The campaign will offer visitors $50 in dining gift certificates when they stay for two nights or more in participating lodging properties. There will also be opportunities for people to vote for their favorite chowder and interact with each other through the Oregon’s Adventure Coast Facebook page.

Make a Good Chowder? Tell the World About It!  Share Your Recipe!

The Coos Bay – North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) is also asking for area chefs; professionals and amateurs to submit their favorite clam chowder recipes to be featured on a new website, www.ChowderBounty.com.

The new Chowder Bounty campaign is the VCB’s latest effort to increase overnight stays and will include the new website, chowder themed logo, print collateral, and both online and traditional advertising to promote overnight stays in the Coos Bay, North Bend, Charleston area.

According to Katherine Hoppe, director of the VCB, value based vacations and packages have become increasingly popular with travelers. “We’re already a very affordable vacation destination compared to other coastal cities, we want to capitalize on that by packaging one of our best offerings, our chowder.”

“We know that recipes tend to be a highly trafficked area on websites and we think it will add a fun component to the site. We’d love for our community to participate and share their favorite original recipes,” said Hoppe. Recipes can be submitted via email to info@OregonsAdventureCoast.com or by mail to 50 Central Ave, Coos Bay, OR 97420.

The website launched August 23 to coincide with the annual statewide Oregon Bounty promotion which celebrates the state’s culinary abundance through unique travel experiences. Travel Oregon collaborates extensively with local communities, industry associations, government agencies and private business, and is proud to grow the Oregon Bounty promotion as a key campaign in the state’s $7.7 billion tourism industry, helping Oregon to be recognized as a not-to-be-missed culinary and travel destination. A play off of that, Chowder Bounty will run from October 1, 2010 to March 1, 2011.

Dean Runyan & Associates reports that visitors spent $163 million dollars in Coos County in 2009, with over $45 million spent on food & beverage. The VCB is hoping to increase those numbers with their Chowder Bounty campaign.

September brings us many exciting events here on the Oregon Coast…here are just a few of the event highlights this month:

7th Annual Mill-luck Salmon Celebration September 4-5 at The Mill Casino Hotel. A celebration of Native American and Coquille Tribal culture on Oregon’s Coos Bay. Native American concert with Joanne Shenandoah, dancing, drumming, traditional Salmon bake, canoe races, demonstrations, vendor booths, educational displays and more. Call 541-756-8800 for more information

11th Annual Coos Basin Amateur Salmon Derby September 11-12. Tickets are $20 per person (under 13 are free) and available for purchase at local boat ramp on the day of the event. All proceeds go towards fish enhancement/education projects in Coos, Tenmile, and Eel Lake Basins. For more information contact Valerie or Armand at 541-759-2709.

Cranberry Festival & Street Rod Show September 11-12 in Old Town Bandon. Annual celebration of the cranberry industry in Bandon, Oregon.  Visitors will enjoy a parade, artists, music,  food and more!  Call Bandon Visitor Center for more information at 541-347-9616
25th Annual Cruz the Coos September 17-19 Sunset Beach, the Mill Casino Hotel, Downtown Coos Bay, and Shore Acres State Park.  More than 400 classic cars can be seen at this fun filled 3 day event. Friday night beach party, Saturday registration and poker run at the Mill Casino Hotel, Saturday night Cruz the Coos through downtown Coos Bay, and a Sunday show and shine at Shore Acres State Park. This three day event is one of the popular events of the Bay Area Fun Festival.   For more information, call Darrell King of Sunset Classic Chevys at 541-888-3863.

Bay Area Fun Festival 2010 September 17-19 Downtown Coos Bay, Various locations.  A festival of fun for families! Live Entertainment, the famous Cruz the Coos, the Prefontaine Memorial Run, parade and so much more! Variety of vendors, arts and crafts and lots of different kinds of food. Beer & wine garden. Most activities in downtown Coos Bay unless otherwise noted. (Central & Hwy 101)For more information call the Visitor Centers at 541-269-0215.

31st Annual Prefontaine Memorial Run September 18. A 10,000 meter road race honoring one of America’s Greatest Distance Runners. For more information contact the Prefontaine memorial Committee. Bob Huggin: 541-269-1103. Cost: $19 or $22 late entrance fee. Register on line at www.PrefontaineRun.com

National Estuaries Day Celebration September 25 10am-3pm. Join South Slough and other local organizations to learn about estuaries and what you can do to protect them. Information booths, children’s activities and guest speakers (free). For more information call the slough at 541-888-5558

Shore Acres Dahlia Day September 25 Shore Acres State Park. Dahlia display and experts from the Southern Oregon Dahlia Society in the Garden House/Pavilion, refreshments. Hosted by Friends of Shore Acres, 11am-4pm. Call 541-888-3732

But that is not all!  Please visit the Oregon’s Adventure Coast Events Page and our Facebook Page to learn more about the many events happening in our area throughout this month and during the year.

