Friday, April 21
Teen Takeover: STEAM/Maker Night. Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 6:30 p.m. Storytime is offered year-round as a drop-in program: first come, first served. Space is limited due to the room capacity and to provide a positive, safe environment for all. Children must be accompanied by a grown-up. Many lasting friendships start at Storytime! Visit https://corvallisbenton.librarycalendar.com/event/teen-takeover-steammaker-night for more info.
Chamber Music Corvallis: Thalea String Quartet. First Presbyterian Church, 114 SW 8th St., Corvallis. 7:30 p.m. $26. The Thalea String Quartet brings their signature vibrancy and emotional commitment to dynamic performances that reflect the past, present, and the future of the string quartet repertoire while celebrating diverse musical traditions from around the world. Fueled by the belief that chamber music is a powerful force for building community and human connection, the Thalea String Quartet has performed across North America, Europe, and China, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Massey Hall, and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall. They have shared the stage with luminaries of the chamber music world, including members of the Emerson, Borromeo, and St. Lawrence String Quartets, and they have performed alongside celebrated artists including Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, violist Lawrence Power, acclaimed Canadian band BADBADNOTGOOD, and visionary hip hop artist Jay Electronica. With their program “Legacies,” Thalea String Quartet explores the American traditions of rap, rock, and bluegrass to tell stories of the Black experience. Connecting the new to the old and the traditional with the popular styles, they will present works by contemporary composers, The Beatles, and Antonín Dvořák. Tickets are $26 each. Learn more and get tickets at ChamberMusicCorvallis.org. Visit https://chambermusiccorvallis.org for more info.
Saturday, April 22
63rd Annual Pancake Party. Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave., Corvallis. 7 a.m. $10. The annual Pancake Party is the Kiwanis Club of Corvallis’ biggest fundraiser. Proceeds from this event will help support children and families in the Corvallis community. Enjoy pancakes, sausages, coffee, milk and juice, along with a raffle, and music. Tickets are $10. Children 6 years old and younger get in free.
Corvallis Farmers Market. Downtown Corvallis, 1st St., Corvallis. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Free. The Corvallis Farmers Market happens Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 9am to 1pm, April through November, on First Street in downtown Corvallis. The Farmers Market offers fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and more, all sourced locally from Benton County and the counties immediately surrounding Benton County. Visit http://locallygrown.org for more info.
Oregon State Football Spring Showcase. Reser Stadium, 660 SW 26th St., Corvallis. 10:30 a.m. Free. Check out the progress on the new west side at the Stadium. Season ticket holders can see the new west side with tours from OSU personnel. Bring the whole family and enjoy face painting, carnival style games, and a Benny photo booth with the Las Vegas Bowl trophy available for photographs. There’ll be field challenges between breaks in the action, along with posters, rosters, face tattoos, and more. Play some corn hole, take a chance at catching a t-shirt, hear the band, and see the 2023 Beavs. There will be concessions available at Reser. Visit https://osubeavers.com for more info.
Saturday Stories. Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 10:30 a.m. Storytime is offered year-round as a drop-in program: first come, first served. Space is limited due to the room capacity and to provide a positive, safe environment for all. Children must be accompanied by a grown-up. Many lasting friendships start at Storytime! Visit https://corvallisbenton.librarycalendar.com/event/saturday-stories-11 for more info.
Digital Life: Google Docs. Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. 2:00 p.m. Free. Learn how to create, edit, format, save, and share documents using Google Docs. Attendees are encouraged to create a Google account before the class and/or bring their Google account info with them. Laptops will be provided or attendees may bring their own device. Visit https://corvallisbenton.librarycalendar.com/event/digital-life-google-docs for more info.
Planet Palooza Earth Day Celebration. Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave., Corvallis. 2 p.m. Celebrate Earth Day at the Corvallis Community Center and Chintimini Park to engage in activities with local organizations in the indoor solutions fair. Then join C3 in a parade from Chintimini park (route TBD). Wear nature-and animal-themed masks and costumes. Parade watchers are welcome, too! Visit https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/parksrec/page/planet-palooza-0 for more info.
