Eugene Celebration Marked 25th Anniversary in 2007
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The annual Eugene Celebration has no hidden agendas – it’s all about having fun.
“It’s sort of a grand-scale block party with the purpose of bringing the people of Eugene together just for fun,” says Leona Laurie, Eugene Celebration coordinator. “It reminds me of small-town America of days gone by. It’s a chance to be with your neighbors.”
Held in downtown Eugene in September, the three-day festival attracts approximately 40,000 people each year for live music, food, a parade and good old-fashioned fellowship. The event celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007.
“The most exciting thing in 2007 was we had a fleet of hot air balloons come in, which gave some glitz to our anniversary,” Laurie says. “The balloons did a night glow on Friday and Saturday nights, and fleets of balloons took off early Saturday and Sunday mornings and floated gently over town.”
More than 80 bands played at 15 downtown music venues during the 2007 Eugene Celebration, encompassing nearly every music genre from rock and hip-hop to blues and reggae. The celebration also included a film festival, with award-winning Oregon films shown at three different venues.
“A new feature in 2007 was Sustainability Village, where companies could give demonstrations, give out samples and tell about what they were doing to promote sustainability,” Laurie says.
A KidZone provides activities for children, including a large trampoline, obstacle course, bounce house, pirate ship, bubble station and more. A marketplace caters to local vendors and offers everything from handmade jewelry to home décor.
“The Eugene Celebration takes familiar downtown and makes it extraordinary,” Laurie says. “It’s a great opportunity to see friends and neighbors and enjoy a lot of treats, like music and food.”
For information on the 2008 Eugene Celebration as it develops, please visit www.eugenecelebration.com.
Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Staff
