When someone suggested the Cuthbert Amphitheater as a potential venue for the UO Cultural Forum’s 36th Annual Willamette Valley Folk Festival, coordinator Lisa Andrews had no clue what or where it was.
“‘Cuth-what?’ was my reaction,” she said. “I had no idea where it was until two months ago.”
For the first time, the University’s long-running free music jamboree left the EMU East Lawn, but by the end of the two-day festival organizers and the crowd gave mostly positive reviews.
The amphitheater, located in Alton Baker Park just west of Autzen Stadium, is largely unknown to locals, said stage manager Jimmy Purich. It seats approximately 4,500 for concerts.
“It’s a hidden gem. No one knows about it because it’s hidden in the shadow of Autzen,” he said. “It’s just a user friendly place. You want to dance, you can do it. You want to sit, you can do it. You want to plop down on the grass, you can do that too.”
Anne Borland, who graduated from the University in 1987, said she has attended the festival on and off since she first came to school. Cuthbert had both bike and car access, she said, which is an advantage.
“I like it better,” she said. “There’s no mud if it rains, and it attracts more community than campus. It showcases the city more.”
Eugene resident Jules Bankoff, who said he has attended the event for roughly 30 years, was still making up his mind about the new venue Sunday afternoon.
“I think it’s pretty good, though,” he added.
Graduate student Rachel Rothman caught last year’s folk festival on campus and attended Sunday, but she said she missed the opportunity to see smaller workshops and solo performances around the EMU.
Andrews said the Cultural Forum will solicit feedback after the event to decide if the move across the river will be permanent, but noted the space has many advantages, including permanent bathrooms, electricity for vendors and plentiful parking.
“This is a beautiful venue that’s completely under-used,” she said. “It’s good; it’s just different.”
It was also fortuitous that the Cultural Forum decided to switch up the venue this year, Andrews said, because the EMU is currently under construction.
The outdoor venue hosted more than 20 artists on two stages Saturday and Sunday, and the free show also marked a first for
Cuthbert, said Guido Batista, production manager for Kesey Enterprises, Inc. The free admission has been very different and somewhat easier than a paid admission concert, he said.
“The crowd is just so happy to be here and see some free music, rather than paying for an expensive ticket,” he said.