Cape Blanco Lighthouse Celebrates Aug 12, as S. Oregon Coast Sentinel Needs Repair Funds

Published 08/08/23 at 5:41 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Port Orford, Oregon) – Standing tall some 153 years now, the Cape Blanco Lighthouse on the south Oregon coast has just adopted a new tradition, bringing its first Lighthouse Day celebration on August 12. Although official National Lighthouse Day was August 7, the Cape Blanco Lighthouse puts together this shindig a week later, feature music, dancing, desserts – and docents showing you around the fascinating history. (Cape Blanco Lighthouse courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts for more )

With this party, however, you can help save this Curry County lighthouse.

“The Cape Blanco Heritage Society (CBHS) will be celebrating Lighthouse Day on August 12th to honor ingenuity and inventiveness worldwide,” said organizers. “Our lighthouse continues to be a technological wonder to this day as Oregon's oldest continuously working lighthouse and its southernmost major beacon.”

South Oregon coast band AURORA performs at the event, bringing the Tide Morris Dancers along, with all performing in front of the Cape Blanco Lighthouse as part of a nationwide effort to celebrate lighthouses by the U.S. Lighthouse Society (USLS). The entire show gets put on video and then sent to the USLS as documentation of the gala, joining footage from other lighthouses around the country.

“Artwork from supporters of our lighthouse will be on display in the Greeting Center Gift Shop. The concept behind this art exhibit is to raise awareness of the current need for repairs at our lighthouse,” said organizers.

Also See 1919 Wreck of J.A. Chanslor on South Oregon Coast Left 36 Dead Near Cape Blanco

How Cape Blanco is a Dividing Line in South Oregon Coast Weather

The south Oregon coast wonder needs a little TLC these days.

Additionally, these lofty festivities take you to the lighthouse workroom and the gift shop, which both open at 10 a.m. There, you'll get to learn about the lighthouse, its history, its inner workings, and meet the volunteers who cheerily and faithfully interface with the public and keep the place open during the summer season. Look for fab food provided by Shoreline Inn Bistro and designer desserts by Tasty Kate's as well as those cooked up by CBHS members. Area musicians will perform throughout the day and AURORA will play until sunset.

Imagine taking in tunes by this ancient sentinel as the sun goes down.

Cape Blanco Lighthouse courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts for more

Enjoy the lighthouse's many standout attractions as well as the beautiful hiking trails and wonderful ocean views of the surrounding Cape Blanco State Park. From Highway 101, 4.5 miles north of Port Orford or 26 miles south of Bandon and just south of Sixes, Oregon, turn west on Cape Blanco Road. Follow the road past the historic Hughes House and Ranch to the very end. Be aware that the short road from the gate to the lighthouse is closed due its deteriorating condition. If weather conditions are such that the event cannot be held on this date, they will reschedule (note that the weather at Cape Blanco can be unpredictable and not reflect local forecasts). Watch their Facebook page and website for updates on this event.

The Cape Blanco Lighthouse, so named for the white sands of the geology of the landform, was built as part of an ambitious program to construct lighthouses in California and Oregon to facilitate the economic development of the American West by the U.S. Lighthouse Board in 1870.

"This era was an incredibly inventive period of time in history which is just one small part of what lighthouses have come to represent culturally in our nation as well as worldwide," said organizers.

For more information, call the Cape Blanco Greeting Center Gift Shop at 541-332-2207 or visit capeblancoheritagesociety.com. MORE LIGHTHOUSE BELOW

Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted