Salem, Ore. – Opportunities for all ages to learn, play, and connect will be popping up throughout Downtown Salem from Mon., Jul. 22 through Thurs., Sept. 19. This free program, Pop-Up Downtown!, is open to the public and provides a wide variety of summer classes for all ages and abilities.

Featured pop-up classes include arts and crafts, jewelry making, music, public transportation, Spanish, fitness, floral arranging, and cooking. A full schedule of available classes, locations, and times is available online. Class locations include the Wednesday Farmers Market, the Alley Plaza behind JC Penney, Riverfront Park Amphitheater, and Pringle Hall.

A free shuttle from Center 50+ to Downtown Salem is available on Wednesday mornings. The bus departs at 10:30 a.m. and returns at 1:30 p.m.

The Pop-Up Downtown! program is free to the community as a result of AARP Community Challenge grant funding. The Center 50+/City of Salem was one of three communities awarded the AARP grant in Oregon. The grant is part of an AARP initiative to help communities become great places to live for residents of all ages. In 2019, the AARP Community Challenge grant program distributed nearly $1.6 million among 159 grant winners.

Additional information about the Pop-Up Downtown! free summer classes is available by calling 503-588-6303 or emailing Connect50plus@cityofsalem.net.

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