Eugene weekly., June 30, 2016, Page 12, Image 12

Welcome to
EUGENE
I
f you’ve come for the Oregon
Country Fair (July 8-10), the Or-
egon Bach Festival (June 23-July
10) or the 2016 U.S. Track and
Field Olympic Trials (July 1-10),
welcome to the Eug. If you already
live here, well, welcome to some
bigger crowds around town than we
might be used to and a reminder that
we live in a pretty nice place.
In addition to our annual State of
Suds beer issue, here’s a short guide
to eats, walks around town and local
arts and culture. If you are a visitor,
come check out what we have to
offer, and if you’re a Eugenean, then
it’s time to check out one of those
places you always say you will go to
but never have. — EW Staff
Eugene: ArtsTown USA
K ESE Y SQUA RE
By Rick Levin and Alex V. Cipolle
THE COMMONS
Every good city needs a strong, vibrant public space, and
Kesey Square — located in the heart of downtown Eugene
at Broadway and Willamette — is ground zero for the open
interaction of a metropolis and its community. On any given
day, the red brick plaza of Kesey Square (named for its iconic
statue of legendary local author Ken Kesey) is bustling with
food carts, street musicians and folks just passing through, from
local business people to shoppers to skateboarding youth. From
5:30 to 8 pm Friday, July 1, the city will host live music and
dancing with Calango, a Brazilian jazz band, all in celebration
of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials as well as the
summer games in Brazil. On Saturdays, head north a block to
the famous Saturday and Farmers markets.
GET CLASSY
Now in its 47th season, the world-famous Oregon Bach
Festival runs June 23-July 10 at Eugene’s Hult Center as well
as the beautiful Beall Concert Hall on the University of Oregon
campus. This summer, Oregon Bach Festival’s theme could
have been “Generations.” The fest features a father-and-son
team, Jeffrey and Gabriel Kahane; leaders of two generations
of historically informed Baroque violin, Monica Huggett and
Rachel Podger; old and new music from Baroque and early
Romantic masters to contemporary composers; veteran visitors
conductor Anton Armstrong, pianist Robert Levin and organist
Paul Jacobs; as well as today’s rising stars, including OBF
artistic director Matthew Halls and tomorrow’s musical leaders,
with the Youth Choral Academy, Berwick Academy and more.
For a schedule of concerts, tickets and further information, visit
oregonbachfestival.com.
CONCRETE PARADISE
Close your eyes and listen: The continuous buzz and grind
of trucks biting the paved surface sounds like some glorious
machine of perpetual motion. Open your eyes, and you behold
a swarm of human activity — zooming bodies crisscrossing
in space, as one boarder goes airborne and another perches on
the berm, greedy to drop into the bowl. This is Eugene’s new
WJ Skatepark + Urban Plaza, located in the Whiteaker
neighborhood beneath the I-105 bridge between Jefferson
Street and First Avenue. Dreamed up by a group of skaters who
petitioned the city for a new park, and a decade in the making,
this $2.5-million carnival of concrete is a shredder’s dream,
offering features like a drop pool, iconic ribbon and mini snake
run, along with oodles of rolling plains and steep terrain that
accommodate everyone from beginners to pros. At 23,000
square feet and open to the public from 6 am to 1 am, this is the
sort of egalitarian public space that appeals to everyone.
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June 30, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com