Astoria Crab / Wine Fest Returns to North Oregon Coast as Live Event in April

Published 04/12/22 at 4:22 AM PST
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Astoria, Oregon) – Back in the swing of things is one north Oregon coast favorite: the Astoria / Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival. After some time off or being simply a virtual event, the three-day extravaganza of seafood, vino and other goodies has returned in real life, causing the north Oregon coast town to again swell by thousands on April 22 – 24. (Photos courtesy Astoria / Warrenton Chamber of Commerce)

It's the 40th year of the annual food and fun fest, where coastal arts and crafts are featured as well as microbrews from the region. The festival is all about good times and stuffing yourself silly. Dungeness crab may be the highlight, but the festival also showcases fresh shrimp, salmon, oysters, halibut and clam chowder, along with fine Pacific Northwest wine. This year, organizers said to also be on the lookout for cocktails, crab and shrimp melts, crab cakes, crab mac & cheese, seafood ramen, smoked brisket, fried oysters, lemon garlic pasta with crab, corn dogs, sausages, crabby leek chowder and even Greek cuisine.

The last time the event was in person was back in 2019, so this is a milestone for many in the face of this dreary pandemic. Started in 1982, it has now expanded to around 175 vendors, according to the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event. There are vendors from all over the Pacific Northwest but especially the north coast of Oregon, attracting scores of people to town and supporting hundreds of different businesses in the area, including performers, hotels, restaurants and numerous shops. The Astoria / Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival is also a major fundraiser for the chamber and for dozens of community organizations that participate in the event.

Live music is a big part of the revelry with two stages throughout the weekend, but you can take home interesting handcrafted wares from regional artisans as well. Nearly 40 wineries will be on hand offering a huge array of varietals made in Oregon. Local craft brewers will abound, along with distilled spirit-makers for those who prefer a wee bit of a stiffer drink.

About 100 of the booths will be local artists and northwest-made products.

The chamber's executive director David Reid said they had tried to make the last two years as fun as possible by featuring an online presence, as well as the Festival Feast dining pass around town and events like the Astoria Clowns Drive-up. All of it helped connect visitors with local cuisine, but a real, live event can't be beat. Reid said chamber staff were excited to return to the festival's actual format.

However, the chamber acknowledges planning actual events can be tricky in these times, hinting that mask mandates and pandemic surges are still a possibility at the last minute. In the meantime, the chamber said it is working to maintain safe practices for the public and for vendors.

Admission prices are $25 each for Friday or Saturday; $15 each for Sunday. Online ticket prices are: Friday or Saturday, $20 each + $1.25 service fee. Sunday: $10 each + $1.25 service fee.

The event is held at the Clatsop County Fair and Expo. 92937 Walluski Loop Astoria, Oregon - about 4 miles southeast of Astoria on highway 202. Parking is extremely limited at the event, so the chamber urges you to take the shuttles. See the shuttle guide.

Times: Friday 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. http://www.astoriacrabfest.com

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