The whole coast is looking forward to the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival See page 8
25 stores • RV Parking
If there is a jewel in the Oregon Coast’s winter crown, then it is surely the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival, which has been creating unforgettable memories for almost five decades.
This year’s festival promises the same outstanding array of Pacific Northwest wines that guests have come to expect, all served up alongside more fresh seafood and live music than ever. It all makes for an off-season party not to be missed. For full details, see our feature on page 8.
On the subject of great seafood, be sure to check out Clearwater Restaurant on Newport’s historic bayfront. Long home to some of the best views of Yaquina Bay, this eatery now has culinary firepower to match in the form of Chef Johnny Nunn, who earned acclaim as chef-owner of Portland restaurants Verdigris and Corzetti. Turn to page 5 for the full story.
And if all those great meals leave you in need of some light exercise, swollen winter creeks lead to a spectacular display at Drift Creek Falls near Lincoln City. Michael Edwards has the scoop on this classic hike on page 22.
Patrick Alexander owner & publisher
The beach at Lincoln City on a wintry morning
Oregon Coast TODAY publisher
PATRICK ALEXANDER palexander@oregoncoasttoday.com
on the cover
The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is always reaching for new heights
If shopping inspiration is lacking, let Tu Tu Tu Kitchen Cottage be a solution. Located in historic Nye Beach, this gem of a shop has something for chefs, occasional cooks, even the kitchen novice. You’ll find a huge selection of cook ware and kitchen tools, knives, table linens, cookbooks and so much more
Discover the enchanting realm of Bridie’s Irish Faire! This Irish shop is stuffed to the brim with sterling silver Celtic jewelry and beautiful woolens, imported directly from Ireland. Travel is the topic of conversation in the shop most days. With annual offerings of small group custom tours to Ireland, Scotland and Wales--there’s a lot to talk about. Come say hello!
Tu Tu Tu Kitchen Cottage
Bridie’s Irish Faire
A clear coastal favorite Clearwater Restaurant welcomes Johnny Nunn
There’s an electric energy in the kitchen at Newport’s Clearwater Restaurant these days. New Executive Chef Johnny Nunn has infused the beloved bayfront restaurant with fresh inspiration and creative momentum — energizing both the staff and menu.
“At Clearwater, we’re all about creating unforgettable experiences, one meal at a time,” said Yesinia Hua, general manager of Coast Restaurant Group, who began her journey with Clearwater at its opening eight years ago and now oversees operations for all four locations including Clearwater, The Barge Inn Tavern, and both Rise restaurants. “Johnny’s incredible expertise and fresh ideas bring so much to the table. Our team is always striving to be better, and I know they’re eager to learn from Johnny and bring new, incredible dishes to our community. This is an exciting new chapter for us.”
“Johnny stepped into our kitchen and it just clicked,” said Clearwater Owner Hans Goplen. “His creativity in the kitchen and genuine love for great food matches exactly what Clearwater is all about. He brings this amazing energy that’s already inspiring our whole team.”
A Culinary Gem Along the Oregon Coast
If you’ve dined at Clearwater, you know it’s a place where culinary possibilities are endless. From fresh-caught Dungeness crab (Newport is the Dungeness capital of the world, after all) to Crispy Tuna Rice Cakes and Tuna Hamachi, the menu highlights the best of Pacific Northwest seafood while offering creative twists like Wild Burgers and Asian-inspired dishes. This spirit of adventure is what drew Chef Johnny to the coast after earning acclaim in Portland as chef-owner of Verdigris and Corzetti, two celebrated restaurants known for their innovative menus. His impressive background also includes earlier experience at Eleven Madison Park in New York and Town Hall in San Francisco.
Beyond his role at Clearwater, Chef Johnny will be lending his creative vision to catering menus across Coast Restaurant Group’s other concepts. He is particularly excited about incorporating fresh herbs and produce from the group’s tower gardens, an innovative hydroponic growing system that provides fresh, sustainable ingredients year-round to all their restaurants.
The enthusiasm for Chef Johnny spans throughout the entire Clearwater team.
“I’m excited to welcome Johnny to the Clearwater team,” said Madilyn. “His passion for hand-crafted, flavorful dishes is already elevating our menu in exciting new ways. In just his first week, he surprised our guests with specially crafted fresh pasta dishes, and his unique takes on classics like the crab and basil grilled cheese show how he’s bringing delicious new perspectives to our menu while honoring our coastal flavors.”
