US 101 south of Gold Beach, Oregon

There's never a bad time to be at the Oregon Coast. From watching a massive storm roll in and break against a rocky cape to celebrating Pacific Northwest cuisine at one of the many seafood festivals, these annual events keep us coming back to the salty western seaboard no matter the weather.  

January

  • Catch the first glass float drop of the year in Lincoln City, with 100 floats distributed. 
  • Participate in the Oregon King Tides Project by taking pictures of areas impacted by extreme tide events at certain spots along the Oregon Coast. 
  • Catch a range of music styles (recent fests have included bluegrass, folk, and dystopian Afrofuturism) at the Winter Music Festival in Florence. 

February

  • Participate in the Oregon King Tides Project by taking pictures of areas impacted by extreme tide events at certain spots along the Oregon Coast. 
  • Astoria’s Fort George Brewery promises “dark art, darker entertainment, and the darkest collection of beers” at the stout-centric Festival of Dark Arts. Tickets typically go on sale on Black Friday, at dawn. 
  • This 21-and-over Newport Seafood and Wine Festival (in addition to the headlining goodies, there are also baked goods, beer, and more) returned in full force for 2023 after a brief hiatus during the pandemic and decentralized format in 2022. 
  • Voices from the commercial fishing industry bring poetry, storytelling, and music to Astoria for the annual FisherPoets Gathering. 

A gray whale spouting off the Oregon Coast

March

  • Eat fresh crabs and race them, too, at Garibaldi Crab Races, with kid and adult divisions. 
  • Catch migratory whales on their way back north during Spring Whale Watching Week, with volunteers staffing certain viewpoints. 

High fashion at the Astoria Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival

April

May

  • Celebrating its 117th year in 2024, the Florence Rhododendron Festival is one of the oldest flower festivals on the West Coast, younger only than Portland’s Rose Festival and Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses. May 16–19, 2024
  • Bring those wide tires to the sand for the Cannon Beach Fat Bike Festival for a pedal past Haystack Rock. May 17–19, 2024

The Lincoln City Summer Kite Festival

June

  • No vasectomy on the prize list in recent years (yes, that happened), but there's often a $1,000 grand prize for Nehalem Bay Crab Derby at Kelly's Brighton Marina. June 1, 2024
  • A certified qualifier for the Boston Marathon, the annual Newport Marathon starts at the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. June 1, 2024
  • Celebrate the Astoria-set 1985 adventure film on the official Goonies Day, though famous filming locations like Ecola State Park can be visited anytime. June 7 every year, with events all week.
  • The annual Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest includes a bonfire the night before and a fun run the day after. June 15, 2024
  • Expect huge sculptures, a 90-minute quick carve every day, and a live auction every evening over Father’s Day weekend at Reedsport’s Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Carving Championship. June 13–16, 2024
  • Part of a long-running Lincoln City treasure hunt, 50 new colorful orbs are waiting to be found after the Father's Day glass float drop. June 14–16, 2024
  • The Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival invites visitors to discover their “inner Viking” at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds every June. June 21–23, 2024
  • Go fly a kite, up to its highest height, at the D River State Recreation Site during the Lincoln City Summer Kite Festival. June 22–23, 2024

    A tufted puffin

July

  • Join wildlife experts each morning for the Great Cannon Beach Puffin Watch to learn more about the birds who visit Haystack Rock in breeding season. July 1–4, 2024
  • Independence Day usually brings fireworks to Astoria, Rockaway Beach, Newport, Waldport, Coos Bay, Bandon, and Gold Beach, while quaint parades prevail in communities including Cannon Beach and Oceanside. 
  • Mingus Park, the Oregon Institute for Marine Biology, Shore Acres, and other venues around Coos Bay and Charleston host orchestral music for the Oregon Coast Music Festival. July 13–27, 2024
  • Pacific City’s flat-bottomed fishing boats inspire a parade and festival for Dory Days, in the shadow of Cape Kiwanda and the other Haystack Rock. July 19–21, 2024
  • Live music, a car show, and firefighter vs. Coast Guard contests fill Garibaldi Days in this fishing town just north of Tillamook. 
  • Watch where you step when the annual Chalk Art Contest hits the Seaside Prom. July 26 & 27, 2024
  • ATVs, sand buggies, and big ol' trucks rip through the sand all weekend at Dune Fest near Winchester Bay. July 30–Aug 4, 2024

August

  • The Pig-n-Ford race (people drive Model Ts while holding pigs) is not to be missed at the Tillamook County Fair. Aug 7–10, 2024
  • Expect teams from around the world at the 41st annual Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament. Aug 8–11, 2024
  • They say dead men tell no tales, but you might after experiencing the Pirates of the Pacific Festival in Brookings, with live music, sword fighting and cannon demonstrations, belly dancers, vendors, and food. Garrr! Aug 9–11, 2024
  • Jazz, chamber music, and more blanket Lincoln City for the Siletz Bay Music Festival. Aug 16–25, 2024
  • Teams of runners take turns in the Hood to Coast relay race from Mount Hood to Seaside by way of Portland. Aug 23 & 24, 2024

September

The Astoria-Megler Bridge

October

  • The Great Columbia Crossing 10k run/walk over the Astoria-Megler Bridge is not for acrophobes! Watch for registration to open in the summer for this certain sell-out. Oct 13, 2024
  • A special glass float drop for Halloween in Lincoln City means there are 50 glow-in-the-dark floats to find. Oct 31–Nov 2, 2024

November

Shore Acres Holiday Lights

  • Get moody at the Stormy Weather Arts Festival in Cannon Beach, with artist demonstrations, gallery receptions and live music. Nov 1–3, 2024
  • Concerts, whistle workshops, dance performances, and more pack the schedule of the Yachats Celtic Music Festival. Nov 9–11, 2024.
  • A stunning estate garden by day blossoms at night, too, for the Shore Acres Holiday Lights at this state park between Coos Bay and Cape Arago. Thanksgiving–New Year's Eve (Timed-entry tickets go on sale in June here.)  
  • Participate in the Oregon King Tides Project by taking pictures of areas impacted by extreme tide events at certain spots along the Oregon Coast. 

    December

    King tides at Shore Acres State Park, near Coos Bay 

    • A stunning estate garden by day blossoms at night, too, for the Shore Acres Holiday Lights at this state park between Coos Bay and Cape Arago. Thanksgiving–New Year's Eve (Timed-entry tickets go on sale in June here.)  
    • Take a one-hour round-trip ride from Garibaldi to Rockaway Beach on the Candy Cane Express, an Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad excursion. 
    • Participate in the Oregon King Tides Project by taking pictures of areas impacted by extreme tide events at certain spots along the Oregon Coast. 
    • Volunteer to count whales and answer questions during Winter Whale Watching Week, or just show up to look and learn.