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The Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission is scheduled to consider the adoption of a draft master plan for Ashland’s Lithia Park at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the City Council Chambers, 1175 East Main St.

The plan suggests that the city consider the removal of the Granite Street Dam, restore Ashland Creek and redesign roads to improve safety, among other recommendations.

To view the plan, go to bit.ly/LithiaParkMasterPlan-Pdf. For more information, call 541.552.2256.

Fall festivals, pumpkin patch activities under way

The annual Fall Festival at Fort Vannoy Farms, 5791 Lower River Road near Grants Pass, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily in October.

The festival offers a farm stand, food, corn maze, pumpkin cannon and cow train. Tractor rides are free. A haunted maze is offered Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, as well. Purchase tickets at fortvannoyfarms.com. Call 541-479-3765 for more information.

Other harvest events include:

• The Evers Ridge Farm pumpkin patch is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October at 3100 Cordelia Way in Medford. The farm has a nature walk and offers fresh-pressed cider.

For more information, visit eversridgefarm.com or call 541-778-7681.

• The Pheasant Fields Farm harvest festival is set for Fridays and Saturdays through October, with admission times on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Night attractions are set 7-9:30 p.m. on Oct. 11, 12, 18 and 19. And Fright After Dark events are set 7-9:30 p.m. Oct. 24-27.

Get more information and tickets at pheasantfieldsfarm.com.

• Bigham Farms, 9445 Pumice Lane, Central Point, offers a pumpkin patch and events 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October. Events include a corn maze, hay ride, kiddie cart rides and a bubble station. For more information, call 541-621-5441.

Salmon festival is Saturday in Ashland

The 17th annual Bear Creek Salmon Festival is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Ashland’s North Mountain Park Nature Center, 620 N. Mountain Ave. The festival celebrates community, the seasonal cycle of Pacific Northwest salmon species, environmental stewardship and the Rogue Valley’s first people.

It’s free, with activities including food, live music, games, crafts, exhibitors, a giant salmon tent, live fish to observe, learn-to-fish station and a Bear Creek “what’s in the creek” station. There will also be Native American traditional salmon cooking and acorn education stations.

The festival is organized by Ashland Parks and Recreation along with local nonprofit Rogue Food Unites, with participation from the Rogue River Watershed Council, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

For more information, visit bit.ly/3N5GT5C.

Ride for a Cause, marathon set for Saturday

The Ride for a Cause bicycle fundraising event, formerly known as Bikes ‘n’ Brews, is scheduled for Saturday in downtown Medford. It’s hosted by the Downtown Medford Association and benefits area charities.

The event features a 7-mile Family Ride from downtown to Rogue X and back, a 20-mile ride mainly on the Bear Creek Greenway, a 30-mile ride to Jacksonville’s Doc Griffith Park, a 43-mile ride to Gold Hill and Jacksonville and a 63-mile ride that adds Medford’s southwest hills and eastside farmlands.

The rides start and finish on North Bartlett Street, between Third and Fourth streets. The start times are staggered, but finish times will be around the same time. The rides start on the half-hour beginning at 8 a.m. for the 63-mile ride. The family ride starts at 10 a.m. Volunteers are welcome.

The Rogue Marathon also is taking place at the same time as the rides, ending downtown. The run features a full marathon, half marathon, a 10K run and a kids run. Learn about the run at theroguemarathon.com.

Plans call for a celebration party afterward in Pear Blossom Park, where there will be a beer garden and food trucks. Live music starts at noon.

Register at bit.ly/4drovim.

Help protect botanical areas near Selma

The Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service, is organizing work parties to help with fencing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the Eight Dollar Mountain and Days Gulch botanical areas in Josephine County near Selma.

Sign up at kswild.org. For more information, contact Allee Gustafson, 541-488-5789.

Watch energy documentary screening

Join Jackson County Library Services and Southern Oregon PBS on Thursday at the Ashland Public Library for a preview screening of the first episode of the six-part upcoming documentary series, “Energy Horizons: Exploring Oregon’s Energy Future.” The screening will be followed by a question-and-answer time with series director Keegan Van Hook, videographer Tripp White and the producers.

