Oregon

What you need to know about the Oregon County Fair

Published

1 year ago

June 22, 2024

What you need to know about the Oregon County Fair

The 55th annual Oregon Country Fair kicks off July 12 and tickets are already selling quickly.

The fair is touted as a celebration of art, music, earth and family where attendees are encouraged to dress with flair and let their inner child romp with glee as they wander through a fairy-like village in the forest near Veneta, about 15 miles west of Eugene.

In preparation for this year’s Mainstage lineup, officials with the OCF Administration created a playlist on Spotify titled “Official OCF 2024 Playlist.” Artists and bands include Dadweed, Haley Johnsen, Reggie Watts, Everyone Orchestra, Fruition, Robin Jackson and the Caravan, Rett Madison, Jackie Venson, TBA, Ghost-Note, Steve Poltz, Greaterkind with Lo Steele, Tolliver, Glitterfox!, and The California Honeydrops.

General information

The 55th Annual Oregon Country Fair is scheduled for July 12-14, operating 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. About 45,000 people attend the three-day event.

Tickets are sold through aftontickets.com.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Oregon Country Fair Administration building at 442 Lawrence St. in Eugene on Mondays or Tuesdays from noon to 4 p.m. until Tuesday.

General admission tickets for the fair went on sale last week for $60 each. Early bird tickets and three-day tickets for the Fair are sold out.

Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a ticketed adult. Seniors 65 and older can receive a $5 discount.

Vendors

Hundreds of artisan booths will be on-site, boasting hand-made goods like accessories, jewelry, body care, candles, ceramics and pottery, clothing and hats, rocks and crystals, woodworking, painting, instruments, leatherwork and more. Services include massages, energy work and tarot card readings.

Dozens of food booths and carts will also be available at the Fair, including the likes of drink stations for smoothies and orange juice, Cajun cuisine, hamburgers, Philly cheese steaks, pizza and calzones, falafel, empanadas, dumplings, tamales, pie, tofu, candy and more.

ODF has posted a full list of its food and vendors on its website.

Events and activities

The Oregon Country Fair has at least 17 stages this year.

A variety of musicians will take to the mainstage from rock and roll bands to solo acoustic artists. Other events range from spoken word to belly dancing to Vaudeville to gardening, arts and crafts, and more.

There are many parades throughout the day. For attendees who want to join a parade, they can visit the Dragon Lair in Chela Mela Meadow to meet Peachi the Dragon before she marches through the fairgrounds with her drummers starting at 11 a.m.

Family-friendly entertainment

Oregon Country Fair prides itself on its kid-friendly atmosphere and activities. On the Youth Stage, families can watch puppet shows, musical performances, jugglers and acrobats.

Families with children can visit Wally’s Way, a semi-supervised kid-friendly area with a playground, climbing structure, free library, and plenty of shade.

Resting areas for families will also be available at Mellow Space and Groover’s Grove featuring diaper-changing areas and shady seating to rest and let children explore various sensory activities in a safe and fairly confined area.

Transportation and Camping

Parking at the Fair costs $15 per day, per vehicle. Parking can be purchased when buying tickets through Afton Tickets or upon arrival at the fair. Carpooling is encouraged.

A free shuttle bus service from Eugene to the Oregon Country Fairgrounds will be available for visitors all weekend starting at 10 a.m. at the Lane Transit District Station at 10th Ave. and Willamette Street and at the Valley River Center northwest parking lot next to the bike bridge. The last bus leaves the fair site at 7:30 p.m.

Another shuttle service will operate Friday and Saturday between Veneta and the Fairgrounds. Visitors can find the shuttle service in Veneta at Carson Card Lock located at 25095 Jeans Road. The shuttles will depart from Carson Card Lock at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. Return trips leave the Fair at 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

There is no camping at the fair site but there are options nearby.

Neighboring campsites include Zumwalt Campground, Carefree Campground, Darling Reunion Campground, GnomeWood Camp, EZ Camp, Sol Creek Farms, and The Other Side.

