Florence Wine, Chowder and Glass Float Trail Makes Big Comeback to Central Oregon Coast Town

Published 02/01/23 at 5:59 PM
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Florence, Oregon) – Another major festival on the Oregon coast is back and in full swing this month, with Florence's annual Wine, Chowder and Glass Float Trail returning on President’s Day Weekend – February 17 to 19. You'll find a weekend crammed full of great food, tasty vino from around the Pacific Northwest and those oh-so-irresistible glass floats being hidden around town. (Courtesy photo)

There's also a wine and art event and shuttles provided by Three Rivers Casino.

More details keep piling onto WineAndChowderTrail.com as well.

The whole yummy enchilada kicks off on Saturday, February 18 with the Chamber's Wine Trail, where you pick up your commemorative wine glass or preorder one at WineAndChowderTrail.com. These are five bucks a pop and then you get tasting tickets at Gazebo Park that day for $1 each ( corner of Bay St. and Laurel St. in Historic Old Town Florence).

Here, the ever-scenic Florence Old Town is abuzz with bundles of cheery folk sampling wines from a dozen or so different Oregon wineries. You must be 21 or over. These include: Capitello Wines, Gelardi Vineyard, Hayworth Estate Wines, Iris Vineyards, J Scott Cellars, La Velle Vineyards, Morgan Meadows Vineyard, Saginaw Vineyard, Sarver Winery, Season Cellars, Stillwagon Distillery, and Thinking Tree Spirits.

Photo Oregon Coast Beach Connection

The Chamber’s Chowder Trail is Sunday, February 19, from noon to 3:00 p.m. Participants include: The Market at Driftwood Shores (with samples at American Pacific Mortgage), Florence Event Center Catering, Homegrown Public House & Brewery, Laughing Crab Gallery & Tasting Room, ICM Restaurant, and recent winners Lovejoy's Restaurant & Tea Room and Novelli's Crab & Seafood.

Passports and maps (with chowder ballot) for the chowder and glass float trails will be available for $5 at the Chamber’s visitor center on Friday, February 17, and the Chamber’s welcome table at Gazebo Park (corner of Laurel and Bay Streets in Old Town) on Saturday and Sunday.

Returning this year: The Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA) will conduct their annual Taste of Art and Wine event February 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Florence Events Center 715 Quince St.

Admission is free and features a juried art show with cash prizes up to $300 for 2-D and 3-D art, artisan booths, and demonstrations. Exhibits include works of art in wood; art for the garden; fiber creations of all kinds from hand- painted silk, felted and quilted items, to knitted and crocheted items to wear; glass works of art; jewelry designs in various media; pottery, paintings, photography and more.

The FRAA wineries include Bluebird Hill Cellars, McKenzie Crest Wines, and Summerfield Vineyards. Sarver Winery will join the FRAA lineup on Sunday. Tastings will be part of the Chamber’s wine trail and tasting tickets price.

New this year, the Three Rivers Casino Resort free shuttle will transport attendees between Old Town’s Gazebo Park on Bay St., the Florence Events Center, and the casino. The circuit is expected to complete hourly.

For the pièce de résistance, the Great Glass Float Trail hits the central Oregon coast town again, with over 30 hand-blown glass floats hidden in plain sight along the streets and shops. At that number, however, these are rarer and much more coveted finds. But there's a twist: you don't actually take these home just yet. You report the find to store clerks and then you're entered into a drawing where you can win one of these actual floats. You get your passport validated and receive an entry coupon that must be filled out and turned in by 3:15 p.m. at the Chamber’s welcome table at Gazebo Park Sunday for the 3:30 p.m. The more of these you find and report, the more chances to win.

You must be present to win.

“February in Florence is a deliciously thrilling time,” says Florence Area Chamber of Commerce president/CEO Bettina Hannigan. “With the unique flavor palate of Oregon’s finest wines and chowders added to all the fun activities and some of the year’s best sunsets, there’s color, texture, and a unique seasonality in the air. You can see why we call this place Oregon’s Coastal Playground.”

Event sponsors include Christina Voogd, Principal Broker, Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate; Three Rivers Casino; Oregon Pacific Bank, Banner Bank, and Heidi White, Broker, TR Hunter Real Estate.

For more information on the Florence Wine & Chowder Trail weekend and Great Glass Float Giveaway, call the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce at 541-997-3128 or visit WineAndChowderTrail.com.

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Previous year's event in Florence, courtesy photo

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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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