Eugene, Cascades & Coast GeoTour – Florence Edition Launches: The Eugene, Cascades & Coast GeoTour just doubled in size and number of geocaches. The Florence Edition launched March 9, with more than 100 geocachers showing up the first two days alone. The extension starts at the breathtaking outlook at Cape Perpetua, leading to 36 hidden caches along beaches, trails, Old Town Florence gems and waterfalls as it winds its way back to Eugene. The Florence Edition comes five months after the hugely successful launch of the McKenzie River Edition, which continues to earn rave reviews on geocaching.com.
Cascadia Music Festival Announced: Tickets are on sale for the first ever Cascadia Music Festival July 5. Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers and Railroad Earth co-headline the event. It will be the first concert to be held at Eugene’s brand new outdoor music venue, Emerald Meadows. Part of Lane County Parks, Emerald Meadows is located at the base of scenic Mt. Pisgah, just south of Eugene. Dan Appenzeller and Crista Munro, the organizers behind the show, have more than 50 years of combined festival management and production experience. Their plan is to turn Cascadia Music Festival into a three-day event by 2014.
New Arts Festival Coming to Eugene: August 2013 marks the inaugural Create! Eugene, a month-long event of art and art-related workshops on everything from dance to painting to sculpting to winemaking. A sure highlight of the festival will be a Eugene Plein Air Paint Out. Open to everyone, the contest will literally take the art to the streets of Eugene and surrounding communities, with people setting up easels in broad daylight to paint what they see and be judged later that evening. The Plein Air Paint Out will culminate in an outdoor art display at Eugene’s Kesey Plaza. An art show will follow at DIVA’s downtown gallery.
For information, visit the Create! Eugene website.
Agrarian Ales Brings the Brewery to the Country: Agrarian Ales is the latest brewery to join the Eugene area’s booming craft beer scene. Nestled among hop vines, chili pepper plants and filbert orchards in the town of Coburg, Agrarian brings a farm-stand fresh feel to the mix of local breweries. Agrarian is owner Ben Tilley’s way of returning to his family’s chili pepper farm, so there’s always a beer on tap made with chilies and plenty of chilies for sale. True to Oregon-style, Tilley sells tie-dye shirts. From the hula hoops to backyard games to locally-sourced cheese and charcuterie plates and homemade soda on tap, Agrarian is more than just about beer: it’s about finding the best way to enjoy it.
Oakridge Brewers Union Local 180 Honored by Bon Apetite: The Oakridge Brewers Union Local 180 was just named one of the Best Nanobreweries in the Country by Bon Appetit. Writer Joshua Bernstein cited owner Ted Sobel’s vision for turning his love for British pubs into a quality mountainside alehouse and Oregon’s first brewpub specializing in naturally carbonated cask ale. A nanobrewery is defined as a one that makes beer on a three-barrel system or smaller, which equates to about 93 gallons at a time.
New Disc Golf Course Opens: Disc golfers have a new course to add to their list. The Alton Baker Disc Golf Course opened April 1. The 18-hole pay-to-play course journeys along the banks of the Willamette River on the south side of historic Pre’s Trail and is operated by concessionaire, Andrew Rich. The $3 a day or $50 a year fees will help maintain the course.
Nobel Peace Park Near Completion: The first and only park in the United States honoring American Nobel Peace Prize honorees will open April 27 in Eugene’s Alton Baker Park. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Nobel Peace Park will start at 11 a.m. and be hosted by Alfred Nobel’s great grand-newphew, Claes Nobel. A Peace Path winds through the park and is outlined by serpentine walls illuminated with LED lights.