What to pack for a day at the Fair

According to the Oregon Country Fair Administration, packing the following items will make your fair experience more enjoyable:

A refillable, non-glass water bottle
Backpacks, purses, and fanny packs do not have to be clear.
Sunglasses
Sunscreen and an umbrella
Comfortable shoes
Hand Sanitizer
Face Mask
A fun costume

Visit the OCF website at oregoncountryfair.org for more information.

Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@registerguard.com

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Oregon

Lake scores 16, Oregon State knocks off Montana State 67-57

Published

5 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Lake scores 16, Oregon State knocks off Montana State 67-57

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Josiah Lake’s 16 points helped Oregon State defeat Montana State 67-57 on Saturday.

Lake had eight rebounds and six assists for the Beavers (6-5). Dez White added 12 points while shooting 4 for 11, including 2 for 7 from beyond the arc while he also had five rebounds. Isaiah Sy shot 4 for 8, including 3 for 7 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points.

The Bobcats (4-7) were led in scoring by Patrick McMahon, who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds. Jeremiah Davis added nine points for Montana State.

Oregon State used a 10-2 run in the second half to build a 10-point lead at 63-53 with 2:02 left in the half before finishing off the win.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Oregon

How Oregon’s Defense Ranks Compared To James Madison

Published

17 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

How Oregon’s Defense Ranks Compared To James Madison

While the No. 5 Oregon Ducks offense has been the glue of the team’s success this season, their defense has also played a pivotal role in helping them earn a spot in the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive year.

Entering their first-round home playoff matchup against the No. 12 James Madison Dukes, Oregon aims to capitalize on defense, which is crucial in their goal of making a run at its first National Championship in program history. Oregon enters the playoff as one of the highest-ranked at-large teams behind the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Where Does Oregon’s Defense Stack Up Against James Madison, CFP Field?

Oregon outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei, left, and Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman bring down Washington running back Jonah Coleman as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite the Ducks being an overwhelming 21.5-point favorite over James Madison, according to ESPN BET Sportsbook, the first-round playoff matchup in Eugene will be a battle between two dominant defenses.

James Madison is second in the country in total defense behind Ohio State, allowing 247.6 yards per game. The Ducks’ defense is ranked No. 4 in total defense, allowing 251.6 yards per game.

Oregon’s defense has several contributors who have led the team under defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi this season, including Matayo Uiagalelei and A’Mauri Washington up front on the defensive line. Bryce Boettcher and Teitum Tuioti have also been dominant players at linebacker this season for the Ducks.

Boettcher leads the Ducks with 103 total tackles, one interception, and one sack this season. Dillon Thieneman, Brandon Finney Jr., and Aaron Flowers have been key contributors in the secondary with four interceptions combined.

MORE: Weather Concerns Begin For Oregon’s Playoff Game vs. James Madison

MORE: Three Reasons Why Oregon Could Be The Most Dangerous Playoff Team

MORE: Oregon Ducks Projected to Make Program History In 2026 NFL Draft

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When it comes to scoring defense, the Ducks are ranked No. 6 among the other 12 playoff teams, allowing 14.8 points per game.

The five playoff teams that rank above the Ducks in scoring defense include No. 2 Ohio State (8.2), No. 1 Indiana (10.8), No. 4 Texas Tech (10.9), No. 10 Miami (13.8), and No. 8 Oklahoma (13.9). Oregon’s first round opponent, James Madison, is ranked one spot below the Ducks at No. 7 in scoring defense, allowing 15.9 points per game.

Oregon’s Defense Strengths and Weaknesses

Oregon outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti, left, defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington and outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei celebrate a sack by Tuioti as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Nov. 14, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If the Ducks beat James Madison in the first round of the playoff, they’ll face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the CFP Quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. A potential matchup between the Red Raiders and the Ducks in the Orange Bowl could come down to whichever defense performs better. While Oregon’s pass defense has been dominant throughout the season, its rush defense could jeopardize the Ducks’ quest for a championship.

