January 25-27, 2024—Florence Winter Music Festival

 January 25-27, 2024—Florence Winter Music Festival

The last weekend in January is always hot in Florence! Warm up your winter with blazin’ hot bluegrass, heartwarming new and traditional folk, and foot-stompin’ Americana during the annual Florence Winter Music Festival! Two days and eight award-winning, internationally touring acts fire-up the Florence Events Center. The event opens with a Thursday evening all-comers open mic/hootenanny and includes open jam sessions, multiple songwriting and performance workshops, and great food and drink.
 
Tickets, artist profiles, lodging recommendations, and other details are available at WinterMusicFestival.org or by calling the Florence Events Center at 541-997-1994. Purchase tickets online at EventCenter.org or in person at the Florence Events Center (715 Quince Street in Florence), during box office hours. Ask about the moneysaving two-day passes!
 
The Florence Winter Music Festival is produced by the all-volunteer 501 (c) (3) nonprofit FACE—Florence Arts, Culture & Entertainment—that supports the venue and those who use it.

Winter Whale Watching - December

 The height of the annual northbound migration of up to 20,000 majestic gray whales is usually between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

 
Volunteer “Whale Watching Spoken Here” experts are strategically located along the Oregon Coast (whalewatch.org), or venture out on your own to any of the many Highway 101 turnouts between Sea Lion Caves and Heceta Head Lighthouse, at Cooks Chasm Turnout, and at Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center—and just about anywhere in between! For more information click here.

December 2—Annual Holiday Festival

This family-friendly event includes Santa’s official arrival, our traditional Mayor’s Tree Lighting, hayrides, cocoa, cookies and cider, and community carol singing at the beautifully-decorated Gazebo Park and Siuslaw River Interpretive Center park on Bay Street. Stay tuned for details. You may even find a gnome and score a deal at participating retailers! You’ll also be able to sign up for a chance to win some awesome prizes from participating retailers.

November 25—Shop Small Saturday and Cocoa, Cookie & Cider Trail

Sweet deals and sweet treats in Historic Old Town and all-around town! Tour the best shops and galleries on the coast and find the most unique art (2-D and 3-D), jewelry, edibles, décor, coastal-themed gift ideas, and fun, thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list this year in Florence!

November 11—Veteran’s Day in Florence!

Join the Florence community as the annual Veteran's Day Parade returns to the streets of Florence, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Florence Christian Church, 2nd and Ivy Streets. The route winds through Historic Old Town Florence and ends on 1st Street by the Port of Siuslaw Parking lot. Then, tour the Oregon Coast Military Museum and the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum for special tribute exhibits and fascinating history (small admission fees).

Circles in The Sand October 14, 2023

 The nationally celebrated Circles in the Sand beach art returns to Florence October 14 on the beach at Driftwood Shores Resort and Conference Center from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m.

 
“This is always an uplifting event at a great time of year to visit Florence’s beaches,” said Bettina Hannigan, president/CEO of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. “People come from all over. It’s wildly artistic, spiritually uplifting for many, and incredibly unique among beach events anywhere in the country.”
 
A giant labyrinth will be carved in the sand beginning at 3:00 p.m. by expert sand artist Denny Dyke.
A public walkthrough begins around 5:00 p.m. High tide is at 1:17 p.m., low tide will be at 7:54 p.m., and sunset will be at 7:02 p.m., making this window of time a prime opportunity for families and friends to enjoy the wide swaths of uncrowded beach for treasure hunting, sandcastle making, and creating lasting memories here in Oregon’s Coastal Playground.
 
The event is free to attend and will be held rain or shine. NBC Nightly News gave national coverage to Dykes’ beach labyrinth events in September 2019. Note: parking is at a premium, so organizers ask the public’s respect for neighbor’s property and recommend carpooling. The event is sponsored by Driftwood Shores Resort and Conference Center, Sea Lion Caves, Florence Area Chamber of Commerce, Lofy Construction, Sand Dunes Frontier, Sand Master Park/Venomous Sandboards, BJ’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, and Mo’s Seafood Restaurant. Shuttle service will be available, stay tuned for more information.

September 30, 2023 GOIN’ WITH THE FLO: VINTAGE TRAILERS RETURN TO FLORENCE

 

Experience a blast from the past at the sixth annual Goin' with the Flo Vintage Trailer Community Open House in Florence! On September 30, 2023, from noon to 3:00 p.m., Heceta Beach RV Park will showcase over 35 whimsically adorned vintage travel trailers, some meticulously restored and others still undergoing refurbishment. Engage with passionate owners eager to share their insights on trailer restoration and the enduring allure of this travel trend. Additionally, discover unique vintage-inspired crafts from artisans like The Watering Can Pottery and Rusty Ass Designs, adding an extra flair to this nostalgic gathering.