In the kitchen, where the real magic happens, the team has warmly embraced their new chef. “Johnny is professional and respectful to the team, and we welcome him,” said Adolfo, a member of the kitchen team, reflecting the collaborative spirit that makes Clearwater special.
A Journey of Culinary Excellence
“The moment I walked into Clearwater, I knew this was where I wanted to be,” said Chef Johnny. “There’s something special about this place — it’s a well-oiled machine with a team that works incredibly hard, the volume to make a real impact, and happy guests enjoying this stunning coastal location. Newport has such a wonderful sense of community, and I’ve been touched by the warm welcome my family and I have received. My wife and our two boys are excited to make Newport our home, and I’m looking forward to meeting more of our local guests and becoming part of this vibrant coastal community. The possibilities here are endless.”
These first few weeks are just a glimpse of the culinary excitement Chef Johnny brings to Clearwater. His early specials, featuring house-made pastas and creative seafood preparations, hint at the innovative dishes yet to come. While winter settles in along the coast, Clearwater’s dining room remains a warm, inviting escape where both comfort and creativity shine. The restaurant’s raw bar continues to draw seafood lovers, while new additions to the menu give both locals and visitors fresh reasons to return. Fan favorites aren’t going anywhere — they are just getting some exciting new companions on the menu.
Located at 325 SW Bay Blvd. in Newport, Clearwater Restaurant offers a unique coastal dining experience with waterfront views of Yaquina Bay.
Reservations can be made at www.clearwaterrestaurant.com.
THRILLING,
AND DANGEROUS.
Always keep your eye on the surf. Never turn your back on the ocean.
Located on the beach in Lincoln City, this resort is owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Enjoy Las Vegas-style gaming, 18-hole golf course, headline entertainment from some of the industry’s most legendary stars, four full-service restaurants, and a 243room oceanfront hotel.
Glass blowing is a big deal on the Oregon Coast, and Lincoln City Glass Center has everything you need to experience this longtime local tradition. Make an appointment to design your own glass piece. Choose from a selection of items including floats, paperweights, votives, bowls and more. Spend time with a professional glassblower and work with them to bring your art to life. Pick up your piece the following day, or let us mail it to your home.
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Lincoln City Glass Center
Chinook
The whole coast is looking forward to the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival Grape expectations
The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival, which will celebrate its 48th year in February, attracts foodies and wine aficionados from throughout the Northwest and beyond.
This year’s theme, “The Dungeness Crab Capital of the World” is a trademarked term that reflects the importance of this beloved crab to the area.
The festival brings together more than 50 Pacific Northwest wineries, high-quality seafood prepared by more than 20 local chefs and more than 70 Pacific Northwest artisans for a fourday extravaganza.
The festival begins on Thursday, Feb. 20, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 23. Located in a tented venue adjacent to Rogue Brewery, the event is one of the largest seafood and wine
festivals in the country, billed as “The Original and Still the Best Since 1977.”
One of the coast’s most popular events, the festival continues to evolve.
“Last year we increased the amount of seafood and got really good feedback so we will continue that,” said Newport Chamber Marketing Manager Lauren Pahl.
Chamber staff are also excited to bring back the juried Seafood Chowder Competition for the second year.
“Being the event has such a long history in this community, it is really exciting that this new element will continue,” said Event Director Maggie Conrad. “We’re thrilled to have a number of local chefs participate and offer guests a chance to select the ‘People’s Choice’ of the festival.”
An exciting new entry in the culinary adventures to be found at the festival is the Crab & Vine, a pop-up restaurant by one of the Central Coast’s most popular restaurants, Local Ocean.
Dungeness crab, freshly caught by local vessels, takes center stage in the multi-course tasting menu, paired with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. Introductory dishes, including a California roll and crab cake will set you up for the main event, hot or cold steamed whole Dungeness crab with lemon and drawn butter or a Northwest-style seafood crab boil. The meal ends with a serving of crab and bay leaf ice cream with a lemon dulse shortbread cookie.
Crab & Vine will feature wine from the medal winners of the 2025 festival, in bottle or glass-pour options. Paired wine flights will also be available.
