Florence's Exploding Whale Memorial Celebration Gets Early Start on Oregon Coast's Famed Blunder

Published 11/03/24 at 7:25 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Florence, Oregon) – You could say it took a lot of “guts” for this to happen: the famed Exploding Whale of Florence, Oregon becomes almost a week worth of celebrations. (Above: a bar in Portland gets into the holiday)

November 12, 1970 is a day that will live in infamy around the world. It's probably where more of Earth's population have gotten a hint the Oregon coast exists. It was that day that Oregon officials decided to blow up a deceased whale on a beach on Florence’s northern edges, in an attempt to get rid of the carcass and its smell.

In a word: it backfired. Blood and whale goo splattered the area – including crowds and cars – for hundreds of feet around. The TV news report of it surfaced pretty quickly in the '90s as the internet took off, soon becoming the most watched clip on the world wide web.

For decades, Florence tried to ignore the attention. Then in the 2010s, they just decided to roll with it and celebrate the debacle with the Exploding Whale Memorial Celebration each year. This 54th year has something a little new: while the festival of whale goo happens on November 10 around town, November 4 features a small gathering at Florence City Hall for an official declaration at 4:30 p.m.

Florence now has its own Exploding Whale Memorial Park (courtesy photo)

From there, it's Sunday, November 10 that features the 54th Anniversary Exploding Whale Memorial Celebration 2024, with the most action happening noon to 4 p.m. at Homegrown Public House and Brewery, 294 Laurel Street in historic Florence Old Town. The celebration is free, family friendly, open house-style, a little quirky, very artsy and a whole lotta fun. There's also an Exploding Whale exhibit – with real bones from the whale.

The day was so popular on the internet that many greeted each other with “Happy Exploding Whale Day” every November 12. Now, instead of being the town's shame, Florence has fully embraced it.

Homegrown Public House & Brewery's Elaine McMillan is a key organizer this year. Also see Florence's Fall Fest Includes Kites, Circles in the Sand - and Oregon Coast's Exploding Whale - Nov 9 - 10 brings glowing kites to Driftwood Shores

“We have a tiny committee of community members that find true joy in planning this affair,” McMillan said. “We feel that to remember something that went so wrong can make an ongoing positive difference in our small coastal community. The celebration brings levity during a darker, quieter time of year. Our exploding whale has become legendary world-wide and there have been countless reports of others learning from the plan gone wrong. So we consider this celebration cultural, historical and fun, which makes for sort of a magic trifecta!"

Exploding Whale Memorial Park (courtesy photo)

You'll get to meet a mermaid or two, and there will be representatives on hand from marine and nature-based agencies to impart some real science on the subject of the Oregon coast. One of the highlights is an appearance by Paul Linnman, the KATU news anchorman who reported brilliantly on the whale on that fateful, blubber-filled day. He'll be there to sign autographs.

At 3:45 p.m. there will be a public toast to the whale and the event will end shortly thereafter.

All are encouraged to bring small offerings and mementos to place at the artful alter to the whale at the brewery. The exhibit naturally evolves throughout the day into the evening when it glows with lights and the reflections of the colorful contributions. Wearing whale-themed fun costumes to the celebration are also encouraged.

Also happening for the day is an Exploding Whale exhibit at Siuslaw Pioneer Museum across the street from Homegrown Public House (278 Maple Street), open from noon to 4 p.m. The exhibit has actual whale bones from the honored whale and the museum is full of interesting Florence historical displays.

Homegrown Public House also has its own Exploding Whale Pale Ale.

For more event information call BeauxArt Fine Arts Materials at 541-991-8213 or WhaleGoBoom97439@gmail.com.

See Wacky History of Exploding Whale

What is strangely unknown about this is that this wasn't the first time Oregon tried this approach. It happened back in the '30s near Astoria. See the article on the Warrenton Exploding Whale.

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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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