No ticket? No boat? No money? No problem.
Although plenty of your friends will be soaking up sun at Shasta Lake or the Sasquatch Music Festival, there are several Memorial Day weekend alternatives to keep you busy.
Camp at the Gorge
A slight alternative, but an increasingly popular one to paying for a Sasquatch ticket, is simply going up to camp on the grounds without actually entering the Gorge Amphitheater. Enjoy three days of camping while very distantly hearing the festival’s music. During the day, the grounds are sparse and relaxed. At night, people party. Being 10 miles away from Quincy, Washington — which has a population of only 7,000 — the Gorge is the perfect place to stargaze.
Memorial Day Weekend in wine country
There are 11,053 acres of Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley. Oregon offers no better weekend to wine taste than this coming Memorial Day weekend, when over 150 Willamette Valley wineries will host special tasting events. With $5 to $40 tastings, wineries from the entire valley will be open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., hosting events the entire weekend.
Eugene
Eugene is basically vacated come the third weekend in May.
“Float the river. Pick a hot day, get a $5 tube from Hirons and have a good time,” said senior Siân Kavanagh, who is planning on staying in Eugene over the break. “The new skate park is pretty cool because it’s the country’s biggest covered skate park.”
Camp at Smith Rock
Located just 2 1/2 hours from Eugene, this picturesque spot is perfect for rock climbing, hiking or camping. The Smith Rock State Park consists of a river canyon next to very large rocks. With over 651 acres and no major town for 15 miles, Smith Rock is the perfect place to get away from Eugene, as well as your increasingly Sasquatch/Shasta-saturated Intsagram feed.
“The night sky was so clear, we could see all the stars and crazy activity going on up there,” said sophomore Megan Brehm, who went to Smith Rock earlier this month. “It’s definitely the place to go climbing in Oregon, and I hope I make it back there soon to climb and just be apart of their really amazing community.”
Portland
The Rose Festival: The Oregon Grape is Oregon’s official state flower, but roses belong to Portland. The over 100-year festival was named Portland’s Official Festival in 2010. The Festival includes several events, including a half marathon, concerts put on by Portland’s own 101.9 KINK radio station and a floral parade. The most iconic image of the festival is CityFair, which takes place on the Waterfront and features music, food, carnival games, beer and rides. Plus, admission is only $5.
Seattle
Northwest Folklife Festival: Check out the Seattle’s 43rd Annual Folklife Festival, a celebration of music, art and dance that Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein would surely be all over. The event takes place at Seattle Center in the heart of downtown.
“The program has over 5,000 performers from over 65 NW regions. It’s the largest arts and culture festival in the country, and the largest festival that charges no admission,” said Michelle Sanders Leyva, the festival’s media representative.
Spend that money otherwise used on a ticket to explore the city of Seattle.