In the first week of August, Salem will host a family resource fair, a catty film festival and a free lesson on canning food.
Here’s a guide to what’s happening in Salem from Thursday, Aug. 1, through Wednesday, Aug. 7.
Family Fest
*Aug. 3: Riverfront Family Fest returns to Riverfront Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., put on by Family Building Blocks. The event draws thousands each year and includes over 60 community booths sharing health, safety and community resources. There will also be free kids activities, treats, a picture booth, crafts and food for purchase at food trucks.
Car shows
Aug. 3: The Salem Jeep Fest is coming to the Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center’s Picnic Grove on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free with a $5 parking charge per vehicle. The event includes a car show full of Jeeps, vendors, a tire course, food, music and a children’s area.
Also on Saturday, exotic car lovers should put the Es Fest Car Show on the calendar. The event runs from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center. The show includes Japanese, European and domestic cars from the Northwest. The event takes place in the Jackman Long Building. Tickets for the show cost between $10 and $65, and can be purchased online. Parking is $5 per vehicle.
Community health fair
*Aug. 2: Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic will host a community health fair at Lancaster Family Health Center, 255 Lancaster Dr. N.E., from 2-6 p.m. The event includes free immunizations, well child checks, food, drinks and activities. There will also be sports physicals for $10. Bringing insurance information and vaccination history is helpful but not required for the clinic.
Steam Up
Aug. 3-4: Powerland Heritage Park’s Great Oregon Steam Up returns for its second weekend. The event includes historical demonstrations of blacksmithing, threshing and saw-milling; family activities and the Parade of Power daily at 1:30 p.m., featuring steam traction engines, vintage tractors, classic cars and fire engines. The event is located at 3995 Brooklake Rd. N.E.
“The Great Oregon Steam-Up is more than just an event; it’s a living, breathing showcase of our state’s rich agricultural and industrial heritage,” said Joe Tracy, marketing director for Powerland Heritage Park, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to offer families and history enthusiasts a chance to step back in time and experience the ingenuity of past generations.”
Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for youth ages 13-17 and free for kids 12 and under. See a full schedule and buy tickets on the event website.
First Friday Art Walk
Aug. 2: Friday evening, the Salem Art Walk will turn downtown into a hub of local art, live music and pop-up shows. Local businesses will participate with special events from 5-8 p.m.
Live music, comedy, improv and local performances
Infinity Room, 210 Liberty St SE #150
*Aug. 1: Music and poetry open mic night comes to Infinity Room, 7-10 p.m. All-ages, no cover. Sign up beginning in person at 6:30 p.m. Tickets and information for all Infinity Room shows is available on the venue’s event page.
Aug. 2: Live music: Flashbang (rock ‘n’ roll from Salem), Squids and Pretty Suspect (post-hardcore/pop punk/emo from Eugene). Show at 8 p.m., tickets $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets and information for all Infinity Room shows is available on the venue’s event page.
Aug. 3: Live music: The Doug Fury’s (Salem-based punk rock), Tigers on Opium (Portland-based heavy psychedelic), and Grand Head (Salem-based doom punk). Show at 7 p.m., tickets $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets and information for all Infinity Room shows is available on the venue’s event page.
Live theater and cinema
Aug. 1-4: Theatre 33 closes its summer season with “Gone” by Lolly Ward. A will provides peace of mind as four stepsiblings divide their anticipated inheritance with generosity, suspicion and greed. Shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets free with a suggested $15 donation, and the show will be in the M. Lee Pelton Theatre at Willamette University, 900 State St.
Aug. 2-5: CatVideoFest returns to Salem Cinema, bringing a curated collection of “kooky kitty videos” to the big screen in a fundraiser for Salem Friends of Felines. Friday and Saturday at 3 p.m., Sunday and Monday at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $11, and the theater is located at 1127 Broadway St. N.E.
*Aug. 2, 9: Salem’s First Congregational Church concludes its climate film festival with “Kiss the Ground” on Aug. 2 and “2040” on Aug. 9. Screenings of climate-focused films are at 7 p.m. and followed by a discussion group. Free and open to the public, at 700 Marion St. N.E.
*Aug. 3: Theatre 33 will have its final pop-up stage reading with “Wife of Headless Man Investigates Her Own Disappearance.” The new play follows a woman with memory loss who discovers her husband is dead. The show is at 2 p.m.in the M. Lee Pelton Theatre at Willamette University, 900 State St.
Aug. 6: “Sunflowers: The Mystery of Van Gogh’s Greatest Masterworks” will play at Salem Cinema. The film goes below the surface to answer questions about the painter’s famous works. The show is at 6 p.m., and tickets are $15 in advance or $18 the day of the event. The theater is located at 1127 Broadway St. N.E.
Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27: Catch the musical “Oliver” under the stars in Riverfront Park. Chemeketa Community College puts on the play Tuesday evenings starting at 8 p.m. at the Gerry Frank Amphitheater. Audiences can bring blankets, low-profile chairs and picnic meals to watch the show. Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 for students and seniors.
Aug. 7: “Squaring the Circle,” a documentary about the creative geniuses behind the album art design studio Hipgnosis, will show at Salem Cinema. The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $11. The theater is located at 1127 Broadway St. N.E.
Classes, workshops and lectures
Aug. 2, 9, 16: Families can learn about Salem’s Indigenous residents, the history of the Oregon Territory and more in a series of weekly summer classes offered on Fridays at the Willamette Heritage Center at 1313 Mill St. S.E. Tickets are $10 per person. More information and a full schedule is here.
Aug. 3: Have you ever wondered how to get into canning? The Salem Public Library will show you how for free during the Home Canning How-To event on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Anderson A and Anderson B rooms at the main library location. The workshop is on a first-come, first-seated basis and is open to adults.
Aug. 6: If your kids are interested in exploring Oregon’s underwater environments, the Salem Public Library is hosting the Journey Under the Sea Science Exploration event for kids in kindergarten to fifth grade. The event is on Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and takes place in Story Room A and Story Room B at the main library. The free event involves hands-on science learning about kelp forests, reefs, and will inspire kids to protect Oregon’s ocean habitats.
Aug. 7: Yoga + Beer returns to the Riverfront Park amphitheater. The hour-long yoga class in the park will be followed by a trip downtown to support downtown restaurants. Registration is online, and classes are pay-what-you-can with a suggested $5-10 donation.
Markets and shopping
Every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. is the Salem Public Market at 1240 Rural Avenue S.E.
Salem Community Markets will bring local produce, food and products to various places throughout the city all week.
The Wednesday Chemeketa Market runs from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Chemeketa Community College Agricultural Hub at 4000 Lancaster Drive N.E.
The Thursday West Salem Farmers Market runs from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at 1260 Edgewater St. N.W.
The Saturday Market is 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 865 Marion St. N.E.
The Monday Hospital Market will be 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Salem Hospital’s campus, 875 Oak St., between building A & C.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
