Many travellers make their way to Oregon to explore its natural beauty. The Beaver State offers mountains, glaciers, deserts, forests and coasts, and everything in between. But you don’t have to be intrepid to take the trip – there are also a fair share of relaxing pastimes here, including a great range of events and festivals.
Newport Seafood and Wine Festival is a taste sensation for gluttons and gastronomes, with four belly-busting days of over 150 wine and food producers and a great range of premier artisan treats. The event includes tastings of some of Oregon’s best wines and foods along with a wine competition. Attendees can also try and buy lots of other delectable delights, and treat themselves to some arts and crafts from the market place. It’s one of the biggest food events on the entire west coast, and attracts over 25,000 visitors each year. More tempting treats are on offer in the Astoria Warrenton Crab and Seafood Festival and Oregon Brewers Fest, one of the biggest craft beer festivals in the whole of the USA.
The Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare festival showcases the very best of the unbeatable bard, along with the work of many other talented wordsmiths. The festival runs for a mega nine months, which is great for those who can’t get enough of the stage. Each year, there are eleven different marquee plays, three or four of which are from Shakespeare himself, while the rest are from other classic writers. The festival also offers performances from contemporary playwrights along with special events and world premieres. The event is dedicated to providing absolute equality and inclusion, and encourages brand-new theatre fans to engage alongside seasoned stage veterans. If you’re interested in theatre of any description, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Portland Jazz Festival is one of the best jazz festivals in the states, and takes place over ten days in multiple venues. The event features national and international musicians, and previous artists here have included the likes of Wayne Shorter, Diane Reeves, Jim Hall, Dee Dee Bridgewater and many more. The festival also pays homage to Black History Month, and honours the plentiful African American contributions to the genre.
Other festivals throughout Oregon celebrate things as broad and varied as chocolate, films, roses, Mexican heritage, blues, kites, Scandinavian history, cheese, pirates and Greek traditions. Get yourself involved and find one you like!