Tomato Day at
Lebanon market
The Lebanon Downtown Farmers’ Market and the Santiam Food Alliance will hold Tomato Day Thursday, Aug. 28.
Throughout the market hours of 2 to 6 p.m., tastings of dozens of unusual and often beautiful tomato varieties from the market farmers and local gardens will be offered for tastings. An Oregon State University Extension Master Food Preserver will offer information on drying and canning tomatoes, a Master Gardener will provide advice on growing them, and volunteers will offer free samples of tomato-based foods.
For more information about the Santiam Food Alliance, visit santiamfood.org.
Singers invited to
perform ‘Requiem’
Lebanon Community Chorus invites singers to register for rehearsals for John Rutter’s “Requiem” at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, 1955 S 5th St., Lebanon.
LCC is an auditioned, mixed-voice chorus of volunteer members. For more information, visit LebanonCommunityChorus.org.
Bingo fundraiser for
Kids Christmas Store
A Bingo fundraiser for the 11th Annual Sweet Home Kids Free Christmas Store will be held starting from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the RezRock, 1621 53rd Ave., Foster.
Cost is $20 for four cards.
The event includes concessions, door prizes, and every Bingo winner will receive a gift certificate from a local business.
The Kids Christmas Store is run through the nonprofit Presidents Club/Beautification Committee. The store will be held at Freedom Hill Church on Dec. 6 for kids ages 2 through 17, who can shop for free for the families they live with.
For more information, contact Nancy Patton at (541) 409-4276.
Festival Latino in
Albany Sept. 14
Festival Latino will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, at Monteith Park, 489 NW Water Ave., in Albany.
The event will include music, art and history exhibits, children’s activities, vendors, a resource fair and a splash pad. A Cara O Cruz, a Selena tribute band, will perform. Admission is free.
It is presented by the Linn-Benton Hispanic Advisory Committee.
Spend time at
Healing Garden
Lebanon Community Hospital is hosting a series of monthly cultural events at the Boulder Falls Event Center and patio, 605 Mullins Dr. through the summer.
Healing Garden Lecture: Thursday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m – Diane Durston, curator emeritus from the Portland Japanese Garden, will discuss Japanese philosophies of Wabi Sabi and forest bathing. Registration is required.
For more information or to register, visit samhealth.org/LebanonHealingGardens or contact Brandy O’Bannon at [email protected].
Albany Mushroom Festival
Cap and Stem Northwest will host its second annual Albany Mushroom Festival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 21 at Timber Linn Park, 900 Price Rd. SE, Albany.
This free, family-friendly event will celebrate the wonderful world of fungi with food, activities, live music, workshops from mycology experts, and local artists and vendors.
Cap and Stem’s mission is education and awareness on the benefits of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. Cap and Stem hosts activities teaching how to identify and forage mushrooms, presentations on the benefits of medicinal mushrooms, and workshops with topics ranging from growing your own mushrooms to incorporating medicinal mushrooms into daily life.
For more information, visit AlbanyMushroomFestival.com, Facebook and Instagram – @AlbanyMushroomFestival, or email [email protected].
Tomatofest
The annual Tomatofest, hosted by OSU Extension Service, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St.
Taste dozens of varieties of homegrown tomatoes, swap seeds or pick up free seeds, shop local vendors, pick up homegrown free produce as available, sample homemade recipes, bring your gardening questions for Master Gardeners to answer, and watch demonstrations.
For more information, contact Sheryl Casteen via email at [email protected]. Do not call the Senior Center.
Community Market
every Saturday
Sweet Home’s Community Market is held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Sept. 27 in Library Square, at the corner of Kalmia Street and 12th Avenue.
Some two dozen vendors sell a wide range of food and other fun stuff. Space is available for a limited number of vendors. For more information or to apply to be a vendor, visit www.sweethomeor.gov/community/page/2025-community-market-vendor-applications-open-now or contact Joy Kistner at (541) 367-5007.
Vocal Masterclass and Clinic
Lebanon Community Chorus will host its third annual Masterclass and Clinic at 9 a.m. on Nov.8 at Linn-Benton Community College’s Takena Hall, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany.
