Newport Oregon Seafood and Wine fest

The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is Newport’s largest annual event. It started in 1977 with the intention to boost the local economy during the slowest time of the year. Newport Chamber President Bob Spangler and former Senator John Brenneman came up with the idea to simultaneously promote Newport’s seafood industry while bringing visitor dollars to the central Oregon Coast.

Today, the four-day event draws thousands of visitors to Newport during the last full weekend February, boasting over 125 vendors: seafood vendors, craftspeople, and Northwest wineries all under a tented venue adjacent to the Rogue brewery in South Beach. More than 300 volunteers, a dedicated volunteer committee, and local support from city and county agencies make this annual event possible. Presenting Sponsor Chinook Winds Casino Resort has generously supported the event for the past thirteen years.

The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is crucial for local businesses during, what is for many, a slow season. Occupancy at hotels swells when overnight stays might otherwise be low, many local establishments receive a nice boost, and businesses benefits from event exposure that serves them long after the festival. Over 20 local non-profits work the festival as their primary fundraiser for the year. The Chamber invests significantly in production of the festival and is dedicated to reinvesting any remaining proceeds right back into the community through its other services that promote and support businesses year-round.

The event also offers the longest-running wine competition in the Northwest, open to all participating wine vendors at the festival. A team of five distinguished wine experts judge the prestigious Commercial Wine Competition at the beginning of February, awarding bronze, silver, and gold medals, and one Best in Show award. This early-in-the-year look at Northwest wines offers clear evidence of which wineries are on track and who to watch at other festival showcases around the country throughout the year. Medal winning wines are included in the official festival guide, so event attendees can purchase them while at the event.