This week in Salem, watch cross-cultural dances and rope tricks at Viva Salem, meet Clifford the Big Red Dog at the Gilbert House Children’s Museum or sharpen your writing skills at a fiction writing workshop.
Here’s the lineup of Salem events for the week from Thursday, Sept. 26, to Wednesday, Oct. 2. Browse all of Salem Reporter’s events coverage here.
*Starred events are free to attend, although they may include ticketed components or a suggested donation.
Viva Salem
*Saturday, Sept. 28: At Riverfront Park, attend Viva Salem, a festival filled with Hispanic cultural activities, performances and food. Hosted during Hispanic Heritage Month, Viva Salem offers entertainment all afternoon long, including cross-cultural and folkloric dances, rope tricks, and a variety of music.
Between 12-6 p.m., people can watch or listen to performers, or enjoy free family-friendly activities, browse vendors and attend cultural clay workshops. Salem Reporter previewed this year’s festival.
People interested in volunteering for Viva Salem can complete an online application and email it to [email protected].
Storybook character adventure
Friday, Sept. 27: Spend an evening of fun at the Gilbert House Children’s Museum and hang out with Cat in the Hat, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Bluey. The museum will host special story times, crafts and photo opportunities and autographs with beloved storybook characters.
The event is a fundraiser for the Early Learning Hub’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a service that provides easy access to free books for children ages 0-5. People are encouraged to wear costumes to the fundraiser, which is from 6-8 p.m. The event is open to all ages. Tickets range from $20 to $60.
West Coast car stereo finals
*Sunday, Sept. 29: Jam in the ear plugs and turn up the bass because the loudest car stereos around will be showcased at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center for the 2024 IASCA West Coast Satellite World Finals SPL on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event includes finalists from the West Coast, and the public is invited to enter their own car stereos for a secondary competition after the main event. Admission is free and parking costs $5 per vehicle. To register to compete in the stereo competition please visit the IASCA website.
Live music, comedy, improv and other entertainment
Infinity Room, 210 Liberty St. S.E. #150
Thursday, Sept. 26: Comedian Jamie Shriner is what would happen if Bo Burnham and Jenna Marbles were cryogenically frozen together in a pair of cat lady glasses. Jamie uses humorous original songs to discuss her hearing loss and mental illness, as well as her struggles with body image, womanhood, and being queer in conservative Indiana where she grew up. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door.
Friday, Sept. 27-Saturday, Sept. 28: “Leave Your Troubles at The Door” is a stand-up comedy showcase hosted by Chris Hudson at 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Audience members write their problems down on pieces of paper, put them in a box before the show and then many of the best & up-and-coming comedians from the Pacific Northwest and beyond take on those issues with their on-the-spot jokes. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
Saturday, Sept. 28: A lineup of “killer” local comedians takes the stage for the comedy showcase, “Slay ‘Em.” Available for all ages, but the local “raw talent” will present a show with material that will not be clean. The show starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
Grand Theatre, 187 High St. N.E.
Thursday, Sept. 26: Sing along to pop star Taylor Swift’s hits and deep cuts, joined by the Low Bar Chorale, a Portland band dedicated to singing classics from the seventies to the present. Songs from throughout Taylor Swift’s career will play. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are $15, day of are $20.
Friday, Sept. 27: Comedian AJ Wilkerson brings his “Get in the Van” comedy tour to the Grand Theatre at 8 p.m. From Florida, AJ Wilkerson produced a YouTube special, “Captain Autism,” with producer Kevin Smith. The 21+ show costs $25 ahead of time, $30 the day of. Tickets online.
Saturday, Sept. 28: Country singers and bands come together again for a “takeover” performance in Salem. The Oregon Opry is joined by country singers Jacob Weldon, Emily Love and The Highliners and William Surly. All ages are welcome to attend the show, which starts at 7 p.m. Tickets online are $15 and $20 the day of the show.
Other venues
Thursday, Sept. 26: Delgani String Quartet performs “A World of Music” in concert with Eugene Ballet and didgeridoo master Stephen Kent. The program features music by Dvořák, Osvaldo Golijov, Jessie Montgomery, Zhou Long, Wynton Marsalis, Peter Sculthorpe, and Gabriela Lena Frank. Show at 7:30 p.m. at the Chemeketa Community College theater auditorium, 4000 Lancaster Dr. N.E. Building 6. Tickets $30 general admission, $10 for students and free for age 12 and under.
Live theater and cinema
Salem Cinema, 1127 Broadway St. N.E.
Thursday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 28: “Paul McCartney and Wings: One Hand Clapping,” a David Litchfield film about how the band found its signature sound, will play at Salem Cinema. The Thursday show will be at 7:30 p.m., and the Saturday show will be at 6 p.m. Tickets $15 in advance or $18 the day of the show.
Sunday, Sept. 29: Matthew Bourne’s dance adaptation of “Edward Scissorhands” will play at Salem Cinema, 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 the day of the show.
Classes and workshops
*Friday, Sept. 27: Teens in middle and high school interested in science, technology, engineering, art and math are invited on Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. to create a light-up twirlycopter using circuit tape among other activities. Materials are provided and no sign-up is necessary. The event will be held at the main library at 585 Liberty Street S.E. More information is available online.
*Saturday, Sept. 28: Get a vision screening or balance assessment, no matter your age, at Salem Health’s Falls Prevention Fair. The fair will offer a variety of resources for people to learn about the dangers of falling as you get older, specifically for people 65 years and older. Resources such as motion sensor hallway lights and recipes to boost bone health will also be available at the event. The fair will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Community Health Education Center at Salem Hospital, 939 Oak St. S.E., Building D.
*Saturday, Sept. 28: Aspiring novel writers are invited to the Salem library at 585 Liberty Street S.E. on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for a fiction writing workshop led by fiction book coach Erin Radniecki. The free workshop focuses on developing a story idea for a fiction book and advanced registration is required. Registration opens at 1 p.m. on Sept. 7. More information is available online.
Saturday, Sept. 28: Criminologist and renowned serial killer expert Dr. Scott Brown delves into the psychological profiles of prolific murderers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. Dr. Brown also explains why people find the investigation into serial killers intriguing and fascinating. There will be a Q&A session at the end of his talk. His presentation starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St. S.E. Tickets cost between $35 and $75.
Saturday, Sept. 28-Sunday, Sept. 29: The Keizer Art Association is holding an intensive two-day class on watercolor over colored pencil. It will be at the Keizer Art Association Studio, 980 Chemawa Rd. N.E. in Keizer. The workshop goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. It costs $160 for members and $180 for non-members. Register online.
Markets and shopping
Friday, Sept. 27: A pop-up market highlights Salem’s local food and beverage businesses at Chemeketa Community College’s Agricultural Complex. One of the pop-up booths is a West African food supplier, Flourish Spices, which Salem Reporter recently spoke with. This will be the market’s second year at Chemeketa, 4000 Lancaster Dr. N.E., and is run by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network and SEDCOR, an economic development nonprofit in Salem. The market runs from 3-6p.m.
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 market ends for the year at the end of October.
The Saturday Market is 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 865 Marion St. N.E. The Saturday Market ends in late October.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. The Monday market ends for the year on Sept. 30.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore is working as a reporter at Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden internship program. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
