With its four National Historic Districts, Albany offers just about every major architectural style that has been popular in the U.S. since 1850, but the area's specialty is Victorian. There are more than 700 historic homes and buildings, and many of them are open for tours at least twice a year, on the last Saturday in July and the second Sunday in December. Another sightseeing treat is the area's covered bridges. Oregon has more of them than any part of the U.S., except New England. Albany's surrounding areas boast 10 bridges, including the Oak Creek Bridge in nearby Corvallis and Larwood Bridge, which crosses Crabtree Creek just east of Albany.
Albany's main annual event is the Northwest Art & Air Festival held in the third week of August. The festival features local artists and vendors, more than 40 hot-air balloons, vintage airplanes, airport displays and rides. In July and August, outdoor concerts take place in a city park along the river every Thursday night. Albany also hosts an impressive two-hour long Veterans Day parade and the Albany Traffic Jam (August) in which 400-800 antique and custom cars are on display. Albany is 70 mi/110 km south of Portland.
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