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Albany Visitors Association
122 Ferry St SW
Albany, OR 97321
PO Box 965
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541-928-0911
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Explore Albany, Discover your story
10 ways to celebrate August in Linn County
July ends with a bang and August starts with a golden glow as wheat fields are harvested and outdoor fun goes full tilt. The following are 10 ways to celebrate and participate in harvest season with friends and family. We’re pretty sure you’ll find at least one to add to your calendar!
(1) July 28th The Albany Historic Homes Interior Tour Spend a wonderful day in our city exploring some of our most beautiful historic homes and buildings. The tour is “self-guided,” meaning you have a choice about how to tour the homes—you can ride a horse-drawn wagon or antique trolley and go by location-number, or you can opt to drive your own car and visit homes in any order you like. Hosts will be on hand at each site to show guests around and refreshments will be served. Once you’ve purchased your ticket at our office, you might even want to have lunch at one of our great restaurants, ride the carousel, and join the tour afterwards. Tickets go on sale the day of the tour starting at 10:00 a.m. for $15 each; children under 12 are free. For more information, telephone AVA at 541-928-0911. (You can also purchase tickets on AVA’s secure website at https://albanyvisitors.com/…/2018-albany-historic-interior…/ )
(2) July 29th It’s time for the annual Festival Latino at Monteith River Park in Albany. Spend the afternoon, from Noon to 4:00 p.m., listening to great music, enjoying awesome food, and meeting your neighbors. The festival features a children’s activities area, a health and resources fair, and cultural performances. The festival is free to attend (food is available for purchase).
(3) August 3rd Love Celtic music and local wines? Combine your true loves into a Friday evening out! The Dinna Fash Celtic Trio is performing at Mark’s Ridge Winery on Friday, August 3rd, starting at 7:00 p.m. The winery is located at 29255 Berlin Rd in Sweet Home. Visit the winery website for more info: http://www.marksridge.com
(4) Now Through August 4th Happening now at the Albany Civic Theater: “Bell, Book and Candle.” The classic fairytale about a lovable witch comes to the stage. Tickets are available for upcoming performances on July 27, 28, 29 and August 2, 3, and 4. Visit the ACT website for ticket info: http://www.albanycivic.org
(5) August 3rd through 5th: Sweet Home calls all country music lovers for the Oregon Jamboree. This year’s stars include Clint Black, Brantley Gilbert, and Brett Eldredge. This not-to-be-missed musical event boasts two stages, 25 shows, over three days. The Oregon Jamboree is nestled in the foothills of the scenic Cascade Mountains, on 20-plus acres that includes the historic Weddle Covered Bridge. The Jamboree offers a full festival atmosphere in the main venue and a more intimate concert experience on the second stage in Sankey Park. In addition to featured headline entertainment, this event hosts RV and tent camping, merchandise vendors, food booths, beer and wine gardens, and a variety of other attractions. For ticket and other information, visit: http://oregonjamboree.com
(6) August 4th through 5th Time to mark your calendars and get your tickets: The Mother Earth News Fair is coming up on August 4th and 5th at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center in Albany. Two days of workshops on renewable energy, small-scale farming, homesteading, natural health, organic gardening and more! Come enjoy delicious food, family entertainment and a vast marketplace. Check the fair’s website to purchase tickets in advance, and for more detailed information. https://www.motherearthnews.com/…/mother-ea…/albany-ore-fair
(7) August 8th Do you have ancestors or family that settled in Albany? Would you like some tips on researching your Linn County family tree? Then mark Wednesday, August 8th at noon on your calendar. The Albany Regional Museum will host its monthly “History Bites” series and the Linn Genealogical Society will present. For more info visit https://www.armuseum.com
(8) August 18th Join the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum as they celebrate their one year anniversary with a carousel fundraiser: Carnival at the Carousel. Just as the nostalgia of the carousel lights the faces of those who visit, we hope that the nostalgia of a vintage carnival will do the same. Come see carnival games of the past, old-fashioned carnival characters, a cakewalk, carousel-made photo-boards and kissing booth, Kona Ice, Kettle Korn, and a bounce house. For more information visit www.albanycarousel.com
