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Good morning. It's Friday, April 10th. Eugene is in its spring "say yes" era: yes to big stacks of books, yes to community fundraisers, and yes to crowd-pleasing music. If your calendar has been looking a little empty, consider this your friendly nudge to fill it. Alright, here's today's edition of your Eugene Lowdown:
📰 LOCAL NEWS LOWDOWN
Eugene's $2 Book Treasure Hunt This Weekend
Clear out your bookshelves and the trunk of your car! Friends of Eugene Public Library is rolling out a two-day used-book sale this weekend at the Lane Events Center in Eugene. About 40,000 books will be available, plus DVDs, audiobooks, music CDs, and puzzles. Most books are $2, with free admission and parking. Hours are Saturday 9-4 and Sunday 10-3.
Dolly Gets the Symphony Treatment
If your playlist goes from "Jolene" to timpani, you're in luck: "Dolly Parton's Threads: My Songs in Symphony" lands in Eugene on May 1. Dolly Parton's has long-running Eugene links, from her 1972 tour stop to the tradition of "Eugene Oregon" playing at U of O football games. Singers Blair Lamb and Katelyn Drye front David Hamilton's full-orchestra arrangements.
Bark in the Park Return on May 17 - Running Dogs Optional!
Greenhill Humane Society will host Bark in the Park at Alton Baker Park on Sunday, May 17, 2026. The annual event adds a new "Fast and Furless 5K" for people who want to run without dogs, alongside the traditional dog-friendly 5K and 10K courses. The family-friendly event includes vendor booths, food options, demonstrations, contests, prizes, and more. Organizers hope to raise over $100,000 to support animals in need.
📆 EVENTS LOWDOWN
Friday, 4/10
Emo Night
Live Music
Emo Nite
Dust off your old band tees, warm up those vocal cords, and get ready for a dance floor therapy session powered by emo hooks, pop-punk riffs, and gloriously dramatic singalongs.Friday
Charity Gala
Galaxsea: Cowfish's Salty Sixteen
Suit up as fish, alien, or fabulous hybrid and glide from themed nibbles to showstopping lip syncs. With cash on the line and dancing past midnight, subtlety is the only thing not invited.Friday
Comedy Show
Comedy in the Cattail Lounge
Bring your best fake polite laugh, then upgrade it to the real thing as sharp local and touring comics unleash their best material in an intimate lounge packed with punchlines.Friday
Traditional Folk
Meadow Rue
Strings will twang, toes will tap, and you may accidentally start chair-dancing as catchy originals and rootsy covers roll by all night.Friday
Photo Exhibit
Photography at Oregon 48th Annual Exhibit and Auction
Wander walls packed with striking images, scout your favorites, then stalk them in the online auction like a friendly art-loving ninja hunting for the perfect photograph to claim as your own.Friday
LGBTQ+ Youth
Teen Event
LGBTQ+ Youth Group
Forget awkward small talk at home and hang out where snacks, real conversation, and other LGBTQ+ teens are all in the same room, no icebreakers required.Friday
Comedy Show
Fires in the Uterus
Laugh along as comics turn pap smears, cramps, and reproductive weirdness into pure stand-up gold, proving that the best way to handle uterus drama is with a mic and a punchline.Friday
Fusion
Come Jazz You Are
Dust off your docs, grab a flannel, and hear your favorite 90s anthems get a jazzy makeover, complete with sax, cello, and more in a laid-back, all-ages vibe.Friday
Charity Gala
Live Music
Swamp Creek
Warm up your air-guitar skills and your best barstool two-step as this band cranks out familiar favorites, singalong choruses, and the kind of grooves that magically refill your drink.Friday
Outdoors
Nature Hike
Earth Month Tree Walk Series
Stretch your legs, test your tree-spotting skills, and discover which leafy neighbors are quietly running the neighborhood while you thought it was the humans in charge.Friday
Saturday, 4/11
Musical Theater
The Addams Family
Bring your most charmingly creepy self for an evening of gothic giggles, snappy songs, and delightfully awkward in-law introductions, all wrapped in a family-friendly, slightly twisted musical comedy romp.Saturday
Pop
Nightlife
Its a 2000s Dance Party
Dust off the low-rise jeans and chunky highlights in your camera roll as DJs spin 2000s bangers all night, turning every chorus into a full-volume group karaoke moment.Saturday
Causes & Charity
Volunteering
Bikes 4 Kidz Bicycle Donation Drive
That dusty bike in the corner is secretly dreaming of a comeback. Drop it off, let the volunteers work their magic, and send it off to become some kid's new favorite way to fly.Saturday
Art Exhibits
Charity
Umpqua Valley Equal Justice Initiative Art Show & Silent Auction
Swap scrolling for strolling through bold artwork, bid on pieces that move you, and feel good knowing your winning bid helps champion dignity and compassion in the justice system.Saturday
Farmers Market
Food & Drink
Saturday Farmers Market
Skip the supermarket aisles and wander a maze of farm-fresh veggies, sizzling food booths, and crafty goodies, all while chatting with the folks who actually grew and made what you are taking home.Saturday
R&B / Soul
Darline Jackson My Band
