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Good morning. It's Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The forecast is officially: get out of your chair and into your community. Whether you are craving fresh trails, fresh scripts, or a fresh coat of paint on a beloved hangout, the vibe is momentum. Alright, here's today's edition of your local lowdown:
📰 LOCAL NEWS LOWDOWN
Dirt, Turns, and Big Trail Dreams
Eugene and the Eugene Parks Foundation are teaming up to turn Susan Arlie Park into a world-class place to get dusty. The Lane County site, just south of Lane Community College, is slated for about eight miles of trails, including mountain-bike-specific routes. The project has more than $4 million in support, including a $1.2 million federal grant and nearly $991,000 from state parks. Opening is targeted for October or November.
Newport Gets a Fresh Pour Plan
Newport's Bayfront is not staying quiet for long. Claim 52, the Eugene brewery led by owner Jeremiah Marsden, is taking over the former Rogue Bayfront Public House after it closed in November following a bankruptcy by Rogue's parent company. Marsden aims for an early May opening after simple updates like paint and new branding. The new spot also plans to bring familiar faces back by hiring many former Rogue staff.
Write It Fast, Then Perform It
If you have ideas and a pulse, DOTS wants you. Devising Original Theatre Springfield is hosting its fourth annual Playwright's Playground Festival on April 10-11 at The Judy, a Springfield Little Theatre education building. Teams get a secret prompt, then have 24 hours to write and rehearse an original 10- to 15-minute piece before performing for an audience. Gretchen Teague calls it "fast and furious" fun.
📆 EVENTS LOWDOWN
Friday, 3/20
Comedy Show
Atsuko Okatsuka: The Big Bowl Tour
Warm up those laugh muscles for an evening where bowl cuts, viral stories, and wildly relatable jokes collide, turning an ordinary Friday into a comedy highlight reel.Friday
Dance Party
Church of 80s
Dig out the neon, lace up the high-tops, and perfect your air guitar solos; this late-night vinyl-fueled 80s dance blowout turns nostalgia into a full-body cardio workout.Friday
Easter
Family Photo
Photos with the Bunny
Pose, smile, and try not to out-grin the kids while the Easter Bunny does its best celebrity impression in front of the camera. Cute chaos, fluffy ears, and plenty of photo ops included.Friday
Blues
Anya Lecuyer & Friends
Bring your best dance moves and your worst self-control, because once the grooves start, the blues, funk, and soul jams from this band make sitting still practically impossible.Friday
Jazz
Luke Turner Quintet
Sax soaring, keys shimmering, and drums kicking underneath a live recording session where every solo could be the take that makes the album.Friday
Video Art
Friday Night Laser Shows: Queen, Nirvana, and Grateful Dead
Crank up the nostalgia as lasers dance to Queen, Nirvana, and Grateful Dead, turning a quiet Friday into a full-color, full-volume trip through rock history.Friday
Line Dancing
Dance Party
Line Dancing Social With CLF Network!
Dust off your two left feet and turn them into at least one right one while you learn easy line dances, sip a drink, and laugh with new friends.Friday
Tattoos
Markets & Shopping
2026 Evergreen Tattoo Expo
Ink, art, and people-watching collide for three days of tattoos, trophies, and tempting flash designs that might talk you into just one more piece.Friday
Saturday, 3/21
Nightlife
Charity
Mega Dance Party: Rock the Rainbow
Swap your everyday greens for full-spectrum sparkle, hit the dance floor, snap goofy photos, maybe win a raffle, and feel good knowing your best moves are backing a great cause.Saturday
Jazz
Epiphonic
Let silky harmonies, soulful tunes, and a few surprise covers turn an ordinary night into a full-body groove session your future self will thank you for.Saturday
Kids Activities
Craft & Workshop
Felt Critters
Let the kids go wild with scissors and felt while you supervise the googly eyes. Drop in, craft a creature or two, and leave with new critters instead of new clutter.Saturday
Live Music
Karaoke
Pub Sing
Warm up those vocal cords and your laugh muscles as the whole room turns into one big sing-along, where knowing all the words matters less than having a good time.Saturday
Story Time
Family Storytime
