Press Play Salem

Black Violin: Full Circle Tour 2026
2026-04-07 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver) | OR
Step into Black Violin’s Full Circle Tour, where GRAMMY-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus redefine the possibilities of music by merging classical depth with hip-hop’s pulse. This tour captures the essence of returning to where it all began—transformed and reimagined. Each powerful performance invites audiences to reflect on their own journeys, discovering that even as we evolve, we’re often drawn back to our roots with renewed purpose.
From high school orchestra classmates to groundbreaking artists, Black Violin’s path reflects resilience, creativity, and the courage to challenge expectations. With their Black Violin Foundation reaching over 100,000 students each year, they’re building a legacy that transcends the stage, inspiring a new generation to dream boldly. Join them for an unforgettable night that celebrates growth, music, and the beauty of coming full circle.
VIP Available

Closing a Chapter: Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack on Accomplishments, Challenges and What Comes Next
2026-04-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St, Salem, 97301, United States
Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack recently announced his retirement effective May 22, 2026. As reported in the Salem Reporter, Chief Womack said, “There’s no career like this. It’s an incredible career. Thankful and grateful that I had the honor of serving this way, especially these last five years.” Being Salem’s Police Chief was, he said, “the highest honor” of his career in law enforcement. Upon retirement, he plans to return to Stockton, CA, his hometown.
Chief Womack assumed leadership of our police department on December 7, 2020. Speaking to the Salem City Club in early 2021, Womack mentioned that community outreach, transparency from data-driven policing, and increasing staffing would guide his leadership.
Join us to hear our Chief of Police reflect on accomplishments and challenges, report on the status of public safety initiatives, and the Salem Police Department’s path forward.

Soul + R&B Yoga
2026-04-10 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-05-08 18:00 - 19:30 | Resonance Yoga Collective Studio, 129 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Join Shirley Brown for a musically soulful and joyful 75 min yoga/mindful movement practice.
Practice is orchestrated with rhythmic and soulful tunes to get you moving and maybe even singing. Together we will celebrate the joy of Soul and R&B music as we flow. If you love R&B / Soul music, don’t miss these Friday nights.

$20 per yogi | $16 for Resonance members (use your coupon code)

Ravel & Saint-Saëns
2026-04-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Smith Auditorium, 900 State St, Salem, 97301, United States
Oregon Symphony in Salem presents
Ravel & Saint-Saëns
A bracing whack from the percussionist’s “slap stick” launches Ravel’s Concerto on an effervescent romp, evoking the Harlem jazz clubs he visited with Gershwin. Riffs from the brasses and piano fireworks make for a breathless dash to the finish. Ravel’s lush Daphnis et Chloé opens with a radiant sunrise—golden strings, shimmering harps, bird calls—and ends with an orgiastic paean to love.

Weekly Drop-In Improv Comedy Class
2026-04-13 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-20 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-27 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-04 19:30 - 21:00 | Grand Ballroom, 187 High St NE, Salem, Oregon, 97301, United States
Date: Every Monday
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Price: $5 (first class free!) – Pay at doors
All experience levels welcome
15+‍
Take a break from real life to come play and let loose! Improv is all about teamwork, communication and, most importantly, FUN!‍
Whether you’re a casual fan or seasoned performer, this class is great for improvisers of all experience levels! Ages 15+ recommended. Classes are $5 each and your first class is FREE!

"A New Moon Ball" A Bridgerton Themed Ball
2026-04-17 18:00 - 21:00 | Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St, Salem, 97301, United States
Get ready to transport back in time to the elegant world of Bridgerton at A New Moon Ball – it’s going to be a night to remember!

Welcome to “A New Moon Ball” A Bridgerton Themed Ball! Join us for an enchanting evening filled with elegance and grandeur at the Willamette Heritage Center. Immerse yourself in the Regency era with lavish decorations, period costumes, and delightful music. Indulge in a night of dancing, socializing, and revelry reminiscent of the hit series Bridgerton. Don your finest attire and prepare to be swept away in a world of romance and charm. Don’t miss out on this magical event!
There will be VIP dinner provided at 4pm. Contact seller at pixiedesignseventplanning@gmail.com for more details or to reserve your spot for a VIP dinner

Room of Forgotten Souls
2026-04-17 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-18 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-19 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-23 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-24 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-25 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Pelton Theatre at Willamette University, 900 State St, Salem, 97301, United States
Room of Forgotten Souls
an original, ensemble-devised performance
In 2004, a tour group discovered a locked room in the Oregon State Hospital crematorium, filled with thousands of decaying copper canisters holding the remains of over 4,000 former patients. Abandoned or forgotten, these individuals sparked a movement to honor the lost. Inspired by this haunting discovery, the Willamette University Theatre ensemble will create Room of Forgotten Souls—an original, ensemble-devised performance exploring memory, loss, mental health, and recognition.

