Oakridge, OR

Well, this weekend was the summer concert series in Oakridge at the Siuslaw amphitheater and it was a lot of fun. I was there on Sunday and enjoyed the music of Taylor's Crossing and Amy Clawson. Taylor's Crossing started about 2 and played until 4. Amy cam on at about 6 and went until the close at 8 p.m.

In two weeks, they are hosting the 3rd anual Mardi Gras fundraiser for the for Musician's Village in New Orleans featuring Kelly Thibodeaux & The E'Touffee Band. This week there was bar-b-que chicken and sausages on sale along with a beer and wine garden. The prices were excellent too, a chicken dinner was only $5 and was mouth watering good. The Mardi Gras features cajun food and the beer garden will be back.

The venue is gorgeous with the amphitheater backing up to the river. There was plenty of space for everyone, but a decent crowd showed up. You should bring your own chair or blanket. Donations are gratefully accepted.

The weather was as nice as could be and the drive uneventful from Springfield. Highway 58 is undergoing some construction near Pleasant Hill and Lowell, but overall there were no major slowdowns. I plan on going back for Mardi Gras, I hope to see you all there.

This weekend is the Oakridge/Westfir Summer Concert headlined by Amy Clawson, a favorite local C&W singer. Amy is well known in the area and has been a regular at many fund raising and special events in and around Lane County.

The picture to the left is from her MySpace page where you can go to hear some of her recordings. Personally, Cowboy Up is one of my personal favorites. She will also be at the Douglas and Lane County fairs later this summer. You can see her complete schedule at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=120478169.

Shannon Reigns and Taylor's Crossing, Taryn Cross, Bob Manning and Nashville West Honky Tonk Road Show round out the music providers for this concert. From the sounds of things, including It will be happening at the Siuslaw Bank Amphitheater, Greenwaters Park, Oakridge, 2-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission is free to the concert, but it is a fund-raising event and donations are requested. Five dollars is the requested donation, but for good talent like this, more could definitely be more appropriate.

Oakridge is located east of Eugene on Highway 58, just a hop, skip and a jump. Really, it is only about 30 miles of gorgeous drive into the Cascades. If you go early, you can even fish or bird watch or hike or just enjoy nature. Oakridge/Westfir are two small communities with a great local flavor and small town atmosphere. While visiting, think about purchasing a vacation home, a really great deal right now, from JoAnn Reynolds at Diamond Peak Realtors, (541) 968-3601, one of my favorite people.

Oakridge is also a nice stopping off point for skiing at Willamette pass. Of course, that will be later in the year, the slopes are a bit bare right now. What better way to enjoy a summer evening than a concert in Oakridge? So, ya'll come, ya hear?