UNION COUNTY OKTOBERFEST IS SEPT. 24 AT FAIRGROUNDS

LA GRANDE — Tap That Growlers is sponsoring the Union County Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept. 24, noon-9 p.m. at the Union County fairgrounds.

The event features food, games, music and beverages. There will be activities for kids, and a cornhole tournament. Live music will be provided by Billy Stoops, The Wasteland Kings and Ripple Effect.

Admission is by donation. A “Fall into the Holidays Bazaar” will happen at the same time as Oktoberfest.

Brown Bag features ‘Stories of Wallowa Lake’

JOSEPH — Rita Ehrler and Ellen Morris Bishop will talk about their new book “Stories of Wallowa Lake” during a Brown Bag lunch at the Josephy Center, from noon to 1 p.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

The book details various topics, including the competition between an electric railroad and the more traditional steam line, the attempt to establish a national park in the Wallowa Mountains, and the stories of Edelweiss Inn, Wallowa Lake dam, the extinction of the lake’s sockeye salmon, the reintroduction of elk, Wallowa Lake’s geology, the myth of the Wallowa Lake monster and much more.

The book is available in Wallowa County at The Bookloft, Copper Creek, Heidi’s Town Shoppe in Joseph, Heidi’s Gift Shoppe at the Lake, the Josephy Center and other stores, including Betty’s Books in Baker City and through the Eagle Cap Press website, www.eaglecappress.com.

Benefit concert planned for Oct. 2

BAKER CITY — Brook Faulk — Sisters in Songwriting will have a benefit concert on Sunday, Oct. 2, 5 p.m., at Churchill School, 3451 Broadway St. Tickets are $5, and proceeds will benefit Baily Sessions.

Admission is free for ages 15 and younger with a ticket-holding adult.

Mark your calendars for EOU homecoming

LA GRANDE — The Eastern Oregon University Alumni Association invites EOU alumni, family and friends to celebrate Homecoming Oct. 21 and 22.

The weekend features the 24th annual Mountaineer Athletic Association Scholarship Scramble Oct. 21 at Buffalo Peak Golf Course in Union (shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.; all proceeds support athletic scholarships); the parade at 5 p.m. Oct. 21, and a celebration of Title IX at 6:30 p.m. (RSVP required).

The Homecoming Fun Run 5K/10K starts at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 22 (it begins and ends at the new fieldhouse), and later that day is tailgating before the football game of Eastern versus Montana State-Northern.

For the full event schedule, and links to register for the various events, visit eou.edu/alumni/homecoming/.

Outlaws to stage train robbery

SUMPTER — The High Country Outlaws are planning to rob the Sumpter Valley Railroad this weekend, and tickets are on sale now.

The full round-trip rides leave McEwen Station at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. both Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25.

SVRR will run the diesel engine due to fire danger, instead of the steam train.

Tickets are $18 adults, $15 seniors/military, $11 for ages 3-17 or $55 for a family pass (two adults and two children). Purchase tickets in advance at sumptervalleyrailroad.org.

Former Hermiston author to discuss latest book

HERMISTON — A meet-and-greet featuring Karen Spears Zacharias is planned in the author’s former hometown. The free event is Thursday, Sept. 29, 7-8:30 p.m. at The Next Chapter Bookstore, 1000 S. Highway 395, Suite C.

An award-winning author and former journalist, Zacharias’ recent book, “The Murder Gene,” chronicles the August 2012 murder of Amyjane Brandhagen by Lukah Pobzeb Chang. The 19-year-old Pendleton woman’s death went unsolved until Karen Lange was found nearly beaten to death a year later along the Pendleton River Parkway. Police connected Chang to both crimes through DNA evidence.

Zacharias spent nearly 10 years researching and writing the publication, which included investigating the possibility of a “murder gene.”

For more about the event, contact 541-667-7080 or info@thenextchapterhermiston.com. For more about Zacharias, visit www.karenzach.com.