Tommy Emmanuel CGP – Living In The Light Tour
2026-04-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Hailed as “one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world” by NPR’s World Cafe, Tommy Emmanuel got his start at the age of six, when he first began touring his native Australia with his family’s band. As a teenager, he earned a reputation as a highly sought after sideman and session player, and by his early twenties, Emmanuel was playing on chart-topping hits and performing with acts like Air Supply and Men at Work. Inspired in part by his hero, Chet Atkins (who would later become a friend, mentor, and collaborator), Emmanuel stepped out on his own as a solo artist in 1979, releasing the first in a string of acclaimed instrumental albums that would make him an unlikely celebrity in his home country and beyond. In the decades that followed, he would go on to headline everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall; tour with luminaries like Eric Clapton and John Denver; win a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement; perform for a televised audience of more than two billion at the Sydney Olympics; and collaborate with a who’s who of fellow guitar greats, including Les Paul, Mark Knopfler, Joe Walsh, Richard Thompson, Jason Isbell, and Billy Strings.
Recorded in just four days, Emmanuel’s latest album, Living In The Light, stands as the most daring—and most rewarding—collection in the globetrotting fingerpicker’s remarkable catalog, fusing his pop, jazz, classical, and roots influences into a virtuosic masterwork as exhilarating as it is intimate.

Family Clay Sunday
2026-04-19 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-03 11:00 - 15:00 | OR
Bring the whole family for some quality together time and learn simple hand-built projects that are fun for everyone and create magical memories for your family.
Family Clay Sunday is a drop-in program. No registration required
Family Clay Sundays are back. We now offer an “early bird” hour for families that prefer a quieter setting and simpler projects.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. for early birds
12 – 3 p.m. Family Clay Sunday drop-in sessions
Cost
$5 per artist to create a new project on the first Sunday of the month.
$5 for glazing day on the third Sunday of the Month. We will offer bisque pieces to purchase at $5 each for those who didn’t attend the first Sunday session so everyone can enjoy glaze day.
We’re so glad that our little studio is able to offer this activity to our community.
Facilitated by Kelly Matney supported by Doug Dacar.
Dates & Projects:
February 1 & 15:

Early birds: Thumb vase
Drop in: Ice cream bowls

March 1 & 15:

Early Birds: Textured hand prints
Drop-in: Chicken plates

April 19:

Catch-up glaze day

May 3 & 17:

Early birds: Name frames
Drop-in: Coil name plaques’

June 7 and 21:

Early birds: Familer faces
Drop-in: Moon Face

Silent Film Series: Battleship Potemkin (1923)
2026-04-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
The Elsinore Theatre Silent Film Series presents Battleship Potemkin (1923).
In the midst of the Russian Revolution of 1905, the crew of the battleship Potemkin mutiny against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessel’s officers. The resulting street demonstration in Odessa brings on a police massacre. 1h 6m (not rated)
With live organ accompaniment by Rick Parks on the Mighty Wurlitzer.

Sierra Hull
2026-04-23 19:30 - 21:00 | Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Sierra Hull is a seven-time IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year and six-time Grammy nominee, one of bluegrass and Americana’s most dynamic voices. Her latest album, A Tip Toe High Wire, her first independent release, highlights her songwriting and instrumental mastery, featuring Béla Fleck, Tim O’Brien, and Aoife O’Donovan. The album is nominated for four GRAMMY Awards, balancing tradition with innovation. Hull has shared stages with Alison Krauss, Eric Clapton, Sturgill Simpson, Slash, and Robert Randolph, and performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk and The Kelly Clarkson Show. She is the first female artist with a Gibson signature mandolin and a Tennessee Governor’s Distinguished Arts Award recipient.

The Many: A Gathering of Resistance & Hope
2026-04-24 19:00 | Micah Building, 680 State St, Salem, 97301, United States
Date & Time: Friday, April 24, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Description: A vibrant collective of musicians and faith leaders, The Many, are coming to Oregon—and they’re kicking off their weekend with a special evening in Salem on April 24! Known for their soulful music, rich liturgies, and deeply hopeful spirituality, they create experiences that are both grounding and inspiring.

Join us for this free gathering on April 24 at 7:00 pm—an evening of music, connection, and shared hope, hosted in partnership with several local churches and the Salem Youth Collective. It’s a beautiful opportunity to experience something meaningful alongside others in our community.
Learn more about their music at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa-E00__WIJOjH5hfyAKEIw.

Hosted by Morningside United Methodist Church, Salem First United Methodist Church, Salem First Presbyterian Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Salem First Christian Church, Salem Mennonite Church, First Congregational United Church of Christ – Salem, Oregon and the Salem Youth Collective!

More info:

Bach & Mendelssohn: Tradition and Transformation
2026-05-01 19:00 - 21:00 | OR
Join the McKay Orchestras as we perform alongside Jessica Lee of the Oregon Symphony for our 5th annual benefit concert.

