Have a grape time
at the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival
The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival, celebrating its 48th year this weekend, attracts foodies and wine aficionados from throughout the Northwest and beyond.
This year’s theme, "The Dungeness Crab Capital of the World” is a trademarked term that reflects the importance of this beloved crab to the area.
The festival brings together more than 50 Pacific Northwest wineries, high-quality seafood prepared by more than 20 local chefs and more than 70 Pacific Northwest artisans for a four-day extravaganza.
The festival begins on Thursday, Feb. 20, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 23. Located in a tented venue adjacent to Rogue Brewery, the event is one of the largest seafood and wine festivals in the country, billed as “The Original and Still the Best Since 1977.”
One of the coast’s most popular events, the festival continues to evolve.
“Last year we increased the amount of seafood and got really good feedback so we will continue that,” said Newport Chamber Marketing Manager Lauren Pahl.
Chamber staff are also excited to bring back the juried Seafood Chowder Competition for the second year.
"Being the event has such a long history in this community, it is really exciting that this new element will continue,” said Event Director Maggie Conrad. “We're thrilled to have a number of local chefs participate and offer guests a chance to select the ‘People's Choice’ of the festival."
An exciting new entry in the culinary adventures to be found at the festival is the Crab & Vine, a pop-up restaurant by one of the Central Coast’s most popular restaurants, Local Ocean.
Dungeness crab, freshly caught by local vessels, takes center stage in the multi-course tasting menu, paired with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. Introductory dishes, including a California roll and crab cake will set you up for the main event, hot or cold steamed whole Dungeness crab with lemon and drawn butter or a Northwest-style seafood crab boil. The meal ends with a serving of crab and bay leaf ice cream with a lemon dulse shortbread cookie.
Crab & Vine will feature wine from the medal winners of the 2025 festival, in bottle or glass-pour options. Paired wine flights will also be available.
This unique experience will be available from Thursday, Feb. 20, to Saturday, Feb. 22. Price is $75 per guest for festival ticket holders. Purchase your tickets soon, as opportunities to enjoy this new experience will go quickly.
Thursday is informally called “locals’ night” and draws coastal residents who appreciate a more intimate experience. Running from 5 to 9 pm, it gives the opportunity to connect with vendors and visit with friends and neighbors in a low-key atmosphere.
Friday brings a heightened level of excitement as demonstrations, wine talks, specialty foods and tastings fill the festival from noon to 8 pm.
On Saturday, the festival runs from 10 am to 6 pm. On Sunday, the doors are open from 10 am to 4 pm.
Music will be provided throughout the festival in the new music tent, with performers including Tsunami Zone on Thursday, Ty Curtis on Friday and Saturday, the Too Loose Cajun Zydeco Band on Saturday and Sonny Hess on Sunday.
The smorgasbord of food options features the Pacific Northwest’s freshest bounty. Crab cocktails, crab melts, oyster shooters, sushi, chowders, grilled shrimp and seafood bisque are a few offerings, in addition to Mexican-style and barbecued seafoods. Vendor booths offer candies, baked goods, sweets, nuts, textiles and clothing.
A large draw is the commercial wine competition, the longest-running in the Northwest, featuring boutique to large vineyards. The 2025 festival will showcase more than 50 vineyards from all parts of the Pacific Northwest. The winning wineries will be announced in February and published in the festival’s official guide.
Awards will be given in gold, silver and bronze categories, in addition to a Best in Show. Also popular is an amateur wine competition featuring entries from a wide range of geographic locations. Some medal winners have gone on to start their own commercial wineries.
There are many details in orchestrating an event where more than 20,000 guests enter the
doors throughout the course of four days, bringing benefits to virtually every hotel, restaurant and retail establishment in town.
“We are very grateful to our main sponsor, Chinook Winds,” Conrad said. “This will be the 16th year in a row.”
While event parking is available for $10, a free citywide shuttle bus will make an hourly
loop from the major area hotels from Pacific Shores to South Beach. Taxicabs are also available.
Advance single-day ticket prices for the 21-and-over event are $26 for Thursday, $32 for
Friday, $40 for Saturday and $17 for Sunday. Prices increase for day of ticketing.
Saturday admission is by e-ticket only although at 1 pm the gate will open for general admission depending on capacity.
Advance, online-only ticket packages can also be purchased in three- and four-day bundles.
The three-day pass is $75 and includes entry for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The four-day Ruby Club Membership is $180 and comes with VIP entry, a swag bag, a commemorative wine glass, Thursday Night VIP Reception entry and a Seafood Chowder tasting kit.
For more information, go to seafoodandwine.com or call 541-265-8801.