 
Terry and Dan Hankins, event coordinators and proud owners of classic Airstreams and a 1960s Streamline, invite you to relish in Florence's vibrant antiquing, thrifting, and garage sale scene. Make it a weekend getaway and revel in the treasures waiting to be unearthed. For further details on Goin’ with the Flo, reach out to xplodingwhale@gmail.com or find us on Facebook under "Goin' with the Flo Vintage Trailer Rally". Need directions? Contact Heceta Beach RV Park at 541-997-7664. Join us for a retro rendezvous you won't want to miss!

September 23 will be “biblio-rific!”

 If you like books, you’ll love the Florence Festival of Books! Saturday, September 23. You’ll find books, books, and more books, exhibited by more than 60 authors and publishers—plus great panel speakers, workshops for aspiring writers, and chef-prepared foods for purchase. It’s gonna be one big “biblio-rific” day at the Florence Events Center! Explore the 7000 sq. ft. exhibition hall (with all those books) from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and grow your library with works signed by their authors. And don’t miss the 4:30 keynote address with author and event cofounder Judy Fleagle. Basic admission just two dollars, workshops add $3, under 12 free. Get more details at FlorenceFestivalOfBooks.com or find them on Facebook.

HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE IN OREGON - 'Ring of Fire' event on Oct. 14, 2023

If you live in Oregon or visited six years ago, you’ll probably remember where you were during the total solar eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017.

Many of us traveled to be in the “path of totality,” grabbed our protective eclipse glasses and brought a picnic to enjoy our viewing as a moment we, and our kids, could look back to as one of those times in the history of the Earth you just don’t forget.

Another astronomical event is on the horizon, this time an “annular solar eclipse” that will also be visible within a certain path that stretches throughout four regions of Oregon: parts of the Coast and the Willamette Valley, a tiny bit of Central Oregon and much of Southern Oregon.

“We’ll see the silhouette of the moon; a lot of people are amazed how the moon can cover the sun,” says Jim Todd, director of space education at OMSI in Portland. “The experience is awe-inspiring, beautiful, amazing, and right here in our own backyard — hopefully it will be clear.” While Todd is a lifelong educator, scientist and eclipse-chaser as well as president of the Rose City Astronomers, the eclipse is an event he encourages everyone to experience.

How can you see the eclipse? Why is it special? What else can you do on your trip? Here’s everything you need to know.

See More at Travel Oregon

Rhododendron Festival Schedule

Oregon Coast Military Museum

Oregon Coast Military Museum | OCMM | Florence OR This volunteer-based museum features a remembrance garden, gift shop and a wall of bricks donated by friends and family of veterans.

Whale Watch Week March 28th – Sunday, April 2nd, 2023.

The Whale Camera is live the week of March 28th through April 2nd from 10AM to 2PM Pacific time. Come check it out!

https://orwhalewatch.org/watch-whales-live-2/

Vacation Rental Stays provide you with a unique opportunity.

 As a guest, vacation rentals are a great alternative to hotels in every aspect, offering you much more for your money, including additional space, privacy, convenience, and amenities. 

Vacation rentals  also present you with a unique opportunity to create a more personalized, memorable vacation experience when compared with traditional hotels. 

 You’ll have the practical comfort of an actual residence, the ability to explore the neighborhood, and the opportunity to discover aspects of your destination you might not encounter when staying at a hotel. If you’re vacationing with family, vacation rentals are an excellent option, typically offering multiple bedrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and easy access to local entertainment.

#VacationRentalWeek

Celebrating Vacation Rental Week March 6-10, 2023

 Whales Watch Vacation Rentals is thrilled to participate in the fourth annual Vacation Rental Week! Professionally-managed vacation rentals provide value and benefits for guests and property owners alike. This celebration of Vacation Rental Week is our chance to highlight these and to encourage you to book a stay or entrust your vacation property to a professional manager.

25th Annual Florence Home & Garden Show

Celebrate Spring! 

25^th Annual Florence Home & Garden Show at the Florence Events Center.

• Friday, March 3^rd Noon-6 pm AND Saturday, March 4^th 10 am – 6pm
• Admission:  $2 Adults, $1 Kids, Children 12 & under Free
• Free Admission:  4-6 pm Saturday

Highlights:
Laurel Bay Gardens Centerpiece Design  
Free samples
OSU Extension Service with Master Gardeners & more
$500 Grand Prize Drawing & Door prizes (need not be present to win) 

More than 45 vendor booths featuring products and services for the home & garden. See the Flyer Here.

Presented (Hosted) by:  KCST & KCFM Coast Radio and The Siuslaw News

Sponsored by:  Oregon Pacific Bank, Three Rivers Casino Resort, Central Lincoln PUD & Florence Area Chamber of Commerce.

National Plan for Vacation Day - 1/31/2023

Happy National #PlanForVacation Day! 

This year, we hope you plan to visit Florence, Oregon! Enjoy miles of sandy beach at Heceta Beach
and dune buggy rides in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area while you’re here, but most importantly, take advantage of the benefits—from reducing stress to preventing burn out—of planning for an unforgettable adventure.