(9) August 19th The first of Albany’s 2018 Farm to Table Dinners takes place on Saturday, August 19th. Dine al fresco along a shaded historic waterway—the Albany 8th Street Canal. Feast on delectable creations by Chef Matt Bennett of Sybaris Bistro and sip locally-grown and crafted Springhill Cellars Winery selections. The menu is based on Cajun Creole cuisine inspired by Chef Bennett’s recent trip to New Orleans. Seating at the dinner is limited and we encourage you to purchase your tickets early for what will no doubt, be a sold-out event. Dinner proceeds will benefit the Albany Regional Museum (ARM) and enable them to continue to offer free admission to all visitors. Hop on over to ARM’s website and get your tickets now! https://squareup.com/store/albany-regional-museum
(10) Aug 24th through August 26th The NW Art & Air Festival may be the the best little late summer festival around! Watch hot air balloons ascend the night sky during the magical night glow event and early dawn flights. The balloon regatta is a colorful affair and Timber Linn Park will be alive with music, artists, family activities (including Young Eagle Flights) and yummy food from a variety of vendors. Musical artists (featuring this year’s headliner “Goo Goo Dolls”) give evening performances. For the adults, there’s a wine and microbrew garden. The festival is free, but parking is $5. Learn more at: http://nwartandair.org
Albany Farm to Table Dinners – 2018 Series
The first of Albany’s 2018 Farm to Table Dinners takes place on Sunday, August 19th. Dine al fresco along a shaded historic waterway—the Albany 8th Street Canal.
Feast on delectable creations by Chef Matt Bennett of Sybaris Bistro and sip locally-grown and crafted Springhill Cellars Winery selections. The menu is based on Cajun Creole cuisine inspired by Chef Bennett’s recent trip to New Orleans.
Seating at the dinner is limited and we encourage you to purchase your tickets early for what will no doubt, be a sold-out event. Dinner proceeds will benefit the Albany Regional Museum and enable them to continue to offer free admission to all visitors.
Tickets
Purchase your tickets online with the Albany Regional Museum.
2018 Albany Historic Interior Home Tour
Spend a wonderful day on Saturday, July 28th, exploring some of Albany’s most beautiful historic homes and buildings. The tour is “self-guided,” meaning you have a choice about how to tour the sites—you can ride a horse-drawn wagon or antique trolley and go in map order, or you can opt to drive your own car and visit homes and buildings in any order you like.
Greeters will be on hand at each site to show guests around and refreshments will be served. Once you’ve secured your ticket at our office, you might want to have lunch at one of our great restaurants, ride the carousel and join the tour afterwards.
Tickets are on sale the day of the tour (at AVA’s office) starting at 10:00 a.m. for $15 each; children under 12 are free. We are located on the corner of Lyon and 3rd Ave SE (110 3rd Ave, SE). You can also prepay for your ticket on our secure-certificate ticketing plug-in below. (Some fields are required so that we may confirm your purchase.) Telephone our office at 541-928-0911 if you have any questions.
Hot off the presses – the 2018 – 2019 AVA Visitor Guide
The Albany Visitors Association 2018 – 2019 free visitor guides are now available. What makes our publication a bit different than others you might pick-up on your travels? For one, our magazine-style articles delve into fun tidbits about Albany and surrounding Linn County. This year, local journalist Jennifer Moody dives into a profile about Neal the Greyhound, one of the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum’s hand-crafted animals. The story of Neal illustrates the magic and artistry of the carousel and how it both enthralls and attracts visitors.
The new guide also highlights Albany’s history and heritage, with information about the four historic districts, century-old homes and buildings, and the people who founded our city in the late 1840s. Interested in the arts and what’s happening around town? Take a few minutes to read about Albany’s artist cooperative Gallery Calapooia as well as year-round events and outdoor recreation.
AVA provides the colorful publication at no charge. Telephone 541-928-0911 and request a copy to be mailed or stop by the office and grab one at 110 3rd Ave SE (corner of 3rd and Lyon), between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You can also view the online version by following the link below.
