Coastal Calendar: North Beach events, festival and celebrations

The events season kicks off this weekend with the Renewed Antique Show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center and the Burning Bears celebration of chainsaw wood art and community bonfire in Ocean City.

It also begins with the announcement of a new naming rights sponsorship agreement to bolster one of the most popular early season events, the Razor Clam Festival and Seafood Extravaganza.

“In fact, they have agreed to be our name sponsor for the next three years,” said Dianne Hansen, who is the event manager for the festival put on by the Ocean Shores/ North Beach Chamber of Commerce. “Events like this festival need ongoing support by great sponsors and the business community so they can present the best to the people coming to the festival have fun. We really are excited to have Quinault Beach Resort and Casino and their newest property in Ocean Shores, the Quinault Sweet Grass Hotel continue to support us and to make a multiple year commitment.”

February

10-11: Burning Bears, Ocean City Marketplace on State Route 109: Chainsaw artists begin carving on Friday, with auction on Saturday, followed by the burning of a giant carved bear on Saturday night.

10-12: Ocean Shores Renewed Antique Show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

The show opens Friday from 5-8 p.m. with a premiere party that features wine from Ocean Beach Roasters, hors d’oeuvres from the new Convention Center catering service, music from the Paul Bouma Trio, and perhaps most importantly, first crack at all of the one-of-a-kind articles the vendors have brought for the weekend. Tickets for the Friday evening event are $20 in advance, available at the Visitors Information center in the west side of the Convention Center, and at The Dusty Trunk, 759 Pt. Brown Ave, NW. Tickets at the door are $25.

23-26: The Chocolate on the Beach Festival is centered in Pacific Beach, Moclips and the Seabrook area, with the theme this year: “Death by Chocolate.” The festival begins on Feb. 23 with chocolate cocktail “Throwdowns” and a Murder Mystery Dinner at Ocean Crest Resort. The dinner and mystery production costs $50 per person; reservations at 360-276-4465.

On Saturday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.-4 p.m.), all the vendors will be located in and behind the Pacific Beach Elementary School (11 4th St S. in Pacific Beach). Here you will find chocolatiers, artists and crafters sampling and selling all of their chocolate wares.

On Sunday, there is a chocolate eating contest to win fun chocolate themed prizes. Registration is at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit the Chocolate on the Beach Festival on Facebook or at the website: http://chocolateonthebeachfestival.com/events/

24-25: UFO Paranormal Summit 2017. Two-day pass is $35 to a summit of speakers on UFOs, including Darrel Simms “The Alien Hunter.” At the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino. More information at www.ufosummit.com.

25: Mardi Gras Auction; St. Jerome Catholic Church, 15 Patrick Way, will host a Mardi Gras auction from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. All are welcome. The live auction begins at 8 p.m. Three drink tickets for beer and wine are included in the $20 admission. Auction items may be paid by cash, check or credit card. Call Linda Lauletta at (425) 417-1069 for tickets and information.

March

4-5: Beachcombers Fun Fair at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.

A special Saturday night dinner and speakers event is planned to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beachcombers Fun Fair, which takes place at the Ocean Shores Convention Center March 4 and 5.

The Convention Center’s new catering service and chef George Lee will offer a menu with cranberry spinach salad, clam chowder, balsamic roasted salmon or chicken Marsala, rice pilaf, fresh vegetables and dessert. A children’s menu with chicken nuggets is also available.

Speakers for the Saturday evening celebration will be event co-founder Alan Rammer and retired University of Washington oceanographer and “Flotsametrics” author Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer.

Seating is limited and reservations must be made in advance and purchased by Friday, February 17, for the dinner to be served at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 4.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for children ages 10 and under, and are available at the Visitors Information Center, in the west side of the Convention Center, and The Dusty Trunk, 759 Pt. Brown Ave. NW. For credit card orders, call (360) 580-5064. More information is available online at www.oseventplanner.com/events.

17-18: Daffodil Festival at Seabrook to celebrate March in bloom. Spring window decorating competition at all town merchants. Vote at Cottage Rentals for your favorite. On Friday, there is an artist wine reception from 7-9 p.m. at North Coast Montessori. Mountain bike ride at 8 a.m. Saturday, followed by the Spring Market on Seabrook Avenue, with an art showcase at North Coast Montessori. At 11 a.m., there is the Yellow, White, and Orange (YOW!) parade for people, dogs, bikes, other non-motorized transportation devices (wagons, skateboards, etc.) At noon, there is a picnic in Town Hall and on the lawn, with Festive Contest judging.

17-19: Razor Clam Festival and Seafood Extravaganza at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. (www.oceanhsores.org)

This festival is dedicated to all things “razor clam.” The razor clam chowder restaurant contest is perhaps the most popular of the festival events. The judging is done by both the public and by professional chefs. The amateur razor clam chowder cook-off draws dozens of folks showing their “razor clam chowder” skills and is judged by professional chefs as well as 2016 amateur winners.

Event schedules and the rest of the festival’s “Clamtastic” sponsors can be round on the website: http://www.oceanshores.org/clams/

19: Dugan’s Run: The annual fun run through Ocean Shores starts at 9 a.m. and ends at Dugan’s Pizza on Ocean Shores Boulevard: 5K, 10K and youth mile runs. Visit the Dugan’s Run page on Facebook for information.

April

1: Elvis benefit show; The second annual Ocean Shores Food Bank benefit with Danny Vernon returning as ”The Illusion of Elvis” will be held Saturday, April 1 at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. There will be a Hawaiian Luau catered by George Lee at 6 with a silent auction throughout the evening, closing at 7 p.m., and Elvis entertaining at 7:30. Tickets are on sale at the Visitor Information Center or from any OSFB director or volunteer. Price for a ticket is $30/per person, with limited premier front row seating at $300/table for 8. All proceeds benefit the Ocean Shores Food Bank. For more information, go to oceanshoresfoodbank.org or check out their Facebook page – Ocean Shores Food Bank. The OSFB is a 501 (c)(3) tax deductible organization.

8: Umbrella Parade at Seabrook. Gather on Front Street at 11 a.m.for the yearly umbrella parade. Decorate your umbrella, as there will be prizes given for most creative and fun umbrella designs. The parade will loop around town and return to Cottage Rentals where there will be hot cocoa.

Come to cottage rentals between 9 and 10:30A that morning to purchase and decorate a plain white umbrella with fabric pens, and stick on items, at $5 per umbrella, limited quantity.

14-16: Easter Weekend at Seabrook. On Friday, Seabrook will host the annual Easter Scavenger Hunt for kids under 16. Stop by Seabrook Cottage Rentals after 4 p.m. to pick up scavenger hunt booklets, scurry around Seabrook to collect stamps and return your booklet to cottage rentals before 6 p.m. on Saturday evening. If you have collected all of the stamps you will be entered into a drawing. Winners will be announced and receive prizes on Sunday before Egg Hunt at Crescent Park

On Saturday, paint wooden eggs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. This family friendly event is for grown-ups and kids of any age at $5 per egg. Stop in Cottage Rentals for location information.

On Sunday, the traditional Easter Egg Hunt is at Crescent Park. Hunt begins promptly at 10 a.m. Children will collect as many wooden eggs as they can and turn them in for prizes.

16: The annual Ocean Shores Firefighter Association Easter Egg Hunt will be at 1 p.m. at the Ocean Shores Elementary School.

21-25: Fine Arts, Photography & Electronic Media Shows, Ocean Shores Convention Center: www.associatedarts.org.

North Coast News: The Ocean Shores Renewed Antique Show is in the Convention Center Feb. 10-12.