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.

My quest is complete with a visit to the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire, the third and final location…read morein the Oregon renaissance faire trifecta. By rights, it should have been my first stop. Shrewsbury is the oldest renaissance faire in Oregon (this was the 19th year) and it was the largest. Other things in its favor: ** It had the most vendors with the best merchandise. Although there is no cell/wifi service in the area so be prepared to pay in cash or leave your credit card info. with the vendor. ** Good joust show, held twice a day, that is a mix of skills on horseback, jousting and hand-to-hand combat. ** The best visitors and participants. Meaning that the majority of folks were in costume, especially the vendors, and it had a good educational component. The faire that I enjoy the most is still the Canterbury Faire in Silverton, held two weekends in July. It is due to a combination of factors, including the mostly shady location, my favorite joust (just the right amount of ridiculousness) and some of the entertainment. This is a close second. Bringing up the rear is the Oregon Renaissance Faire in Hillsboro. Each experience has its high and low points. The Shrewsbury and Canterbury Faires have the most crossover and definitely have their hearts in the right place. But props to Oregon Renaissance Faire for having some of the best stage shows. It just feels more like a state fair, than a renaissance experience. Today we witnessed a wedding where the officiant binds the hands of the bridge and groom (tying the knot) and watched a great joust show where the female riders bested their male counterparts in the games of skill. A few new twists including a competition to see which rider could carry a mug of 'ale' the length of the ring with the least amount of liquid spilled. The food vendors were plentiful, diverse and there were a few shady areas set up for dining. We almost missed an entire section of the faire that is relatively new. It was in a shady grove, whereas most of the faire is in the middle of a field in direct sun, so make sure you explore the entire area since this section was not well marked. Such a fun day and great people from all over the region who enjoy traveling back in time 500 years or so. Huzzah! ------------- 2014 dates - September 12 - 13th in Kings Valley, OR. Quite a drive, but a pretty one, from the Portland Metro area. A few other considerations - coupons for $1 off admission are on the website and you can pay with a credit card. No fee for parking. Festival food and drink was reasonably priced for this type of event. No pets allowed.

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.

Independence is a fun little city with a college-town feel. Western Oregon University is nearby so…read morethere are always college students around. Central High School is also located here. One of the funnest things about Independence is the 4th if July celebration! The day starts out with a fun run and a big parade, then people meander down to the riverfront to enjoy the music, food and booths. Then, when it's dark, they have a fantastic fireworks display!

Today is the biggest day of the year for the city of Independence. Of course the name should give…read morethat away. We come here almost every year for the parade and all the festivities. The parade is always fun. They have a small, I think 5k run at the beginning of the parade. Some times they have a fly over by the military. The rest of the day, they have rides, booths and lots of food down by the river front. At night, they have one of the biggest firework shows. If you haven't been, you should come and check it out. It's great fun. Our family loves it.

Had a great time at Oktoberfest this year. In my mind, Mount Angel is the one and only top quality…read moreOktoberfest around here. I've gone to others and assist us a disappointment after going to Mount Angel. I've come here every year for at least 15 years maybe longer. Thank you to the city officials for putting on such a great event.

Mt Angel Oktoberfest is a yearly event full of celebration for the harvest, as well as a 3 day…read morecelebration of the first Oktoberfest held in Munich in 1810 celebrating the marriage of King Ludwig of Bavaria. It also is a celebration of beer. This event draws thousands of visitors. This event also draws religious visitors to St. Mary's Catholic Church built in 1910, and the Mt Angel Abbey that was founded in 1882. The festival is a huge event for Mt Angel as it also draws in a lot of vendors selling handmade goods, foods and drink. There is a pavilion playing traditional German music as well as a Maypole Dance done by youngsters in full German regalia such as Lederhosen for men and Dirndl Kleid for the women. There are also car shows and military vehicles on display, a large playground area with carnival type rides for the children. Parking is difficult to find, but somehow we always manage to find a spot on the side streets or just pay to park in one of the nearby fields. There is also a free tractor pulled shuttle wagon that makes continuous rounds from the festivities up to the abbey and back. As always, the brats, corn on the cob, elephant ears.... Delicious!

We have been traveling through the area for the last week and this was, by far, our most…read moredisappointing experience. On our way here we visited multiple gardens and flower farms in Salem and the surrounding area that were completely free and FAR superior. They charge $14 per person to visit the garden and in my opinion it's not worth it. The employees we interacted with were unhelpful, unknowledgeable and apathetic but beyond the poor service, the grounds themselves were disappointing. There are dead and dying plants everywhere, shade and seating are scarce and there is very little of interest to see. If you enjoy paths and trees, visit any local park and the sites will be as good. If you love roses, visit Owen Rose Garden or if you like peonys, irises, etc there are multiple farms in the area to visit for free. Unless you love the smell of hot fertilizer and throwing your money away, this is not it. Their "Amazing" water garden consists of a few algae topped ponds. They also claim to be dog friendly but they are as dog friendly as a sidewalk. They have a tram tour that literally stopped in the walkway blocking all the walking guests from proceeding while robotically reading a speech and leaving everyone to stand there in the sun until they were done. This whole experience was just so unenjoyable. I rarely leave bad reviews and I Yelp to help others avoid my mistakes so if you are reading this, please don't waste your time or money here. There are so many other great options. Oh, and to the "Business Manager" who obligatorily responds all the unflattering reviews in an effort to appear as though customer service is important, but is ultimately condescending, it's not helping your cause, so feel free to spare us all.

