It’s at the end of the world as we know it,
and I feel vine
Expanded four-day fest brings the region’s best wines
to the edge of the continent, for the 35th time
By Rebecca Stone • For the TODAY
Take locally-caught seafood, combine with top-level wines, add a pinch of salt air, fold in mass quantities of fun and invite the neighbors over. In this case, the “neighbors” have been known to come from as far away as Europe to attend the annual Newport Seafood and Wine Festival. Located in a 50,000-square-foot tented venue at the South Beach Marina, adjacent to Rogue Ales Brewery, this year’s event is themed, “Swingin’ On the Vine for the 35th Time.” Festivities will start to cook on Thursday evening and continue to sizzle throughout this weekend.
Festival-goers will have four days to sample locally harvested seafood, such as Dungeness crab, salmon and oysters, from vendors that include Local Ocean, Sada’s Sushi Bar, Original Shrimp and Crab, and Oregon Oyster Farms. And what would a culinary pairing be without wine? Tastings from more than 80 Northwest wineries — many of them award-winners from the festival’s commercial wine competition — will be available, starting at $1 each.
The prestigious wine competition, which at 26 years is the longest running of its kind in the Northwest, received 167 entries and awarded 99 medals. A 2008 Reserve Chardonnay from Ponzi Vineyards took top honors for Best of Show, barely edging out Troon Vineyards’ red-blend 2009 Old Vine Meritage and Silver Falls Vineyard’s Champagne-style 2009 Sparkling “Cheers.” Troon and Silver Falls both will have booths at the venue. A local nonprofit, the Lincoln County Master Gardeners, will be pouring Ponzi’s wine.
Further decadence will be available from Brevin’s Solid Gold Fudge, Driving Me Nuts, Rogue Creamery, the Tea and Spice Exchange, Old World Candies, Crepe Neptune and others.
And for those seeking eye candy, artists and craftspeople, such as Timbergrove Stained Glass Gallery, Wildlife Images, The Bead Chicas and Bamboo Originals, will be offering treasures ranging from art glass, photography and handcrafted jewelry to clothing, ceramics and paintings.
According to Lorna Davis, executive director of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce, the Seafood and Wine Festival — the first in the state — debuted 35 years ago in the local armory. But it got off to an inauspicious start due to an unfortunate incident involving beautifully arranged seafood displays and unseasonably warm temperatures.
Take locally-caught seafood, combine with top-level wines, add a pinch of salt air, fold in mass quantities of fun and invite the neighbors over. In this case, the “neighbors” have been known to come from as far away as Europe to attend the annual Newport Seafood and Wine Festival. Located in a 50,000-square-foot tented venue at the South Beach Marina, adjacent to Rogue Ales Brewery, this year’s event is themed, “Swingin’ On the Vine for the 35th Time.” Festivities will start to cook on Thursday evening and continue to sizzle throughout this weekend.
Festival-goers will have four days to sample locally harvested seafood, such as Dungeness crab, salmon and oysters, from vendors that include Local Ocean, Sada’s Sushi Bar, Original Shrimp and Crab, and Oregon Oyster Farms. And what would a culinary pairing be without wine? Tastings from more than 80 Northwest wineries — many of them award-winners from the festival’s commercial wine competition — will be available, starting at $1 each.
The prestigious wine competition, which at 26 years is the longest running of its kind in the Northwest, received 167 entries and awarded 99 medals. A 2008 Reserve Chardonnay from Ponzi Vineyards took top honors for Best of Show, barely edging out Troon Vineyards’ red-blend 2009 Old Vine Meritage and Silver Falls Vineyard’s Champagne-style 2009 Sparkling “Cheers.” Troon and Silver Falls both will have booths at the venue. A local nonprofit, the Lincoln County Master Gardeners, will be pouring Ponzi’s wine.
Further decadence will be available from Brevin’s Solid Gold Fudge, Driving Me Nuts, Rogue Creamery, the Tea and Spice Exchange, Old World Candies, Crepe Neptune and others.
And for those seeking eye candy, artists and craftspeople, such as Timbergrove Stained Glass Gallery, Wildlife Images, The Bead Chicas and Bamboo Originals, will be offering treasures ranging from art glass, photography and handcrafted jewelry to clothing, ceramics and paintings.
