A Summer Night on Bay St.

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Written and photographed by Will Yurman

Handmade art, sometimes literally, as children paint the City of Florence Public Works’ truck bucket at the 2026 Community Block Party on Bay Street in Florence’s Old Town on Friday evening, July 17, 2026.

“I love this band.
I love Florence.
And I’m happy,”
Brooke Shafer, on why she was there

Sara Iseli, 45, of Eugene and Brooke Shafer, 76, of Florence hadn’t met until they started dancing to the music of 5 Guys Named Moe.

Victoria and Chad, a couple from Mapleton, were dancing too, joining a conga line weaving itself through the crowd. In between, Victoria leans her head on Chad’s shoulder, in the middle of a crowd of several hundred, enjoying the music as the sun settled behind the dunes.

Victoria and Chad, of Mapleton, listening to the music of 5 Guys Named Moe. The Mapleton couple are engaged, and will marry July 1, 2027.

Josh Coulter, 51, and Tawna LaNasa, 47, battled in a friendly game of ring toss at the Siuslaw Public Library information table. (Coulter won).

Tawna LaNasa, 47, and Josh Coulter, 51, play ring toss at the Siuslaw Public Library table.

“We’re young at heart, in love, and love to challenge each other,” Coulter said when asked why they played the hard fought game of ring toss.

Children painted the bucket of the city’s Public Works Department truck, Lane County Extension extolled the virtues of healthy eating, and Western Lane Fire and EMS Authority let children lie down in the ambulance or climb into the fire trucks at either end of the party.