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World Athletics Championships Oregon22
Welcome to Eugene! World Athletics Championships Oregon22 (WCH Oregon22) is a once-in-a-lifetime event in Eugene, bringing together the world’s best track and field athletes in a celebration of diversity, human potential, and athletic achievement.
The event, held July 15-24, will bring athletes and fans together from more than 200 nations to Eugene. The entire community has been hard at work getting ready to host this inspirational event. The City is hosting a FREE festival in the new Downtown Riverfront Park; community members and visitors alike are invited to the Eugene Riverfront Festival, held all 10 days of WCH Oregon22.
We’ve included some resources on this page to help you prepare:
Transportation to the Eugene Riverfront Festival
From wherever you may stay in Eugene or Springfield—and some other surrounding towns—taking the bus or the faster Emerald Express bus (often called “the EmX” by locals) is an easy and inexpensive option. Take the nearest bus or EmX to Eugene’s Downtown Station at 1080 Willamette Street. From there, it’s a quick 15-minute walk through some of Downtown’s best sites to the Festival entrance at the corner of 5th Avenue and High Street.
The cost is only $1.75 per adult trip or 85 cents per child, and free for adults 65 and older. Those who have a ticket to the World Athletics Championships can ride the EmX for free by showing their ticket. Pay before you ride on your smart phone by using the Umo app. Alternatively, bring exact change for the bus or purchase an EmX ticket at any EmX station using a ticket vending machine.
Eugene is proudly one of the bike-friendliest cities in the United States and biking will be the fastest way to
travel. FREE bike valet is available right outside the Festival entrance near the corner of 5th and High Street.
Simply check your bike and walk inside!
Use this map of primary biking routes to get to and travel through the downtown area. Each route is marked on
the street and sidewalk with colorful arrows that correspond to the map. Follow the arrows to get to the
Festival.
The Festival is located directly along Eugene’s beloved Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path just south of the DeFazio
Pedestrian and Bike Bridge, making it an ideal location to bike to from many areas of Eugene (especially the
Whiteaker and River Road neighborhoods) as well as the nearby town of Springfield. Please note that the
portion of the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path next to the Riverfront Park will be routed around the Festival for
security reasons between July 5 and 24. Follow the detour signs to continue north or south around the Eugene
Riverfront Park.
You can rent a bike from the PeaceHealth Rides bike share system (see details below), a local bike shop, or
PeaceHealth Rides offers quick and easy bike rentals for one-way trips ($1 base fee + 10 cents per minute). You can access the rental hubs throughout Eugene. When you arrive at the Festival, simply lock your rented blue bike up at the hub next to the Bike Valet station. PeaceHealth Rides staff will be onsite to help if you have questions. Download the PeaceHealth Rides app to rent. More Eugene biking information here. Primary Biking Routes Map – Just follow the color-coded arrows on the street that correspond to your route!
If you are staying in Eugene itself or coming from events at Hayward Field, you may choose to walk to the Eugene Riverfront Festival. Remember that you can always take rideshare, the bus, or bike share for your trip home!
Use the color-coded Walking Routes Map by following the colorful arrows on the street and sidewalk that correspond to the route on the map.
If you are pushing a stroller, you are welcome to check it in at the bike valet station (details above). Walking will put you in the heart of the city and allow you to stop easily to pick up food or drinks.
While there is no car parking at the Riverfront Festival (except for those with an ADA placard) there are a few designated park and walk/bike locations throughout the city. Please note that parking at these locations is limited, some locations charge by the hour or day, and parking is likely to fill fast each day. Budget plenty of time as you may have to search for a spot at more than one site and there will be a lot of car traffic throughout the city during the event. Whenever possible, please consider biking. If you are pushing a stroller, you are welcome to check it in at the bike valet station (details above).
- Overpark Parking Garage (10-minute walk): Once parked, walk north along Oak Street until you reach 5th Avenue. Turn right and follow 5th Avenue all the way into the Festival. Please note: being in the heart of Downtown, this lot will fill the fastest. See the map of this route.
- Parcade Parking Garage (10-minute walk): Once parked, walk east along either 7th or 8th Avenue. When you reach Oak Street, turn left and travel north until you reach 5th Avenue. Turn right and follow 5th Avenue to the Festival entrance. Please note: being in the heart of Downtown, this lot will fill the fastest. See the map of this route.
- Alton Baker Park/Cuthbert Amphitheater Parking Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays ONLY (15-minute walk, 5-minute bike ride): This route offers beautiful river views. Once parked, walk or bike through the park and over the DeFazio Bridge. Next, head south (with the river on your left-hand side) along 4th Avenue. The Eugene Riverfront Festival will be on your left. If you are on foot, you can enter at the corner of 4th Avenue and Mill Street. If you are on bike, follow the green arrows on the path and go one more block to the corner of 4th Avenue and High Street for easy entry to free bike valet. Map of this route.
