Multitudes Of Important Events Today and Weekend with Update

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

                                                                        

Besides being Israel's 78th Independence Day today as Israelis celebrate Yom Hatzmaut, in the States, people are celebrating Earth Day.  

In 2026, Earth Day falls on Wednesday, April 22nd, and there will be events all month in Portland & Oregon including festivals, marches, concerts, volunteer opportunities, and more.                                      

2026 Portland Earth Day Weekend Events:

• March 20-April 26: Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival | 40 Acres of Flowers, Food & Drink, Shopping (Win Tickets, $164)
• All Month: Hood River Tulip Festival @ Packer Orchards & Farm Place | 10am-5pm, U-Pick, Baby Animals, Farm Tours
  
                                                
  
                      Keliq Washington, runner

I can't help but add something that will be going on in Eugene, Oregon.  It is all sorts of marathon events, and the one I will be watching and cheering on is the 26 miler with my friend and care-taker, Ki Washington, born and raised in Denver, Colorado.  He has a terrible time when the Portland Trailblazers play Denver.   I know our nurse, Chrissy, will be there cheering him on for all of us in Oswego Springs Assisted Living. All the best wishes from all of us here.   

The 2026 Eugene Marathon, scheduled for April 26, is a premier, sold-out Pacific Northwest event ("TrackTown USA") featuring a flat, fast Boston-qualifying course. Participants run through Eugene and Springfield, finishing on the historic Hayward Field track. The weekend includes a half-marathon, 5K, and kids' race, attracting roughly 15,000 runners.  

Update:  

• Final Stretch: Participants run the final 200m–800m on the world-class Hayward Field track.
• Event Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026 (Marathon/Half Marathon).
• Start Time: 7:00 a.m. for both Marathon and Half Marathon.
• Finish Experience: Runners receive a medal, official apparel, and access to a finish festival.

• The full marathon and half marathon are set for Sunday. The marathon is 26.2 miles, and the half marathon is 13.1 miles. Runners in both races are scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Sunday at 17th Avenue and Agate Street, and they will have seven hours to complete their courses.

  Both races will follow the same route for the first 10 miles before splitting. The half marathon will break off at the Knickerbocker Bridge off Franklin Street, while the full marathon continues down Franklin Street into Springfield.