Read the digital version
10 things to do in Mid-July
Looking for some great things to do following the start of mid-summer? We thought you might like this list of some great Albany and Linn County events coming up this July. Don’t hesitate to contact AVA (541-928-0911) if you need more information about any of the following:
1) Crazy Daze in Downtown Albany – July 12th, 13th, 14th Love to dig around for a bargain? Well how about a downtown-wide sale with many of your favorite stores hosting sidewalk sales! Park your car at one end of First Ave and walk towards the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum, which you can ride after shopping. Unique shops will feature awesome merchandise—including the Natty Dresser, Emma’s Downtown, Urban Ag, Spirit Beads, and many many others. Merchandise changes daily over the three day event, plus Albany restaurants and cafes will feature shopper specials. Tidbit: What’s really cool about this sale is that it is part of Albany’s history—the sale started out as Bargain Days in 1898, then was renamed Crazy Daze following WW2.
2) Coffee, coffee, coffee – Grand Opening of Margin Coffee – July 14th The wait may have been long, but the moment has finally arrived. Albany’s newest gourmet-hip coffee brewery is holding its grand opening celebration at their location (206 2nd Ave SW) in a beautifully restored historic building. Come enjoy specialties of the house made with local roaster Caravan’s beans. Saturday hours on the 14th are from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. so you can shop at Crazy Daze and refuel at Margin! Visit their website at www.margincoffee.com
3) Meet me at the Linn County Fair – July 18th – 21st You know it’s high summer when the fair arrives at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center. There will be rides for kids both big and small, fun food, livestock, quilts, community art and craft, and live entertainment including Jefferson Starship. Family fun areas, a classic car show, the zany Redneck Rodeo, and so much more are scheduled over the four day event. Special military, senior, and family day tickets are available. Check the fair website for the full schedule at https://www.linncountyfair.com/home
4) History Through Headstones Tour – July 25th Come learn about the history of Albany through historic headstones at the Waverly Jewish and Houston Cemeteries. The tour is from 7 p.m. to dusk. The AVA trolley will board passengers at the Albany Regional Museum parking lot (check the museum website for times) and museum docent Bill Maddy will talk about the history of east Albany’s Hackleman District as the trolley wends its way through neighborhoods and along Old Salem Road. Learn about the historic Albany families that will be featured on the Albany Regional Museum website at www.armuseum.com/…/…/history-through-headstones-tour
5) Cellar Cat swings at its new location – July 15th At the end of June, wine-centric bistro Cellar Cat moved to its new location at 155 NW Country Club Lane in Albany. They now feature an all-day kitchen menu serving scratch-made goodies to enjoy on the golf course, patio, dining room, by the pool or take-out. Full-service dinner is Wednesday through Sunday starting at 4:30 p.m. And, on Sundays, live music! On July 15th, the Steve Willis Trio will play instrumental jazz starting at 5:30 p.m. Check out CC’s website for the rest of the Sunday line-ups of music and fantastic menu options. www.cellarcat.com
6) Movies at Monteith Park – July 20th (Fridays through August) Looking for a nostalgic evening after dinner? Plan to bring a blanket and the family to free movies shown outdoors on a big screen under the summer stars. The first movie of the summer, Wonder, starts at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 20th. On Friday, July 27th, Jurassic Park hits Monteith Park. For the full schedule, check the Albany Downtown Association website at albanydowntown.com/ada-event/movies-at-monteith/
7) Stand By Me Day – July 23rd Speaking of movies, what could be better than visiting the little town where the cult classic, Stand By Me, was filmed? Head on down to historic Brownsville (about 25 minutes south of Albany) and participate in walking tours, free showings of the movie, and other festivities like a blueberry pie and ice cream social, classic car cruise-in, fan forum, memorabilia, and a 50s costume contest. Check out the full schedule at historicbrownsville.com/what-to-do/attractions/stand-by-me/
8) Cocker Spaniel National Specialty Show – July 26th through 30th Have you ever seen the Walt Disney classic movie “Lady and the Tramp?” The 1950s animated film reflected US mid-century popularity of the Cocker Spaniel, a long-eared, silky-coated, and expressive dog. First mentioned in 14th century writings, the Cocker Spaniel perseveres. Come see these beautiful intelligent dogs at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center over three days of trials and judging. Visit the association club website for show schedule details at www.americanspanielclub.org/events/2018-cocker-spaniel-national/
9) Albany Historic Homes Interior Tour – July 28th Spend a wonderful day in our city exploring some of our most beautiful historic homes and buildings. The tour is “self-guided,” meaning you have a choice about how to tour the sites—you can ride a horse-drawn wagon or antique trolley and go by location-number, or you can opt to drive your own car and visit homes in any order you like. Hosts will be on hand at each site to show guests around and refreshments will be served. Once you’ve purchased your ticket at our office, you might even want to have lunch at one of our great restaurants, ride the carousel, and join the tour afterwards. You’ll receive a wrist band with your paid ticket. Tickets go on sale the day of the tour starting at 10:00 a.m. for $15 each; children under 12 are free. For more information, visit albanyvisitors.com or telephone 541-928-0911.
