It's cold outside! Maybe a little bit wet too... so brighten up those darker winter evenings with the region's bountiful performing arts. Plan a cheerful night out with dinner and a show.
From neighborhood clubs to formal stages, the variety and mix of local and touring talent packs our regional local show calendar. Pick your entertainment and then make an evening of it with drinks or dining nearby. Below are some of our suggestions.
Soromundi Lesbian Chorus
Downtown Eugene
Hult Center for the Performing Arts
Eugene is a city for the arts with four impressive resident companies at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts that includes ballet, choir and the symphony. Additionally, this magnificent venue is a touring stop for many national entertainers and Broadway productions, and it is also a welcoming stage for local talent, film and presentations.
Resident Companies
The Hult Center sets the stage for an elegant night out - where locals go to dress up if they dress up at all. With an attached parking structure, hearing loops at the ticket windows and in the lobby, Assistive Listening Devices available for use in the concert halls, wheelchair accessible seating in the theaters and loaner booster seats for children, this is an easy place to watch a show.
Upcoming Shows
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
- Trophy Room at the Graduate by Hilton Eugene
- 6th Street Restaurant and Sports Bar
- The Old Spaghetti Factory
- Jazzy Ladies Cafe & Club
- Gordon Tavern
Best Places to Stay
The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts
Only blocks away is The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts with its impressive arts series that includes a celebration of American music, Broadway shows and jazz and is host to many talented traveling artists. Their musical and performing arts school is ensuring the continued development of local performers.
The Shedd's wheelchair accessible hall is equipped with a hearing loop, providing an improved listening experience for those with telecoil-enabled hearing aids, cochlear implants and streamers. Street level parking lots and street parking are all around the venue. The Shedd also offers a sit-down pre-show meal in the theater complex on Friday (reserve your place when purchasing tickets).
Upcoming Shows
Best Places to Stay
McDonald Theatre
This historic theatre building is a Eugene treasure, managed by the Kesey Entertainment which brings in the summer line up of headliners at Eugene's Cuthbert Amphitheater. Now, in the winter months, enjoy the McDonald with its mix of film screenings, live music, comedy and presentations. Street parking can be found in the vicinity.
Head over to the McDonald Theatre and enjoy a night of laughs with comedian Kathy Griffin.
Houndmouth is an American rock band from New Albany, In 2026, the band returns with Lordy, a stripped-back, emotionally direct record that marks a new chapter for frontman Matt Myers. After…
Wheeler Walker Jr. brings his Pullin’ Out: The Farewell Tour to the McDonald Theatre on March 23 for one last night of outrageous country music.
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Best Places to Stay
Actors Cabaret of Eugene
Dinner and a show is perfected at Actors Cabaret. Order your meal when you purchase your tickets and enjoy classic lasagna or a shepherds pie before the show. The venue is in the middle of downtown across from the Downtown Athletic Club and there are several nearby parking garages. It's a fun atmosphere!
"Finding Neverland" explores the relationship between the playwright J.M. Barrie and the family that inspired it all. Dinner tickets can be purchased for a meal prior to each showing. See…
Experience the charm of dinner theater, enjoy a warm meal and a delicious beverage while you watch Les Misérables. A musical based on the novel of the same name by French poet and playwright…
For those unfamiliar, "Come From Away" follows the people of a tiny town in Newfoundland on September 11, 2001 as they serve as a sanctuary for travelers on redirected planes. Join ACE for…
Experience the magic of Cinderella and the Prince’s reunion in this new, contemporary edition. Cinderella is forced into a life of household chores by her wickedly cruel stepmother and…
Gilbert & Sullivan’s pirate ship docks in New Orleans in this jazzy-bluesy vision of the crowd-pleasing classic, in an outrageously clever romp sizzling with Caribbean rhythms and French…
With a score from award-winning composer Andrew Lippa ("The Addams Family", "Big Fish"), "Love Somebody Now" features original songs combined with songs from eight of his most beloved shows…
The laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton, who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that…
Best Places to Stay
Oregon Contemporary Theatre
Oregon Contemporary Theatre (OCT) is a fun, edgy and inclusive theater. Come be entertained and impressed with the quality productions that have been exploring a diverse range of topics for over thirty years.
'Lizzie" is returning to the OCT stage with the same cast and production team. In the heat of August 1892, Andrew Borden and his wife are found murdered. The suspected killer is Andrew’s…
The Wax Poetry Revue & The Lu Harlow present Love Letters to The Moon, a one-night-only autumn variety show featuring regional cirque talent, burlesque, and captivating fall-inspired…
"See Jane Run", an Indo Story, is a solo memoir play written and performed by Jane Vogel Mantiri and directed by Andrés Alcalá. It is a universal story that confronts grief, inspires hope…
America’s favorite Dragapella quartet serves up four-part harmony, holiday mayhem and hilarious manger-selling drama.
