Historical Downtown Walk
The annual Historical Downtown Walk will start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7.
This is a guided tour that begins at the Old Town Mall (743 S Main St.). The tour presents a glimpse into Lebanon’s past as it walks by several interesting historical buildings in the downtown. Wyatt King will be the tour guide, and printed brochures will be available.
This year’s walk includes: a first floor tour of the Wells Fargo building, originally the Lebanon National Bank, built in 1910; the Masonic Hall located in Lebanon’s first brick building constructed in 1886; an upstairs, almost-completed apartment on Main Street; the train depot with a brief climb aboard the Santa Maria steam train; and two former Lebanon hospitals.
The tour leaves promptly at 2 p.m. Participants are encouraged to arrive early to sign a waiver and sign out a listening device so they won’t miss any local history shared by the leader. The walk will last about one hour and 15 minutes, and be about half a mile in length.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Dogs on leash are welcome, but are not allowed inside buildings. Hot chocolate, coffee, cookies, donuts, and scones are available after the walk.
Albany Christmas Parlour Tour
Albany’s 45th annual Christmas Parlour Tour will be held from 2-7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8, allowing participants to tour
Enjoy the sights and sounds of an old-fashioned holiday celebration through Albany’s nationally registered historic districts by touring beautifully decorated homes and other historic buildings that highlight architectural styles such as Queen Anne, mid-century modern, and craftsman.
Tickets are $15 and available online until the day before the tour at monteithhouse.org; click the
link under “Upcoming Events.” On the day of the tour, bring your e-receipt to the Albany Visitors
Association (AVA), 122 Ferry St. SW, and redeem it for a wristband and ticket, which includes a map and information about the homes. Both ticket and wristband are needed to enter the homes.
Tickets also will be available the day of the tour beginning at 1 p.m. at the AVA office; cash or
check only.
Visitors may tour the homes in any order they choose, ride the Albany Trolley to most of the sites or catch a ride on a horse-drawn wagon that will tour on a limited route, and enjoy refreshments at the Albany Regional Museum and Monteith House.
Visit other historic buildings, such as Whitespires Church, United Presbyterian Church,
the Downtown Carnegie Library (where visitors can take the chill off around the library’s
cozy fireplace), the Cumberland Community Center, and the Historic Carousel Museum.
Sign up at the Albany Regional Museum for a chance to win free tickets to the 2025 Summer Interior Homes Tour, which will be held Saturday, July 26, 2025.
For more information, contact the AVA at 541.928.0911, or email [email protected].
Historic Homes Presentation
The Lebanon Museum Foundation and Lebanon Public Library will host historian Darrell Jabin at 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9, at the library, 55 Academy St.
Jabin will tell stories about historic homes of the Willamette Valley. Some of the houses he will describe are plain, and some extravagant. Some were the homes of Oregon business and community leaders and served as meeting places for people who helped create our state. Many of the houses are now museums.
Jabin, who calls himself “Oregon’s traveling historian,” has traveled across the state many times. He collects Oregon’s stories and shares them on social media, in videos, and in presentations like this one.
The event is free of charge and open to all. The Lebanon Museum Foundation is working to create Lebanon’s first museum, to celebrate the town’s history and culture. For more information about Jabin’s presentation or about the Lebanon Museum Foundation, call Linda at 503.707.1539.
Women’s Group After 5
After 5 Connections will host “Joyful Sounds of Christmas,” a gift exchange and special program for women and men from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at Ma’s Restaurant 2416 S. Santiam Hwy., Lebanon.
The evening promises to be fun, food, and a traditional sing-a-long. The program will start with a buffet dinner, followed by festive Christmas carols. There will also be a creative Christmas story with audience participation in the “Right-Left” game; please bring a wrapped pair of fun socks for this gift exchange game.
Guest speaker this month will be Laura Loffredo, of Portland. She is a retired Chicago area bed and breakfast owner. Her specialty is dramatic re-enactments of famous people from long ago times. Come and be entertained by her acting talents.
Cost for dinner is $18; credit cards cannot be accepted.
To RSVP, contact Sherri at 541.258.6414, or Nancy at 541.259.1396 or by email at [email protected].
‘The Innkeepers’ Play
Playwright Satina Tolman brings back her nativity story, “The Innkeepers,” on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14-15, at the Sweet Home High School auditorium, 1641 Long St.
Immerse yourself in a mesmerizing journey as the innkeeper and his wife retell the nativity story from their unique perspective, a story that reminds us of the power of compassion, love and the true meaning of Christmas. With its captivating narrative, heartwarming characters and inspiring songs, “The Innkeepers” promises to be a must-attend event this holiday season.
Admission is free. Shows will be performed Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3-4:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3-4:30 p.m.
For more information and updates, visit the Facebook event page at Facebook.com/theinnkeeperssweethome. For inquiries or to become a sponsor, contact Satina via email at [email protected] or [email protected].
Fundraisers for Habitat for Humanity
Fundraisers to benefit Lebanon Area Habitat for Humanity will be held this year through a variety of options.
Sunday, Dec. 22: Habitat will host “Holiday Bingo” from 3-5 p.m. at Tallman Brewing, 2055 Primrose St., and 50% of proceeds from the games goes to Habitat.
Tuesday, Dec. 31: Panda Express at 1990 S Main St., Lebanon, will donate 20% of your order to Habitat when you show them Habitat’s flier (found at https://bit.ly/3Zdw9sW), or if ordering online, use code 381837.
Animal Rescue Volunteers Needed
Linn County Animal Rescue needs volunteers for its nonprofit work outside Lebanon. For those interested in a rewarding time spent with animals, consider joining LCAR which has horses, minis, cows, sheep and senior dogs. There are two shifts a day, morning and afternoon. Volunteers can work with the livestock or dogs, or both.
Donations and sponsorships are also welcomed. For more information, visit lcarhorse.org or call 541.258.3422.
Call for Local Authors
Friends of the Lebanon Public Library will host its second annual Author Fair, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, at the Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St.
This year, Friends expects to have 12 speakers and more than 40 authors, providing a wide variety of genres including children’s and young adult, historical fiction, romance, mystery/thriller, sci-fi and fantasy, memoir, Oregon history, and more.
Attendees will have the chance to meet the authors, buy their books and merchandise; attend workshops, readings, and talks; connect with writers; and celebrate the literary talent in Oregon.
The Teen Advisory Group will also be there selling baked goods and snacks to raise money for teen programs at the library, while 3 Potato More’s food truck will be available for lunch options.
Please bring cash; some authors and the bake sale do not accept card payments.
Registration for authors to have a table is full, but to get on the waitlist, visit https://www.lebanonlibraryfriends.org/author-fair. Proceeds from author tables benefit the Lebanon Public Library.
Hygiene donations sought
Crowfoot Baptist Church operates a hygiene supply program for families in need. They are in need of toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, bar soap, hand soap, feminine hygiene products (tampons and pads), razors, shaving cream, dish soap, laundry detergent, bathroom cleaner, bleach, toilet paper, garbage bags.
To donate, or for more information, call 541.258.3138, or visit the church during open hours (T, W, Th, and Sun from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m) at 699 Cascade Drive.
Suicide Bereavement Support Group
Lebanon Area Mental Health Alliance hosts a Suicide Bereavement Support Group every second Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Lebanon Community Hospital, 525 Santiam Hwy. in conference room 1 and 2. Park and enter at the back of the building.
For anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one by suicide, struggles with previous attempts or attempts from a loved one, or if suicide has had an impact on your life.
A licensed mental health therapist will facilitate the meetings. For more information, contact Dave Butler at 541.936.2580 or via email at [email protected].