This “open class” allows observers to listen while vocal coaches teach students. Cost for students or chorus members wanting personal lessons is $40-$50. Dr. James Redden, DMA, will work with choruses. Workshops and vocal coaching lessons will be taught by Terence Madlangbayan, Sarah Brauer, Esteban José Zúñiga Calderón and Nick Larson.
To sign up as a student or choir for lessons, or to sign up as an observer only, visit LebanonCommunityChorus.org. Sign up by Oct. 1. For more information, email [email protected].
Deliver for Meals
on Wheels
Meals on Wheels of Sweet Home is in urgent need of volunteer drivers, delivering free meals to local seniors and disabled adults in the Sweet Home area.
Delivery days are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. The role is best suited for people available in the mid-day, as meals go out at noon. Volunteers work one to two days a week for about 2.5 hours each shift.
Meals on Wheels is managed by Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments and operated by local volunteers. Volunteers package fresh meals in the kitchen and the drivers deliver them. Many local people count on this food as a primary source of nutrition.
Email to [email protected] or call Heidi at 541.812.6015. Each volunteer must fill out an application and complete a background check.
Museum needs help from locals
East Linn Museum is seeking volunteers and items that are needed for the operation of the museum.
The museum needs volunteers for its operations to replace retiring volunteers. New volunteers are not required to know anything about the museum or how to operate a computer. The museum operates three days a week from Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Supplies needed by the museum include: copy paper, postage stamps, legal size envelopes, paper towels, toilet paper, glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner and Ajax.
For more information, call the museum at (541) 367-4580.
ODFW wildlife contest
seeks arts, photos
The Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife invites artists to submit their work for the 2026 stamp art competitions.
The winning artists receive a $2,000 award and their artwork is used to produce collector’s stamps and other promotional items with sale proceeds benefiting Oregon’s fish, wildlife and their habitats. The three contests are:
Habitat Conservation Stamp – Art entries must feature a Strategy Species identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy in its appropriate habitat. Not all species in the Strategy are eligible, so please use the qualifying list of species. See the contest rules and entry form for more information and a list of eligible species. https://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/habitat_conservation_stamp.asp
Waterfowl Stamp Contest – Art entries must feature one of the following species in its natural habitat setting: Blue-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, or Ruddy Duck. See contest rules and entry form for more information. https://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/waterfowl/contest/index.asp
Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest – Art entries must feature Ring-necked Pheasant in its natural habitat setting. See contest rules and entry form for more information. https://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/upland_bird/contest/index.asp
Artists are asked to use the Recommendations for Packaging Artwork on the Contest Rules’ final page.
A panel will judge artwork based on artistic composition, anatomical accuracy of the species and general appeal. Collector’s stamps, art prints and other promotional materials are produced from first-place artwork. Proceeds from product sales are used for habitat improvement, research surveys and conservation projects.
Interested artists are encouraged to visit ODFW’s stamp art competition webpage for more information on the contests and to view entries from previous years.
Entries will be accepted from Aug. 29 until 5 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the ODFW headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr., SE, Salem, OR 97302.
For more information on contest rules and to order stamps and art prints, visit: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/stamp_contest/index.asp
Entries can be mailed or hand delivered. If you hand-deliver your entry, please call ahead to make arrangements at 503.947.6314.
Free dinners on Mondays
Sunshine Industries invites the public to a free dinner every Monday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at 1333 Clark Mill Road. Because everyone matters.
Free health clinic Tuesdays
The East Linn Community Clinic is held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at 1600 Main St. in Lebanon.
This is a medical clinic that provides primary and acute medical care for under- or uninsured individuals. On select nights, Western U COMP-NW offers osteopathic manipulative medicine to treat chronic and acute pain. Patients may walk in or schedule appointments.
For more information, call (541) 758-3000 ext. 115.
Weyerhaeuser grant
cycle through Sept. 30
Weyerhaeuser is now accepting applications for its 2025 Giving Fund grant cycle. Eligible organizations located within Oregon operating communities are encouraged to apply by Sept. 30. Organizations can learn more and submit applications at https://www.weyerhaeuser.com/company/values/citizenship/giving-fund/.