This unique experience will be available from Thursday, Feb. 20, to Saturday, Feb. 22. Price is $75 per guest for festival ticket holders. Purchase your tickets soon, as opportunities to enjoy this new experience will go quickly.
Thursday is informally called “locals’ night” and draws coastal residents who appreciate a more intimate experience. Running from 5 to 9 pm, it gives the opportunity to connect with vendors and visit with friends and neighbors in a low-key atmosphere.
Friday brings a heightened level of excitement as demonstrations, wine talks, specialty foods and tastings fill the festival from noon to 8 pm.
On Saturday, the festival runs from 10 am to 6 pm. On Sunday, the doors are open from 10 am to 4 pm.
Music will be provided throughout the festival in the new music tent, with performers including Tsunami Zone on Thursday, Ty Curtis on Friday and Saturday, the Too Loose Cajun Zydeco Band on Saturday and Sonny Hess on Sunday.
The smorgasbord of food options features the Pacific Northwest’s freshest bounty. Crab cocktails, crab melts, oyster shooters, sushi, chowders, grilled shrimp and seafood bisque are a few offerings, in addition to Mexican-style and barbecued seafoods. Vendor booths offer candies, baked goods, sweets, nuts, textiles and clothing.
A large draw is the commercial wine competition, the longest-running in the Northwest, featuring boutique to large vineyards. The 2025 festival will showcase more than 50 vineyards from all parts of the Pacific Northwest. The winning wineries will be announced in February and published in the festival’s official guide.
Awards will be given in gold, silver and bronze categories, in addition to a Best in Show. Also popular is an amateur wine competition featuring entries from a wide range of geographic locations. Some medal winners have gone on to start their own commercial wineries.
There are many details in orchestrating an event where more than 20,000 guests enter the doors throughout the course of four days, bringing benefits to virtually every hotel, restaurant and retail establishment in town.
“We are very grateful to our main sponsor, Chinook Winds,” Conrad said. “This will be the 16th year in a row.”
While event parking is available for $10, a free citywide shuttle bus will make an hourly loop from the major area hotels from Pacific Shores to South Beach. Taxicabs are also available.
Advance single-day ticket prices for the 21-and-over event are $26 for Thursday, $32 for Friday, $40 for Saturday and $17 for Sunday. Prices increase for day of ticketing.
Saturday admission is by e-ticket only although at 1 pm the gate will open for general admission depending on capacity. Advance, online-only ticket packages can also be purchased in three- and four-day bundles.
The three-day pass is $75 and includes entry for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The four-day Ruby Club Membership is $180 and comes with VIP entry, a swag bag, a commemorative wine glass, Thursday Night VIP Reception entry and a Seafood Chowder tasting kit.
For more information, go to seafoodandwine.com or call 541265-8801.
Face
have the best views on the Oregon Coast. The Inn At Spanish Head invites you to experience exceptional oceanfront lodging and penthouse dining at Oregon’s only resort hotel built right on the beach. Each of our oceanfront rooms has floor-to-ceiling windows offering unobstructed ocean views.
This natural foods cooperative supplies
Oceana Natural Food Co-op
Inn at Spanish Head
LOYALTY DAYS LOYALTY DAYS PARADE
May 3, 2025, noon • Newport, Oregon
“Let Freedom Ring”
Carve out some time for art in Lincoln City
Visitors in search of thought-provoking artwork at the coast will find it at Lincoln City’s Chessman Gallery, which hosts an ever-changing lineup of exhibits featuring artists from around the Pacific Northwest.
Exhibits in early 2025 include “Piecing Us Together” by mosaic artist Kate Kerrigan and a show by acclaimed Pacific Northwest carver Monica Setziol Phillips and some of her former students.
The Chessman Gallery is located inside the Lincoln City Cultural Center at 540 NE Hwy. 101 and is open from 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, go to www. lincolncity-culturalcenter.org.
“Piecing Us Together” by Kate Kerrigan
January 3-February 16
This exhibit offers the viewer a glimpse into what is possible, instilling positivity and inspiration through abstract works that explore concepts within these themes. Kerrigan works in mosaic, using different textures and shapes to push the boundaries of this media.
Her exhibit also includes a large collaborative mosaic created during the post-COVID time of uncertainty, when Kerrigan traveled the country to visit friends and family and connect with them
through creativity. They each created small segments of this giant mosaic and the artist set the pieces together with love and care.
