Events
Friday
2021 Holiday Market, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tried & True Coffee, new location, 700 NE Circle Blvd., Corvallis. More than 30 vendors from the community selling a range of goods. Music, warm beverages, holiday lights and plenty of room for the whole family.
Holiday Craft Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Morningstar Grange, 38794 Morningstar Road NE, Albany. Lunch served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: 541-730-1955.
Christmas Storybook Land, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Linn County Fairgrounds, 3700 Knox Butte Road E., Albany. Free family event. This children’s day is open to everyone this year. CSL is offering an indoor and outdoor drive-through experience from the comfort and safety of your vehicle. Relive your favorite childhood nursery rhymes, fairy tales and family movies in a magical forest. Canned food donations for Fish of Albany accepted. Volunteers to help with CSL are needed. Information: christmasstorybookland.org.
Live Nativity Display, 6 to 8 p.m., in front of College United Methodist Church, 1123 Main St., Philomath; entrance off Highway 20 just west of 12th Street. Hosted by Living Faith Community Church. This year’s stable experience comes complete with live animals and snacks. Information: 541-929-4764.
Saturday
Holiday Gift Fair, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Corvallis Elks Lodge, 1400 NW Ninth St. More than 30 vendors and artisans. Free admission. Food and beverages will be available. Bring the children and your camera for pictures with Santa Claus, who will be on hand from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A raffle basket prize will be given to a lucky attendee. Information: [email protected].
CASA — Voices for Children’s “Local Love” Winter Auction, 10 a.m. Saturday through 8 p.m. Sunday, www.casa-vfc.org/local-love. Community members have donated gift cards and certificates from an array of local businesses. These gift cards and other items will be auctioned off online. All funds raised will go toward providing trained CASA volunteers, trauma-informed tutoring and other supportive services for local children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
Holiday Craft Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Morningstar Grange, 38794 Morningstar Road NE, Albany. See Friday listing for details.
Christmas Storybook Land, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Linn County Fairgrounds, 3700 Knox Butte Road E., Albany. See Friday listing for details.
Winter Warm-Up!, 1 to 3:30 p.m., Willamette Community and Grange Hall, 27555 Greenberry Road, Corvallis. Sponsored by Willamette Grange #52. Free admission. Treats by Hiatt Farm for sale. Craft items for sale. Free wreath and swag decorating for children. Music and fun. Holiday quilt raffle drawing at 3 p.m. Information: 541-609-8335 or [email protected].
Live Nativity Display, 6 to 8 p.m., in front of College United Methodist Church, 1123 Main St., Philomath. See Friday listing for details.
Holiday Gathering at the Library, 6 p.m., Monroe Community Library, 380 N. Fifth St. Librarian Lori Pelkey and her elves will hand out candy and glow sticks for children. Dress up in a Santa hat and get a candy cane. Bring your own cup and fill it at either the Cocoa Depot or the Cider Station. Presented by the City of Monroe and Monroe Community Library.
Parade of Lights, 6 p.m., Long Street, Sweet Home. From 22nd Avenue to Oak Terrace.
Monroe Light Parade, 7 p.m. Starts at the Monroe Fire Station, 680 Commercial St.; heads north on North Seventh and Eighth streets to Ash Street; south on Highway 99W to Orchard; west on Orchard Street to Ninth; Ninth to Commercial Street; and back to the fire station. Sponsored by the Monroe Rural Fire Protection District, the City of Monroe and the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce.
“Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” 7:30 p.m., Albany Civic Theater, 111 W. First Ave. Spend the holidays with the Darcys, the Bingleys, the Bennets and even the de Bourghs in this sequel to Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” set two years after the novel ends. Directed by Johanna Spencer. Tickets: www.albanycivic.org/tickets or at the box office 45 minutes before curtain. Seats are limited due to COVID-19 regulations. Everyone who attends must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask while in the theater.
SHOCASE/Sweet Home Chamber of Commerce Christmas Gala, 7:30 p.m., auditorium, Sweet Home High School, 1641 Long St. Headline performer: Jessie Leigh, plus local talents Stefani Brown, Cathy Cheshire, David Dominy, Alison Hurst, Tom Jordan, Mac McNulty, Melody Reese, Scott Swanson and Jobe Woosley. Formal dress encouraged but not required. General admission: $15 at the door.
Ongoing
CASA of Linn County, Young Roots Oregon, Jackson Street Youth Services and SafeHaven Humane Society are sponsoring Battle of the Nonprofits: Gingerbread House Edition. The event is a friendly competition among nonprofit agencies. Each of the agencies is decorating a gingerbread house. On Friday, the houses will be delivered to SafeHaven for public viewing and voting. Community members can vote one time for the house of their choosing, either at SafeHaven or through CASA’s Facebook page or Instagram. Voting will end Dec. 18, and awards will be presented on Dec. 20. There will be a People’s Choice award. Rod and Denise Bigner, owners of the Pix Theater in Albany, will choose Best in Show.
Pastega Christmas Display, 5 to 10 p.m. daily through Dec. 31, Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis; enter off Reservoir Avenue and exit on 53rd. The drive-through event has returned after being canceled last year due to COVID-19. Admission: donation of packaged food items for local food items. Organizers are seeking volunteers to assist with taking down the display after Dec. 31; information is available at https://www.pastegachristmasdisplay.com (click on the “Volunteer” button).
