An annual celebration of a movie filmed in Brownsville is coming back, after the 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Stand By Me,” based on the Stephen King novella “The Body,” was released in 1986 and became a cult classic.
Parts of the film were shot in Brownsville, Oregon, and the city became a popular tourist spot for avid fans. In 2013, Brownsville designated July 23 as “Stand By Me Day,” and organized annual tours and events.
This year is the 35th anniversary of the film’s release, and the event will return on a smaller scale this year, with COVID safety guidelines in place.
“Fans are planning to come to just be here. And I think that’s part of it; with Stand By Me Day, to be here with other people who like the same thing you like,” said Linda McCormick, who chairs the event.
McCormick has helped organize the event since the first official event in 2007, and is happy to welcome fans back in their limited capacity.
“When we had our first-ever event, I think I’d only seen the movie on TV; didn’t really know much about it. Two other people in the Chamber of Commerce wanted to have an event because the fans come here,” McCormick said. “Next thing I knew, they put me in charge. [I] came up with a fun idea, and there it was.”
McCormick knows the film means a lot to many people, and she wanted to make sure the event continues.
“When you see the people’s faces, especially the first-time visitors, they get kind of emotional about seeing where their favorite movie was filmed.”
This year’s main feature is a self-led walking tour of the filming locations, with a smartphone app, videos, and a map available through the Linn County Historical Museum.