Monica Setziol Phillips & Students
February 21-March 30
This exhibit features new work by acclaimed northwestern artist, Monica Setziol-Phillips and a group of her woodcarving students. In the spring of 2024m Setziol-Phillips came together with a group of her former carving students and formed The Carvers’ Collective to nourish their pursuits in woodcarving. In addition to Setziol-Phillips’ paper cut illustrations of folk tales, this exhibit will feature works by up to 10 members of the Collective.
Monica Setziol-Phillips
Dog Country Tavern
This quiet, little tavern nestled along Yaquina Bay in Newport proudly serves the coldest beer in town. This old-timey, wood-paneled place draws locals for draft beer, burgers and games of pool. In addition to a warm welcome, the Mad Dog Country Tavern offers spectacular views of the bay.
Whether you’re a local or just visiting the central Oregon coast, Newport Café treats everyone like they’re family. Our exceptional comfort food, huge portions, and extensive menu means you will find something you like and get a lot of it. Because our menu offers delicious daily specials, you can have all of our home cooked meals at a price you can afford. Proud home of the 8 lb burger.
Newport Cafe
Mad
Mad Dog Country Tavern
This non-profit organization celebrates, develops, supports, and promotes arts along the Oregon Coast. It also coordinates and manages three unique arts spaces: the Newport Visual Arts Center features three art galleries, two classrooms, and a clay studio; the Oregon Coast Art Bus is a mobile arts learning platform traveling throughout the coast; and the Newport Performing Arts Center features a multitude of live performances and community events throughout the year. Find out what’s happening now, at www.coastarts.org/events
Pacific Maritime Heritage Center
Located on the Newport Bayfront, features a robust changing museum exhibit program as well as longer term exhibits and art related to the maritime environment. The center also houses the Doerfler Family Theater which features 18 short historic films and a museum store. Onsite parking is available.
Fortunate enough to be located at the boat launch of beautiful, bountiful and pristine Netarts Bay, we make the most of all the bay and our surrounding community provide — the very best the Pacific has to offer.
• www.theschooner.net
Though the view of Netarts Bay, either from inside the building or outside on the large glass-enclosed deck, is definitely something to write home about, the proprietors of The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge are equally proud of their farm-to-table menu. Sourcing their produce, meat, eggs and seafood as much as possible from local producers is one of the reasons the business is included on the North Coast Food Trail.
Schooner Restaurant & Lounge
Schooner
Schooner Restaurant & Lounge
161 NW Kansas Street, Yachats
Experience the allure of this oceanfront beach cottage, just few yards away from miles of sandy beaches. This inviting home features 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths within its generous 1,200+ sq. ft. of living space. Recent updates enhance its appeal, including a new roof installed in 2019, new windows added in 2021, and a stylishly updated kitchen with brand-new cabinets and countertops. The property features the charming original carriage house, fully revitalized with a complete outside rebuild. $849,000 • MLS #24-1706
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a journey from seafloor to shore. Every visit is a new adventure, and adventure awaits. We invite you to immerse yourself in the mysteries of the ocean. Our captivating destination is a trusted resource for ocean education and conservation in the Pacific Northwest.
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Oregon-grown and 100-percent employee owned, McKay’s operates 11 locations throughout Oregon, plus a distribution warehouse. McKay’s continues to offer highquality products at reasonable prices, regular specials and our famous “Meat Bonanzas.” And, most importantly, we remain actively involved in community events and fundraisers.
www.mckaysmarket.com
Rinse off the old year and start the new with the Siletz Bay Splash! Join hundreds of fellow memory makers in Lincoln City’s shortest and chilliest event. This free event gathers at Taft Waterfront Park at 9:30 am with the Splash kicking off promptly at 10 am on January 1. Afterwards warm up with hot chocolate, treats and a fire!
Siletz Bay Splash
Hearth & Table
Located in Lincoln City’s historic Escallonia building, this wood-fired bistro offers a European-inspired happy hour, dinner and private events. Specialties include pizza with a blistered crust, finished with Durant Vineyards olive oil, plus a wide range of sparkling cocktails.
