Visitors can also stop in at the refuge’s Nature Store for directions.
Photo credit: John Fiechter House, by Ian Poellet. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The John Fiechter House, also known as Failing Cottage, is is believed to be the oldest house in Benton County. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visitors to the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge will be able to visit and tour this historic 1855 pioneer house every Saturday, July 8 through Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and learn the history of one of Benton county’s early families.
The Fiechter House is located on Finley Refuge Road, across from the red Cabell barn. Visitors can also stop in at the refuge’s Nature Store for directions.
Photo credit: John Fiechter House, by Ian Poellet. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The event is held in Library Park adjacent to the Linn County Historical Museum in Downtown Brownsville. It begins at 10am. Come early and beat the heat!
Step back in time and try your hand at the crafts and activities practiced by the folks who lived here long ago. The Mid-Valley Prospectors will be here for you to pan for gold and the Boston Mill will be bring their Stone Quern for grinding wheat. You can wash clothes on a washboard, press apples into cider, dip beeswax candles and spin wool. Try your hand at crosscut sawing and make a cornhusk doll. Plan to stay the whole day…you won’t want to leave! This free activity is supported by a generous donation from Randy Tripp.
Photo: Sunrise in Brownsville by Mike Moshofsky
The John Fiechter House, also known as Failing Cottage, is is believed to be the oldest house in Benton County. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visitors to the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge will be able to visit and tour this historic 1855 pioneer house every Saturday, July 8 through Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and learn the history of one of Benton county’s early families.
The Fiechter House is located on Finley Refuge Road, across from the red Cabell barn. Visitors can also stop in at the refuge’s Nature Store for directions.
Photo credit: John Fiechter House, by Ian Poellet. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Witches and Warlocks unite at HEX in Brownsville, OR on October 28th at 5:30pm for an easy 30+ minute stroll! Kids and pets welcome (no bikes please!)
Family friendly. Costumes encouraged (but not required.) Best costume wins a $50 gift card to HEX!
Create your own felted 7″ gnome or witch with seasoned fiber artist Anne Marie Cole.
$75 fee, 12 person limit. Workshop open to beginners or experts.
Contact HEX to register https://www.hexbrownsville.com/