Each year during the second weekend of July, nearly 45,000 people flood to the fairgrounds in Veneta, Oregon – a small town west of Eugene – to attend the ever-enchanted Oregon Country Fair.
The three-day fair, taking place this year during July 8-10, is an artistic smorgasbord of recreation. From local artistry and tasty treats to interactive events like yoga and meditation, the Oregon Country Fair has much to offer.
Expect to see captivatingly wacky outfits, copious amounts of body paint, people atop high stilts, upbeat dancing and overall constant activity.
Originally called the Renaissance Fair when it was founded in 1969, the Oregon Country Fair has been a developing non-profit organization that provides philanthropic support to a variety of communal needs.
The 446 acres of land, shaded by luscious canopies of leaves, are home to 18 unique stages that cater to a wide range of people. Whether it’s an upbeat musical performance like this year’s Afrolicious, a vaudeville circus act or a lighthearted puppet show, there is a stage for everyone.
Throughout the forested fairgrounds, endless nooks and booths border the main pathways. Kaleidoscopes, marbles, snow globes and paintings are among the hundreds of unique treasures to be discovered.
Among the fair’s many local artisans, jewelry makers Scott MacDonald and Rebecca Bashara will be hosting a booth at the fair for the seventh year in a row. Their work epitomizes the beauty of nature through found stones and intricate metalwork.
“The fair really is a place where people can come and share their crafts and comingle, and the public gets to experience the vitality of that,” MacDonald said. “It’s super contemporary, it’s alive; it has history, but it’s growing.”
The Oregon Country Fair is also renowned as a collaborative and friendly learning space. For example, University of Oregon Professors Stanley Micklavzina and Raghu Parthasarathy have held physics demonstrations at the fair since 2005.
“The OCF appealed to me because of the creativity at the fair,” said Micklavzina. “Showing the physics principles behind light, colors, sound and music in an entertaining way is always the goal.”
The professors now host an annual physics booth where they present small and interactive scientific experiments. You can find them this year at Energy Park.
The Oregon Country fair has an impressive repertoire of activity. But perhaps most significantly, it remains a heartfelt and enchanted community brimming with positivity and zeal. The fair encourages togetherness as well as healthy growth, exploration and provides a space where everyone is welcome.
Ticket prices range from $24-33 daily. They can be purchased online, or at the University of Oregon ticket office in person or over the phone.
Visit the Oregon Country Fair’s official website for a comprehensive schedule or to plan transportation to and from the event.