Our Community

Photo by Mark Mularz.

It's the people, the setting, that indescribable feeling that makes Ashland home. A unique blend of small town values, a simpler way of life, and an amazing array of cultural amenities.

Ashland is home to a state university, world class Oregon Shakespeare Festival, dining, shopping and hotels. Local artists show work in the galleries. Emerald parks thread through the town. From lifelong residents to the newly relocated, Ashland offers a community of interests for everyone.

Here are a few of the local venues in Ashland:

Destination Ashland Oregon

Ashland is the gateway to the magnificent scenery of the Pacific Northwest. Only fifteen minutes from the California border, Ashland enjoys temperate weather, four distintive seasons, fertile soil, as well as natural wonders like nearby Crater Lake and the Redwood forests. Our picturesque mountain ranges and full rivers make this an idyllic setting.

Amidst this natural beauty is a cultured town. In 1935, local professor Angus Bowmer gave Ashland our gift of gold — our world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The Festival laid the seeds for an ever-growing cultural atmosphere complete with theater, music, dance, cabaret, art, museums, and fabulous dining. The Oregon Cabaret Theatre, the Schneider Museum of Art, and the countless galleries are just a few of Ashland's cultural gems.

Ashland is a place to walk, bike, browse, and enjoy. Sip coffee, stroll through our celebrated hundred-acre Lithia Park, visit our wineries and orchards, buy a book, and above all, have fun!

Ashland Events

The Elizabethan Theatre at OSF. Photo compliments of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

In Ashland, every season has its charms. From February to October the Oregon Shakespeare Festival performs a series of Shakespearean and modern plays. In addition to the Festival, Ashland's small-town flavor is evident in our yearly celebrations.

Summer

Ashland's Old Fashioned Forth of July celebration has drawn crowds for over 100 years. Stretch out on your blanket to watch the floats during the morning parade, then join friends and family in Lithia Park for a lunchtime feast.

Fall

Ashland is not shy about Halloween. Join the children's parade down Main Street, as people of all ages display their costumes. Come out at night for the ultimate in Fall revelry!

Winter

A million tiny white lights grace downtown when thousands flock to the Plaza for our yearly Festival of Light celebration. Santa's parade, candlelight home tours, strolling carolers, enticing shops all add to the magic of the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve. Nearby Mt. Ashland boasts steep terrain for the experienced skier, and a fun bunny hill for teaching the kids.

Spring

As the springtime buds appear so do festivals such as the Taste of Ashland which celebrates artwork, vineyards and restaurants at local galleries. In April view films at the Ashland Independent Film Festival which hosts over 60 independent films. Visit the Grower's Market for a delightful abundance fresh local produce.

Facts & Figures

Location

Ashland is 15 miles north of the California border on I-5 at the south end of the Rogue Valley, sitting about 2,000 feet above sea level. The Siskiyou Mountain Range stands to the south, with Mt. Ashland at 7,500 feet high, and the Cascade Range lies to the east.

Climate

Although the weather is fairly mild, Ashland has four distinct seasons. The hills turn green with spring rains and golden brown in summer's heat. Fall brings crisp days and chilly nights along with the leaves turning color. And in the winter, when it snows the hills are beautiful and dusted in white.

Temperature

Summer highs are typically in the 80s with lows in the 50s, but there are usually six weeks of highs in the 90s with the occasional 100 degree day in August. Winters usually run in the mid-40s, with lows in the 30s (although we can drop into the 20s and even single digits on cold clear days). When it snows it typically melts by midday, but higher elevations can take several days.

Rainfall

Despite Oregon's reputation for rain, Ashland averages only 19 inches per year, plus 10 inches of snow.

Growing Season

We are in USDA Zone 7 and our growing season of 170 days starts April 30. Ashland is an excellent place to garden. Since the run of the century, the orchard industry has played a prominent role in our agriculture and we are known as "pear country." The climate is also conducive to growing grapes, with five wineries in the immediate area.

Resources

Lodging
Bed & Breakfasts, Cottages, and Hotels

Arts & Entertainment
Arts & Activities
Galleries
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Schneider Museum
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum
Wineries

Visiting & Relocating
Chamber of Commerce

Utilities
Cable TV: Charter (541) 779-1851
Internet: Ashland Fiber Network (541) 552-2222
Electricity: The City of Ashland (541) 488-5357
Natural Gas: Avista Natural Gas (541) 772-5281
Telephone: Qwest (800) 244-1111
Garbage: Ashland Sanitary & Recycling (541) 482-1471

Community
Newspaper: Ashland Daily Tidings
Dining: Restaurants
Education: All Schools | Grade Schools | SOU
Hospital: Ashland Community Hospital
Airport: Rogue Valley Airport
History: Southern Oregon Historical Society
Skiing: Mt. Ashland Ski & Snowboard Resort

BACK TO TOP