BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

The Bite of Downtown

makes its debut today

A new food festival, the Bite of Downtown, debuts today at 5 p.m.

Booths from more than a dozen downtown restaurants will offer small plates, priced from $2 to $5. Also, look for such activities as sidewalk chalk contests, live music and cooking demonstrations.

Some of the restaurants will donate proceeds to FOOD for Lane County, a news release says. Maps with the list of participating restaurants will be available at each restaurant and at an information table in the Broadway Plaza, Broadway and Willamette Street.

More information is at www.downtowneugene.com.

Vaudeville performers

offer a circus for adults

Circus Contraption is an adult-oriented variety cabaret act - with the emphasis on "adult."

"Designed to stimulate all aspects of the human organism, Circus Contraption mixes traditional circus skills such as trapeze and aerial dance, acrobatics, juggling and clowning with elements of cabaret, vaudeville and physical comedy," a news bio says.

A Sunday show is at the WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Ave, starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Lowell rolls out the 13th

Blackberry Jam Festival

LOWELL - The 13th annual Blackberry Jam Festival starts today and runs through Sunday at Rolling Rock Park.

The free event features live music, children's activities and lots of blackberries.

This year's festival highlight is a water sports exhibition featuring wakeboarding, water-skiing and surfing.

There also will be a quilt show, art show, $10,000 fishing derby, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, greased pole climb, car bash, food, parade, crafts and a pie eating contest.

Today's schedule of events starts at 5 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the festival gets under way at 10 a.m.

- The Register-Guard