Fourth Annual Ornament Hunt and Sweepstakes, through Jan. 1, non-wilderness trails, Willamette National Forest and Umpqua National Forest. The Willamette Valley Visitors Association is sponsoring the hunt, which encourages locals and travelers to connect with public lands and increase outdoor recreation activities. Two hundred wooden ornaments featuring the Willamette Valley will be hidden along non-wilderness trails not affected by wildfires. Each ornament includes a Willamette Valley leather patch and instructions on how to register to win a prize of an adventure and overnight stay in the Willamette Valley. The visitors association website, https://willamettevalley.org/ornament, will serve as the hub for contest winners to claim their prizes throughout the contest. You can also find trail information and hints throughout December on this page. Once the contest closes, all remaining ornaments will be picked up by U.S. Forest Service professionals. The Willamette National Forest provides recreational opportunities, fishing, hunting, foraging, firewood, minerals, wood products and Christmas trees. Christmas tree permits are available at https://www.recreation.gov/tree-permits.
Albany Visitors Association’s 34th Annual Nighttime Magic Holiday Light Contest. Community judging begins Friday, running through Dec. 19; winners will be announced by Dec. 21. Pictures of entries will be posted on the AVA Facebook page and addresses will be included for people to drive by, or you can pick up a list of participants at the AVA, 110 Third Ave. SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, beginning Friday. The addresses will also be posted on the Albany Explorer App. Community members can vote for their favorites via Facebook or at [email protected]. Participants’ lights will be on from 5 to 10 p.m. now through Jan. 1, or longer.
Holiday light string collection; drop off lights at the Republic Services office, 1214 SE Montgomery St., Albany. Through Jan. 3.
Giving opportunities
ABC House is holding a drive to benefit children who have been impacted by abuse or neglect. The community is invited to donate unwrapped items for themed gift drives by Friday: youth and teen clothing, art supplies, reusable water bottles, board games, individually wrapped snacks. ABC House is unable to accept toys and stuffed animals due to limited storage. Participants can also host a drive or adopt a family trying to celebrate the holiday season on a tight budget. Information: [email protected] or https://www.abchouse.org/wishlist.
Albany American Legion Post 10 is conducting a fundraiser for the Linn County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control. A collection box will be at the front register of North Albany IGA, 621 Hickory Street NW till Dec. 17. Food, supplies and monetary donations are accepted on an ongoing basis at Post 10, 1215 Pacific Blvd. SE, phone 541-926-0127.
The Arc Giving Tree, a tradition of 17 years, will soon be ready for action at the Arc Thrift Store, 928 NW Beca Ave. in Corvallis. Stop by Saturday or later to select a gift tag from the tree. Requests for gifts to be purchased are specifically for people in the community with developmental disabilities who might not otherwise receive a gift this holiday season. Detailed purchasing guidelines are provided on each tree tag. No need to gift wrap — the Arc has elves for that. Gifts need to be dropped off by Wednesday.
Jackson Street Youth Services is asking the community’s help in supporting youth ages 10 to 24 experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Community members can donate generously, adopt a specific youth’s wish list or organize a drive to collect needed items. Gift drop-off will take place through Dec. 23 at approved locations. Information: 541-360-0867, 541-745-4553, [email protected] or [email protected].
Linn County Animal Rescue is a nonprofit sanctuary that rescues neglected, abandoned and abused horses, and hospice dogs. In existence for 14 years, the agency, based in Waterloo, is 100% volunteer-run and provides “Healing Hearts with Horses” events for developmentally disabled/handicapped individuals and those with post-traumatic stress disorder. Donations of the following items are needed: gift certificates/cash donations, cleaning supplies, senior horse grain, and small blankets, beds and pee pads for dogs. For more information about ongoing fundraisers (Bottle Drop and Points for Profit) or volunteering at the rescue, call 541-258-3422 or visit www.lcarhorse.org.
Vina Moses Center is holding a Giving Tree drive for gifts for children from birth through age 18 and low-income seniors via partner agencies. All households receive a gift card for a holiday meal. The program is open to Benton County residents; to register your family to benefit from the program, call 541-753-1420 and make an appointment for a time before Thursday. Donations of new, unwrapped gifts will be accepted through Monday. For details, visit vinamoses.org, or get a Vina Moses gift tag from a local business; a list of businesses is available at https://www.vinamoses.org/giving-tree-business-locations. Further information is available at 541-753-1420 or [email protected].
Real estate brokers throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington are gearing up for Windermere Real Estate’s annual Share the Warmth campaign. Now through Dec. 17, Windermere brokers are collecting winter necessities for community members in need. In the Mid-Willamette Valley area, the donations will benefit Community Outreach, Inc., in Corvallis; Helping Hands Albany; and River Center, Lebanon. The organizations are asking specifically for coats, blankets, gloves and hats. All donations in the area can be dropped between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at the Windermere office at 987 NW Circle Blvd. in Corvallis. Information: windermere.com.
Other opportunities
It’s the time of year to visit the Siuslaw National Forest or the Willamette National Forest and find the perfect Christmas tree for your home. Christmas tree permits are primarily being sold online at www.recreation.gov and can also be obtained in person from local vendors or via the telephone from a ranger district. Permits allow the holder to cut one tree in designated areas. Each household can purchase up to a maximum of five permits. Permits are $5 each with an additional $2.50 registration fee when purchasing online. Additionally, fourth-graders with Every Kid Outdoors passes are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit through their local national forest; they can apply through Recreation.gov by entering their voucher or pass number when prompted. A $2.50 registration fee will also be applied for this transaction.
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