I love the state fair. admission for seniors is only three dollars, which makes getting old almost…read moreworth it. There are lots of free things to enjoy such as the table, setting competitions, the vegetable competitions and so on. I love the diced cream at the Oregon dairy women booth, which has been there forever. A real Oregon institution. Not to mention the bunnies, pigs, goats, and horses.

I have loved the fair every year I've came. The food is amazing.(Classic fair food, what not to…read morelove??) Animals are adorable, and the rides are the absolute bomb. There are only two reasons why this is not a 5-star experience. Size of Bracelet Soda cups- You can buy a special fair bracelet, which includes unlimited rides, 3 games, and a medium drink. I had this happen last year: You see the 3 drink sizes on the ordering counter, but what they give you is NOT the medium drink. I don't think it's even 8 ounces. Alien UFO ride- This ride spins so fast while closed off, it feels like you are glued to the walls. I got stuck behind where it specifically says "Do not go beyond this point" because you could get hurt if you did. I couldn't move at all, and I was afraid that I would get hurt. Fair has been great and can't wait to go back next year!

Northern lights is a local treasure, it's relaxing, good food at incredible prices, special events…read moreincluding Closed caption and sensory friendly showings. They often have raffles, bathrooms are gender neutral with full doors help opposite gender caregivers and gender diverse individuals privacy.

The theater itself is great. You buy your ticket before hand, the matinee prices are good and I…read morereally appreciate that you have leg room and an easy enter and exit. They always have a beer I like so that's another big plus. The food mediocre and often a bit slow. It was better before Covid and the shut down. For some reason they feel the need to remove things from the menu during certain times of the year, which I notice because they are my favorite items. I appreciate that they have specials and although I don't think they are usually very good I'm glad they try. The popcorn is good. If they had a deep fryer it would transform their business. Just say'n. Update: I went there again last weekend and I highly recommend the pizza. I think it's the best thing on the current menu. Mostly I'm happy they exist as I like having a theater close by so I forgive the food, but might go more often if it was better.

What a beautiful old theater in downtown Salem, Oregon. The Elsinore is a lovely reminder of the…read moreglitzy and glamorous days gone by, and I'm here for it! Thank you to everyone in the community who has done their part to maintain this jewel over the years. The theater boasts a grand lobby with lots of space for concession and merch lines. There doesn't seem to be the bottleneck one often sees at older venues such as this. The seats are spacious and comfortable in the auditorium, and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the house in terms of sight lines and visibility. The balcony doesn't hang so far over the main level that folks in the back feel claustrophobic. I've sat in multiple locations on this level and was pleased with each of my seats. The stage is mid-sized, however, it's beautifully framed by golden architectural detail that helps it seem far more grand. And the acoustics are such that sound travels nicely throughout the auditorium. Visitors can make use of street parking throughout downtown, with free parking after 6 PM. There are also several large, paid parking lots in the vicinity as well.

This theatre is beautiful! Parking in parking garage nearby is easy and close and there are food…read moreand bars options nearby. The staff and volunteers at the theatre were all really kind and friendly and the music sounded good! Check out the lovely art and stained glass while you're there. Beautiful historic building. My only complaint has nothing to do with the theatre itself, but the crowd... no one stood or danced for an amazing band (Sierra Hull) which is awkward and weird to me.

The Pavilion is extremely well built! Security puts you through a main entrance, there is so much…read morespace for dancing or performers on the floor. The stage is a little on the small side but the screens are large enough that you can sit anywhere and see just fine whatever is happening. There are ramps and stairs everywhere so you have your options when you need to get about, you are not going to be stuck. The hall has a variety of vendors with fair prices, but I am sure they vary by event. The whole place was clean, nothing felt dirty or neglected. Ladies.....I went to an even with over 1000 people and didn't have to wait in line for the bathroom! Just walked straight in! So many stalls, it was like lady heaven. I would definately return for any event being held here.

I've done a painting class and attended craft club. Both experiences were great! I had fun and got…read moreto create something that I loved.

Took a painting class at Vortex Pub and Eatery. Loved it! Great 2 hour+ social activity with the…read moreGal-Pals. The instructor was a hoot and she made it pretty much idiot proof... there were 30 non-artists and not one bad painting in the end - some versions were AMAZING! Highly reccommend! Note: arrive early and sit toward the middle so you can hear the instructor.