10) Summer Sounds in the Park – Mondays in July Imagine relaxing outdoors on your own quilt or comfy folding chair and listening to great live music. Sip your own wine or beer, grab soft drinks and food from the vendor court, and take a stroll along the river-front with your sweetheart. The lineup this July runs the gamut from electric string pop to funk, swing, and an Eagles tribute band. The free concerts start at 7:00 pm. on Monday nights. For the full schedule, visit the City of Albany website at www.cityofalbany.net
Bonus) The 2018 -2019 “See Albany” Visitors Guides are here! In addition to a feature article by local journalist Jennifer Moody (about the Albany Historic Carousel’s Neal the Greyhound), you’ll also find information about great restaurants, comfy hotels, outdoor recreation, shopping venues, and Albany’s four National Historic Districts. Stop by the AVA office at 110 3rd St SE in downtown Albany to pick up your free copy or telephone 541-928-0911 and we’ll pop one in the mail for you.
A Berry Happy July
Albany – summertime farm visits
One of Albany’s agricultural gems, Midway Farms, is a bucolic organic farm and roadside stand on Hwy 20. As you drive towards Corvallis, the farm’s red barn peeks out from between shade trees and a riot of multi-colored snap dragons wave at passerby’s.
The farm store is bursting with an eclectic mix of seasonal harvests—from green onions and sweet greens to fall potatoes, tomatoes and garlic. Owner Cynthia Kapple, raises free-range poultry and sells fresh eggs from a variety of fowl, including duck, turkey, goose, and chicken.
Midway’s crowning glory of summer are their sweet succulent organic strawberries, blueberries and other seasonal fruit. Midway posts frequently on Facebook, so if you’re planning on making fresh jam, follow their page to find out when they run specials on flats. Depending on the bounty, Kapple may run a spontaneous jam-making sale.
The farm also provides fresh organic flowers for weddings and other special events. You can count on a beautiful array of flowers if you shop Kapple’s store. From multi-hued sunny daffodils, tulips, iris, and sunflowers to other seasonally-grown varietals, you can stop at their self-serve flower stand, grab a bouquet and skedaddle back home to set the dinner table.
Midway Farms is located at 6980 NW US Highway 20, and the farm store is open daily, including weekends, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can also snag their produce, flowers, fruits, eggs and meats at the Albany or Corvallis Farmers’ Market.
Unearthing Christmas in summer
With summer fast approaching, Christmas arrives early at the Willamette National Forest (WNF) in the Sweet Home Ranger District. Not only is there a special contest to find the US Capitol Christmas Tree (see instructions in the “how to nominate” section below), but the Willamette Valley Visitors Association has hidden 200 glass ornaments along the forest hiking trails for you to find.
If you discover one of the special keepsake ornaments, make sure to register to win one of over 120 prizes. All entrants who submit their ornament tag ID will also be entered into a sweepstakes with a spectacular grand prize: A round trip for two to Washington DC to attend the US Capitol Christmas Tree lighting and festivities.
The ornament treasure-hunt runs now through October 2, 2018.
The theme for the 2018 Capitol Christmas Tree is “Find Your Trail!” in recognition of two 2018 anniversaries: the 50th anniversary of the National Trails Systems Act, and the 175th commemoration of the Oregon Trail. For more information on trails where you can find your ornament, visit the WNF website.
