North Oregon Coast Town Rocks Out, Hosts Summefest Too

Published 07/11/2011

(Manzanita, Oregon) – Two distinctively awesome ways to have fun are erupting on the north Oregon coast this weekend with the Wheeler Summerfest along the Nehalem Bay and Eugene surf  punk band The Ultronz rocking out at the San Dune Pub in Manzanita – both on Saturday, July 16, while the Summerfest continues on Sunday (above: Wheeler on the Nehalem Bay).

In Wheeler, the very family friendly Summerfest is the new incarnation of the event formerly known as Wheeler Crab Fest. It happens on the Wheeler waterfront and is a conglomeration of food, hay rides, steamboat rides, live music and a lot more.

The Wheeler Business Association is putting on the first-ever Wheeler Summerfest - a brand new event that is shaping up to be a great start to an annual tradition. Old fashioned summertime fun doesn’t get any better than this.

Nehalem Bay at night

“We’re all very pleased with the way the event is taking shape,” said Jane Dunkin, Wheeler Business Association chair. “All we need is for the sun to come out.”

People of all ages will enjoy the WBA-sponsored hay rides and steam boat rides. The Double S Clydesdales, hitch team competitors owned by Bryce and Sean Smith of Tillamook, will be pulling a vintage 1901 freight wagon around the estuary in Wheeler (from Waterfront Park north toward Botts Marsh and back along the water’s edge).

The Captain Bell steam boat, owned and skippered by Dave Bell of Wheeler, and another 30-foot sternwheeler, the Cheng Tse, owned by Al & Sue Dunlap of Spokane, WA, will be taking passengers from the public dock in the Wheeler Waterfront Park around the Nehalem Bay.

All five local Wheeler restaurants will be serving special entrees and treats, and the Wheeler Business Association will offer snow cones and cotton candy. The Nehalem Bay Chamber will be making root beer floats, and the Nehalem Valley Care Center, fundraising for a new bus to transport residents, will sell popcorn.

Manzanita

Live music by local bands will round out this weekend.

There will be a water taxi ferrying passengers from Wheeler to Nehalem between the Summerfest and the Nehalem Celebration of Crafts. Russ Morrow, local fishing guide, will skipper visitors between the events.

Guests will have three chances to win great prizes in the WBA raffle. Each prize package starts with a dinner for two at one of the three restaurants and includes gift certificates and items from local shops.

The fun begins on Saturday, July 16th, from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and continues on Sunday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Fliers are available at local businesses. For more information email the Wheeler Business Association at wba@wheeleroregon.com or call 503-368-2669.

San Dune Pub, Manzanita

For the over-21 set, Manzanita hotspot San Dune Pub will explode with live music from a favorite among the surfer set. Eugene band The Ultronz is a curious combination of rock, ska , power pop and reggae in its trademark “astro-surf sound,” a spaced out conglomeration of those genres and more. The songs are primarily written by the two longest-standing members of the band, Eugene Gray and Jeff Smith, over the last 12 years.

They originally hit it huge with surfers and snowboarders and clubs around the state in the 80’s and 90’s, including the wind surfer crowd in the Gorge. Now The Ultronz is a regular fixture along the Oregon coast as well.

They perform Saturday at the San Dune at 8:30 p.m. Cover is $5. Laneda Ave. (503) 368-5080. www.sandunepub.com

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