what's happening

Honor Our Heroes - September 14−18, Lincoln City

A thousand flags will preside over the annual Celebration of Honor September 14−18, paying tribute to active-duty personnel, military veterans, and their families. The flag-filled Field of Honor will be set up in the Chinook Wind’s southeast parking lot in Lincoln City. At noon September 14, Oregon Coast Veterans Association will lead the Ride of Honor down 51st Street to the Field of Honor. Oregon’s Traveling Tribute Wall will be open to the public at 5 p.m. in front of the casino.
Vendor tents are open for visitors September 15−18 at the Field of Honor. Those with military identification can join in a free buffet at the casino September 15. Officials will present the Oregon Veterans Medal at 2 p.m. Friday and official opening ceremonies for the celebration are at 6 p.m. at the Field of Honor. Another medal presentation is at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Closing ceremonies are at 2 p.m. Sunday in front of the casino. (800-452-2151; www.oregoncoast.org)

Fun Festival - September 17−18, Coos Bay

Some call the the Bay Area Fun Festival the greatest last party of the summer, so you won’t want to miss it September 17−18. Highlights of the festival include the famous Cruz the Coos, featuring nearly 500 vintage automobiles, the finals of Bay Area Teen Idol, a parade, and more. Visitors will also enjoy a variety of vendors, arts and crafts, and loads of food options along with a beer and wine garden. The live music lineup this year includes Done Deal, Bach Rock/Metrognomes, Toyz, and Whiskey Run. (www.bayareafunfestival.com)

The popular festival includes the Prefontaine Memorial Run, a challenging 10K which attracts premier runners of all ages from across the Northwest. The runners race along the late track star Steve Prefontaine’s old training course. (www.prefontainerun.com)

Meet the Authors - September 23−24, Florence

Approximately 70 authors from the Northwest and beyond will be participating in the 6th annual Festival of Books at the Florence Events Center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on September 24. Chat with authors of various genres as well as peruse and buy their books, then have them signed and personalized. There will also be about 10 publishers participating. Admission to the book fair is free.

The fair also offers the opportunity to meet the New York Times bestselling author Phillip Margolin on Friday, September 23. Margolin, a former Portland criminal defense attorney and author of many award-winning bestsellers, is the keynote speaker at the Florence Events Center. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Also on Friday is a panel discussion, free to the public, featuring various prominent Northwest authors. (www.florencefestivalofbooks.org)

Cups Overflowing - September 23−25, Astoria

Drink in the three days of craft beer and music on Astoria’s waterfront at the Pacific Northwest Brew Cup next to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, in the Barbey Center.

The event is free and family-friendly. Tasting mugs are $9 and tokens are $1 for each 4-ounce sample of beer or cider. Bring your growlers and fill them on Sunday.

This beer and music festival features a sampling of craft beers and ciders from all over the Northwest and is accompanied by a music lineup of more than a dozen Northwest bands, as eclectic and diverse as the beer. With food vendors and more than 40 craft brewers, PNW Brew Cup helps visitors close out the summer with a splash. (503-791-7940; www.pacificnorthwestbrewcup.com)

Learn About First Foresters - September 24, Cape Perpetua Visitors Center, Yachats

As part of the celebration of National Public Lands Day, visitors are invited to a presentation at Cape Perpetua Visitor Center to learn about first chief of the US Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot, and the 226 men and women who initially served the agency around the country.

Author Bibi Gaston will be sharing what she learned in researching her new book, “Gifford Pinchot and the First Foresters,” which includes anecdotes and writings from the original rangers and foresters on their work, their lives, the young Forest Service, and the early conservation movement.

The talk will be held at 2:00 p.m at the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center. National Public Lands Day is a fee-free day for all federal public lands.
( 541-547-3289)

Gypsy Jazz at the LCCC - September 28, Lincoln City

Gypsy jazz, a special style of jazz made famous by “Django” Reinhardt in the 1930s, will be front and center at the Lincoln City Cultural Center (LCCC) on September 28 with a special concert by the acoustic jazz band, Rhythm Future Quartet.

The band, named for a Django Reinhardt tune, offers up a newly-minted sound that is influenced by the classic Hot Club of France, yet wholly contemporary. Led by violinist Jason Anick and guitarist Olli Soikkeli, the quartet performs dynamic and lyrical arrangements of both gypsy jazz standards and original compositions. With Max O’Rourke on second guitar and Greg Loughman on bass, Rhythm Future is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of a vital genre.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $22 at the door. Youth ages 18 and under will be admitted free. To reserve, click the “Buy Tickets Now” button at the LCCC website, or call. (541-994-9994; www.lincolncity-culturalcenter.org)

Video Release & Concert Supports Young Musicians- September 29, Florence

On September 29 from 7:30−10 p.m., Florence-based band Speaker Wave (Kevin Wolpoff, Jeremy Scott Anderson, and Vince Hendricks-Davis) will screen their first original music video on City Lights Cinemas’ Chaplin Stage. The all-ages event includes live music performances by Speaker Wave and new Florence-based band Good Problems.
The video release profiles Speaker Wave’s original song “Leavin’ Town,” an acoustic fusion of folk and rock featured on their debut album Tsunami Evacuation Route. The song brought the band local fame as a semi-finalist pick in the Eugene Weekly Next Big Thing song competition. The video of “Leavin’ Town”—a somber tale about a guy who believes his circumstances will improve by “leaving town”—was directed and edited by Dan Haberly.

Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Siuslaw High School Music Programs. “The Siuslaw Music Program is one of the few things that actually kept me in school,” says drummer Vince Hendricks-Davis. “...the music program is a great positive release that instills a lot of discipline.”

Tickets can be purchased for $4 through City Lights Cinemas website, www.citylightscinemas.com. Speaker Wave will also perform a benefit concert for KXCR’s Youth Radio Club at Florence’s Old Town Barbershop on September 16. (www.speakerwave.com)

Jazzin’ it Up - September 30−October 1, Newport,

The Oregon Coast Jazz Party celebrates the best in live jazz with a whole weekend of music in Newport, September 30−October 2 at the Newport Performing Arts Center and the Shilo Inn Suites Hotel.

Expect multiple sets from renowned jazz stars, nightcap performances, and educational events. The eclectic and diverse lineup coordinated by music director Holly Hofmann includes pianist/composer Bruce Barth, organist Akiko Tsuruga, guitarist Graham Dechter, saxophonist and singer Grace Kelly, drummers Dave Tull and Lewis Nash, Jazz Party favorites Jeff Hamilton Trio and Ken Peplowski, and more.

Jazz Party-sponsored clinics and panel discussions offer jazz lovers and students an opportunity to learn and ask questions from attending musicians. (541-265-ARTS; www.coastarts.org)

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