Eugene Weekly : Calendar : 04.13.06

Another sign of spring arrives with the 5th Annual Benefit for Buckley Detox and Sobering Center. The Cherry Poppin' Daddies (above) (We remember when that was a controversial name. We must be getting old.) once again top the bill, with the next generation of Eugene rockers — in the form of Yeltsin — opening the show. Funds from ticket sales and from the silent auction that takes place during the show will help ensure Buckley Center can continue to offering sobering and detox services in Lane County. See Friday Calendar.

Last weekend was Palm Sunday, so that means this weekend is … Easter! And boy, are there a lot of places to look for eggs, from the Eugene City Brewery (where adults can win a $100 Rogue basket) to Springfield's mEGGA Hunt (20,000 eggs!) to Gray's Garden Center. At the West Eugene Wetlands, kids can start Easter weekend learning about eggs and wetlands birds' nests — a little twist on the typical egg hunt and gluttonous stuffing of hapless lil' chocolate bunnies into one's maw. See Saturday Calendar.

Speaking of stuffing things into one's maw, Lane County Oregon League of Conservation Voters has Eat for the Earth, a week-long fund-raiser, starting Sunday — and it's all about food. A host of local restaurants are donating a percentage of their sales on certain days to the OLCV's election efforts. Though you can eat for a good cause all week long, the highlight of the event is the Grower's Dinner at Koho Bistro Thursday, April 20. Koho owner Kevin Highland plans to spotlight the most decadent ingredients grown in Lane County. Yum. The 50 tickets are going fast. Others participating during the week include Bagel Sphere, Cozmic Pizza, Sam Bond's, City View Deli, Ring of Fire, Pegasus Pizza, Rennie's Landing and Glenwood. See Calendar.

The April Windfall Reading Series event is part of the Lane Literary Guild's National Poetry Month Celebration, and is also part of the Eugene Concert Choir's weeklong Festival of Peace. 20 Lane County poets were selected by judge Judith Montgomery to be part of Grant Us Peace (Dona Nobis Pacem), a chapbook of poems of peace and hope. Five of these poets — Michael Hanner, Madronna Holden, Colette Jonopulos, Charles F. Thielman and Deb Casey — will read at the Downtown Library Tuesday. Copies of the chapbook will be available at the reading. The Festival of Peace continues later in the week and culminates in the Eugene Concert Choir's performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem April 22. See Tuesday Calendar.

On Saturday, Pleasant Hill will be alive … with the sound of jazz music. The 31st annual Pleasant Hill Jazz Festival brings together more than 2,000 middle and high school students, their parents and community members for a day of performances and clinics. Nearly 40 schools are competing for honors in instrumental and vocal jazz. Guest artists including Ron Bertucci (trombone), Jim Olsen (saxophone), Jim Douglas (drums) and Steve Owen (rhythm section) lead clinics. The day is also packed full of performances by local and national musicians; this year's schedule closes with two Pleasant Hil High School groups, Ascension and Solar Jazz, performing with trumpeter Mark Pender (pictured) of the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" band. Pender will also host a trumpet clinic. See Saturday Calendar.