All's fair in festivals and music.

Byline: BUZZWORTHY by The Register-Guard

Get ready for a week of patchouli, mad tea parties, independent hip-hop, Welsh punk bands, traveling tribes of "freaks and clowns" and a wee bit o' Ireland.

Only in Eugene, right? Well, yes, that's true. But the 37th edition of the Oregon Country Fair will run once again near Veneta beginning today and running through Sunday. All of which begs the question - is there any reason to go this year if you went last year, or the year before or ever?

Let's not go there.

Let's just go and experience the food, arts, crafts, the music of the Davids - Lindley and Jacobs-Strain - and some spoken-word art in a plastic-utensil-free environment. And don't forget to people watch.

The Chieftains will most likely be watching people dance to their traditional Irish music Tuesday at the Cuthbert Amphitheater. Meanwhile, John Henry's gets in touch with its urban side tonight with a lineup of live, independent hip-hop. There's eight acts in all, including headliner Die Young from the Shapeshifters crew, an underground Los Angeles collective.

You can come back to John Henry's on Monday and check out the legendary Link Wray, he of the 1958 rock hit "Rumble" that has provided power chords for many a movie.

If counterculture, Irish music and independent hip-hop aren't your thing, you still have options.

The Oregon Bach Festival wraps up Sunday with G.F. Hadyn's `The Creation,' conducted, of course, by Helmuth Rilling. Welsh punk band the Partisans play the WOW Hall on Thursday; Eugene favorite Satin Love Orchestra gives a free concert in at River Road Park on Sunday; the 999 Eyes Ov Endless Dream traveling carnival show is at Jaxx in downtown Eugene today and Saturday and at Samurai Duck on Monday; and JGB (without the late Jerry Garcia, of course) is at the Jungle on Tuesday.