The Jose "Juicy" Gonzales Jazz Trio brings Vince Guaraldi’s iconic 1965 holiday score to life alongside behind-the-scenes stories.
Six strangers seek peace at a silent retreat in this tender, unconventional comedy about connection and modern loneliness.
Set in 1999, two film-obsessed best friends compete for a life-changing scholarship in a candid look at queer identity and representation.
Fresh from Lincoln Center, this West Coast premiere offers a moving and witty look at teachers, fathers and growing up.
A wildly funny, contemporary comedy inspired by Shakespeare.
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Best Places to Stay
University District
Matthew Knight Arena
Matthew Knight Arena is the destination for big shows and large audiences. Rock out to your favorite band or see a show of spectacular impact from monster trucks to trick basketball shots, oh yes, and all of Oregon's basketball too!
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Miller Theatre Complex - Robinson and Hope Theatres
This is the University of Oregon's theater for the Theatre Arts Department. Catch the energy of student actors in a diverse selection of shows.
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
- Chula's Restaurant and Cantina
- Provisions at 5th Street Public Market
- Sy's New Your Pizza
Best Places to Stay
South Eugene
The Very Little Theatre
A long-standing community institution, The Very Little Theatre (VLT) has embraced inclusive theatre bringing diverse voices in original productions to the stage alongside classic favorites. Tucked into a corner of South Eugene, adjacent residential neighborhoods, this beloved theater is a great destination for date night.
Upcoming Shows
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Best Places to Stay
Springfield
Richard E. Wildish Community Theater
Just a few blocks east on Main Street is the Richard E. Wildish Community Theatre. The charming downtown district is full of boutique shops and restaurants, making it a perfect date night destination. The historic theater has ideal acoustics and view lines and it is hearing looped.
Come join local kids and teens perform in a delightfully offbeat adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl adventure, a boy and his insect friends take an amazing journey across the ocean! Based…
Join Rose Children's Theatre for Annie KIDS. Based on the popular comic strip and adapted from the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, with a beloved book and score by Tony Award-winners…
The Oregon Brass Society, Oregon’s British-style brass band, will perform “Fall with a Bit of Frost”. Admission is free to the public, but there is a suggested Donation $10. Music will…
Across the weekend, Fall Works highlights finished and in-process works by local choreographers, dancers, and composers, celebrating the artistry of collaboration and experimentation. From…
Discover the rich musical landscapes of Northern Europe with The Nordic Sound, featuring Niels Gade's lyrical Piano Trio in F Major and Jean Sibelius' sweeping Piano Quintet in G Minor…
Join Calvin Orlando Smith and other talented artists such as Gus Russel, Sean Peterson, Damien Masterson and Jim Douglas for "Home for the Holidays".
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Cottage Grove
Cottage Theatre
Outstanding productions draw the Eugene crowd season after fabulous season. Since the 80s, Cottage Theatre has staged classical and current productions. A local craft brewery — Coast Fork Brewing — serves pot pies alongside craft beer, and Axe & Fiddle, a local pub, has classic comfort food. The historic downtown is all decorated for the holidays, creating a magical and charming experience for pre-show shopping.
Upcoming Shows
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Best Places to Stay
Florence
Florence Events Center
Just above Historic Old Town Florence, the Florence Events Center also offers a hearing loop system for improved listening for guests with a hearing impairment. Visit Florence for holiday shopping and dinner before the show. The Waterfront Depot or Mari's Kitchen make great date night destinations, or take the kids to 1285 Restobar or Nosh Eatery — and there is always Mo's!
Across the world, reports of kindness are dwindling, joy is in short supply and holiday spirit is fading. Something must be done and fast! With time running out, Santa and his elves launch…
Join Florence Dance Academy for their first annual winter recital, "Candy Cane Lane". The show features The Surge Dance Team, as well as performers ages 3-adult in styles of ballet, jazz…
Experience a weekend of bluegrass, Americana and folk music at the 23rd annual Florence Winter Music Festival. Enjoy food, beverages and entertainment! Enroll in a music workshops -- the…
Nearby Drinks & Dinner
Time for Season Tickets
A holiday show thrills and inspires the audience, but don't box up the magic for just the holiday season. Support local performing arts and extend your enjoyment by subscribing as a season ticket holder or give the gift of unlimited theater magic to a loved one. Find out what great shows are scheduled for the stage this year and plan your next night out.
For a Meal and a Musical, I Always Drive to Eugene
I’ve been in my musical era for a while – I just can’t get enough plucky…
Eugene Hotels for Your Next Getaway
Escape to the excitement and pizazz of a downtown environment bustling with shopping, entertainment…
Ten Classic Winter Adventures
This winter, seize the season and explore all the magic Oregon has to offer. With fewer crowds, this…
Performing Arts & Theater
From international headliner concerts at the Cuthbert Amphitheater to excellent community theater in Cottage Grove, the Eugene, Cascades & Coast…
Music & Nightlife
Check out local live music events and Eugene's concert calendar for more entertainment inspiration.