Monthly dance is Jan. 25 in La Grande

LA GRANDE — The BlueMountaineers will have their monthly dance on Saturday, Jan. 25, 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.

Round-Up, night show tickets now on sale

PENDLETON — Get ready to Let ’er Buck with 115 years of tradition Sept. 10-13 during the 2025 Pendleton Round-Up.

Tickets for the week’s showcase events are now on sale — Round-Up rodeo tickets ($24-$40) and the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant & Wild West Show ($18-$27) — via www.pendletonroundup.com.

Celebrating the area’s rich Western heritage, diverse cultures and vibrant community spirit, Round-Up “week” features more than the rodeo and night show. Bookended by a pair of parades, the event includes a kick-off concert (2025 act to be announced), the Pendleton Whisky Xtreme Bulls Finale, cowboy breakfasts, American Indian Beauty contests, tribal ceremonial dancing and the “Greatest Free Show in the West” featuring four downtown blocks filled with artisan/commercial vendors, food booths and live entertainment.

For more information, search the website. Tickets are also available at the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon box office, 1330 SW Court Ave., or by calling 541-612-3421.

Emergency preparedness fair set for Halfway

HALFWAY — An emergency preparedness fair is planned for Friday, Jan. 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Halfway Lions Hall.

This is a free event, and everyone is invited. Participating partners include Pine Valley Rural Fire Protection District, Halfway-Oxbow Ambulance Service, Pine Eagle Clinic, Bureau of Land Management, Baker County Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Human Services, Idaho Power, American Red Cross, Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office and Life Flight Network.

The event sponsors are the Halfway Lions Club, United Community Partners, Pine Valley Firewise, Ford Family Foundation and Idaho Power. The fair includes raffles and other free items. For more information, visit www.pinevalley2050.org or call 541-604-1151.

Youth Orchestra presents winter concert

PENDLETON — The Oregon East Symphony Youth Orchestra will present a free winter concert at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23, in the Vert Club Room, 345 SW Fourth St.

The beginner-level Preludes Orchestra will join the Youth Orchestra for the show. A reception with punch and cookies follows the concert.

Both ensembles are part of Playing For Keeps, OES’s classical music initiative for rural youth. Students playing stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass) who can play and read music at an elementary level can join.

Both orchestras are accepting new students for the spring concert rehearsal series, which begins Feb. 3. Rehearsals are Mondays, 6:30 p.m. in the music department at the Pendleton High School music department. For information, visit oregoneastsymphony.org.

Join The Big Read this month

ENTERPRISE, LA GRANDE — The Big Read is in full swing in Wallowa and Union counties with weekly events and readings in celebration of “The Cold Millions,” a novel by Jess Walter.

On Thursday, Jan. 23, Aaron Goings presents “Industrial Works of the World 1905-1935” at 7 p.m. online at fishtrap.org. Also, “The Wobblies” will be screened at 4:30 p.m. at Eastern Oregon University’s Ackerman Hall room 201 in La Grande.

Several book discussions are planned:

• Friday, Jan. 24, 5 p.m. at Cook Memorial, 2006 Fourth St. in La Grande.
• Wednesday, Jan. 29: 1 p.m. at Wallowa Public Library, 201 E. First St. in Wallowa.
• Thursday, Jan. 30, noon at Fishtrap, 107 W. Main St. in Enterprise
• Thursday, Jan. 30, 2 p.m. at the Joseph Public Library, 201 N. Main St.

For a full list of events, visit fishtrap.org.

Grande Ronde Symphony announces competition

LA GRANDE — The Grande Ronde Symphony is accepting applications for the Concerto + Aria Competition.

There are three categories, with the winner of each receiving a monetary prize and will perform with the symphony later this year.

The Young Student category is open to musicians from grade six through high school in Eastern Oregon and Southeast Washington.

The Advanced Student category is for college-bound seniors in high school and students currently enrolled at a public or private university or college with a maximum age of 26.

The Open category is for instrumentalists and vocalists of any age who live in Oregon, Idaho or Washington.

Winners in the student categories will perform on May 28 in La Grande.

The Open category winner will perform during November concerts in La Grande and Baker City.

The application deadline is Feb. 14. For details and applications, visit granderondesymphony.org/concerto-aria.

Artwork sought for women’s exhibit

JOSEPH — The deadline is approaching to submit work for the women’s exhibit at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture.

The theme, Horizon Lines, invites artists to explore the concept of horizons — both literal and metaphorical. The deadline to submit work is Monday, Jan. 27, and the show opens Feb. 28.

For more information, visit josephy.org.

Contra dance planned for Jan. 29

WALLA WALLA — The Walla Walla Friends of Acoustic Music have a contra dance on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7-9 p.m. at the Whitman College Reid Center Ballroom.

Big Joe will provide live music and dances will be called and taught by Professor Arielle Cooley and other local callers.

Admission is free, and donations are appreciated. For information, email htostby@gmail.com or clarkdn@charter.net.

Backcountry Festival is Jan. 31-Feb. 2

EASTERN OREGON — The Wallowa Avalance Center’s fundraising bash is coming up at the end of January.

The 13th annual Backcountry Festival is Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 with events in both La Grande and at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort.

Also, an online auction is live and bids will be accepted through Feb. 2. View and bid at www.32auctions.com/EOBF2025.

The festival begins Friday, Jan. 31, with a pie auction and screening of “Calm Beneath Castles,” a ski film produced by Matchstick Productions.

Doors open at 6 p.m. at HQ, 112 Depot St. The pie action is at 6:30 p.m., followed by the film at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 adults and $5 for kids younger than 10. Any bakers who would like to donate a pie can email Rex Stanley at rex@wallowaavalanchecenter.org.

Activities move to Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort for Feb. 1 and Feb. 2. The Kip Rand Memorial Backcountry Race starts on Saturday at 8 a.m. Find the registration link at wallowaavalanchecenter.org.

Free clinics are planned for Saturday and Sunday (check the website) and Wanderlost will play music from 3-6 p.m. Saturday in the Starbottle Saloon.

BMCC Foundation hosts gala fundraiser

BOARDMAN — A gala fundraiser with a buffet dinner and auction will benefit the Blue Mountain Community College Foundation. The inaugural event is Feb. 22, 7 p.m. at the SAGE Event Center, 101 Olson Road, Boardman. Semi-formal attire is requested.

Items up for bid include National Finals Rodeo tickets, experiences featuring fishing, Jackalope Jamboree and the Tri-City Americans and packages from the Portland Trail Blazers, Walla Walla Balloon Stampede and Eagle Crest Resort. Money raised from the event will provide scholarships and grants to support BMCC students and programs.

Tickets are $80 per person via bit.ly/3WFOSM7 or by contacting BMCC Foundation Executive Director Ken Daniel at kdaniel@bluecc.edu or 541-278-5775. For more about the foundation, search bluecc.edu/foundation.

Male dance revue features hunky blokes

MISSION — Don’t dally any longer, ticket sales have been sizzling for the Thunder From Down Under male revue shows at Wildhorse Resort & Casino.

The all-Australian dance troupe will take the stage for two performances on Feb. 1 in the casino’s Rivers Event Center, located off Interstate 84, exit 216.

Showtimes are at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., with the doors opening 30 minutes prior.

Although the party tables are full, reserved seats are available for $35 each via the Wildhorse link at https://shorturl.at/5W1PF.

Open to ages 21 and older, the event also features a no-host cash bar.

Although photography is not allowed during performances, attendees can purchase abs-solutely amazing photo ops with dancers after the show.