Celebration of arts, sciences runs through the end of this weekend

The 20th da Vinci Days gets underway tonight, and Corvallis' annual celebration of art, science and technology has come into its own.

"Things have gotten bigger. Quite a big bigger," said Rich Brookes, an Oregon State University electrician who has helped set up the event every year. "I only look at the electrical side of it, but originally, we ran from one panel. Now we're run from three that are on site - plus an auxiliary generator and 1,200 feet of cable."

Lori Hendrick, da Vinci Days' first director, said there now are more children's activities and music, a film festival and a broader appeal for attendees at OSU's lower campus.

Most importantly, Hendrick said, the festival added the Kinetic Challenge, now in its 15th year. Human-powered sculptures race on roads, over sand, through mud and atop the Willamette River during the competition.

"That was an absolutely brilliant fit for the theme of the festival. That is the No. 1 reason it has grown," she said. "That draws a lot of people."

In the 1990s, da Vinci Days' attendance often was about 15,000, but that's climbed closer to 20,000, according to Gazette-Times archives.

"As more people go to the festival, word gets out that this is something unique and different," said Chris Bielenberg, Benton County's facilities and utilities manager and a longtime event volunteer.

Last year, the festival drew 25,000 people - a 25 percent increase over 2006, thanks in large part to the popular band Pink Martini.

High gas prices might actually help attendance this year, said Brenda vanDevelder, da Vinci Days executive director.

"We think more people are staying closer to home," she said.

"People nationwide and in Oregon, too, are not going as far for vacations," said Curtis Wright, the president of the event's board of directors.

Tonight's only scheduled major event is a keynote address by Linus Pauling biographer Tom Hager. The free lecture starts at 7 p.m. at the Corvallis High School auditorium.

The fun on Friday starts at 4 p.m., just east of 11th Street, at the Madison Field, with art judging for the 15th annual Kinetic Challenge.

The theme of this year's event is "Flights of Fancy," and there will be aviation-themed exhibits and art as well as a medical helicopter that will fly in on Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

This year marks a change for the da Vinci Film Festival: This year, it was held in the spring for the first time. During the full celebration that begins today, winners from the festival will be shown at the Darkside Cinema on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Kyle Odegard can be contacted at kyle.odegard@lee.net or 758-9523.

Da Vinci Days Highlights:

Events at 11th Street and Madison Avenue unless otherwise noted

Tickets not necessary for Central Park, the Arts Center or CHS

TODAY

7 p.m. - Keynote address by Tom Hager, Linus Pauling biographer, Corvallis High School

Friday

4 p.m. - Kinetic Challenge art judging, Madison Field

5:45 to 6:45 p.m. - ENTEK Electrathon, electric vehicle race

7 p.m. - Music by Laura Kemp

8:30 to 10 p.m. - Music by BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet

SATURDAY

9 a.m. to noon - Sidewalk Chalk Art, teams and individuals can register, Central Park

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. - ENTEK Electrathon, electric vehicle race, Reser Stadium

10 a.m. to noon - Canine Frisbee (registration at 9:30 a.m.)

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Looking Through the Glass, glass artwork on display at The Arts Center

Noon to 1 p.m. - Leo's Kinetic Parade, starts at 14th Street and Monroe Avenue

Noon to 5 p.m. - Film festival screenings, Darkside Cinema

2 to 4 p.m. - Kinetic Challenge road race and dune climb, starts at 14th Street and head west on Campus Way to the Benton County Fairgrounds

4 to 8 p.m. - Battle of the Bands, Central Park

2 to 4 p.m. - Leonardo 500, small sculptures compete on 500 cm course

5 p.m. - Rhys Thomas: Jugglemania

6:30 p.m. - Music by the Dimes

6:30 p.m. - Midsummer Night's Run & Walk, Crescent Valley High School, $17 for adults, ($12 for kids 2k at 6 p.m.)

8 to 9:30 p.m. - Nikhil Korula Band

9:30 p.m. - Star Party, astronomy fun, Central Park

SUNDAY

10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. - Kinetic Challenge mud bog and river race, starts at Crystal Lake Sports Complex, (limited parking)

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Looking Through the Glass, glass artwork on display at The Arts Center

Noon to 5 p.m. - Film festival screenings, Darkside Cinema

1 to 4 p.m. - FIRST Robotics Exhibition, robots built by local students

2 p.m. - Corvallis Community Band, Central Park

2 to 3:30 p.m. - Poetry slam

2 to 4 p.m. - Leonardo 500, small sculptures compete on 500 cm course

2:45 p.m. - Rumbamania

3:15 p.m. - Music by Valeri Lopez

4:30 p.m. - Battle of the Bands winner

3:30 p.m. - The Maharimbas, Central Park

For more information, or a complete listing of events, go to www.davinci-days.org

Desperately Seeking Leonardo

Twenty-year-old festival desires Renaissance man: facsimile artist, inventor and scientist. Italian language skills a plus. Must wear period costume. Ninja turtles or self-important actors need not apply.

Da Vinci Days has a comment box, and every year "a couple of the cards ask, "Where's Leonardo?" said Brenda vanDevelder, executive director of the festival.

So the event is looking for a local actor to play da Vinci and mingle with crowds for future years.

In its early days, da Vinci Days did have a Leonardo, vanDevelder said.