Willamette Valley Symphony. Ashbrook Independent School, 4045 SW Research Way, Corvallis. 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, and free for kids under 18. Join the Willamette Valley Symphony, and their new artistic director, Lance Inouye, for a concert that also features the fabulous Anthea Kreston playing Bruch’s glorious Violin Concerto No. 1. The symphony will also perform Wagner’s Overture to “Tristan und Isolde” and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, which is an absolute treasure and treat for your ears. Visit https://www.willamettevalleysymphony.org for more info.
DTW and Sweet N’ Juicy. Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave., Corvallis. 8 p.m. $15-$20. DTW is both a band and a production company based in Oregon. Our focus is to bring environmentally friendly, socially conscious, and sustainable Jazz and Funk to our region. Sweet N’ Juicy is a Banana named Sweet, a Pineapple named N’, and a Strawberry named Juicy that want you to party and have a great time. Visit https://www.whitesidetheatre.org for more info.
Sunday, April 23
Corvallis Swap Meet & Dust ‘Em Off Car Show. Benton County Fairgrounds & Event Center, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis. 7 a.m. The Corvallis Swap Meet and Dust ‘Em Off Car Show is open to all years and makes of antique and special interest cars. See the car show and browse vendors. The swap meet gates open at 7 a.m. and the car show begins at 9 a.m. Awards and prizes will be given out at 12:30 p.m. Admission for spectators and the swap meet is $5. Visit https://corvallishistoricautoclub.org for more info.
Corvallis Tweed Ride. Downtown Corvallis, 500 SW 2nd St., Corvallis. 10 a.m. Free. The Corvallis Tweed Ride is an annual bicycling event in Corvallis that was established in 2015. Participants dress in vintage attire, recreating the spirit of a bygone era on a slow speed ride around town. Visit https://www.corvallistweedride.net/2023 for more info.
Northside Open Studios Tour. Corvallis. 10 a.m. Six local Corvallis artists will open up their home studios and invite the community to the First Annual Northside Open Studio Tour (NOST) on Sunday, April 23rd, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free open studios tour will feature more than 20 local artists to celebrate spring and community connection through art. North Corvallis artists will be sharing and selling their locally created works and inviting conversations about their creative practice and spaces. “Art has always been a catalyst for conversation and a way to cultivate connection,” said organizer and ceramicist Avie Meadows. Organized entirely by artists, the Open Studios Tour is modeled after the South Town Art Walk which has showcased local art in South Corvallis since 2011. Similarly, the First Annual NOST event is a grassroots effort encouraging visitors to explore home studios by foot, bike or carpool. For complete information and a map of studio locations, visit www.NOST-Art.com.
Willamette Valley Symphony. Ashbrook Independent School, 4045 SW Research Way, Corvallis. 3:45 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, and free for kids under 18. Join the Willamette Valley Symphony, and their new artistic director, Lance Inouye, for a concert that also features the fabulous Anthea Kreston playing Bruch’s glorious Violin Concerto No. 1. The symphony will also perform Wagner’s Overture to “Tristan und Isolde” and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, which is an absolute treasure and treat for your ears. Visit https://www.willamettevalleysymphony.org for more info.
Monday, April 24
2023-25 Budget Committee. 12 p.m. In-Person: 4500 SW Research Way, Shipley and Holmes Public Meeting Rooms. Via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85635133891?pwd=V0o2bmc5K0JQRTdPZUJGbS9hSDkyZz09. Visit https://www.co.benton.or.us/bc/page/2023-25-budget-committee-1 for more info.
City Legislative Committee. 4 p.m. This meeting will be online only. The public may sign up to watch the meeting live on the internet at this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5481246214683652441. Visit https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/mc/page/city-legislative-committee-56 for more info.
2023 McCall Lecture: Nicholas Kristof, “How can we fix the problems all around us?” Learning Innovation Center (LINC), Room 100, 165 SW Sackett Pl., Corvallis. 7 p.m. Award-winning global journalist and author Nicholas Kristof will discuss homelessness, poverty and the rural-urban divide in Oregon and the U.S. while giving the 2023 McCall Lecture at Oregon State University on April 24. Kristof’s lecture, “How can we fix the problems all around us?,” will expand on his 2020 book co-written with his wife and fellow journalist Sheryl WuDunn, “Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope.” The book discusses the challenges facing rural communities across the country, including in Yamhill County, Oregon, where Kristof grew up and currently resides. Visit https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/spp/mccall-memorial-lecture for more info.
