While the upcoming weekend marks the transition between Dead Week and the rigors of Finals Week, some University-sponsored events are taking place to distract students from their studies.
Textile Fest
The University Student Fibers Guild is sponsoring showings of the extended cut of all three “Lord of the Rings” movies: “The Fellowship of the Ring” at 6 p.m. Friday, “The Two Towers” at 4 p.m. Saturday and “The Return of the King” as part of a textile analysis film festival at 4 p.m. Sunday. The films will be shown in 177 Lawrence Hall, which seats 250 people. Admission is free, and snacks will be provided.
The event will pay special attention to the use of hand-made textiles in the movies’ costumes. Guild members have prepared reports analyzing the construction of the costumes.
The University Student Fibers Guild will also be collecting donations for local charities and their volunteer projects, which include knit items for
battered women, premature babies and Marines serving in Afghanistan.
The University Student Fibers Guild is a student-run organization devoted to the propagation of fiber-related arts, including knitting, weaving, needlework and wool spinning. For more information on the group, consult its Web site at www.geocities.com/uohandweavers.
Card-making
There will be a free presentation on card-making from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday in the basement of the University Bookstore. Local artist and Lane Community College instructor Nichol Rauch has experience in forms of paper art, including origami, calligraphy and bookbinding. She will share examples of her work and offer tips on using the bookstore’s selection of specialty art papers.
“She’s really good at ferreting out stuff and showing people what’s available,” said bookstore workshop/studios coordinator Christopher Smith.
The workshop is in conjunction with a sale at the bookstore, where all items are discounted 20 percent.
Concerts
Several University musical ensembles will wrap up the term with concerts open to the public. The Oregon Jazz Ensemble and two jazz lab bands kick off the weekend with a concert at 8 p.m. on Friday at Beall Concert Hall. Admission is $3 for students and seniors and $5 for the general public.
The Repertoire Singers and Campus Band will perform at Beall Concert Hall at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. The Repertoire Singers, conducted by Lauren McGuire, specialize in Renaissance-era music and folk songs. The Campus Band is directed by Erica Drake, and the program includes works by 20th century composers.
On Sunday at 12 p.m., the University Percussion Ensemble will perform in room 198 of the music building. The ensemble, directed by Sean Wagoner, is one of two percussion ensembles at the music school and focuses on traditional percussion pieces.
At 5 p.m. on Sunday, the University Gospel Ensembles will give a concert at Beall Concert Hall. The gospel ensembles, directed by Cedric Weary, will perform traditional holiday music in addition to gospel music. Admission for both Sunday concerts is $3 for students and seniors and $5 for the general public.

Eva Sylwester is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald