Newport Seafood & Wine Festival

Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is a four-day food and wine festival held annually in late February in Newport, Oregon — now in its 48th year, the event draws more than 25,000 visitors and features over 60 Pacific Northwest wineries under one tented venue. Tickets start at $17 for Sunday single-day admission, with a Ruby Wine Club pass available for $150 that covers all four days. The 2026 edition runs February 19–22 at the South Beach area near the former Rogue Ales Brewery and the Port of Newport.

The festival originated in 1977 when Newport Chamber President Bob Spangler and former Senator John Brenneman conceived it as a way to boost the local economy during the coast's slowest season. What began with 13 wineries at the Newport National Guard Armory has grown into a 4-day event with over 150 total vendors — including more than 20 local chefs serving Oregon coast seafood, over 40 Pacific Northwest artisans, and a separate Music Hall and Beer Garden tent with live entertainment throughout the weekend. A Seafood Chowder Competition, now in its third year, invites local chefs to compete for cash prizes, with a People's Choice award determined on the final day. New for 2026 is the Raw-some Bar, a dedicated raw seafood experience. The festival also hosts the longest-running wine competition in the Northwest: a Commercial Wine Competition judged by five wine experts weeks before the event, awarding bronze, silver, gold, and one Best in Show medal.

General admission day tickets do not include food or wine — each vendor sets individual prices, with wine tastes running $1–$3. A commemorative wine glass costs $5 separately, or is included with the 3-Day Pass ($75 advance) and VIP-tier tickets. The Ruby Wine Club pass ($150, advance only) adds a Thursday Night VIP Reception, a swag bag, complimentary wine tastings, a Seafood Chowder tasting kit, and VIP restroom access. Parking costs $10 per vehicle, though a free shuttle bus runs a continuous loop from Agate Beach to Seal Rock, stopping at major hotels, Nye Beach, and the Historic Bayfront. The festival is strictly 21 and over; valid ID is required for entry.

Newport sits on Oregon's central coast, a region known for cool Pacific-influenced conditions that shape the state's wine industry. The festival's focus on boutique Pacific Northwest wineries reflects Oregon's broader strength in cool-climate varieties. Over 20 local non-profits use the festival as their primary annual fundraiser, and more than 200 volunteers support its production each year — making it, by the organizer's account, Newport's largest annual event.