To be honest, I've been here once…read more I was eight years old and my chalk drawing of a clown was being featured. I was the star of the evening, and I basked in the rays of admiration from my followers.... I remember the Bush House vividly, like it was just yesterday that I was there. I assume that the memory is ingrained so deeply because it was the first (and last) time that anything artistic of mine was displayed in public. From what I remember the place was weird and creepy. I remember brown carpet, low ceilings, and an eery quiet that really made gazers of my clown painting uncomfortable. Perhaps I should go back some time.

It's a very nice small Art center, the art generally is for sale although out of my price range,…read morefor art I think it's quite reasonable. Came here recently to see the exhibit for the Women who've died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Located on the grounds of the historic Bush estate, the free art museum is a wonderful place to see…read moreart exhibits and installations at the Bush Barn Museum by local artists and by handmade jewelry, soap, bags, and other gifts that are all works of art in their own right. It's also where tickets can be bought to tour the grand Bush House, a museum house in Salem built 100 years ago! The park is also a lovely place to walk around and hang out.

What a wonderful surprise here at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. Really unique exhibits and even a…read morefew from seniors students at neighboring Willamette University - we must have timed it right because entry was free the day we attended! It looks deceivingly small from the outside but there are two levels and many rooms of exhibits. It also has a small gift shop at the entry.

This gallery is a treasure. They have contemporary art, indigenous art and ancient artifacts! You…read moremust visit!

My 11 year old son and I have taken many art classes from Dena. She does an amazing job helping…read moreeveryone to feel welcome in the class. She encourages you to personalize each painting with your own style. Each painting looks very much like hers, but with your personal touches. We always walk away feeling like we created a masterpiece. She is always very patient and encouraging to my son. This was his first experience with painting. She helped him to build his confidence in both his painting and in himself outside of painting. We really enjoy painting with Dena. We will continue to participate in her classes. We have created an amazing art space full of great memories at home.

Dena is such an incredible artist and an amazing instructor to those of us who have never painted…read more(and those that have)! My friend and I attended one of her classes at Firesteed Cellars in Rickreall. It was so fun and the camaraderie she creates with the students makes you feel right at home! We had a blast and now I can't wait for her private party she will be doing for me soon!

The beat of the native drum circle and jingle dresses felt like home as we entered the event…read more Helpful volunteers were identified by the T-shirt they wore bearing by brother's design. In exchange for his work, we were provided 'VIP' access that included a tent with a prime view of the main stage and refreshments to cool down in between our rounds (shout out to the friendly and attentive VIP tent volunteers). Positive energy and pride exuded throughout Riverfront park during this long standing cultural festival as groups were decked out in regalia and traditional dress in preparation for a performance. The diversity and representation witnessed as I made my way through made my heart burst with joy. Making a choice on what to eat was tough, as there were more food trucks and options than I had seen before. ChoicesI went with Flourish Spices & African Food's 'Little bit of everything' plate and added a puff puff. It included black eyed peas, plantains, chicken and fish (they were very popular and had run out of rice that was normally included). My tastebuds agreed with my selection and savored every bite of food that perfectly complemented the other. The fish was well cooked and seasoned, very easy to separate from the bones. The puff puff was a fried dough, like a cross between a beignet and a hush puppy, but savory, and was a nice addition to my meal. I only wish I would've added vegetables, but had plenty to satisfy my appetite. There were also a lot of beverage options including specialty coffees, Aqua frescas, Hawaiian ice, flavored lemonades, and a beer garden with wine, cider, and brews. Vendor booths offered everything from turban wraps, native beaded earrings, and felted hats to African braiding, henna tattoos and cultural wares. A dedicated children's area had activities to keep the littles entertained while learning. Story tellers from across the globe shared folk tales and exposed guests of all ages to other cultures. I enjoyed watching traditional dancing and performances on multiple stages throughout the venue. Dragon boat races brought a thrill from the waterway below. Acosia Red Elk, an international award winning jingle dancer and enrolled member Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, took the stage explaining the origin of her regalia and shared an inspirational message with the crowd about intentions and connection. Supaman, a Native American dancer, hip hop artist, inspirational speaker and member of the Apsáalooke Nation on the Crow Reservation, leveled up; bringing energy to the outdoor amphitheater by inviting guests up to the stage to contribute to a beat box compilation with DJ Element, throwing out CDs for crowd participation, and ending with fan favorites. The Parade of Lights awed the audience with their flaming headpieces, wings, and torches as they made their grand entry around and up to the stage while members blew conch shells. This stunning and well thought out event drew interest across Salem, selling out tickets on Saturday. Many people I spoke to had been attending, volunteering, or participating for up to 15 years. Bravo and congratulations on a truly spectacular weekend!

