The beloved long-running Florence Oregon Wine & Chowder event, usually held during the long holiday weekend in October, is produced by the Florence Chamber of Commerce and has drawn nearly 1000 visitors each year. This year there will be no 2021 festivities; the event has been moved to 2022.
Image via Stephanie Sarles | Flickr
“As a chamber of commerce, our first priority is the safety and well-being of our community. That can be a delicate balance to strike in the context of ever-changing statistics, trends, and regulations. The economic well-being of our community is dependent on tourism, and the Wine & Chowder Trials, the Great Glass Float Giveaway, the Communitywide Garage Sale, the Goin’ With the Flo vintage trailer rally, and Circles in the Sand beach carving and labyrinth have all been essential for drawing visitors to Florence after Labor Day. Individually and collectively they help stretch tourism to the last possible moment,” Chamber President/CEO Bettina Hannigan explained in 2020. Unfortunately, this still applies in 2021.
A delightful mix of flavor and tradition, the central Oregon coast's Florence Wine & Chowder Trails and the Great Glass Float Giveaway have been a giant treat every October, where the entire community comes together for tasting and treasure hunting in the cozy, scenic town. This year the Florence Oregon Wine & Chowder Trails will be shifting to President's Day weekend, with 2021's event now on February 18 to 20, 2022.
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As usual, seafood will remain at the center of the festivities. Clam, crab, and other seafood chowder delicacies by local experts are always featured, paired with a variety of Oregon wines direct from the wineries.
Saturday will feature wine tasting at several indoor venues in and around Old Town. Sunday will feature chowder tasting at restaurants and galleries in, or a centralized location near, Historic Old Town Florence. Chowder tasters will be able to get a ballot to vote for the region's best chowder.
The gorgeous glass floats will be on display all weekend around town. Searchers can obtain a passport and map to approximately three dozen sites to find the artful objects, “hidden” in plain sight. Passports will be available online at FlorenceChamber.com and at the Visitors Center. All the glass floats will be given away Sunday afternoon in Old Town.
“February is actually a fabulous time to visit Florence for this kind of event,” said Hannigan. “Hotel rooms will be more affordable than summer or fall and restaurants will likely have recovered from their summer shortages of food, supplies, and staff. They'll be really eager to serve our visitors.”
Sources: Florence Chamber of Commerce and Oregon Coast Beach Connection
