March 2026 Newsletter – March on the Oregon Coast

March on the Oregon Coast

March on the Oregon Coast marks a clear shift in energy. Winter loosens its grip, daylight stretches longer, and the shoreline begins to feel brighter and more open. Gray whales pass close to shore during their spring migration, stormy seas give way to dramatic sunbreaks, and coastal trails reemerge with fresh color and crisp ocean air. Local communities lean into the season with food-focused gatherings, nature programs, live music, and small cultural events that celebrate the return of movement and momentum. With spring still uncrowded, March invites slower beach walks, relaxed harbor towns, and evenings spent listening to waves instead of traffic. It is a month built for travelers who appreciate transition, discovery, and the quiet confidence of the Coast waking up.

March on the Oregon Coast: Events, Experiences & Early Spring Energy

Beachcombing Exploriences

March 5, 12, and 26, 2026

Lincoln City, OR

A guided beach walk sounds simple. It is simple. That’s what makes it so good. A local expert leads small groups along the Lincoln City shoreline at low tide, teaching participants how to read the beach: which stones are agates, which shells are keepers, which fossils you’d walk right past without knowing. These free walks happen three times in March, and each one is a little different depending on what the tide brought in. No gear required. Just dress for the weather and bring your curiosity.

March 2026 Newsletter – March on the Oregon Coast

March on the Oregon Coast

March on the Oregon Coast: Events, Experiences & Early Spring Energy

Beachcombing Exploriences

March 5, 12, and 26, 2026

Lincoln City, OR

Aquarium Village Night Market

March 6, 2026

Newport, OR

On Friday, March 6th at Aquarium Village in Newport, this family-friendly outdoor night market features unique gifts and original art, artist meet and greet, open mic and karaoke, jewelry, clothing, food, music, and more. It’s free, it’s festive, and it’s one of those Newport evenings that reminds you why the bayfront is such a special place to be. Bring the kids. Bring your appetite. If you end up at the open mic, that’s your business.

“Hope Rising” Member Show Opening

March 8, 2026

Newport, OR

The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts presents its 2026 Member Show, “Hope Rising,” opening at the Newport Visual Arts Center on Sunday, March 8, and running through May 3. This year’s theme serves as a creative call to action, with participating artists encouraged to incorporate the vibrant palettes of a coastal sunrise and themes of optimism and renewal into their work. An opening reception with music and light refreshments runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

South Coast Clambake Music Festival

March 12-15, 2026

Coos Bay, OR

The 2026 South Coast Clambake Music Festival runs Thursday, March 12 through Sunday, March 15 at Ko-Kwel Casino Resort in Coos Bay. The event features a weekend of live music across multiple stages spanning jazz, swing, blues, big band, doo-wop, and rock. The name comes from old jazz slang for a jam session, and after four decades this festival has become one of the most joyful gatherings on the entire Oregon Coast. Dancers travel up and down the West Coast to be part of it. Proceeds support youth music education in the Coos Bay and North Bend community. Come ready to move.

Wild Coast Film Festival

March 13-16, 2026

Astoria, OR

Now in its third year, the Wild Coast Film Festival has quickly earned its place as one of the most thoughtful events on the entire Oregon Coast. The 2026 festival features screenings at the historic Columbian Theater and includes works by storytellers from National Geographic, the BBC, and award-winning regional filmmakers. The programming goes beyond the screen: guided nature walks, panel discussions, and pop-up events explore our relationship with the natural world, including a walk with the Chinook Indian Nation from the Warrenton Dike Trail to Tansy Point, where tribal ancestors signed the 1851 treaties.

Newport Shamrock Run

March 14, 2026

Newport, OR

The 9th Annual Newport Shamrock Run takes place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, under the Yaquina Bay Bridge. It includes a half marathon, 5K walk/run, Kids Fun Run, and half marathon walk. The course winds through Newport’s seaside streets and wooded trails with views of the bay and Pacific that will make you forget you’re running. Wear green, bring your crew, and register as a team if you want a little extra motivation. All participants receive custom crew socks. Post-race celebrations happen exactly where you’d expect them to.

The Brothers Doobie @ Egyptian Theatre

March 17, 2026

Coos Bay, OR

The Coos County Community Concert Association presents The Brothers Doobie at the Egyptian Theatre on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The group is comprised of six talented musicians who recreate the soulful sounds and energetic performances of the original Doobie Brothers band, featuring iconic songs like “What a Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Black Water,” and more. The Egyptian Theatre is one of the last remaining atmospheric movie palaces on the West Coast, built in 1925 and beautifully restored. Seeing live music here is an experience in itself. Tickets through the Coos County Community Concert Association.

Newport Symphony Orchestra Concert

March 21-22, 2026

Newport, OR

Newport Symphony Orchestra: Shakespeare Concert

Maestro Adam Flatt welcomes performance poet Frank Oden to share the stage with the Newport Symphony Orchestra for a concert inspired by the works of William Shakespeare. The program includes a trip to Scotland for ballet music connected to the “bloody king,” the story of Pyramus and Thisbe from Ovid’s mythology that inspired Shakespeare, and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story.” Following each performance, the NSO hosts a complimentary “Wine Down” with wines from Flying Dutchman Winery of Otter Rock, where you can linger and meet the musicians.

Oregon Spring Whale Watch Week

March 21-29, 2026

Statewide Oregon Coast

Every spring, more than 20,000 gray whales make their way back north from the warm lagoons of Baja California, passing within a few miles of the Oregon shore. Oregon State Parks stations trained volunteers at 15 designated viewpoints along the coast during this week, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, to help visitors spot spouts and flukes. For the central coast, the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay is the jewel in the crown: a free, staffed facility perched directly above the water with some of the best sightlines anywhere. If you want to get closer, naturalist boat tours out of Depoe Bay run throughout the week.

Cape Kiwanda Whale Watch and Viewing

March 21-29, 2026

Pacific City, OR

Cape Kiwanda Whale Watch and Coastal Viewing

Cape Kiwanda is the kind of place that makes people stop mid-sentence. The massive golden sandstone headland rises directly from the beach south of Nestucca Bay, and during Spring Whale Watch Week it becomes one of the finest land-based viewing spots on the entire coast. The elevated vantage point puts you directly above the migration lane, and on calm days the spouts are visible from shore without binoculars. State Parks volunteers staff the viewpoint during Whale Watch Week hours. Afterward, the Pelican Brewing Pub at Pacific City is right there on the beach, which is either a reward or a very good reason to linger.

Oregon Coast Aquarium Enrichment Day

March 25, 2026

Newport, OR

On March 25th, the Oregon Coast Aquarium opens up its enrichment program to visitors with a full day of talks, demonstrations, and feeding sessions running from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A pinniped painting raffle; a shark feed at 11:45 a.m. in the Passages: Open Sea Tunnel; a turkey vulture chat; an animal ambassador presentation on turtles; a halibut feed; a behind-the-scenes mammals sneak peek; and a skunk meet and greet. It’s one of the Aquarium’s most popular days of the year, giving visitors a genuine look at how the staff keeps 15,000 animals physically and mentally engaged. Standard admission applies.

Oregon Beach Vacations has hand-selected vacation rentals up and down the coast: oceanfront homes where you can watch the whale spouts from the deck, cozy cabins tucked into the Sitka spruce, dog-friendly cottages steps from the sand, and larger homes for groups who want to experience the coast together. Every property is independently owned and personally vetted. This is your coast. Come explore it!