Category Events

Oregon State Fair is also a huge marketplace with its own hot deals
There were multiple tents selling hot tubs at the Oregon State Fair. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) There’s an old saying about a person who’s such a good salesperson, they could sell ice to Antarctica. But what about selling a hot tub on a 96-degree day? At…

CHECK OUT: A luau, a redneck comedian, or blues music
Saturday Get a taste of island life this Saturday when Paradise of Samoa hosts a luau at the Keizer Rotary Amphitheater. The show starts at 5:30 p.m. and includes a feast of BBQ Polynesian Style Chicken, Roasted Kalua Pork, Samoan Chop Suey, Macaroni Salad, Steamed…

Too hot to handle? A Salem reporter tries her luck at a hot wing contest
Reporter Saphara Harrell competed in the Hot Mama Salsa hot wing contest at the Oregon State Fair Friday. Lollipops are used to counteract the heat from the peppers. (courtesy/Aaron Bree) Friday marked my first-ever hot wing eating contest, but it’s far from the first time…

PHOTOS: Opening day of the Oregon State Fair
12-week-old piglets flew down the race track at the fair. (Anna CK Smith/ Special to the Salem Reporter) The fair is in town and brings more than a week on nonstop activities to Salem. There are carnival rides, pig races and nightly music performances. There’s…

Historic photos of the Oregon State Fair
Several rides at the Oregon State Fair in the early 1900s. 0082.002.0022.051 (Courtesy/ Willamette Heritage Center) The Oregon State Fair is a time-honored tradition that boasts carnival rides and blue ribbons. The fair has been taking place at its current location since 1862, the year…

Thousands of entrants compete for a blue ribbon at the Oregon State Fair
Roger Williams holds up a hand-carved horn at the Oregon State Fair. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) On an overcast Wednesday morning, Roger Williams scrutinized multimedia creations in Columbia Hall at the Oregon State Fair. He spent about an hour looking at items like a miniature trailer…

CHECK OUT: The Oregon State Fair, abstract watercolor paintings or a roller derby bout
Carnival rides! Rodeos! Demolition derbies! Visitors to the Oregon State Fairgrounds will find all that and more. The Oregon State Fair kicks off this Friday and runs until Labor Day. Every day provides something new for visitors, below is a list of highlights this weekend.…

Salem comedy fan is bringing the jokes closer to home
Chad Johnson is one of the performers at Saturday’s event. (Courtesy/ Chad Johnson) Clifford Eiffler had been enjoying the local comedy scene from afar for a year before he decided to bring the laughs to his own backyard. Literally. On Saturday, he’s hosting a comedy…

CHECK OUT: A naked swim, scavenger hunt or tiny homes
Thursday The Salem Library is hosting an end of summer reading party on Thursday for kids who have completed at least 10 hours of reading. The afternoon will be filled with games, food and guest appearances from Caesar The No Drama Llama and Los Colores…