So nice we visited twice over the course of the weekend! Once as guests of the Resort and the next…read morewith an WCCLS Adventure Pass. Even though the plants' condition in March leaves a lot to be desired, as not very much is coming into season yet, there was plenty to take in. The variety of landscaping/hardscaping is impressive, the views incredible, the plant collection inspiring (even my very non-aggie partner took notes on what we could possibly incorporate into our own yard). It's obvious that plenty of care and planning went into the garden spaces. Highlights for me included the conifer forest and the wetlands areas. The Lewis and Clark pathway with its stonehenge-like pillars was neat too. Each section has its own hidden treasures and spaces for reflection. Would love to come back in spring or summer to see what's changed.

We have lived in Dallas area for 17 years and had never been to the Dallas Cinema . Well it was a…read morepleasant surprise. Monday and Tuesday nights are $5 admission so we decided to give it a go. The seats are very comfortable ... as in it's possible to sit in them without having to fidget and change positions because your butt hurts. Ample room , tray tables which are moveable. Sound is pretty good , there is a decent array of food, beverages including beer, wine and cider , and the usual candy and popcorn . Staff were friendly . So for the locals this is a hiding in plain sight gem . It's worth getting off the couch and spending 2 hours enjoying a movie and patronizing a local business .

Gotta love the old school cinema feeling. Great priced food and drink options with lots to pick…read morefrom. We were so impressed to be able to get out of there for less than $20 a person for ticket and meal.

The Mount Angel Volksfest is like the kleine bruder of the town's significantly more expansive…read moreOktoberfest: a quick winter fix to hold us over on beer and sausages until autumn rolls around again. Contained entirely within the village's massive Festhalle, you'll find a handful of local vendors purveying local products, including wines, clothing, hats, foodstuffs and souvenirs. Left of the entrance, you'll find der kindercorner, where volunteers offer (free!) balloon animals and face painting for the littles, who have no idea why all the grown-ups are singing, dancing, and drinking all day long. Beers, wine and cider are available from multiple vendors right of the entrance, many of them local, including a Benedictine brew crafted by the monks of Mount Angel Abbey, just outside the town proper. Music and entertainment is provided by various local, semi-local, and internationally renowned polka bands; if you've attended even one Oktoberfest in your life, you've know what you're in for, and you've likely heard all of the songs before, likely multiple times per visit. For some, the repetition gets old; I like to call it "tradition", and just roll with it. After a few beers, your appreciation for these threadbare tunes will increase, I assure you. Zigga zagga, zigga zagga, oi Oi OI! Ein prosit! It may not be the real McCoy, but it's not meant to be: the Mount Angel Volksfest is a tiny morsel meant to whet the appetite for the glorious revels to come later in the year. For a town that prides itself on its heritage like Mount Angel, the locals rarely need a reason to break out the beer and sausages. September cannot come soon enough! But until then, strap on some lederhosen, dust off that dirndl, chow down on some of the best wurst around, and raise a glass with a cheer and a smile! Winter (and COVID?) is almost over! That's more than enough reason to celebrate! Prost! Admission is $10 for adult attendees, free for under 21s. Tokens for beverages are $1/each, with beers, ciders and wines running between 6-8 tokens. Food must be purchased separately with cash or card, and an ATM is available just inside the doors, and includes an array of sausages, pretzels, potato salad, sauerkraut, and many other Oktoberfest staples, although there didn't appear to be any schnitzel, which ought to be illegal!

Neither the best fest, nor the worst fest. It is somewhere in between…read more The 4th annual Wurstfest was held February 17 - 18 and would be a nice introduction to Mt. Angel, but certainly not a substitute for attending Oktoberfest in September. It is really a way to attract visitors to this small hamlet in the Willamette Valley during the off season. The most fascinating part for me is that it is billed as a "Mt. Angel Celebration of German Sausage," and yet my favorite sausage place in town, Mt. Angel Sausage Co., was not a vendor. I am sure there is an interesting back story there... The festival was held in the new Mt. Angel Community Center, Festhalle. Since everything was in one spot, it was easy to find the festival on Highway 214 and free parking was a snap. This is very different from Oktoberfest which pretty much takes over the entire town and has dozens of venues. Admission was $10 for adults and children were free. When you entered, you were able to select a nice wine glass, beer glass or stein as a souvenir. The vendors were an interesting mix of local businesses and smaller residential vendors that traveled to the event. My favorites were the Urban German, St. Josef's Winery and the mustard sold by the sisters from the neighboring Benedictine Monastery. But compared to the spectacle of Oktoberfest, this was an elegant, modest affair. Lots of folks dressed up in their German finery and you could purchase your own lederhosen, dirndls and hats. It was a happy festival, filled with music and a few dancers, but having been a visitor to Oktoberfest, it struck me as a pleasant footnote. Certainly not a main attraction.