what's happening

Vino & Victuals - April 25–27, Astoria

It’s the perfect pairing all in one place—sumptuous seafood and vino—at the Astoria Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival, held April 25–27 at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. The three-day festival features a smorgasbord of coastal cuisine, arts and crafts, wine tasting, and live entertainment.

With more than 50 wineries in attendance, the festival is the ideal place to let your palate lead the way to what Northwest winemakers have been up to lately. While tasting, check out the arts and crafts vendors, offering a bevy of tempting items to peruse and collect.

Pair your wine with some crab, oysters, smoked salmon, or artisan truffles, to name just a few treats, and you’re headed off to gastronomic bliss! (800-875-6807; www.oldoregon.com)

Oyster Feed - April 26, Charleston

Oysters and a whole lot more are the big draw at the Ahh Shucks Oyster Feed, held on April 26 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology dining hall on Boat Basin Road in Charleston. 
Meals vary in price, but the main attraction is a choice of three, six, or nine oysters sautéed, fried, or steamed open on the barbecue, with dipping sauces, beans, bread, coleslaw, and a drink. If oysters aren’t your thing don’t worry, there are other options including shrimp cocktail, gourmet hotdogs, and dessert. To top it off, there will be live music, Oregon wines, and prizes from local merchants that guarantee a good time for all in attendance.

The Ahh Shucks! Oyster Feed is sponsored by the Charleston Community Enhancement Corp., a nonprofit charitable organization, with proceeds going to various projects including the Charleston Food Cupboard. So eat all you want, it’s for a good cause! (541-404-6593; www.oregonsadventurecoast.com)

Backstreet Gallery - April 30, Florence

Visit the Backstreet Gallery on Wednesday April 30th for they’re after hours reception. The music will rock, swing, and cruise you to the moon! Michael Anderson, a Florence favorite, on guitar with great vocals will be on hand to entertain you.

Backstreet’s Featured Artists of the Month of April are the winners of December’s Little Dickens Miniatures competition; Bonnie Kramer and Tamara Phillips. They, among many other artists, will most likely be there.
There will be food, and beverage, art and artists, along with the great music.

All are welcome to attend and enjoy. There is no cover charge, however, donations for the music are appreciated. This all happens at the Backsttreet Gallery, 1421 Bay Street, from 5-7PM. (backstreetgallery.org; 541-997-8980)

Staying Late - April 1–May 14, Florence

If you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, you’ve probably wondered, “Why can’t I have my room for a full day? Why do I have to wait until late afternoon to check in, and then have to be out right after I wake up?”

Some in the hotel industry are wondering the same thing, including those at The Old Town Inn and The River House Inn in Florence. Traditionally, hotels with high occupancy rates need a few hours for housekeeping and maintenance staffs to get into rooms and do their jobs; but what about during the off season when occupancy isn’t as high? Some hotels are becoming more flexible and allowing guests up to a full day’s access to the room from the time they check in.

“We’re going to try our own version of this during our off season,” says Craig Sanders, chief operating officer for Hoagland Properties, owners of The Old Town Inn and The River House Inn in Florence. “We want to see if this helps improve our guests’ experience. We’re calling it our ‘flexible check-out.’”
For example, a guest who books a two-night stay and checks in late on a Friday could have the flexibility to check out late on Sunday, giving them more time to relax and enjoy their stay in Florence. The River House Inn and The Old Town Inn will experiment with their flexible check-out, based on advanced requests and availability, from April 1 to May 14, then look at the benefits for the inns and their guests.

“Guests from the Willamette Valley and beyond sometimes arrive in Florence late on a Friday evening, and after a Saturday or Sunday of beachcombing, riding the sand dunes, or enjoying other outdoor pursuits, would like to have a place to come back to, get cleaned-up, and go enjoy a nice dinner without having to rush to get out of their room by 11 a.m.,” he adds.
Earlier this year Hoagland Properties completed nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in upgrades to its two local properties, including new in-room furnishings.

To learn more about the flexible check-out, contact The River House Inn (541-997-3933; www.RiverHouseInn.com) or The Old Town Inn (541-997-7131; www.Old-Town-Inn.com).

EVERY YEAR PEOPLE ARE KILLED BY SNEAKER WAVES - WE WANT YOU TO BE SAFE WHILE ENJOYING THE OCEAN

Our editors found this video that illustrates the problem with standing on logs. This happened on Rockaway Beach but could happen anywhere. Click Here to watch

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