Unhappy News for Goonies Event, Fourth of July on N. Oregon Coast

Published 04/30/2020 at 6:24 AM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Astoria, Oregon) – COVID-19 has claimed some other victims on the Oregon coast: two much-loved events. Fourth of July won’t be happening in Seaside, and the region's Goonies celebration has been canceled for live visits, but moved to a virtual environment.

Seaside has officially canceled its Fourth of July celebration. The news was relayed earlier this week about the same time Vancouver, Washington, cut out its fireworks show, with officials saying it wasn’t possible to ensure the safety of attendees in the midst of such enormous crowds during the pandemic.

The north Oregon coast town has the largest celebration on the entire Oregon coast, bringing in some 50,000 people.

Other coastal towns currently have no listings for their Fourth of July events, although no official word has come down that others are canceled. However, given that Oregon will still be in its early phases of opening back up – which include crowd restrictions – it’s unlikely any such Independence Day fireworks show will make the cut.

Farther up the Oregon coast, the big bummer for many is that the Goonies fest has been canceled. The Goonies 35th Anniversary Celebration, scheduled for June 4-7, 2020, in Astoria, Oregon will not go ahead as planned – but it is going digital.

The city of Astoria is inviting people to join in a virtual celebration.

“The decision was not reached lightly, and we know it will be a difficult one for many,” said Regina Willkie, with the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have spent the recent weeks listening to our partners in the event production industry, government agencies, healthcare professionals, residents and guests who helped us reach this point. Bottom line, the health of our vendors, volunteers, contractors, and attendees must come first. The uncertainty of the future and how our many aspects of planning and production will be impacted, simply makes putting on a celebration of this magnitude insurmountable at this time.”

However, Willkie said they cannot let the Annual Goonies Day go by completely unnoticed. This time around the whoop-de-doo happens from the safety of your home.

“We are creating a virtual event that could include online presentations, fan contests, a shopping portal and other activities you can do from home whether the travel restrictions are lifted or not,” she said. “If you have ideas, let us know.”

Willkie said that even if restrictions are eased and people can come together on that weekend, they do not anticipate that venues, shops, lodgings, or restaurants will be ready to handle thousands of participants coming to the Astoria community that weekend.

“We encourage you to visit our area when you are able later this year,” she said. “We are restructuring our interactive One Eyed Willy’s Treasure Hunt with long-term installation so that it can be done throughout the rest of the year. Oregon’s North Coast is ripe with adventure any time of year with historic attractions, outdoor recreation, and magnificent scenery.”

You can join in on the group’s Facebook or see the website on following along with ideas of ways to celebrate. Exclusive 35th Anniversary merchandise will be available in their online shop soon.

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