Be the one to find the big tree
Do you want to find the 2018 US Capitol Christmas Tree? You still have time to enter the contest, but the deadline is coming up fast on June 30th.
Visit the Willamette National Forest and look for a tree 65 to 85 feet in height with conical shape. The tree must reside on US Forest Service land in the Sweet Home Ranger District, preferably close to a road that will accommodate a semi-truck and cranes necessary for harvest.
The selected tree will be cut in early November and prepared for the 3,000-mile coast-to-coast journey that will trace the Oregon Trail in reverse. The tree’s journey will culminate with its lighting on the west lawn of the US Capitol Building in early December. Seventy smaller companion trees will also be sent from the forest to decorate DC government buildings and public spaces. Additionally, Oregonians will contribute 10,000 handmade ornaments, to be created throughout 2018.
How to nominate your candidate
To nominate a tree, obtain the GPS the location, snap a photo, and send your submission to capitolchristmastree2018@gmail.com, or deliver the information to the Sweet Home Ranger District Office, 4431 Hwy 20, Sweet Home OR 97386.
New Albany Mobile App Launches
Thanks to the support of sponsoring businesses and the genius of Hospitality Vision, the new Albany Explorer App is here to help you find the coolest places in town to eat, drink, stay and play.
Download the free app for both iPhone (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
You’ll discover interactive map tours for historic homes and buildings, covered bridges, and places to share selfies from three iconic city locations: the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum, the Monteith House, and the Albany Train Station. Send a virtual postcard to family and friends. Find your way around town to creative chef-inspired dinners and visit local tap-rooms for micro-brew sampling.
We hope you’ll find the app fun and user-friendly. Join the fun on Facebook and Instagram to let us know if the app has helped you make informed decisions about your travel plans and itinerary.
AVA launches new website
We are happy to announce the recent launch of our new website. Over a period of six months, the web project team consulted with the AVA Board Web Subcommittee and reviewed progress, design, and functionality. We incorporated images by local photographers creating visual portals that take you to the most frequently sought travel information. We’ve cut down on text-heavy pages, and refreshed and updated our directory listings.
The video playing at the top of the home page is by Mike Krutsinger. Although filmed during winter, it’s our hope that this snapshot of our history, heritage, culture, and entertainment will pique your curiosity. And besides, since Albany is in the Pacific Northwest, what’s a little rain? Just bring your umbrella! There’s also plenty of things to do inside—from riding the fabulous Albany Historic Carousel or digging local jazz music at a cozy bistro to shopping our unique historic downtown and sampling the latest micro-brew—you will always find something to do.
Our site is now secure, so when you browse or purchase online tickets for popular historic home tours or Christmas caroling, your information is safe. We will be launching a new online ticket-purchasing app later this year. In addition, stay tuned for the Discover Albany App—a mobile way to take a Linn County covered bridges or Albany historic district tour, submit vacation photos for sharing in social media, and find the best places to sleep and eat.
We hope you will let us know if there is anything that you can’t locate on the website. Just email the webmaster, and we will be happy to help. You can also telephone the office at 541.928.0911 for real-time help. If you’d like to keep in touch, sign up for our Enews, and we’ll update you on all the new features coming soon.
AVA partners win award from Travel Oregon
During the Sunday night awards ceremony at the 2018 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, AVA’s partners at the Willamette Valley Visitors Association (Oregon Wine Country) were honored by Travel Oregon.
The Outstanding Overall Oregon Marketing Program Award recognizes the best integrated domestic or international marketing program or campaign that attracted visitors to Oregon. The award was presented to the Willamette Valley Visitors Association for their promotional campaign that began at the San Jose airport, where a custom acrylic design was formed in the shape of an Oregon Pinot noir bottle spanning 14 feet.
The display was strategically positioned in a heavy traffic area in San Jose Airport’s Alaska Airlines terminal. and reached 660,000 travelers during the eight-week activation. It was a tangible way to bring the Oregon Wine Country Experience to life for travelers.
Congrats to the WVVA Team!
