EVENTS: Fine art festival, calligraphy demonstration and more to do in Salem this weekend
Fall weather is here and many events have moved indoors, but there’s still plenty to do in Salem. Whether you’re a music fan or looking to enjoy wine and art, here’s your guide to events for Thursday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 15.
Explore fine art
Westminster Festival of Fine Art kicks off its 34th year with an artist reception Thursday, Oct. 12, from 7-9 p.m. Enjoy wine and cheese and listen to jazz by Gail Gage Jazz. The reception and festival are free and open to the public.
The four-day festival, held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, showcases local fine artists with demonstrations, open galleries and a chance to browse and purchase artwork. The festival runs through Sunday, Oct. 15, at the church, located at 3737 Liberty Rd. S. Learn more on the church website or the event Facebook page.
Classic, and classical, music
Catch Salem Philharmonia Orchestra’s first concert of the season with two shows this weekend: Saturday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3 p.m.
“The concert begins with W. A. Mozart’s Overture to The Abduction From the Seraglio, followed by Antonín Dvořák’s symphonic poem, The Water Goblin, and ends with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s lush symphonic suite, Scheherazade,” according to an event description. The orchestra’s new artistic director, Jonathan DeBruyn, will give a pre-concert talk 45 minutes before each show.
The concerts are held at the East Salem Community Center, 1850 45th Ave N.E. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for adult students and seniors, and free for youth age 17 and under. Buy tickets online in advance or at the door.
If classic rock is more your speed, Classic Albums Live presents Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” live at the Elsinore Theatre on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The show will be a live, note-for-note performance of the album.
“We don’t dress up or wear any sort of costume. All of our energy is put into the music. We want the performance to sound exactly like the album,” said founder Craig Martin, according to an event description.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online and start at $29, increasing $5 on the day of the show.
Poke fun at Broadway
A “satirical roast” of Broadway hits comes to the Elsinore Theatre Sunday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. Join a quintet of performers for an all-new show spoofing songs from Hamilton, Frozen, Wicked, Moulin Rouge and more.
Tickets are available online in advance and start at $39. Prices increase $5 on the day of the show. The Elsinore is located at 170 High St. S.E. in downtown Salem.
Get creative
Students ages 8-15 can learn to make a zine and spooky-themed t-shirt at Creativitee, 110 Commercial St. N.E., on Friday, Oct. 13 — a statewide in-service day, meaning there’s no school.
The workshop runs from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and costs $25. Register online here.
Enjoy a window into Japanese culture on Saturday, Oct. 14, with a free origami and calligraphy demonstration and workshop starting from 1-3 p.m. For more information or to sign up, contact [email protected].
The event is held at the World Beat Gallery, 390 Liberty St. S.E., and put on by Willamette University’s international students from Japan and the Chemeketa Community College Japanese Club.
Halloween for kids at Powerland
Powerland Heritage Park continues its Halloween-themed activities every weekend through October.
Those who visit the park’s trolley car barn can take a time-traveling trip to Atlantis. “Guests are visiting the ‘Salem Time Travel Institute’ when an urgent request comes from Atlantis. The city’s shields are failing! Guests will need to deliver a time crystal in order to save the city. This is a non-scary, highly decorated and colorful experience. Kids use black lights to highlight items in the adventure,” according to Joe Tracey, the park’s marketing director.
Visitors can also pick out a pumpkin to take home, take a wagon ride pulled by a giant steam traction engine or go on unlimited trolley rides with a skeleton hunt – and anyone who finds all the skeletons will get to spin a prize wheel. The park at 3995 Brooklake Rd. N.E. will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults and $14 for kids, and they can be bought onsite or online.
Visit a gallery
Check out one of October’s art exhibits in galleries around Salem. Our roundup for the month is below.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St. has free admission all month. The museum is open 12-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for over a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