- Valley River Center Parking (30-minute walk, 10-minute bike ride): Once parked, walk or bike across the Greenway Bridge and head south with the river on your left-hand side. Walk/Bike past some lovely sites including Maurie Jacobs Park and the Owen Rose Garden. When you reach the DeFazio bike/walk bridge, people walking should continue south to the northern Festival entrance. People biking should follow the green arrows on the path and get onto 4th Street. Bike two blocks to High Street and turn left. One block south near the intersection of High Street and 5th Avenue, the Festival entrance as well as free bike valet will be on your left. Note: there is a PeaceHealth Rides bike share station at this location for low-cost bike rental. Map of this route.
- Autzen Stadium Parking: July 19 - July 24 ONLY (35-minute walk, 15-minute bike ride) Walking from this location will take some time, but it is through some of Eugene’s most beautiful natural scenery. Cost $20 per day. Once parked, walk northwest along Leo Harris Parkway until you are standing in front of the giant “O” at the stadium entrance. From there, cross the street and follow the trail across the small footbridge and then across the larger Frohnmeyer Bridge, a bike/ped bridge) over the Willamette River. Follow the signs for the bright magenta arrows and head north (with the river on your right-hand side) to reach the southern entrance of the Festival. To bike from Autzen Stadium, bike northwest along Leo Harris Parkway until you are standing in front of the giant “O” at the stadium entrance. From there, cross the street and follow the path until you reach Day Island Road. Note: there is a PeaceHealth Rides bike share station at this location for low-cost bike rental. Map of this route.
Lyft, Uber and local taxis will be available, but likely in high demand. Pick-ups and drop-offs at the Riverfront Festival will take place on the north side of the Festival area at the corner of Mill and 4th Streets. Budget extra time for waiting for a pick-up and travel across the city at a time when we expect increased car traffic
People with ADA placards on their cars are welcome to park in the nearby Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) Headquarters parking lot at 500 E 4th Avenue. Only people with ADA placards are permitted to park in that lot and the number of spaces is limited.
If the EWEB parking lot is full, consider the Overpark or Parcade parking garages in Downtown. While these parking garages are not as close to the Festival, you can locate EmGo pickup points on Oak Street (next to Overpark) and on 8th Avenue (next to Parcade) where you can get a ride from an EmGo to the Festival. EmGo rides are only available to older adults (65+), people with disabilities, and families with young children. Please budget extra time as you may have to wait before an EmGo reaches you for a pick-up. Riding the EmGo is free and available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 12–7 p.m.
The local Lane Transit District (LTD) bus system and Emerald Express (EmX) rapid buses are both very accessible. Take a bus into Eugene’s Downtown Station and then catch the Route 01 – Campbell Center bus to 4th Avenue and High Street, which is near the Eugene Riverfront Festival entrance.
Adaptive bike rentals and all-terrain wheelchairs are available at the Active Transportation Hub, which is located near the intersection of 5th Avenue and High Street.
If you are World Athletics Championships ticket holder, be sure to check out the Know Before You Go travel details from Oregon22. If you are at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field and want to get to the Eugene Riverfront Festival, you are not very far! It's about a 30-minute walk or 10-minute bike ride. Here are details:
Walk/Bike/Bike Share
Exit the University of Oregon at Onyx Street, crossing Franklin Boulevard to get to the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path. Travel northwest on the path (with the river on your right) to quickly reach the southern Festival entrance. Walking will take about half an hour; biking takes about 10 minutes. A PeaceHealth Rides bike is a great way to make this quick trip, with bike parking at the Festival entrance. Free bike valet also available—just follow the signs at the entrance!
FREE Pub Cycle Shuttle
Hop on Pacific Pub Cycle’s shuttle along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path for a music-bumping group bike ride to the southern Festival entrance.
Oregon22 Road Events – Impacts
Oregon22 Hayward Field Road Closures
Emergency Contact Info
Background
Eugene is the Host City for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. The 10-day event brings this world competition for track and field to Eugene and to the United States for the very first time.
Eugene has a long history of hosting world-class track and field events, and our tradition and reputation as TrackTown USA makes our community and state the perfect first place in the United States to host the World Championships.
Fast Facts
- Competition dates: July 15-24, 2022
- Participation: 190+ countries, 2,000 athletes
- Media attendees: 3,000
- Viewers: Up to 6 billion media impressions!
- Media Permit Information