Boat Festival

Anglers and wooden boat advocates will gather on Saturday for the 2026 McKenzie River Drift Boat Festival at the Eagle Rock Lodge in Nimrod.

People planning to bring a boat (but not float the river) should arrive early enough (approximately 9 a.m.) so your drift boat or dory can be courtesy towed from the parking area to the riverfront grounds. If planning to arrive by the river, schedule to arrive by 10 am.

April 25 is also the opening day of fishing season and will coincide with the Festival’s boat parade, fly-fishing demonstrations, opportunities to meet local river guides and enjoy a great lunch.

There is no pre-registration or fee for showing your boat. The Festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Road 19 Closed

The McKenzie River Ranger District reports crews are making progress on the construction of a bridge on Forest Service Road 19, also known as Aufderheide Drive. Bridge beams have been set and a failing culvert was removed. The improvements aim to make the road safer and more resilient in an area subject to multiple large landslides following the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire.

The road is closed to all traffic at all hours near milepost 55.5 – located approximately 2.5 miles south of Hwy. 126. Access is anticipated to expand to single lane traffic in May, with delays.

Several popular recreation day use sites and campgrounds, including Terwilliger “Cougar” Hot Springs, are inaccessible from Hwy. 126; however, access from the south side is open through Westfir. Please note that the drive from Westfir to Terwilliger Hot Springs is approximately 100 miles long round trip with minimal to no cell service.

For more information, call the McKenzie River Ranger Station at (541) 822-3381.

Benefit Concert

Turning Tides Music will present Glen Phillips, leader of the iconic Toad the Wet Sprocket, on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 pm at Unity of the Valley, 3912 Dillard in Eugene. Tickets benefitting Lane Arts Council will start at $35 and are available at turningtidesmusic.org.

During his almost 40 years as lead singer and a main songwriter, Phillips has helped create the Toad the Wet Sprocket’s elegant folk/pop sound that forged a close bond with fans. Alongside his work with Toad, he has released acclaimed solo albums and collaborated on projects ranging from Mutual Admiration Society (with members of Nickel Creek) to the experimental Remote Tree Children.

Turning Tides is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting world-class acoustic music and weekly ecstatic dance. Community building, inclusivity, and multi-culturalism are among their core values.