Warm up your dancing shoes and your singing voice for two solid hours of throwback funk and soul that might leave you hoarse but definitely smiling.Saturday
Kids Activities
Family Fun: Lego
Tiny engineers, big ideas: ages 5-9 get piles of Lego bricks, cool learning toys, and all the time they need to build wild inventions while grownups enjoy a low-stress afternoon hangout.Saturday
Bingo
Drag Show
All Ages Drag Bingo
Grab your lucky dauber and your sassiest bingo voice for a campy mashup of drag, cheap cards, goofy calls, and big-prize bonus rounds that might just make shouting "Bingo" your new superpower.Saturday
Lecture
Farm Event
Youth Livestock Field Day
Leave the textbooks at home and grab your boots instead. Youth get a hands-on crash course in livestock care, careers, and barn life, with plenty of learning, questions, and lunch along the way.Saturday
Americana
Boxcar Figaro
Bring your friends, your best bar-stool dance moves, and maybe a cardigan; toe-tapping Americana pairs perfectly with cold beer and zero Sunday morning homework.Saturday
Sunday, 4/12
Film
K-Pop Demon Hunters Laser Show
Bring your best chair-dance moves for a laser-filled K-pop blast that turns a half hour in the dark into pure neon happiness.Sunday
Woodworking
Upcycling
Reuse Carpentry: Build a Skateboard Spice Rack
Broken skateboards get a second life as a bright spice rack while you level up your tool skills. Leave with a funky kitchen upgrade and bragging rights for saving boards from the landfill.Sunday
Trivia Night
Quality Trivia with Stephen
Bring your best fun facts and worst guesses to a lively trivia showdown where bragging rights are big, the questions are cheeky, and the only real wrong move is staying home.Sunday
Kids Activities
Watercolor
Fun With Watercolors
Let the kids loose with watercolors while you supervise like a laid-back art critic. Expect splashes, masterpieces, and at least one painting destined for the fridge gallery.Sunday
Live Music
Performing Arts
Music Of Arabian Spain
Let virtuoso guitar do the time travel for you as centuries of Spanish, Arab, and North African melodies collide in one compact hour of music, no passport, jet lag, or flamenco footwork required.Sunday
Documentary
Follow the Rain: A Fungi Documentary
Swap your usual Sunday scroll for glowing mushrooms, zombie fungi, and mind-bending nature footage that might just convince you the real internet is actually underground.Sunday
Bluegrass
The Williwaws
Let nimble banjo rolls, lively fiddle lines, and grooving bass turn your Sunday into a mini mountain getaway, no hiking boots required and no cover at the door to keep you from enjoying every last tune.Sunday
Live Music
Folk / Acoustic
Mark Winters
Swap the Sunday scaries for guitar grooves, catchy hooks, and feel-good lyrics as a touring songwriter brings NASA-level positive vibes to a cozy room full of music fans.Sunday
Monday, 4/13
History
Community Educ
History Pub
Grab a beverage, claim a seat, and time-travel without leaving your chair. A sharp historian unpacks big stories, you relax with tasty bites, and everyone leaves feeling just a bit smarter and well-fed.Monday
Trivia Night
Trivia With Geo
Bring your sharpest friend, your wildest guesser, and that one human encyclopedia, then see if Geo can finally stump you with questions you swear you once knew in seventh grade.Monday
Dance
Dance Party
Weekly West Coast Swing Dancing
Shuffle in as a newbie, glide out feeling like a pro-in-progress. With lessons, social dancing, and plenty of smiles, this Monday night might be the only time you root for a case of happy feet.Monday
Live Music
Performing Arts
Open Mic
Warm up those vocal cords, dust off that guitar, and claim your fifteen minutes of almost-certain glory. The list fills fast, the crowd is kind, and missed notes are just extra jazz.Monday
Tai Chi
Taiji & Mobility Classes
Give your joints a vacation from your chair as you glide through slow, intentional movements that quietly upgrade your balance, posture, and mood while your nervous system happily hits the reset button.Monday
Health
Lecture
Diabetes Care Corner with Cascade Health
Step away from confusing internet searches and get real guidance on diabetes from actual humans, plus practical tips you can use before you even leave your chair.Monday
Bingo
Gaming & Trivia
Bingo
Bring your luck, your friends, and your loudest bingo voice for a free night of games, happy hour sips, tasty bites, and Jen Jay dishing out prizes and laughs.Monday
LGBTQ+ Parenting
Parenting Class
Lgbtq+ Parent Group
Swap bedtime stories for real-life tales from the parenting trenches while kids enjoy snacks and activities and adults share laughs, support, and tips in a cozy LGBTQ+-affirming space.Monday
| Eugene in 1885The Baker Hotel, Lane County's oldest surviving brick hotel, opened in Eugene and was later known as the Smeede Hotel. |
Thanks for reading this edition of the Eugene Lowdown. If this helped you plan your weekend, consider sharing it with a neighbor or forwarding it to a friend who likes staying plugged into Eugene. We will keep rounding up the most useful local updates and upcoming dates. Until next time!
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