What is Chowder Bounty?  So pleased you asked!

WHAT  is Chowder Bounty? Chowder Bounty is a campaign that will be launched this Fall to attract visitors and promote overnight stays in the Coos Bay, North Bend, Charleston area.  The campaign will offer visitors $50 in dining gift certificates when they stay for two nights or more in participating lodging properties. There will also be opportunities for people to vote for their favorite chowder and interact with each other through the Oregon’s Adventure Coast Facebook page.  See Participating Restaurants.

WHO is promoting this?  This campaign is being launched and managed by the Coos Bay – North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau.

WHY are we doing this? Because we believe that we have the best Chowder in the country right here on the Oregon Coast. According to Katherine Hoppe, director of the VCB, value based vacations and packages have become increasingly popular with travelers. “We’re already a very affordable vacation destination compared to other coastal cities, we want to capitalize on that by packaging one of our best offerings, our chowder.”

WHEN is Chowder Bounty? Visitors will be able to take advantage of this opportunity from October 1, 2010 – March 1, 2011

WHERE is Chowder Bounty? Hotels and other lodging facilities in Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston, Oregon. To see our list of participating hotels visit our Chowder Bounty Website.

HOW Can we help and support this? Send us your best Clam Chowder recipe for us to post on our Chowder Bounty site. Help us tell the world that the Oregon Coast indeed has the best chowder… Tell your friends, tell your family, blog about it, share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Image Credit: oregondrift.com

The community of Charleston invites you to bring the family out this weekend for live entertainment, contests, art, vendors, a beer & wine garden, harbor tours, a Coast Guard Open House and of course- the best seafood on the Pacific Coast.

This annual event is a celebration of Charleston’s fishing village heritage and the bounty of the Pacific Ocean.

Charleston Volunteer Firefighters Association members will kick off each day with their traditional pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Seafood Festival activities are scheduled from 8 a.m. to dusk on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Charleston Marina.

More than 50 arts, crafts and food vendors are expected to participate. In recent years, the festival has attracted Oregon and Northwest vendors and artisans, who specialize in hand-made woodwork, glass art and ceramics, photography, clothing and much more.

The festival stage will feature live entertainment Saturday and Sunday, with music from country to jazz, along with other performances. Children can play in contests, at a trout fishing pond and on inflatable structures.

And don’t forget the food. American Legion Bay Area Post 34 volunteers will serve albacore tuna meals from noon to 3 p.m. both days. Vendors and fish markets also will provide seafood snacks and treats, and there will be a beer and wine garden area. The U.S. Coast Guard facility will be open to visitors, who also are encouraged to explore the docks. Bay tours will be available.

The Charleston Seafood Festival is sponsored by the Charleston Fire Department Volunteer Association and the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay (owner/operator of the Charleston Marina). Community volunteers from the Charleston Merchants Association, the Charleston Community Enhancement Corporation and the Charleston Visitor Information Center also help promote the event and coordinate the festivities.

For additional information, contact:
Charleston Fire Department Volunteer Association
Mick Sneddon, Festival Coordinator / 541 888-3268

In addition to the August 14 event in Charleston, The 2010 Oregon Tuna Classic Tournament events have occurred at Newport/Depoe Bay (July 17) coast of Ilwaco, Oregon (July 31) and will conclude in Garibaldi on August 28.

ABOUT THE OREGON TUNA CLASSIC
The Oregon Tuna Classic is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization made up of 100% volunteers. It is the result of a few compassionate fisherman and one great idea. Bud Hosner and his wife Michelle Seely, thought of a creative and new way to help fight hunger in Oregon.

Hosner found himself giving ample fish to friends and started to wonder why he was giving so much food to those who have more than enough when the hungry people of Oregon could benefit from his catch.

In 2005 a small group of fisherman joined with Hosner to organize the first annual I FISH FOR FOOD Tournament so anglers could spend the day doing what they love while helping to feed hungry people. Twenty teams competed to catch as many tuna as they could, up to their limit, in one day, with the objective of giving to those in need. By the end of the day, over 100 tuna totaling more than 2100 pounds were ready to be canned for donation to the Oregon Food Bank Network.

Having discovered a way to funnel their passion in to giving back to the community, the group reorganized and in 2006 The Oregon Tuna Classic was registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A committee of all volunteers was established to secure sponsorships and to effectively manage future events.

Copyright www.jdrewphotography.com

The Oregon Coast is the place to be this weekend (and any weekend in August/September for that matter!).  If you are visiting with us, you have plenty of events to choose from!  Here are just a few of the activities taking place in Coos Bay, Charleston, North Bend and surrounding areas.  Check our Events Guide for updates and come on down!

If you are not here; we wish you were!  This is what you are missing!

