Winter Waters rises again in Newport
Winter Waters returns to the Central Coast with a weekend of public events exploring ocean science, sustainable food systems and Newport’s blue economy Friday, Feb. 6, through Sunday, Feb. 8. Spaces for the ticketed events are filling quickly.
Winter Waters is an Oregon-born initiative dedicated to promoting seaweed as a superfood culinary ingredient while strengthening local food systems along the Oregon coast. Co-founded by Rachelle Hacmac, Alanna Kieffer and Kristen Penner, the series has hosted events in Newport since its first year and continues to expand its coastal programming in the city.
The weekend begins Friday, Feb. 6, with Marine Reserve Trivia at The Wilds Taphouse & BBQ, focusing on Oregon’s five marine reserves and their role as no-harvest living laboratories for nearshore ecosystems.
Saturday, Feb. 7, features “The Blue Line — A Coastal Field Trip,” a citywide, self-guided experience highlighting the people, places and systems that make up Newport’s blue economy. Stops include a sea urchin ranching and seaweed farm, a Central Coast Food Web open house with a pop-up broth bar tied to Local Ocean’s 100 Percent Fish Program and a dock walk with Oregon Sea Grant. The Oregon Coast Aquarium will open up a classroom with three stations highlighting its dive program, Oregon’s marine reserves and the Oregon Kelp Alliance. Head to the Hatfield Marine Science Center for oyster filtration demonstrations and to the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center for dockside discussions with fishermen and free access to the “Oregon’s Beautiful and Wild Fisheries” exhibit.
The weekend concludes Sunday, Feb. 8, with several seating times for a Seafare Brunch at Local Ocean Seafoods, featuring a special menu highlighting local seaweed and sustainable seafood, including uni deviled eggs, pink shrimp chilaquiles, Dungeness crab Benedict and elderflower panna cotta.
Trivia begins at 6 pm on Friday, Feb. 6, at the Wilds Taphouse, located at 755 SE College Way in Newport. The Blue Line field trip on Saturday, Feb. 7, runs from 10 am to 5 pm at various locations. Seatings for the Sunday, Feb. 8, Seafare Brunch run from 10 am to 3 pm at Local Ocean Seafoods, located at 213 SE Bay Blvd. in Newport. For more information, go to winterwaterspnw.com.