The Ducks rank No. 8 among playoff teams in rushing defense, allowing 107.3 yards per game. Texas Tech ranks No. 1, allowing 68.5 yards per game. The Red Raiders’ rush defense’s ability to shut down Oregon’s dominant running back trio of Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison, and Dierre Hill Jr. will be one of the biggest keys in a potential Orange Bowl matchup.

Sep 5, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; James Madison Dukes running back Wayne Knight (3) runs the ball against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

It’ll be interesting to see how Oregon’s defense holds up against a talented James Madison offense that will have a chip on its shoulder as a massive underdog. The Dukes’ offense, led by quarterback Alonza Barnett III and star running back Wayne Knight, will challenge Oregon’s defense early on, but expect the Ducks to win convincingly.

Oregon will host James Madison at Autzen Stadium to open up the CFP on Dec. 20, with the kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT. The game broadcast will be on TNT, HBO Max, and truTV.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Longtime Oregon lawmaker repeatedly broke ethics laws to secure hefty raise, commission finds

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Longtime Oregon lawmaker repeatedly broke ethics laws to secure hefty raise, commission finds

Longtime Republican lawmaker Greg Smith broke Oregon ethics laws when he used his office to try to secure a $109,000 raise for his work as executive director of an eastern Oregon economic development agency, then maneuvered to get a $66,000 pay hike and make it retroactive, the Oregon ethics commission concluded Friday.

In a unanimous vote, commissioners endorsed an investigator’s finding that Smith, the longtime executive director of the federally funded Columbia Development Authority, repeatedly failed to declare a conflict of interest and used the power of his office for personal financial gain.

Smith got his salary raised from $129,000 to $195,000 without his bosses’ authorization and directed the employee in charge of his agency’s finances that the pay hike be made retroactive to April 2024, the investigator found. When the development authority board learned of Smith’s misrepresentations, it voted in September of that year to rescind the raise, records show. But he has not repaid it, ethics commission investigator Casey Fenstermacher wrote in her report dated Thursday.

Smith now has the option to request a hearing on his case before an administrative law judge or to work with the ethics agency to reach a settlement, including any fine or other punishment. He did not take part in Friday’s hearing nor did he respond to a request for comment left with his legislative chief of staff Friday afternoon.

Staffers at the Oregon Government Ethics Commission will formally propose a settlement with Smith, including financial penalties, by early January, commission director Susan Myers told The Oregonian/OregonLive Friday. The maximum fine her agency can propose is $10,000, she said, but the nine-member state ethics commission could vote to authorize a higher penalty.

The ethics commission did just that in 2018 when it rejected an agency proposal to fine former Gov. John Kitzhaber $1,000 for ethics violations that allowed his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes, to secure lucrative consulting contracts during her time as first lady. Commissioners instead proposed a $50,000 fine and ultimately struck a deal with the four-term governor to pay $25,000.

Smith, who holds a key role on the Legislature’s powerful budget-writing committee, was elected in 2024 to a 13th term in the House, making him its longest serving member.

The ethics commission dinged him earlier this year for failing to disclose a key client of his consulting business on his required annual financial disclosure form. That client, Harney County, had paid him $7,000 a month to represent its interests at the Legislature.

In that case, Smith acknowledged the omission in his filing and later amended it. The commission closed that case, as it has other cases or incomplete financial filings, by issuing Smith a formal letter of education, Myers said.

According to the Salem Reporter, Smith is also under investigation in two other state ethics proceedings. Investigators are examining whether Smith broke the law when he claimed pay for working for the development authority at the same time he was performing private consulting work or working as a state legislator, the Salem newsroom reported.

The Columbia Development Authority, based in Boardman, is made up of several eastern Oregon governmental entities including the Port of Morrow and is in charge of redeveloping a former military base.

Once the ethics commission formally notifies Smith of its proposed settlement and his right to request a hearing, he will have 21 days to decide which option to pursue, Myers said. Nearly 99% of officials presented with that option choose to pursue a settlement, she said.

The commission normally takes into account both aggravating factors, such as the size of the financial windfall and whether the official repeatedly broke the law, and mitigating factors, such as whether an official acted on the advice of a government lawyer or quickly paid restitution, Myers said.

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