Collab with Oregon Coast's Rhody Fest? Florence Announces Festival Theme and Logo Contest

Published 10/17/24 at 5:40 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Florence, Oregon) – One of the coastline's largest and longest-running major events now has a theme for next year. The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce has just announced that "Rhodies on the River" by Milana Peerson as the theme for the 119th Rhododendron Festival, filling that central Oregon coast with thousands from May 15 to 18, 2025. (Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Yet there's more for locals or fans of the town who want a moment in the creative spotlight: this now means they've opened up their logo contest.

Florence resident Peerson earns a $100 cash prize and a place in the event's long history. Locally, "rhody" refers to the rhododendron flower, which thrives in the area. With the theme now chosen, the Chamber is launching a public contest to design the festival's logo. Entry forms are available on the Florence Chamber website, FlorenceChamber.com.

The Chamber annually seeks public input for a theme and logo for the event, held each year on the third full weekend of May.

"We sought a theme to celebrate our local natural beauty and our floral superstars, something to attract visitors to the second-longest running floral festival in Oregon," said Bettina Hannigan, the Chamber’s president and CEO. "Milana’s idea really bloomed for us. You can easily hear the musical parallel to Tina Turner’s or Creedence Clearwater Revival’s versions of 'Rollin’ On the River.' "

Generations of families have enjoyed the Florence Rhododendron Festival, an Oregon coast tradition and the state’s second-oldest floral festival, second only to the Portland Rose Festival. The event draws thousands of visitors from across the state and country each year.

“The festival, with its carnival, Rhododendron Court, parades, live music, classic car cruise, vendor fair, flower show, and more serves as the unofficial kickoff to the summer tourist season here in Oregon’s Coastal Playground,” Hannigan said.

Now, with the right artistic bent, you could get in on the creative collab.

Graphic designers, both amateur and professional, are encouraged to submit logo designs that fit the theme. The chosen designer will win $250. Designs should incorporate the rhododendron flower, an element representative of the Florence area (such as the river, bridge, ocean, beach, lakes, dunes, or lighthouse), along with the theme and “119th Rhododendron Festival 2025, Florence, Oregon.” Full contest details are available at FlorenceChamber.com. Entries should be emailed to info@FlorenceChamber.com by November 1, 2024, with "2025 Logo Contest" as the subject line. This year, the Chamber received around 100 submissions for the Rhododendron Festival theme contest, according to Mitzi Hathaway, the Chamber’s director of tourism development and festival coordinator.

“This year we had around 100 submissions for the Rhododendron Festival theme contest,” said Mitzi Hathaway, the Chamber’s director of tourism development and festival coordinator. “The Chamber Board of Directors felt that ‘Rhodies on the River’ represented exactly what we were looking for this year. It is going to be a fun theme to work with between now and mid-May, and especially in the days leading up to the grand floral parade on May 18. I am personally excited to see how this year's theme brings out the creativity and positivity of our community,”

Tourism in Florence accounted for a $269 million infusion to the local economy in 2023 and just over half of all local jobs. The festival opens Saturday night, May 10 (the weekend prior) with the coronation of Queen Rhododendra, the King of the Coast, and their royal court at the Florence Events Center. The Davis Shows Carnival at the Port of Siuslaw property in Old Town opens on Thursday of “Rhody Week.”

Saturday traditionally features the annual 5K Rhody Run and Walk, the junior parade and kids’ activities, the annual Rhody Classic Car Show ‘n’ Shine, and the Coast Radio KCST/KCFM Classic Car Cruise through Old Town. Sunday brings the grand floral parade down Highway 101 at noon and into Historic Old Town next to the carnival. Throughout the event there will be a vendor’s fair in Old Town, a spectacular rhododendron show at the Florence Events Center, and live music, art, and other festivities and activities all over town.

For more information on the annual Florence Rhododendron Festival, including applications for the Rhododendron Court, exhibitor space, parade entries, or to volunteer on the Chamber’s Rhody Fest committee, contact Hathaway at Events@FlorenceChamber.com or 541-997-3128. MORE PHOTOS BELOW

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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.

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