The screening is 1-2:30 p.m. in the Gresham Room. The library is at 410 Siskiyou Blvd. The event is free. Register at loom.ly/LKrWC-I.

Tree walk set for Saturday in Grants Pass

A fall tree walk is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Riverside Park in Grants Pass, hosted by Grants Pass Parks & Recreation.

Join Chad Westbrook, parks supervisor, for an informal, guided tour to learn about the city’s urban forest. The event is open to the public and will start from the Trevillian Pavilion, across from the park playground, and last about an hour. The park is at 304 East Park St.

Community Connections Expo set for Cave Junction

Learn about local nonprofits during a Community Connections Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Lorna Byrne Middle School, 101 N. Junction Ave., in Cave Junction.

The event features workshops, including a 1 p.m. session, “Journaling in Nature,” hosted by the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy. Several organizations will have information booths on hand.

The event is hosted by the Illinois Valley Community Development Organization. For more information, go to ivcdo.org or call 541-592-4440.

Tour Plant Oregon nursery on Saturday

Learn about native trees and shrubs during a tour of Plant Oregon nursery, 8651 Wagner Creek Road, Talent, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The outing will cover what plants do in winter and how and why they are important to native pollinators all year long. Cost is $20. Register at pollinatorproject.org. Space is limited. For more information, call 458-214-0508.

Horse racing season ends Monday at Grants Pass Downs

The last horse races of the fall season at Grants Pass Downs begin at 4 p.m. Sunday and 1 p.m. Monday. Admission is $4. The track is located at the Grants Pass Fairgrounds. For more information, visit racingontherogue.org.

Take a hike with Medford parks and recreation

People 55 and older are invited to take a hike with Medford Parks and Recreation on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at Fish Hatchery Park in Josephine County and on Oct. 22 to Grouse Gap on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Meet at Rogue X, 901 Rossanley Drive in Medford, on the day of the event and take a van to the trail. Cost is $18 for Medford residents and $24 for non-residents. Register early, as space is limited.

Call 541-774-2400 for more information or visit playmedford.com (click on “Program Guide” and navigate to the hikes page).

Vesper Meadow hosts projects, fundraiser

Restoration work projects are scheduled Oct. 16-17 at the Vesper Meadow Education Preserve, 16534 Dead Indian Memorial Road. Also, a festival fundraiser is planned for 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 26. The preserve is a 1,000-acre private preserve used for restoration, research and education. To register, go to vespermeadow.org.

KS Wild to hold annual dinner fundraiserThe Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center will host a dinner and music celebration plus auction from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Historic Ashland Armory. Tickets start at $125. Register at KSWild.org. Contact the organization at 541-488-5789.

Land conservancy to host Open Lands DayThe Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, a land trust protecting more than 13,000 acres, is scheduled to host an Open Lands Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 19 at its Rogue River Preserve, 895-801 Rogue River Drive, near Eagle Point. Visitors may tour the property. Register at landconserve.org.

Learn about birding in the Monument

Learn about birding during lecture-hike events set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 19, presented by the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and the Klamath Bird Observatory.

The lecture is held at the Ashland Food Co-op, 300 N. Pioneer St. in Ashland. The hike takes place in the monument. Register at cascade siskiyou.org. Call 541-378-3039 for more information.

Japanese Garden hosts anniversary celebration

The Ashland Japanese Garden in Lithia Park is hosting a two-year anniversary celebration 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 19 to mark renovation of the garden. Learn to fold origami, participate in traditional tea ceremonies and more.

For more information, contact the city’s park’s department at 541-488-5340 or go to ashlandoregon.gov/262/Parks-Recreation.

Cities publish fall activities guides

The cities of Medford, Ashland and Central Point have published activity and recreational guides for the fall season, including classes, events and outings. View them at playmedford.com, ashlandoregon.gov/parks and centralpointoregon.gov/parksrec.

Send us news about your upcoming events Want to publicize your upcoming outdoors event for free? Send details to writer Shaun Hall at 541-761-6726 or shaunmichaelhall@gmail.com. Submissions about upcoming events are encouraged.

Want to publicize your upcoming outdoors event for free? Send details to writer Shaun Hall at 541-761-6726 or shaunmichaelhall@gmail.com. Submissions about upcoming events are encouraged.