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Festival season is a year-round endeavor in the three coastal communities of Coos Bay, Charleston and North Bend.
Just about every weekend features a festival or other event. For fish-lovers, the area holds the Charleston Seafood Festival every August. Birders should check out the annual Shorebird Festival in September, sponsored by the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.
For those who are athletically inclined, several fun runs, walks and relays occur throughout the spring and summer:
<b>*</b> The 27th annual Roseburg to Coos Bay Relay starts in Roseburg and ends on the coast. The event is held in mid-April.
<b>*</b> "Jennifer's Catching Slough Classic" offers a 10-mile run, 5K run/walk, and a 1-mile kids run at 8:30 a.m. on June 19. Participants run or walk at Catching Slough Road and Coos River Highway.
å On the Fourth of July, athletes can run or walk in the Mayor's Firecracker Run/Walk, a 4K run/walk or 1-mile run at Mingus Park in Coos Bay.
<b>*</b> Really ambitious runners should not miss the Circle the Bay Run/Walk/Relay that starts in North Bend Aug. 7. The 30K event takes runners around Coos Bay.
Area events also include the annual Memorial Day Parade, a July 4 fireworks show over the bay, the annual Blackberry Arts Festival in August and the annual Bay Area Fun Festival the following month.
Agate hunting, surfing, clamming, crabbing, hiking, kayaking and a host of other outdoor events are also available in the southern coastal communities.
Visitors can tour a myrtlewood factory and see craftspeople make wooden bowls, clocks, spoons and various ornamental items out of the dense, fine-grained wood. The House of Myrtlewood is just off Highway 101 in Coos Bay.
The Coos County Historical Society Museum in Coos Bay is the place to learn about the history and culture of the coastal community. The Millicoma Marsh Trail, a half-mile interpretive trail, is worth the hike as it's filled with wetlands, wildlife and views of the bay.
The Mill Casino and Hotel in Coos Bay, owned by the Coquille Indian Tribe, attracts gamblers and those looking for a hotel getaway. The casino features nightly live entertainment, weekly blackjack games, a poker room and a newly expanded bingo room. When Vegas-style gaming turns to hunger, the casino has a saloon, buffet, burger joint, and fine dining restaurant. The hotel houses 115 rooms, including waterfront suites with Jacuzzi tubs. For information: (541) 756-8800, (800) 953-4800 or www.themillcasino.com.
One of the biggest draws down the road in Charleston are the botanical gardens at the Shore Acres State Park. The park features 7 acres of botanical gardens, including a Japanese lily pond and historical interpretative information. Visitors can even catch a glimpse of whales and other sea creatures from the park's spot along the shore.
<b>*</b> Holiday Lights, Thanksgiving through Jan. 4, 2005, at Shore Acres State Park in Charleston. Lighted sculptures of flowers, sea creatures and insects, and an animated, lighted seal display will be featured alongside life-size light sculptures of a leaping Orca whale and a spouting gray whale. View holiday decorations and entertainment for $3 per vehicle.
Information from the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce: (541) 269-0215, (800) 824-8486 or www.oregonsbayareachamber.com
Just about every weekend features a festival or other event. For fish-lovers, the area holds the Charleston Seafood Festival every August. Birders should check out the annual Shorebird Festival in September, sponsored by the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology.
For those who are athletically inclined, several fun runs, walks and relays occur throughout the spring and summer:
<b>*</b> The 27th annual Roseburg to Coos Bay Relay starts in Roseburg and ends on the coast. The event is held in mid-April.
<b>*</b> "Jennifer's Catching Slough Classic" offers a 10-mile run, 5K run/walk, and a 1-mile kids run at 8:30 a.m. on June 19. Participants run or walk at Catching Slough Road and Coos River Highway.
å On the Fourth of July, athletes can run or walk in the Mayor's Firecracker Run/Walk, a 4K run/walk or 1-mile run at Mingus Park in Coos Bay.
<b>*</b> Really ambitious runners should not miss the Circle the Bay Run/Walk/Relay that starts in North Bend Aug. 7. The 30K event takes runners around Coos Bay.
Area events also include the annual Memorial Day Parade, a July 4 fireworks show over the bay, the annual Blackberry Arts Festival in August and the annual Bay Area Fun Festival the following month.
Agate hunting, surfing, clamming, crabbing, hiking, kayaking and a host of other outdoor events are also available in the southern coastal communities.
Visitors can tour a myrtlewood factory and see craftspeople make wooden bowls, clocks, spoons and various ornamental items out of the dense, fine-grained wood. The House of Myrtlewood is just off Highway 101 in Coos Bay.
The Coos County Historical Society Museum in Coos Bay is the place to learn about the history and culture of the coastal community. The Millicoma Marsh Trail, a half-mile interpretive trail, is worth the hike as it's filled with wetlands, wildlife and views of the bay.
The Mill Casino and Hotel in Coos Bay, owned by the Coquille Indian Tribe, attracts gamblers and those looking for a hotel getaway. The casino features nightly live entertainment, weekly blackjack games, a poker room and a newly expanded bingo room. When Vegas-style gaming turns to hunger, the casino has a saloon, buffet, burger joint, and fine dining restaurant. The hotel houses 115 rooms, including waterfront suites with Jacuzzi tubs. For information: (541) 756-8800, (800) 953-4800 or www.themillcasino.com.
One of the biggest draws down the road in Charleston are the botanical gardens at the Shore Acres State Park. The park features 7 acres of botanical gardens, including a Japanese lily pond and historical interpretative information. Visitors can even catch a glimpse of whales and other sea creatures from the park's spot along the shore.
<b>*</b> Holiday Lights, Thanksgiving through Jan. 4, 2005, at Shore Acres State Park in Charleston. Lighted sculptures of flowers, sea creatures and insects, and an animated, lighted seal display will be featured alongside life-size light sculptures of a leaping Orca whale and a spouting gray whale. View holiday decorations and entertainment for $3 per vehicle.
Information from the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce: (541) 269-0215, (800) 824-8486 or www.oregonsbayareachamber.com
