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Quirky Winery Event Livens Up North Oregon Coast With Kesey Legacy

(Nehalem, Oregon) – It all began sometime in the early 90’s, with famed Oregon author Ken Kesey and the Further bus showing up at the always-quirky Nehalem Bay Winery, spreading a bit of wacky cheer and kickstarting a small annual festival of oddball fun that is so laidback and informal it may or may not happen each year.

Day of the Muse happens Saturday, July 21, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature a variety of mediums and forms of entertainment: a mishmash of art installations and performance, with poetry and prose readings, music, theater and artforms that simply defy category. There will also be the Nehalem Bay Winery’s legendary pig roast meal on hand, where the pig is cooked on a spit, outdoors, in the winery’s usual inimitable style.

Admission is free – and so is the food.

One of the winery's famed forward-thinking events

It is a day dedicated to the muse: whatever form that inspiration takes in this legendary, off-kilter attraction on the north Oregon coast.

The performers and participants are always a surprise, but this year some have already been booked ahead of time. This performance will include a series of dramatic readings by a Portland actor, as well as a set by Portland roots singer Pilar French. There will be an art installation in the theatre de vin – the large room that normally hosts the stage for the Nehalem Bay Winery’s larger festivals and shows. Most performances will happen outdoors, as they have in the past.

Wine, of course, will be one of the big focuses at Day of the Muse

Previous Day of the Muse festivals often erupt into impromptu jams between the performing musicians, after their initial sets, with a freeform sense about the day that is always conducive to some interesting creativity and collaboration. Sometimes readings are accompanied by musicians. Drum circles may break out.

The point is you never know what’s going to happen.

Past performers have included regular appearances by Kesey, who showed up to read some of his own works. He was a fixture at the festival for a few years, appearing at many of them in the late 90’s until his death in the early 2000’s. The 2002 Day of the Muse was a tribute to Kesey, and then the festival was retired for a few years until this summer.

It began in the early 90’s with Kesey showing up – and in the usual winery way and spirit of the event, employees aren’t even sure what year that was. A Nehelam-area woman called Frivol was part of the original Merry Pranksters, and took Nehalem Bay Winery owner Ray Shackelford down to Eugene to meet Kesey. The author eventually brought the Further bus up to the winery, which created a major stir in the area. Portland- and Manzanita-based band The Crackpots performed, a large helping of Kesey’s entourage showed up and held a series of jams – and Day of the Muse was born.

Fun-loving crowds at a Nehalem Bay Winery event

Manager Melissa Stetzel said the event was always intended to be an extremely laidback, even quirky event, like the Nehalem Bay Winery itself, which shrugs all convention of the usual snobbery associated with wine tasting. The event has happened on and off over the years. “It’s one of those things: it may or may not happen,” she said.

Other regulars at the festival have included coastal singer Denise Drake, OPB’s Tom D’Antoni, author Ed McClanahan, esoteric singer Baby Gramps, a belly dancing troupe, and various other local and regional musicians, writers and artists.

Its lineup is as impromptu as the festival itself. “A lot of people come in from out of the blue just to play, read or perform,” Stetzel said. “You just don’t know.” Call 888-368-9463 for more information.

Day of the Muse
July 21, 1 – 5 p.m. Free
Art, Music, Readings
Featuring singer Pilar French
Nehalem Bay Winery
34965 Highway 53 (one mile from Highway 101, between Nehalem and Wheeler)
Nehalem, Oregon
503.368-9463
1-888-368-9463

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