Salem’s revitalized downtown features Riverfront Park with its famous Carousel, an outdoor amphitheater, the A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village and the Toy Hall of Fame. Other popular attractions include the historic Elsinore Theatre, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, the Deepwood Estate, the Reed Opera House and Mission Mill Museum. Several annual events are local favorites in Salem. Western Antique Powerland (a museum featuring antique tractors, steam equipment, trolleys, etc.) sponsors the annual Great Oregon Steam-Up every summer. Salem is also home to the Oregon State Fair, Keizer’s Iris Festival, PGE Festival of Lights Holiday Parade and the Salem Art Fair & Festival in Bush’s Pasture Park.

Bush’s Pasture Park is the keystone of Salem’s parks and recreation system. It features 90-acres of lush foliage, walking trails, outdoor recreation and wildlife viewing in a natural setting. It is also home to the Bush Barn Art Center, the Bush House Museum & Conservatory and the annual Salem Art Fair. It was also selected to host the 2001 National Soapbox Derby. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy minor-league baseball at the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Stadium or watch the Cascade Surge Soccer team at McCulloch Stadium, also in Bush’s Pasture Park.

While still a major agricultural food-processing center, modern Salem also attracted several high-technology industries. The city’s largest private employers include Salem Hospital, Spirit Mountain Casino, VoiceStream Wireless, Norpac Foods, Kaiser Permanente, Nordstrom and Boise Cascade. With a continuous influx of new business opportunities and its proximity to Portland, Salem enjoys a booming economy and sustained residential growth.