Ducks @ Oregon - University of Oregon

Until Next Spring

Leah C.

October 11, 2009 - 9:30 PM

The Street fair came! It came, it came, it came! The street fair, which comes twice a year was hosted by the ASUO, our student body government, and lasted from Wednesday through Friday. I was so excited when I first saw the familiar white tents all along 13th. The street that usually led me to all my classes became my access to food, clothes, and trinkets! I saw stalls that sold kettle corn, elephant ears, clothes, jewelry, furniture, and art. There were so many things to see, and taste!

To top it all, they're all local businesses! It's like having the Saturday Market right next to your class room. There were many food stalls, from Mexican to Thai. I tried this chicken and pad Thai special from Three forks a pan-Asian restaurant, and it was so delicious! Apparently my writing professor's brother owns/cooks for the business, which is pretty cool! This year was the first time I tried their food, and I didn't know why I haven't before. The chicken was moist and tender, topped off with green onions, sesame seeds and peanut sauce. There was also a tofu version for a more vegetarian friendly dish, that looked delicious too.

I love roaming under the tents. I can't express how much there is to see. One of the most popular spots for students at the street fair is the poster tent. You can usually find 6 or more people flipping through the stacks of posters. The guy who runs it has almost everything a college student would want to post on his or her wall. I even saw a couple of famous Korean singers in the stacks too! I love looking through all the images but I could never persuade myself to shell out $10-$12 bucks for a piece of paper. Maybe next year when I finally find a job...

Walking through the street fair is just a wonderful experience to have on campus. It really gives students who are unfamiliar with Eugene the opportunity to see what is out there when it comes to buying from small and local businesses. There are also many aspiring artist out on the streets. Musicians, from rappers to a modern beep bop flutist filled the air around us with music, while fine artist displayed their works. One of the tents that really caught my eye was an artist who painted on longboards. He gives each piece its own individual personality, as well as telling a lot about the person who would eventually ride it. For more information check out, Cascadia Longboards. Longboards are definitely a clean and fun alternative in transportation, and many people choose to ride them here on campus. Apparently the company and many other tents from the street fair are also at the Eugene Saturday Market, which I have yet to discover. Until then, I will definitely have to visit Three Forks when I'm free, and eagerly wait for the next street fair when spring comes.