This Word War II-era blimp hangar houses an impressive array of exhibits, including recreations of British wartime bunkers to aircraft including the Bell TH-57 Helicopter, the F-14A Tomcat, a Douglas A-4 Skyhawk and the unmissable Aerospacelines MiniGuppy.
Get our app to play the museum scavenger hunt and more.
Tillamook Air Museum
WHITE WOLF SANCTUARY
A falls favorite
Rainy season makes Drift Creek Falls a spectacular sight
By Michael Edwards
At the base of Drift Creek Falls, a rainbow flickers in the turbulent mist. The steady thunder of water striking boulders drowns out a boisterous group of hikers crossing the suspension bridge 100 feet above the canyon floor. High up on the basalt cliff’s face, an American dipper darts behind the falls and seconds later re-emerges into autumn light, flies underneath a big leaf maple’s moss-laden branches and vanishes into the cool airspace above the creek. The slate gray aquatic songbird’s presence signals that the water here is clean and alive with tasty invertebrates.
Spanning the realm of the dipper is the 240-foot-long Drift Creek Falls suspension bridge. For those with vertigo, the stroll across the bridge can be unnerving. If it helps calm your stomach, know that the bridge has a 165,000-pound weight limit. For perspective, that’s equivalent to 550 three-hundred-pound black bears, 262 eight-hundred-pound Sasquatches, or some whimsical combination of the two. From the bridge’s perch, visitors look down onto the falls and into an emerald, creek-cut canyon lined with ancient cedar, spruce, hemlock and fir.
Hikers who follow poet Robert Frost’s advice and take the path “less traveled” the North Loop Trail in this case, will enter into an old-growth forest grove. This section of trail is a quiet place to sit, unplug and breathe.
On one fall morning, after a few minutes of stillness, inquisitive chickadees approached. A Wilson’s warbler hopped on a sunbathed vine maple, its olive yellow feathers melting into the foliage. The last of the season’s dry winds blew flecks of plant matter between shadows and light. The silence is such that the subtle scrape of drooping hemlock branches brushing against the bole of an ancient Douglas fir was audible. The old fir’s gnarled branches were the size of mature trees. Though its immense crown is broken, the fir is thriving.
Might there be a northern spotted owl perched up there; the bird’s big chocolate brown eyes scanning the forest floor for a plump red tree vole?
The trees closest to the parking area were logged more than 60 years ago and though the difference between the 60-year-old
forest and the centuries-old forest is noticeable, the regenerating capacity of our temperate rainforest is also visible.
Along the creek, red alders thrive and Douglas fir trees have colonized the sunlit hillside. Throughout the decades, storms topple some of the firs, creating gaps in the canopy. The fallen trees become nurse logs and home for fungi, insects and small mammals. Canopy openings allow sunlight to reach the forest floor which spurs growth in conifers and ferns. Standing dead trees, or snags, provide habitat for insects which attract woodpeckers.
A rectangular cavity in a fir snag is a clue that the young forest is home to crow-sized pileated woodpeckers. Look for the flash of their bright red head feathers and listen for their loud laughing call and powerful drumming.
Public Service Announcement: Though you might not see them, Ewoks do live in the forest and they are sticklers about visitors packing out their trash. If they see you discarding plastic fruit cocktail cups or colorful dog poop bags along the trail, our typically mild-mannered furry friends will take note and they will infiltrate your REM sleep. That lovely dream about sailing the South Pacific with your sweetheart will involve an uninvited Ewoks getting tangled in the rigging, and unless C3PO is there to translate, the boat is going down. To the person hiding his Dasani water bottle under the nurse log: Che Womok!
The Drift Creek Falls hike is a 3.1-mile, round-trip walk from the parking lot to the suspension bridge and a little further if you take the alternative North Loop Trail through the magnificent old-growth grove. The trail’s 518-feet elevation gain is felt on the return trip to the car. Exposed roots, wet rocks and a slick clay surface makes for slippery conditions so leave the flip flops at home.
To get to Drift Creek Falls, follow Highway 18 east from Lincoln City and take a right onto Bear Creek Road. Follow Bear Creek Road south for 3.5 miles and merge onto Forest Service Road 17. Drive FR 17 seven circuitous miles to the trailhead. At the trailhead, there is a vaulted toilet, an information kiosk and a picnic table. A $5 parking pass is required and must be secured prior to arrival. For more information and passes, go to fs.usda.gov/main/siuslaw.
