The Newport Seafood and Wine Festival returns on February 23 – 26, 2023, produced by the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce and presented by Chinook Winds Casino Resort. This year’s theme is “Long Time No Sea.” Think Gilligans Island. This year, the festival's setup will be a little different, with one extra large tent setup and a center stage, where demonstrations and entertainment will be held throughout the weekend. Stage presentations will include:
· A regional wine growers’ panel with a focus on the top varietals for each region
· Blind wine tastings led by winemakers with tasting tips
· Wine aging: barrel selections, how long, and why
· Chef demonstrations from local culinary experts
. Live music
Another change coming to the event this year is the reduction of waste. The festival will be going “green” and require compostable items from vendors and provide waste sorting volunteers to reduce the amount of waste. 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.
The first Seafood & Wine Festival was held in April at the Newport National Guard Armory. The next year, Mo Niemi of Mo’s Restaurant helped increase the size of the event by including thirteen wineries with musicians and arts and craft booths. By 1980, attendance was up to 8,000, and the location was moved to the dry moorage building in South Beach. The event continued to grow and expanded to a three-day event. By 1987, a Commercial Wine Competition was added.
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.
