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By YachatsNews
WALDPORT – Three years of chilly Spring rain has led the Waldport Area Chamber of Commerce to move its Beach, Bike & Blues festival from May to September.
The chamber started its music and food event in 2022 to piggyback on the Oregon Coast Gravel Epic bike event that brings hundreds of backroad bicycle enthusiasts to Waldport and Yachats.
While rain and cold weather is OK for backroad bicyclists it’s not conducive to getting people out to listen to music, drink a little beer and find something to eat, said chamber director Tom Fullmer.
“Last year was flat out miserable,” Fullmer said, on the more than an inch of rain that fell May 4. “After three years of the first weekend in May, we think it’s much safer weather-wise to move it to September.”
The event’s new date is Saturday, Sept. 20.
Mudslinger Events is keeping its two-day coastal rides in May, however.
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Company owner Mike Ripley of Monroe said moving his Waldport and Yachats races to September doesn’t work for bicycling enthusiasts because of family schedules, other bike events – and the start of hunting season.
“The fall is a non-starter,” Ripley said. “Our name is Mudslinger Events. If its 55 degrees and a 20 percent chance of rain, we’re OK.”
There were 700 riders who participated in either the Waldport and/or the Yachats rides last year, he said, filling campgrounds, motels and restaurants with bikers and their families.
Fullmer said the chamber is working with Waldport’s Green Bike Coop to see if the two can come up with a fun bike event for the community.
“We’ll also be reaching out to others in the bike communities throughout Lincoln County for ideas and support,” Fullmer said in announcing the change.
There will still be music and food set up around the Alsea Bay Bridge Visitor Center & Museum. And despite heavy rain and cold temperatures last May, Fullmer said the daylong event still drew 1,500 people.
“We’ve expanded the music tent each year,” he said. “We’ll make it quite fun.”
Great news! I think we had hoped that the event would bring in more of the actual bikers from their event. I think there will be a much bigger turnout in September.
What about those that have already booked stays for this event? I’m appalled at the chamber’s tardiness in making this decision. This should have been decided in May of 2024 not January 2025 for a May 2025 event.