The Salem Art Fair has been a staple a Salem summers for years. The art is impressive and moving…read morethe stage out from under the oak trees was a good decision. However, I wish the booths for individual artists were still under the shade of the trees and the food options are disappointing. The addition of Gilgamesh Brewing is promising, but I think bringing in food trucks, or some new vendors, could provide better options.

There was a time that I really loved attending the annual Salem Art Fair. It was when I was a kid…read more Set amongst the beautiful shady trees at Bush Park, it was a nice summer time activity that didn't result in heat exhaustion. My mother and I used to always go together and get the delicious chocolate and almond dipped ice cream bars. It was fabulous. Then, after several years of not visiting, I finally went summer of '09 since I now live within walking distance (parking is a nightmare). What a shock. Just shock. At least half of the artists aren't even from Oregon, let alone the Salem area. There were people as far away from Colorado and Arizona slinging their "art" for rip off prices. Yeah, I said rip off. Look, I understand that art may take time and that these people might do this as a living. That's not my problem. As a consumer and a customer, I refuse to believe that the salt and pepper shakers they painted took so much time and effort that they warrant that $90 price tag. Am I an idiot? No. In addition to the above rip-off, the Salem Art Association will now be charging admission to "enjoy" the fair. They believe that "it's a good deal.... and $5 isn't that much money..." You're right, it's not a great deal of money, but that really isn't the point. It's a craft fair, not a museum. It's purpose is to allow patrons to purchase art, not rip people off. But I can't be too harsh, can I? The SAA reports that they ONLY made $215,000 on last years art fair. Boo hoo hoo. They also further justify this $5 fee by claiming that this art fair is one of the best in the country. I don't know the source of this information, but considering what a dump Salem is, I have a hard time believing it. Gah! Just another reason to avoid Salem.

We go to lots of haunted houses each year and this one was a big let down. Very little decorations,…read morenot a lot of scarers. Those that were there did more of the yell type scaring and less of the acting scaring. Or they said, "keep moving" and no scaring. They let us in every 20 sec so we were stacked. We bought VIP tickets to jump the lines. This also lets you go back through. When we finished all the haunts we decided none of us liked it enough to go again. Parking cost $10 in addition to tickets. Not worth it at all.

I love anything Halloween, but I must admit, I have never seen an event quite like this before. If…read moreyou've ever watched a classic 1980s Halloween movie, where they have a stereotypical, but classy Halloween festival, that is exactly the same vibes that I got from this place! Good job on coming up with such a creative idea! Parking was pretty close to the entrance, but be warned that they charge $10 per car just like during the fair. After going through a metal detector and bag check, they have vendors inside a building selling various things, although some were not Halloween related, and kind of seemed out of place. They did have a cool reptile exhibit as well. Outside, the area is nicely decorated with Halloween style lights hanging overhead, and a really realistic looking cemetery. At first I thought the fairgrounds actually had a cemetery as the old, church looking building in the background and tombstones throughout made it look like its always been there. The haunted houses are located inside an older looking building. There were three of the haunted houses inside the building and a fourth outside. Each haunted house has a separate entrance, which was a little hard to figure out how to go into each one at first. The lines were pretty long when we arrived, but they seemed to move pretty fast. I don't think we waited in line more than an hour in total. They have some really well themed sets, with cool looking props. Each haunted house has a different theme, so the sets all seem to work well with each one. The distorted haunted house did not many decorations, but it felt more of a traditional haunted house with jump scares, strobe light effects, and lots of actors. The doll factory one was very well put together and had an eerie vibe to it, along with creepy music, that I can still hear playing in my head. The staff was doing a great job scaring and directing people. We kept watching group after group run out of the haunted houses holding their chest, screaming, or laughing as they exited. Overall, I am so happy that this place is in my hometown! I can see this thing becoming huge in the next few years with all the space that seems to be around the entrance and sides where they can easily grow year-after-year. I will definitely be back next year and I will bring more people with me!

Neil loves his dark beer. Dry Town was out of dark on tap but they came up with a Guiness for him!…read moreSo happy. And served with a smile.

First time at DTTS on Fri. Live music definitely a plus. Went back Sat for Sal and the Salamanders…read more Awesome time. Dancing is permitted. One of the best places in the PNW where you can get a crafted cocktail that hits every time. Bar staff are friendly. It is a family friendly place with 3 food carts. My fav is the chicken cart. Tater tots were really good.