CORVALLIS, ORE., July 11, 2007 — The buzz is back for da Vinci Days.
Fresh off of last year's record-setting attendance, the uniquely Corvallis festival is generating unprecedented regional, state, and national interest for its compelling fusion of art, science, and technology.

The 19th annual edition gets rolling July 20th with a theme of Motion and Commotion. This year's spotlight will be on all things kinetic—from human movement to alternative energy. Highlights include zany, people-powered sculptures in the Kinetic Challenge; battery-powered mini-sculptures competing in the Leonardo 500; dynamic public art on a grand scale; swift and silent electric cars; foot-stomping music at three different venues; and high-energy dance performances.

With an entertainment bill featuring the wildly popular Pink Martini on Friday evening at 8:30, the 2007 festival promises to be better than ever. "This performance will be one of the few opportunities that people have to enjoy Pink Martini in Oregon at an outdoor festival," said da Vinci Days Executive Director Brenda VanDevelder. The Main Stage lineup on Saturday, July 21st, includes the Henan Province Chinese Ensemble, I & I Reggae featuring O.B. Addy, and the final performance by local Led Zeppelin tribute band Stairway Denied.

The Entek International Grand Prix Electrathon, the nation's longest continuously running Electrathon America-sanctioned event, moves to a new time and location this year. The cleanest and quietest car race this side of the Soap Box Derby begins Friday at 5:45 p.m. adjacent to the OSU lower campus at Madison Avenue and 11th Street.

Another new twist for 2007 is the da Vinci Film Festival's Early Bird Screenings, to be held at the Darkside Cinema from Monday through Thursday, July 16-19. Admission to these four great evenings of independent film is included in the price of a full-weekend festival bracelet, now available online and in stores. (Bracelets also will be sold at the Darkside Cinema 30 minutes before showtimes.)

For the intellectually inclined, renowned physicist and former Corvallis resident Carl Wieman will talk about his Nobel Prize-winning research during the keynote speech Saturday night at 7:30.

With all of these exciting events and more, now is the time to buy a full-weekend festival admission bracelet. They can be purchased from the festival's Web site: www.davinci-days.org. The price is $15 for adults (13 and up) and $10 for children (6-12).

Full-weekend bracelets also can be purchased at multiple locations around Corvallis, and they will be sold at the festival's Main Gate at 11th Street & Madison Avenue. Single-day admissions, available only at the gate, will be $10 for adults and $5 for children. Children five and under will be admitted for free.

About da Vinci Days
Drawing more than 20,000 attendees, da Vinci Days is the country's longest running festival of its kind. For all ages, our weekend summer festival features art that makes you think, mini race cars built by school kids, a juggling physics lesson, a race of human-powered kinetic sculptures, Grammy Award winning music, a film festival, a nationally renowned keynote speaker, non-stop stage and street performances, interactive exhibits of cutting-edge research at Oregon State University, da Vinci-style contests, and hands-on activities exploring art, science, and technology. With help from more than 150 community partners and 1,000 volunteers, da Vinci Days showcases innovative artists, engineers, teachers, community organizations, and individuals. The 19th annual festival celebrates all things kinetic with a theme of Motion & Commotion on July 20-22, 2007.

On the Web: www.davinci-days.org