Dunefest thru Aug 8, 2010
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Drag races, show vehicles, vendors, food & music. Daily competitions and exhibitions for ATV’s, quads, & cycles. Call 541-271-3495 or visit www.WinchesterBay.org Winchester Bay

First Friday Wine Walk Aug 6, 2010
Downtown Coos Bay, 5pm – 7pm, Wine walk starts at the Egyptian Theatre, 229 S. Broadway, Hwy 101. For more information, contact Cindy Rawlings at The World, 541-269-1222, ext289

Coup d’Bop: August 6& 7 Jazz and Blues, the way you like to hear it played! Friday and Saturday, August 6-7, Wanda’s, 740 Koos Bay Blvd., Coos Bay, OR Great Food, Full Bar, Premium Wines by the Glass!

Rock and Gem Show Aug 6, 2010 thru Aug 7, 2010
North Bend Community Center, brought to you by Farwest Lapidary and Gem Society
Rock and Gem show featuring rocks, gems, slabs, tools, findings, machinery, beads and much more. For more information Call Harold (Rocky) Pribble at 541-572-8301 harold@harborside.com North Bend

11th Annual Cardboard Races Aug 7, 2010
If you are creative enough to make cardboard float then come on out to Lakeside and see what all the excitement is about! Boats on display at 11am, race begins at Noon at Ten Mile Lake. Fun filled day for the whole family whether you are racing or just coming out to see the action. Call Osprey Point RV Park at 541.759.2801 for registration and information. Lakeside

Coos Bay Speedway Circle Track Races Aug 7, 2010
Battle at the Bay Hwy 42, Coos Bay.
Pit Gate 12pm, Front Gate 3pm, Racing 6:30pm
Adults $10, Sr/Military/Student $8, Kids under 6 Free. Family Pass $30 (2 adults & 3 students).For more information call 541-269-2474
Star of Hope’s Blue Grass Bash! Aug 7, 2010
Mingus Park, 10am – 6pm. For more information, call Star of Hope at 541-888-8893 x56 or sohdevdir@charterinternet.com

Multiple bands, food, family, vendors and fun! $10 per person or family pass for $30 (2 adults, 3 kids)

South Slough Birding Aug 7, 2010
South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, 8am – 10pm. Call 541-888-5558
Join a South Slough interpreter and venture into the Reserve in search of winged wildlife. $1 per birder. Held the first Saturday of each month.

Art at the Estuary August 7
Plein Aire Painter Sarita Southgate
South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, 1-3pm. Call 541-888-5558

37th Annual Circle the Bay 30km Run/Walk/Relay Aug 7, 2010
8am, Ferry Road Park, North Bend. 6:30am for walkers. Call Susan Ottemiller at 541-756-2972 or Jim Clarke at 541-756-6197.

30km individual run/walk; long sleeve shirts, finishers medals. 30km Run or Walk Relay; three person teams, short sleeve shirts, plaques, ribbons for both individual and relay events.

Town and Country Garden Tour Aug 7, 2010
For more information, contact Janie Mitten of Coos Bay Garden Club at 541-888-6760 or Joanne Conway 541-269-2731.
The Coos Bay Garden Club’s Annual Garden tour will be held from 10am – 4pm with proceeds going towards Marshfield HS Scholarships.

Little Old Opry on the Bay Aug 7, 2010 thru Aug 8, 2010
Down on the Farm
Little Theatre on the Bay. 2100 Sherman Ave, North Bend. Call 877-756-4336 for more information. Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm.
An evening of knee tappin, toe stompin songs and dance to start off the season. The comedy team will split your sides with their usual off-beat humor that Little Ole Opry has made famous. This event usually sells out, so make your reservations soon! All tickets $12

Second Sunday Sing-Along Aug 8, 2010
South Coast Folk Society, Unity by the Bay 2100 Union Ave, North Bend
The public is invited to join society members singing popular, contemporary, and classic songs. Admission is free, and all ages and voices are welcome. Instrumental accompaniment and big song books are provided. We will meet for 2 hours for joyful harmonizing. This is a free public event occurring on the second Sunday of every month. For more information call Stacy at 541-756-4701 or Paul at 541-572-5370

Photo From Fishing Oregon's Adventure Coast

Love to fish?  Sport fishing is a popular outdoor recreation activity and the Oregon Coast has a bounty of incredible fishing options. Fishermen can venture offshore for salmon, halibut, Albacore tuna and a variety of bottomfish – from lingcod, to rockfish, to flatfish.

Here are some tips and resources to help you plan your fishing trip along the Oregon Coast!

