Newport Wine and Seafood Festival

[ArgentineSteel]

Not a permissive environment.

So I hit the Newport Wine and Seafood festival today, compared with the Astoria Wine and Seafood festival I was disappointed. Parking was non-existent. Lots around the festival were marked no parking, and the weather was awful, so a quarter mile walk in driving rain past three entry points that no one was allowed to enter through, before you could even get into the tent.

At the door, they had their own TSA and I started wondering if I should have gone commando before they started asking for ID and then if you had a pocket knife which they wanted to confiscate. I just about left there. but I decided to take the 1/4 mile walk back to take off my leatherman and return through the driving rain, where I paid to get in, then an officer told me my wife had wandered off to go check on me, since I was a bit tight jawed when I left the first time. So I went back out into the driving rain to go look for her. By the time we finally returned I was soaked through and suffering hypothermia for my own safety.

I had seen a couple buses show up, but no areas were signed as a bus pick up point or I would have parked elsewhere. Not much else was there and certainly wasn't worth the entry fee for me.

The Astoria event was much better organized and far more pleasant to visit. I won't ever be going back to this.

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[WhyteCheddar]

Hmm,
I'll be there tomorrow. Glad I know to not bring the pea shooter. Not having a blade is going to be really tough. Are they running a metal detector?
I will be sure to voice my displeasure in terms easily understood.

 

[Scott]

Sounds like a blast.

You could not have a knife? Wow that is pretty sad and a leatherman at that.

Sounds like a joke and seriously thanks for the heads up.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

 

[WhyteCheddar]

J didn't get questioned or searched. There were a heck of a lot of security folks and cops though. Pretty crowded tents. Parking was pretty simple and close for $5.
I was disappointed though by the price of food inside. $9 for a tiny cup of crab coctail? And not being a wine guy j wasn't paying $6 for samples. I thought the idea was to get people to try your stuff then buy it if they liked it, not make a killer profit on bite sized samples. Almost forgot... $5 for about 5 ounces of room temp memosa.
Oh well, I never feel like I fit in at places like that much anyway.
Great weekend to be at the coast though. Massive wave watching on a seriously angry ocean made the trip way worth it.

 

[Barefoot343]

Not a permissive environment.

So I hit the Newport Wine and Seafood festival today, compared with the Astoria Wine and Seafood festival I was disappointed. Parking was non-existent. Lots around the festival were marked no parking, and the weather was awful, so a quarter mile walk in driving rain past three entry points that no one was allowed to enter through, before you could even get into the tent.

At the door, they had their own TSA and I started wondering if I should have gone commando before they started asking for ID and then if you had a pocket knife which they wanted to confiscate. I just about left there. but I decided to take the 1/4 mile walk back to take off my leatherman and return through the driving rain, where I paid to get in, then an officer told me my wife had wandered off to go check on me, since I was a bit tight jawed when I left the first time. So I went back out into the driving rain to go look for her. By the time we finally returned I was soaked through and suffering hypothermia for my own safety.

I had seen a couple buses show up, but no areas were signed as a bus pick up point or I would have parked elsewhere. Not much else was there and certainly wasn't worth the entry fee for me.

The Astoria event was much better organized and far more pleasant to visit. I won't ever be going back to this.

When is the Astoria event? and how much typically? I have never gone but it really sounds fun...or at least delicious. is the seafood pretty good? Or do they even cook any? maybe only sell it raw?
can't believe they would make a big deal about a pocket knife, what is this world coming to?!

 

[deadeye]

Going to the coast festivals and even the valley ones are definately not what they used to be, overpriced, crowded and in general a waste of time. If it isnt fu fu wine, antiques, high priced knick nacks that you're into they pretty much all suck.

 

[xlsbob]

The worst news I ever get on my job is "we need you in Newport for a while" . That place must have the worst weather on the coast.

 

[Greenbug]

Going to the coast festivals and even the valley ones are definately not what they used to be, overpriced, crowded and in general a waste of time. If it isnt fu fu wine, antiques, high priced knick nacks that you're into they pretty much all suck.

So they are more like the gun shows nowdays then, right?

 

[deadeye]

So they are more like the gun shows nowdays then, right?

pretty much.

 

[DieselScout]

The slogan should be, "Get drunk and come home with crabs!"

 

[PDXSparky]

That's a big bummer. Back it the day, that used to be a really fun, reasonably priced event. Sounds like success has ruined it.