Solid 4 star experience. 2015 fest review…read more Located on salem waterfront admission was $5 a person $15 for entire families. It was a fun time. It was not the best world music festival I had ever been to but it was nice. 3-4 stages of performers with folk dancing performances on the grass. Lots of ethnic food options, but they need more variety as far as countries represented. We had cuisine from the Greek and the Ethiopian food stalls. Both were flavorful and we would get them again. The young lady running the Ethiopian stall must have been having a bad day because she vibrated that feeling to her customers and was very unfriendly. We enjoyed the performances. The Iraqi music Ronny and Sherzad on guitar and keyboard was our favorite. Iraqi fusion music with latin and other cultural influences. We also enjoyed the Gamelan group. If I was the planner of this fest I would put the Gamelan Group farther away from the other performances. Gamelan is quiet and they were drowned out by the taiko drumming taking place at the next stage over. My Mr. said he would have liked if all the stages were spread out a little farther as to not drown out the other performances. The people running the salem drum circle group were very friendly and we jumped right in and jammed with them. They invited me back to perform with them on stage later that day, but we had limited time so we could not take part. There were a few vendors selling their wares. Much of it was the same- skirts, scarves, tapestries,boho gear,incense, etc. A few of the booths had really reasonable prices and we scored a few things. I would have liked to have seen more of a variety of clothes and wares offered up for sale. We had fun it was not that far of a drive 45-60 min from Portland ..we will return to this festival again. Plenty of on street parking. Sunday was not crowded with just the right amount of people in attendance.

I'll start by saying it was Ifun! pretty scary for the most part, not very organized tho, the set…read moreup a little bit backwards... seemed more like a year one set up.. an event that's been going on for three years.. I would've thought by now it would've been ran a little bit smoother.. wasn't real clear where to stand in line . Like where the VIP line was& where the general admission was... and then trying to leave you're going down the same staircase, but people coming in so it's just this weird cluster of people walking over each other..also we thought it would've been cool to get more of a cell experience. like we didn't go through much of the Prison at all, didn't even get to see a cell

Yes, the lines were long... took about an hour from the start of the line to getting in... but once…read moreyou're in, you get two haunted houses back to back. The amazing location of being held in an actual old jail really added to the experience! The first one on the 3rd floor was our favorite, it was really big and had great sounds and jump scares. Not as gory as I thought but the actors really got into it and there were a lot of great scares. Definitely would recommend!

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.

I just visited downtown Salem for the first time and attended an event at the Elsinore Theater and…read moreon Stubhub, they were selling parking passes for the event, so I mistakenly bought one. (About $23 including Stubhub graft fees) It was a total ripoff unless you intended to be in Salem, maybe all day, prior to the event? What I found was ample street parking. And the meters turned off 8 p m. So there was absolutely no reason to pay twenty bucks for a parking pass in a remote lot, just to attend a Saturday Night event. Also, the lot was about maybe a mile away from the theater, which wasn't bad.Because it wasn't raining but still, I could have parked much closer and paid maybe a third that I ended up paying last night. Live and learn, I guess?

Great venue for a comedy show, dueling pianos, maybe a small play. But I don't recommend this for…read morecultural events like ballet , opera, or anything that requires staging. We saw the Grand Kyiv Ballet and felt embarrassed on behalf of the dancers: -It was about 100 degrees in there. If it's uncomfortable for the audience, how does it feel for the dancers? -They blasted funk music in the auditorium before the show and at intermission. It's the BALLET, not a comedy barn. -The stage was so small that the dancers were struggling not to run into each other. (That part was fitting for comedy barn?) -The sound of popcorn and cans being opened in the second half. Again, it's the ballet. Can this venue class it up a bit? "Grand historic"? The dancers were great but we came away with a really negative impression of this venue.

I went to the comedy show last night and they were hilarious! Laughter is such good medicine. I'm…read moreglad that the Grand was able to host them. This was my first time in the grand and it was very nice. The staff were very helpful to guide people to their seats. When you're in Salem this is a must go place!