Youth art classes offered at ACE

LA GRANDE — Art Center East is offering multiple free youth classes this fall. Register for classes at artcentereast.org or stop by ACE, 1006 Penn Ave. Here’s a look at the offerings:

• Discover After School for middle school: Sept. 22, Sept. 29, Oct. 6,
• Oct. 13. 3:15-5:30 p.m. Teaching artists are Meghan Ballard and Carrie Caselton Lowe. Begins at LMS and participants walk to Pete’s Pond.
• Wild Preschool (ages 0-5): Sept. 23 and Oct. 14, 10-11 a.m., Pete’s Pond. Teaching artist is Meghan Ballard.
• Wild School (age 5-12): Sept. 24, Oct. 8 and Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-noon, Pete’s Pond. Teaching artists are Meghan Ballard and Amanda Welch.
• Art Explorers (ages 3-5): Sept. 30, noon-1 p.m. Teaching artist is Rebecca Curry.

Monthly dance at Senior Center

LA GRANDE — The BlueMountaineers will play their monthly dance on Saturday, Sept. 24, 6-9 p.m. at the Union County Senior Center, 1504 N. Albany St. Admission is $5 or free for ages 12 and younger. The evening includes a finger food potluck.

Shakespeare Company presents ‘Romeo & Juliet’

LA GRANDE — The Opera House Shakespeare Company will present “Romeo & Juliet” on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23 and 24, in Schwarz Theater inside Loso Hall on the campus of Eastern Oregon University.

Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 and available at elginoperahouse.com.

Learn about Indigenous beadwork Oct. 8-9

LA GRANDE — Pamela Pascali has grown up learning the artwork of her ancestors, and she will share these traditions during an Indigenous beadwork workshop at Art Center East, 1006 Penn Ave., Oct. 8 and 9.

The two-day workshop runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. All supplies are included. Cost is $70 for ACE members or $85 for nonmembers. Youth scholarships are available. To learn more, or to register, go to www.artcentereast.org/calendar and click on the workshop.

African Drumming classes start soon

LA GRANDE — A new season of Community African Drumming starts this month as part of the community music program through Art Center East.

The first session is Tuesday, Sept. 27, 6-7 p.m. in Loso Hall room 123 on the campus of Eastern Oregon University. Participants then meet every Tuesday, at the same time, through Dec. 6.

This opportunity is for ages 12 and older. No experience is necessary, and drums are provided.

The registration free is $45 for current ACE members, or $55 for nonmembers. Youth scholarships are available for those ages 18 and younger.

Register online at artcentereast.org/calendar, by calling 541-624-2800, or at ACE, 1006 Penn Ave. during business hours (Wednesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.). For information about scholarships, visit artcentereast.org/ace-youth-scholarship.

Fun run to collect books in Hermiston

HERMISTON — Join in the race for a chance to win the Golden Fleet of Foot award. The Hermiston Education Foundation Fun Run is Oct. 1, with registration at 8 a.m. at the Hermiston Church of the Nazarene, 1520 W. Orchard Ave. The race starts at 9 a.m.

The entry fee is a donation of books. Costumes are encouraged. For more information, visit www.hermistoneducationfoundation.org. For questions, call 541-667-6000.

Join National Public Lands Day Sept. 24

HUNTINGTON, LA GRANDE — Volunteers are encouraged to participate in National Public Lands Day Saturday, Sept. 24.

A clean up at Spring Recreation Site near Huntington starts at 9 a.m. To get there from Interstate 84, take exit 345. In Huntington, keep left onto Washington Street East, which will become Snake River Road, and drive 3 1/2 miles. Work includes trash pickup, weed removal and other work.

If there are enough volunteers, a group may work at Birch Creek Wayside, a quarter-mile section of the original Oregon Trail.

Near La Grande, work is planned at Bird Track Springs Restoration Site, 5501 Ukiah-Hilgard Highway, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. A bus will leave the EOU football field parking lot at 8:30 a.m. Activities include trail maintenance, trash pickup, art and storytelling. Register at https://tinyurl.com/5n8re47b.