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Join the fun at fairs, festivals, concerts and more.
On Oregon’s Adventure Coast — Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston — a verdant, forest-covered land meets the bay, river and sea. It’s a place where you can immerse yourself in nature and wildlife, feel the adrenaline surge as you cruise down a mountain bike trail, chill out while paddling peaceful waterways or tap into culture, arts and athletics. And this year, it’s also where you can celebrate 150 years of Coos Bay history with a summer packed full of parties, history lessons and other fun events. You’ll also have plenty of chances to commemorate regional icons and community institutions. Here’s a look at the festive events happening across Oregon’s Adventure Coast this summer.
Celebrate Coos Bay’s 150th Birthday With Fireworks, Art and a Parade
Coos Bay’s birthday celebration officially commences July 3-4, 2024, with Fireworks Over the Bay. As the name implies, attendees enjoy fireworks displays both evenings — including the largest fireworks display anywhere on the Oregon Coast on July 3. Other daytime highlights include an all-ages fun run at Mingus Park in downtown Coos Bay.
Later this summer, the Oregon Coast Music Festival brings together more than 80 musicians from across the United States for concerts, seminars and music education at venues throughout Coos Bay. The festival runs July 13-27, 2024.
Take a trip back in time with the Coos History Museum’s Special Thursday Speaker Series. As part of the lecture series, local experts will discuss different eras of the region’s history — from Coos Bay’s earliest tribal communities to more modern-day development — on August 15, September 19 and October 17, 2024.
Savor the succulent flavors of a local delicacy with the long-running Blackberry Arts Festival. Running August 24-25, 2024, in downtown Coos Bay, the free celebration spotlights handmade creations from up to 100 artists, a family-friendly street fair, and, of course, plenty of food and drink crafted with the juicy blackberry.
The Bay Area Fun Festival started in 1974 to celebrate Coos Bay’s 100th birthday. This year, the party takes place September 21-22, 2024, with fun for the whole family across the city. Over the course of two action-packed days, you’ll enjoy live music, food from local chefs, art from local artists, and a parade starring local marching bands, tractors, classic cars, floats and more. There’s also the annual Prefontaine Memorial Run and the Cruz the Coos classic-car show — where up to 500 vintage automobiles take to the streets for an old-school cruise.
It all builds up to the 150th Birthday Block Party on October 26, 2024. The celebration caps off a busy few months and pays tribute to the area’s tribal heritage, features food and beer from local producers, and includes live music performances and cupcakes.
Learn all about these events and other fun festivities at our 150th Birthday Calendar of Events.
Coos Bay’s birthday isn’t the only milestone to celebrate on Oregon’s Adventure Coast this year. The city of North Bend celebrates its 121st birthday with the long-awaited July Jubilee this summer. The three-day event, running July 12-14, 2024, returns for the first time since 2019 and includes live music, a Sip N Stroll, food from local businesses, a cornhole tournament, a 5K fun run, and a disc golf tournament.
The South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve covers nearly 7,000 acres of waterways, wetlands, riparian areas, forests and other ecosystems at the southern edge of the Coos Bay area. 2024 Marks the 50-year celebration of federal protection for the South Slough Reserve. Stay tuned to Oregon’s Adventure Coast’s website for news on upcoming celebrations.
After World War II, French citizens sent 49 railroad box cars filled with gifts to the United States — a token of appreciation for the country’s role in the war — and each of the 48 states eventually received one. Oregon’s Merci Train Boxcar arrived in New York in 1949 and in North Bend in 2006. An event on July 13, 2024, will celebrate the boxcar’s 75th anniversary at Simpson Park.
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