Different oaks for different folks: Willamette’s Oak Fest celebration

Students planting oak saplings during Willamette University's Oak Fest on Oct. 3, 2025. Photo by Mac Childers.

Even parents could be found meandering with Willamette students and other community members to celebrate the fourth annual “Oak Fest” from Oct. 2-5.

This year’s Fest, an event organized by Growing Oaks, covered a wide range of events such as an ecological tour of Bush Pasture Park, a potluck dinner presenting a natural dye workshop with oak materials, and a winery shindig. A student-led grant project funded by CAFES, Growing Oaks aims not only to live up to its name and “grow oaks” but also assists student research and fosters connections between communities in and around Willamette, as well as the Indigenous tribes of the land. 

Oak Fest opened this year’s first event with a panel for the college colloquium students of biology professor and Growing Oaks cofounder David Craig. For the panel, author Dr. David Lewis was brought to campus to discuss his work, which doubled as the colloquium students’ required reading. 

Lewis is a professor of anthropology at Oregon State University (OSU) and a member and former historian of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, a descendant of the Takelma, Chinook, Molalla, and Santiam Kalapuya peoples of western Oregon. His book is the first Indigenous history of the local area. Around 15 students from OSU and Linfield also attended the event.

The next day, Oct. 3, was a doubleheader. Kicking the day off with a tour of Bush Park, attendees observed the oaks and Willamette’s football stadium while receiving a history of the park. Craig articulated that it’s thanks to the help of Indigenous communities such as the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, philanthropists and many others that this park is so biodiverse and beautiful today.

Later that afternoon, several environmental and cultural clubs such as Castaway Club, Native and Indigenous Student Union, and Climate Action Alliance met at the community garden on campus and shared their ongoing projects while potting acorns and learning the future of oaks in our environment alongside local traditions.

On Oct. 4, folks were hosted by the Grand Ronde Native Plant Nursery, focusing on education, restoration and cultural cultivation. Formerly a Christmas tree farm, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde repurchased the property to restore the land to its original ecology. 

Oak trees hold an important role in nearly all cultures of the northern hemisphere. The Oregon white oak is particularly notable, being the only species of oak native to Oregon. 

David Craig couldn’t understate the value of these trees, noting, “The trees are also the single most important biodiversity trees, so more species of fungus, moss, lichens, spiders, millipedes, insects and birds are on these trees than any other tree in the Willamette valley or in Western North America.” 

The final event, held at Left Coast Estate vineyards, began with a short bird walk among the oaks of the property. During the walk, crowds were introduced to LIVE, a sustainable wine-growing certification specific to the Pacific Northwest.

Chris Serra, executive director of LIVE, discovered Growing Oaks through a Statesman Journal article, which, in conjunction with Growing Oaks, was able to plant around 8,000 trees last year.

LIVE’s work has just begun. Starting with no budget just a few years ago, they now have materials and space to pot their 11,000-tree goal this year.

Concluding the event, people enjoyed pizza, wine (for those above the legal drinking limit) and live music from student performers Bad Press, Karina May and Harness. Altogether, a sense of kinship pervaded the scene. 

“I love the passion behind Growing Oaks, and I want to get involved,” Em Geromichalos (’29) said. As a passive attendee and colloquium student of professor Craig, she continued, “It’s built a great community of like-minded individuals with similar passions and interests.”