In an effort to find something fun for my family to do over the weekend, I’ll often take to the internet to come up with ideas. On many occasions, the online searches take me to surrounding communities from Corvallis to Albany to Salem to Eugene to the Coast.
The growing number of items that I type in to include in the Philomath News Community Calendar makes you realize that there is also plenty to do right here in our town. Not everything will appeal to everybody, not everything is a fit, but there just might be some fun stuff, useful events and interesting ideas that catch your eye.
So, here’s my first “Things To Do This Weekend in Philomath” column. Give it a read — maybe something’s happening you didn’t know about or perhaps it’ll serve as a motivation to get to know your community a little better.
A few notes on what I include: Philomath has easy access to the fairgrounds and it’s a county facility so many events that take place out there make it on the list. I also include a few other events from Corvallis and elsewhere in the region that catch my attention to provide more variety on your “what to do” options. But even though I include a few of those, this will primarily be a Philomath-centric list.
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Friday, April 19
The Big Book Sale’s opening couple of hours will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Park in the lot off Reservoir Road and follow the signs. The sale takes place in the Solar Building and inside, you’ll find several tables full of books for all ages. For parents, it’s a great opportunity to pick up titles for your child readers. The Big Book Sale is a fundraiser for the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.
It’s not too late to catch what promises to be a great evening of folk music out at Marys River Grange Hall. The Rough & Tumble will take the stage along with Phoenix and tickets will be $15 at the door. Give a preview story on the concert a read for more details on these duos.
Maxtivity Arts and Crafts Creative Space offers several classes, including tonight’s Graphic Activism with Louisa Hamachek from 7-9 p.m. ($30 fee). See the calendar listing for details.
Over in Corvallis at The Officer’s Club, Philomath-based Compton Family Wines is teaming up with Honeybrine Catering for a dinner with wine pairings ($100 for dinner with wine; $60 for dinner only). The event runs 6-8 p.m. Go here for more information.
Also in Corvallis, the Majestic Theatre will host Kalos, a trio of interpreters and composers of Celtic roots music. Tickets ($25/adults; $20/students) can be purchased through the Majestic’s website.
Saturday, April 20
For many folks, starting off each morning with at least one cup of coffee is a must. So why not head over to Timber Towne Coffee between 9 and 10:30 a.m. to not only enjoy that establishment’s caffeinated options but to sit down with a couple of city councilors? It’s called Councilor Coffee and it gives you a chance to ask questions, learn more about the city or just get to know your city representatives a little better. This program will go on hiatus for several months as city councilors move their public interaction efforts to the Philomath Farmers’ Market so this one will be the last for a while.
Don’t be surprised to see a line of cars on South 16th Street, possibly even snaking around on Applegate and down to South 15th depending on the time of day. Philomath’s spring recycling event will operate from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. to give you a chance to get rid of unwanted recyclable junk. The list of items that are accepted and not accepted has changed, so folks who have gone in previous years might want to look that over to make sure you don’t load up something in the back of the pickup that will end up going back home with you.
The Big Book Sale at the fairgrounds continues Saturday with the hours of 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Seriously, if you like books, check it out. And even better, you should know that Philomath Community Library is among those that benefits from the fundraising.
The OSU Extension Service will offer a “Seed to Supper in the Garden” class from 10 a.m.-noon out at Lupe’s Community Garden at Philomath Community Services. Promotional materials for this event says it’s “for new gardeners on a tight budget.” This is the first of two classes with the second one to follow on April 27 (and organizers recommend going to both).
And finally, if you want to see the top track and field athletes from the region competing in a quality meet, head over to Sweet Home to catch the Meet of Champions. Athletes had to qualify for the meet, so you know you’ll see top competitors. And Philomath will be well-represented.
Elsewhere, the Willamette Grange over on Highway 99W and Greenberry Road will host a multi-family yard sale from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Besides finding some good deals, the event will include refreshments and you can view the building’s history-rich displays. For more information, see the Willamette Grange website (scroll down the home page to see an event poster).
If you’re in the mood to shop for deals on reusable items, the Corvallis Community Thrift Shop (formerly known as the OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop) is hosting a Diamond Anniversary Celebration from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The shop is located at 144 NW Second St., Corvallis.
The Corvallis Farmers Market will make its debut from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on First Street in downtown Corvallis. The market will run every week on Wednesdays and Saturdays until Nov. 27.
And one more from Corvallis — National Guitar, A Paul Simon Tribute, will appear at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave.). The doors open at 6, the music starts at 7. The band features a Pacific Northwest all-star lineup of musicians from Polecat, Petty or Not, Skillethead and the Jenner Fox Band. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Find more information here.
Sunday, April 21
This will be the final chance to visit the Big Book Sale at Benton County Fairgrounds. This is the day to go if you are interested in scoring several titles at a low price ($10 for medium box). The hours on this last day are 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
An interesting Earth Day event is scheduled for 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in Alsea at The Thyme Garden (free admission). This special event will feature an “Earth Factoid Scavenger Hunt” or you can take in a storytime (“You & Me in the Trees”), go on a spring herb walk or attend a ceremony of peace. Check out the organization’s website for more details and specifics times for those activities.
Mark Your Calendar
In this section, we could go on and on about things coming up later in the year. But quickly, here are a few events happening in the next few weeks that you might want to put on your calendar.
In short, there’s a lot going on over the weekend of May 4-5.
The Rotary Club’s Salmon and Jazz fundraiser runs from 5-8 p.m. May 4. Philomath High School’s botany class will host its annual plant sale May 2-4. Robotics students will offer the PHRED Rummage and Mattress Sale on May 4-5 at the high school. The Old Mill Center’s Annual Auction Gala is coming up May 4.
Do you have events you want to see listed in the Community Calendar and possibly included in a future “Things To Do This Weekend in Philomath” column? Send me an email at news@philomathnews.com with all of the details. With few exceptions, Community Calendar listings are limited to Philomath events.
