The word on the street is that there’s a new word on the street: CRUSH. CRUSH is McMinnville’s new printed arts and culture publication, produced by Visit McMinnville.
New restaurants Humble Spirit and ōkta set to open on 3rd Street
If you’re sensing change as you walk down McMinnille’s historic Main Street, you’re right in step. The town once called “The 2nd Foodiest Small Town in America” (that was Bon Appétit magazine, in 2010, by the way), will see two bold new hospitality ventures this month that aim to capture the hearts of both the local community and wine country capital’s upscale travelers.
McMinnville joins the international Make Music Day celebration
On this year’s Summer Solstice, McMinnville joins the Fête de la Musique bandwagon.
Since it launched in France in 1982, Make Music Day has spread to 120 countries around the globe and is celebrated in thousands of cities. The concept and execution is simple: Musicians hit the streets, courtyards, open-air markets and parks around town, and they play until the sun goes down.
Merrill Denny: All for the Love of Bikes
Merrill Denny stands in his rural workshop southeast of McMinnville. Old bikes, some dating back more than 60 years, are heaped in corners. In the middle of the workspace is a curved creation perhaps eight feet long, shaped from steel and welded to represent Merrill’s passion.
McMinnville’s UFO Festival owns weird for the weekend
Expect lectures and Powerpoint. But hang out on Third Street Saturday afternoon and you’ll also be treated to a sea of Wookies, Greys, probably lots of Baby Yodas and maybe even a Gorn. Culturally speaking, the festival is what one might call a … well, hybrid.
Gallery Theater demonstrates multigenerational impact with The Sound of Music
Gallery Theater’s new production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music is a family affair in more ways than one.
It features, of course, the sprawling von Trapp family: Captain Georg von Trapp (Lance Nuttman) and his seven children. But bringing the popular play to life is a large cast that features ten people from four local families.
Celebrating Record Store Day at The Vortex
McMinnville is more suited than most Oregon towns to celebrate Record Store Day on April 23, because we’ve The Vortex. Years of curating an eclectic inventory and seeing a new audience for vinyl emerge has taught LaVerne that any day can be a record store day that keeps him and his staff busy. Or at least six days a week.
Second Winds Community Band harnesses springtime energy
Humans’ creative cycles are like plants moving through the seasons: there is a time for blooming, and a time for reserving energy, staying dormant within the soil, in preparation for future growth. For some musicians, those periods of rest might take years or even decades before they feel called again to play music.
That is often the case for new members of Second Winds Community Band, and whether it’s been months or years since you’ve last picked up an instrument, you’re welcome to join.
Blue Moon Lounge: McMinnville’s Iconic Bar for 100 Years
The Blue Moon celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. It rarely if ever appears in trendy travel magazines highlighting the wonders of Oregon Wine Country. But for anyone wanting to get to know McMinnville, it’s a landmark.
Tiny Travels: Top 5 Things to Do at Evergreen Over Spring Break
The best Spring Break trips take you out of this world for an experience like no other. In McMinnville, the best place to find this level of fun, facts, and fabulosity reside at the Evergreen complex just outside of town, site of the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum and the Wings & Waves Waterpark.