• Visit www.fishingcoosbay.com to get current weather and water condition updates and stay up to date on the newest rules and regulations.
• For more fishing season information rules & regulations and license requirements check with the  Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.
• Check with local tackle and bait shops for local information about specific seasons, catch limits and conditions.  Find these businesses at www.baitnet.com
• Contact one of our local charter fishing operators and/or experienced fishing guides for more local information:

More Tips:

Albacore tuna tend to be offshore from mid summer through early fall and Bottomfish are available year around – weather permitting – and a charter trip usually ends with an ice chest full of fish.

Oregon’s bay area also offers several unique fisheries; surf fishing from local beaches for striped bass and surf perch and in-bay fishing for White sturgeon. The best information about these fishing opportunities is available from local tackle shops

7/22/2010 Fishing Report from www.fishingcoosbay.com

Bottom fishing can’t be beat. Charters from Charleston and Bandon have continued to send people home with their limits in fish. All trips have been selling out, so if you want to go, book well in advance.

That said, over the past week, big winds have forced charter boat operators to cancel a few trips. What’s up with the wind anyway? At times, it’s blown hard in the morning and quieted in the afternoon. Recreational fishermen who’ve had to stay in the bay, have been catching mostly black rockfish.

The weekend outlook for fishing in the bay is good. Herring moved in Wednesday. They’re good-sized, too, according to Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf. If there’s bait in the bay, there will be more fish. Salmon fishing is slow, despite decent conditions and tuna is far offshore (100-120 miles). Sport boats may get lucky and catch a few in closer to shore, but the commercial boats have followed the tuna wave north toward Newport.

Crabbing is improving from the docks, now that the minus tides are gone. Crabbing in the bay is improving, too. Commercial crabbing has been slow, and that prompted Fishermen’s Wharf to fly in some Maine lobster today to add to its stock. The Crab Shack has some crab, and it’s stocking spot shrimp now, too.

Visit the following sites for more information:

Charleston Marina and Launch Ramp

Oregon Outdoor Radio Show with Richard DeChambeau

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

The Fin – Oregon Fishing Reports

Amato Publications – Many books & videos on Coastal Recreational Hunting and Fishing

Scott Haugen – Outdoor Writer and Photographer

Yes, it is true electric cars are rare and most of us are unable to take advantage of this new technology- but this is a big step in the right direction!  With celebrities sporting these eco friendly cars (look at Lance Armstrong who drives a Nissan Leaf)- more and more auto companies are committing themselves to building and selling more electric cars.

The demand for this technology will eventually take hold and  it is our hope that more people will benefit from this charging station.  These charging stations will also benefit tourism as motorists with electric vehicles from all over Oregon will be able to visit the coast and charge their cars before driving back!

The charging station was included in the design of the Coos Bay Firestation to help the city meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification standards

Read More: http://theworldlink.com/news/local/article_8e814d36-c648-5508-bcde-30b1f882709f.html

Arthur Frommer

He says:

The Oregon coast is one of the most under-rated tourist attractions in America; its visitors, though substantial in number, are nowhere near what it should be receiving. The coast is largely underdeveloped, and is awesome in its natural wonders and beauty, its many state parks, its quaint seaside towns….with high-quality seafood restaurants.

He later adds:

I’ve recently received literature about this year’s Oregon Coast Music Festival, and was bowled over by its ambitions and quality. Three remaining orchestra programs are to be performed: on July 27 (Bizet’s Jeux d’Enfants, Elgar’s Symphonic Poem, Brahm’s Symphony No. 3); on July 29 (Strauss’ Annan Polka, Bizet’s Carmen suite, Strauss’ Dance of the Seven Veils, and Puccini’s Manon Lescaut Intermezzo); and on July 31 (Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro overture, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Sibelius Symphony No.1).

Thank you Mr. Frommer!  We could not have said it better ourselves!  Performances for The Oregon Coast Music Festival continue through July 31.  For details and to purchase tickets, please visit www.oregoncoastmusic.com

Be sure to visit Frommers.com, an essential online destination for those planning the perfect travel excursion. Not only can Frommers.com visitors easily find candid, timely articles written by Frommers.com experts, they also can read excerpts from and purchase Frommer’s Guidebooks, while gaining additional insights from our lively message boards and purchasing travel products and services from our high-quality booking partners.

To apply, go to our Facebook Page sometime between now and Monday July 26 and tell us why you deserve 2 free tickets to one of the following Oregon Coast Music Festival performances (specify which dates you prefer in your post):

Tuesday, July 27 Orchestra Performance

Saturday July 31st Orchestra Performance

If your response is chosen, all we ask is that you agree to submit your personal review of the concert for us to share in our blog.

The 32nd Annual Oregon Coast Music Festival! officially kicked with a free Opening Day Event on July 17 at Mingus Park with the Bay Area Concert Band.

This annual summer festival occurs in various venues through July 31 and features performances in a multitude of musical styles that reflects the diverse musical tastes of our community: jazz, traditional, Native American, blues, Celtic, chamber, and features our 80-piece symphony orchestra made up of outstanding musicians from all across the country.