Bring the wiggles, we will handle the stories, songs, and rhymes. Expect giggles, wobbly dance moves, and at least one enthusiastic request for just one more book.Saturday
Murals
After-Hours Urban Art Fest
Step into a library where graffiti, murals, and light shows steal the spotlight, art supplies are plentiful, and the only thing louder than the music is your creativity showing off.Saturday
Classic Rock
Mister Wizard Band
Dust off your air guitar for an evening of 80s and 90s rock anthems, dance-friendly vibes, and food truck fuel, all wrapped in a free, full-volume concert that might leave your voice a little raspy.Saturday
Gardening Class
Markets & Shopping
Eugene Spring Propagation Fair
Bring your inner plant nerd and maybe a tote bag or three. You could walk in empty handed and stroll out plotting an orchard, a seed library, and a summer so full of produce your neighbors hide.Saturday
Sunday, 3/22
Live Music
Performing Arts
Open Mic with Amblin
Warm up your vocal cords and that one song you kind of know; this Sunday night mic lets you test it out in front of friendly strangers instead of your very confused houseplants.Sunday
DIY Workshop
Family & Kids
Mermaid Jewelry Trays
Swap screen time for seashell vibes as you glue, arrange, and bedazzle a tiny ocean treasure tray. Warning: may trigger sudden urges to hum show tunes and organize all your favorite trinkets.Sunday
Performing Arts
Eugene Opera Chorus in Concert
Warm up your applause hands for a full hour of goosebump-worthy opera choruses, sung by hometown voices and priced at everyone's favorite ticket level: free.Sunday
Musical Theater
Camelot: The Small Cast Version
Knights, romance, and re-orchestrated showtunes ride into town in a compact production that trades giant sets for bold performances and armors you with goosebumps.Sunday
Bingo
Charity
Bingo! Bingo! Bingo!
Grab a dauber, grab a snack, and get ready to yell bingo while doing good. It is two hours where friendly rivalry, tasty bites, and local giving all share the same table.Sunday
Karaoke
Charity
Karaoke Fights Cancer Round 5
Warm up those vocal cords, channel your inner rock icon, and belt out karaoke hits while every high note helps raise money in the fight against cancer.Sunday
Food & Drink
Pop-Up Shop
Hadleys Kitchen Pop Up
Skip the frozen aisle and meet your new carb crush: warm sourdough, chewy bagels, and jumbo muffins that basically count as breakfast and dessert in one.Sunday
Monday, 3/23
Ballroom Dance
Dance Party
West Coast Swing Dancing
Leave Monday on read and answer the call of the dance floor instead. Learn some smooth West Coast moves, rotate partners, laugh at missteps, and glide out the door feeling far cooler than you walked in.Monday
Film Screening
Family Movie
Movies in the Market
Pack your coziest layers and your fiercest snack game as Market Alley turns into a free big-screen backyard, minus the yard. Movies, munchies, and zero living-room clean up required afterward.Monday
Easter
Dog Event
Pet Night With The Bunny
Let your pet strike a pose while the Bunny works the camera. Expect wiggly noses, wagging tails, and at least one outtake worthy of the family group chat.Monday
Gaming & Trivia
Cribbage!
Count fifteens, slide pegs, and swap stories as you chase that perfect hand and a few new friends at the same time.Monday
Live Music
Nightlife
Open Mic
Tune up, jot down three songs, and step into the spotlight for a night where set lists are short, applause is generous, and even the nervous first-timers leave grinning.Monday
Creative Writing
Cont Education
Shut Up & Write! Eugene
Escape your laundry, open your notebook, and sit among kindred word nerds for a quiet writing sprint followed by friendly chatter about process, progress, and all those characters misbehaving on the page.Monday
Active
Rock Climbing
Beginner's Rock Climbing
Skip the treadmill and spend two hours defying gravity instead, with staff on hand to show you the ropes and gear waiting at no extra cost.Monday
 | Eugene in 1861Eugene's first major recorded natural disaster was the Great Flood, part of a massive flood throughout the Willamette Valley. |
Thanks for reading. The community is clearly in its "let's make it happen" era, and we are happily along for the ride. If this edition made you smile or sparked an idea, send it to someone who likes local wins and good hangs. Please share the newsletter, and we will be back soon.
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