According to Lorna Davis, executive director of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce, the Seafood and Wine Festival — the first in the state — debuted 35 years ago in the local armory. But it got off to an inauspicious start due to an unfortunate incident involving beautifully arranged seafood displays and unseasonably warm temperatures.
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Newport Seafood & Wine Festival
What: The 35th Newport Seafood and Wine Festival Where: 2320 OSU Drive, Newport When:Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, 6-10 pm, $15 admission for advance ticket holders only, includes a commemorative glass. Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, 2-9 pm, $12 admission Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, 10 am-6 pm, $17 admission Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, 10 am-4 pm, $7 admission How: E-Tickets available while they last at www.newportchamber.org For more information, call 800-COAST44 Parking is available at the site for $5. Free shuttles from downtown Newport and major hotels. |
“But,” she laughed, “from that experience, they learned, and over the years, it’s grown to be very popular.”
Davis said that in previous years the event has drawn crowds of about 14,000. But, the last two years have swelled Newport’s festival-weekend population by as much as 19,500. Organizers are already seeing signs that this could be another banner year for the event. In anticipation, the festival, which boasts more than 80 sponsors (including Chinook Winds Casino Resort as the presenting and E-Ticket sponsor), is being extended from the three days to four. It’s a gutsy move in the face of a tough economy. Organizers hope that this change will better accommodate the thousands of visitors who show up each year. But there are other reasons. “We heard from a lot of local residents,” Davis said, “who said, ‘You know, Friday used to be the locals’ day, and now it’s getting just about as crowded as Saturday.’ So we decided that adding a Thursday night might help recapture that local flavor.” Newport’s annual hoopla takes place under some of the largest and most spacious tents money can rent. Still, especially on Saturday, those tents are filled to capacity and patrons must wait in line to gain entry. But that doesn’t seem to throw a wet blanket on the festivities — even in inclement weather. “I have seen people standing in the middle of a wind and rain storm for four hours, waiting to get in,” recalled Doug Orr, festival committee chair and owner of Ocean Tire and Auto Service. “We have even gone out and bought rain ponchos to hand out.” The expansion to four days may help alleviate the crowds. Davis also suggested that festival-goers purchase E-Tickets (online at www.newportchamber.org) for which there will be a separate, expedited entrance. According to Davis, cash outlay for the festival is about $300,000, including up to $75,000 for the tents, plus an additional $165,000 in donated in-kind services from sponsors. She estimates that the net from the event hovers in the $100,000 range, which is part of the overall operating budget for the chamber. |
“It’s a fundraising event for the chamber,” said Davis. “We’re a nonprofit organization with more than 600 members, so we rely on fundraising events and other sources to keep the doors open.”
But Davis and Orr both emphasized a larger goal.
“This event is held the last full weekend of February to help provide an economic boost to the area,” explained Davis. “Over 20 local nonprofits provide services for the festival to help raise funds for their organizations. So it’s an opportunity, not just for the chamber, but for the entire community to benefit in a slow economic time. We estimate that it brings about $1.5 to $2 million into the community and surrounding area over the course of the weekend.”
“Most hotels and restaurants,” Orr explained, “look forward to the festival because it’s kind of a shot in the arm for them, and it starts their year off.”
He said that a number of people will make reservations at a local motel, attend the festival, and book the same room for next year. “It’s a premier event,” said Orr with a chuckle. “And the town gets booked.”
But Davis and Orr both emphasized a larger goal.
“This event is held the last full weekend of February to help provide an economic boost to the area,” explained Davis. “Over 20 local nonprofits provide services for the festival to help raise funds for their organizations. So it’s an opportunity, not just for the chamber, but for the entire community to benefit in a slow economic time. We estimate that it brings about $1.5 to $2 million into the community and surrounding area over the course of the weekend.”
“Most hotels and restaurants,” Orr explained, “look forward to the festival because it’s kind of a shot in the arm for them, and it starts their year off.”
He said that a number of people will make reservations at a local motel, attend the festival, and book the same room for next year. “It’s a premier event,” said Orr with a chuckle. “And the town gets booked.”
