Ashland is Culture! Ashland, home to the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, presents plays on 3 stages; the Angus Bowmer (601 seats), the Thomas Theatre (270-360 seats) and the outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre (1190 seats). They range from traditional Shakespeare to contemporary and world premieres. The 2021 play schedule, now being finalized, will run from February through the end of October 2021. OSF officially cancelled their 2020 play selections in early May. Travelers to Ashland also enjoy musical theater at the Oregon Cabaret Theater in downtown Ashland. Ashland Independent Film Festival draws film makers from around the world for appreciative audiences from near and far. AIFF revamped their very popular April film festival, with crowded venues, to a virtual experience presented May 22-June 14, 2020.
Ashland is Adventure! River rafting companies provide fun and thrills on the Rogue and Klamath rivers. We recommend Momentum River Expeditions and Indigo Creek Outfitters. Mt. Ashland is a full service ski area located just 18 miles south of Ashland...so close you can see the mountain lights at night from the inn! You can opt for an easy hike or venture to parts of the Pacific Crest Trail, golf, fly down mountains on your bike or take a day and bike the newly designated scenic mountain bikeway or the Bear Creek Greenway that stretches from Ashland north to Central Point. The calendar for the many cultural events, as well as the adventure activities in and around the valley throughout the year, is available on StayAshland.com and TravelAshland.com.
Ashland is gourmet and casual dining plus many boutique wineries! The restaurants in Ashland can satisfy many tastes and budgets. As your bed and breakfast concierge, we look forward to helping you decide where to go for dining and wine tasting. For a large selection of local and Oregon wines, the Ashland Wine Cellar is only four blocks from the inn. Ashland and the Rogue Valley are home to many fine wineries, each with its own signature grape and wine. They are all small wineries that are proud of their product...and we agree with many of the winemakers! Our personal favorites - Eliana Wines and Irvine & Roberts Vineyards.
For the months of August and September, newly formed Ashland on a Plate will dazzle your taste buds with exceptional Chef presentations at restaurants and various venues throughout Ashland. In addition to the culinary and winery aspects of AOP, artisan food producers and lodgings, including the Iris Inn, will add to the excitement. Many in the Ashland community are participating to support the 2020 reawakening of the city. We will update our website as plans are announced...check back often for the latest!
Many guests venture to the nearby historic town of Jacksonville for shopping and the Britt Music Festivals. BRITT SUMMER 2020 concerts have been cancelled due to the State of Oregon's guidelines for large gatherings. Many musical performers renewed their love for the Britt 'Hill' with promises to return in 2021.
The Britt Festival is held every summer in a beautiful outdoor amphitheater. Contemporary artists favor the “Hill” from June through mid-September. The season's 2021 pops concert schedule will be announced in February, March and April. Mid-summer finds Britt patrons enjoying the many world renowned artists joining the Britt Festival Orchestra for concerts “under the stars”. Music Director Teddy Abrams and the BFO treat concert goers to a wide range of musical choices for the orchestral season. The performance schedule will be announced early 2021. Britt Education sponsors camps for talented youth from throughout the United States. The students from the camps can often be found playing on the hill prior to a concert, as well as at free student recitals, during their stay. Patrons bring their "Britt" chairs and blankets for the general admission lawn or purchase a reserve seat for the performances. Gourmet picnics are plentiful, either created from gourmet selections at the local grocery store or purchased at the several restaurants in J'ville that offer "to go" Britt boxes. Britt also offers food to purchase from a variety of local food vendors. The historic Jacksonville Inn is a longtime favorite of guests and locals for dining. Summer nights are wonderful on the patio.
Leisurely days find our guests wandering The Applegate Wine Trail with 19 outstanding wineries, driving along the scenic, and sometimes, lazy Applegate River, touring the McKee Covered Bridge, and hiking. DanCin Vineyards, as you enter J'ville, features light meals, lovely views of the valley from the patio and a wide selection of wines. Further into the Applegate Valley you will find wineries with a wide range of varietals and enology methods.
© IRIS INN B&B | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CORNELIUS MATTEO