Join the McKay Orchestras for a lively evening of music as they perform Bach’s Violin Concerto in A Minor alongside the Oregon Symphony’s new Associate Concertmaster, Jessica Lee, for our 5th annual benefit concert.
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Time: 7:00PM
Location: Smith Auditorium
Don’t miss out on this extraordinary musical event featuring the talented student musicians at McKay High School as they perform a wide range of repertoire including Bach’s A Minor Concerto, Mendelssohn’s Hebdrides Overture, and much more. Invite your friends and family to join us at Smith Auditorium for an evening of impactful performances and a silent auction featuring local businesses.
All proceeds from this event directly benefit music programs at McKay High School to ensure all students have access to instruments and enriching educational experiences regardless of their ability to pay.

Sheep to Shawl
2026-05-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill St, Salem, 97301, United States
Sheep to Shawl
Saturday, May 2, 2026
10am – 4pm

Join us for an exciting day of woolly wonder at the 41st Annual Sheep to Shawl event!

See live animal
Watch shearing demonstrations
Experience living history
Take part in activities for kids
Enjoy live performances
Play lawn games
Shop with vendors and retail partners

Experience the magic of wool fiber processing at the Willamette Heritage Center’s Sheep to Shawl festival, a classic family event that has been held since 1985.
Join us for an exciting day of woolly wonder where you can watch skilled shearers remove the wool from sheep, spinners as they transform the fluffy fleece into beautiful yarn, and weavers and other fiber artists as they create gorgeous fiber treasures right before your eyes!
There will be plenty of fun activities to keep the whole family entertained, including live animal visiting, children’s activities, fiber artists, living heritage demonstrators, live music, food and drinks, games and shopping.
Check out the one-of-a-kind handmade goods from local artisans and vendors.
So don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to experience the full spectrum of wool fiber processing at Sheep to Shawl. Come on down to the Willamette Heritage Center, rain or shine, and create unforgettable memories with your family and friends!
Admission is free for everyone.

Michael W. Smith
2026-05-02 19:30 | Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Artist and worship leader, Michael W. Smith, is coming to Salem, Oregon, for his KINGDOM COME, Worship Nights tour on May 2, 2026. Smith is one of the biggest names in all of Christian and Worship music and is excited to bring this all-new night of worship and hits as only he can. Whether you are a long-time fan of his music or brand new, you will be moved by the intentionality and beauty of this night of music and worship.

Master Penworks of Tom Stefopoulos: The Hellenic Artist of the Lovejoy Columns
2026-05-05 - 2026-06-04 | Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE, Salem, 97301, United States
The Hellenic-American Cultural Center and Museum (HECCM) presents “Master Penworks of Tom Stefopoulos: The Hellenic Artist of the Lovejoy Columns” May 5 through June 4. The exhibit is available during Capitol hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Athanasios (Tom) Efthimiou Stefopoulos was a factory worker, railroad man, commercial artist, and a champion penman. Art was his first love but pursuing this was difficult for a young immigrant in an adopted country where he did not even speak the language. In 1945, he was employed by the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railroad to work as a crossing watchman under the Lovejoy Ramp of the Broadway Bridge in Portland, Oregon. It was here that the artist created the iconic “Lovejoy Columns.” This exhibition considers the range of Stefopoulos’ art, from pen drawings to the murals that graced the Lovejoy Columns. His style is a unique blend of calligraphic lines and Art Nouveau, and his themes span Ancient Greek philosophy to contemporary world events. In style and in theme, Stefopoulos blended a myriad of influences, a result of a life lived in multiple places and among many people. Despite a life that was characterized by movement and synthesis, however, the Lovejoy Columns represent a sense of belonging to specific place—in this case, to Oregon. Stefopoulos’ art gives insight into how the artist envisioned himself in this new home.
This exhibit was one of three that were awarded Capitol History Gateway exhibit sponsorships in the first year of the program. Exhibits are funded, in part, by the Oregon State Capitol Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

First Tuesday Music & Poetry Open Mic
2026-05-05 19:00 - 22:00 | Salem’s Historic Grand Theatre, 187 High St NE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Salem’s Historic Grand is pleased to invite performers of all varieties to take the ballroom stage the first Tuesday of every month! Musicians, bands, poets, and all other performers are encouraged to sign up and share your talent! Hosted by Matador Hamilton and Danny Shaw of Giantess.
Doors at 6:30, show 7pm-10pm. No admission, all ages. Sign ups open with doors at 6:30.
If your band would like to perform, please reach out to Matador Hamilton via Facebook or @matadormakesmusic on Instagram and let him know which backline gear your band will need.

Be Like Blippi Tour
2026-05-08 18:00 - 19:30 | Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem, OR, 97301, United States
Blippi is coming to your hometown in the all-new Be Like Blippi Tour! Get ready to see the world more curiously as you move like, play like, and explore just like Blippi! Join Blippi and Meekah. live on stage in a high-energy live show packed with music, laughter, and surprises, featuring fan-favorites like “The Excavator Song,” “Monster Truck,” “Dino Dance,” and “Curious Like Me.” This brand-new interactive adventure invites families to put on your orange glasses and unlock the spark of curiosity inside us all—showing that everyone can Be Like Blippi!
