Events & What’s Happening
Large community Easter egg hunt hosted by Willamalane Park and Recreation District in Springfield, with age-divided hunt zones and visits from the Easter Bunny.
💡Register in advance as spots fill quickly; bring a basket and arrive 20 minutes early to get your zone assignment.
World-class track and field meet at Hayward Field honoring Eugene's legendary runner Steve Prefontaine, drawing elite athletes from around the globe.
💡A great introduction to Olympic-level athletics for kids; bring snacks and sunscreen for the bleachers.
Beloved three-day counterculture arts and music festival held in the woods near Veneta, just west of Eugene, featuring hundreds of performers, artisans, and food booths.
💡Arrive when gates open to beat the heat and crowds; the Kids' Stage and craft booths delight younger children throughout the day.
Annual outdoor food festival in downtown Eugene showcasing local restaurants, food carts, craft beverages, and live entertainment.
💡Kids enjoy the variety of small bites; go at lunchtime when lines are shorter and the temperature is comfortable.
Downtown street festival celebrating Eugene's community with live music, a parade, food vendors, and a beloved Slug Queen coronation ceremony.
💡The Saturday morning parade is a family highlight — stake out a spot on Broadway early for the best views.
Classic county fair at the Lane Events Center featuring carnival rides, livestock shows, 4-H exhibits, live music, and fair food.
💡Purchase ride wristbands online ahead of time for savings; midweek days are less crowded for families with young kids.
Indoor holiday extension of Eugene's famous Saturday Market held at the Lane Events Center, featuring hundreds of local artisan vendors, live music, and seasonal food.
💡Santa visits on select weekends — check the schedule online and arrive early to avoid a long wait.
America's oldest continuously operating outdoor arts and crafts market, held in the Park Blocks downtown with local artisans, street performers, and diverse food options.
💡Kids love the street performers near the main stage; arrive before noon for the best vendor selection and easier stroller navigation.
Free weekly story time sessions at Eugene Public Library branches featuring books, songs, and simple crafts designed for children ages 2–5 and their caregivers.
💡Check the library's online calendar as times and branch locations rotate weekly; summer sessions fill up fast during school break.
Informal weekend gatherings at the Alton Baker Park natural play area along the Willamette River, where families explore the sand, water features, and climbing structures.
💡Pack a change of clothes and water shoes — kids inevitably end up in the water features regardless of the weather.
Neighborhood Sunday market in the Whiteaker district featuring local produce, prepared foods, and artisan goods in a laid-back community atmosphere.
💡Smaller and less hectic than the Saturday Market, making it ideal for families with toddlers or babies in carriers.
Planning Your Visit
Neighborhoods & Areas
Local Tips for Families
- 💡The Science Factory Children's Museum on Centennial Boulevard offers a free Family Night the first Friday of each month from 5-8pm — admission drops to $2 per person, making it one of the cheapest structured evening activities in Eugene for families.
- 💡The Eugene Saturday Market on the Park Blocks runs April through mid-November, but the Holiday Market moves indoors to the Lane Events Center in November and December — arrive at the Holiday Market before noon on Saturdays to avoid the serious parking crunch on Pearl Street.
- 💡The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art on the UO campus is always free and has rotating exhibits specifically designed for children in the lower gallery — check their calendar for First Friday family programming that includes hands-on art activities.
- 💡The outdoor pool at Amazon Park (Amazon Pool on Hilyard Street) opens in mid-June and is dramatically cheaper than regional water parks at around $4 per child for open swim — locals know to go on Tuesday and Thursday mornings when the lap lanes dominate and the general swim area is much less crowded.
- 💡Mount Pisgah Arboretum on Seavey Loop Road charges a small parking fee ($5 suggested donation) but the trails and native plant gardens are free to walk — the annual Wildflower Festival in mid-May and Mushroom Festival in late October are genuinely excellent half-day events for curious kids and run on weekends in the park's meadow.
- 💡Pre's Trail in Alton Baker Park is a 3.3-mile wood-chip soft surface loop that absorbs rain quickly and stays runnable even in wet weather — it is one of the few family-friendly nature trails in Eugene you can use comfortably in October and November without mud issues.
- 💡The Cascades Raptor Center on Fox Hollow Road in south Eugene houses over 30 species of permanently injured raptors in outdoor enclosures — admission is under $10 for kids and the staff-led raptor programs on weekend afternoons are included in admission and genuinely captivating for ages 4 and up.
- 💡If your family is visiting during a University of Oregon home football game at Autzen Stadium, plan all of downtown and Alton Baker Park activities for the morning before the 12pm kickoff — post-game traffic on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Ferry Street Bridge is severe and can add 45 minutes to any nearby errand.
- 💡The McKenzie River National Recreation Trail, accessible about 45 minutes east of Eugene near the town of McKenzie Bridge, has a flat 1.5-mile section near Sahalie and Koosah Falls that is paved-adjacent and navigable with jogging strollers — the turquoise glacial water and twin waterfalls are among the most striking sights accessible to young children in the entire Oregon Cascades.