Events showcase for 2019 highlights changes to festival lineup

Promoters and sponsors of events scheduled in Ocean Shores for 2019 showcased their plans for the local business community on Wednesday, while the official “Festival Calendar of Events” has been published, showing several changes this year.

Diane Solem, in her first year as sales and marketing manager of the Convention Center and for the city, said she is excited about the year ahead.

“We’ve hired a strategic marketing agency who will spend time mid-January talking with the local businesses and hotels and use that knowledge along with extensive additional online research to help us move forward with a clear strategic plan,” Solem said. “And it’s also the first time the city has had money in the budget for us to be able to join some meeting planner organizations and also be able to do some advertising of the Convention Center. All of this should help reach our goal of increasing tourism.”

That also was the intent in the Wednesday events showcase at the Convention Center. “The information is a valuable tool for the businesses to plan for inventory and staffing and to get a real feel for the impact on revenue these events create,” said the invitation from Convention Center manager Cheryl Turner.

The city’s events calendar kicks off with the return of the Urban Unglued “exotic gear vendor show” at the Convention Center from Jan. 19-20.

One notable event to depart is the 12’s Fan Fest, which had been scheduled in August during the Seahawks preseason for the past three years. Another significant change is the simultaneously scheduling of the Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Juried Fine Art and Photo Show at the Convention Center with the annual Sand & Sawdust Festival in June.

Here are the rest of the events:

• Feb. 16-17: Ocean Shores Renewed Antique Show at the Convention Center.

• March 2-3: Beachcombers Fun Fair at the Convention Center.

• March 16-17: Razor Clam Festival & Seafood Extravaganza, sponsored by the Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce, at the Convention Center.

• May 11: Youth Fishing Derby, sponsored by Ocean Shores Elks Lodge, at North Bay Park.

• May 11-12: More Urban Unglued exotic gear vendor show at the Convention Center.

• May 24-26: Expo at the Convention Center.

• June 1: Wearable Art Show at the Convention Center.

• June 8-9: Grays Harbor County Festival of Colors kite flying event on the beach at Damon Road.

• June 8: Flag Day Parade, sponsored by the Ocean Shores Elks, on Pt. Brown Ave. and Chance a la Mer St., ending at the Convention Center.

• June 28-30: Sand & Sawdust Festival, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, at the Convention Center.

• June 28-30: AAOS Juried Fine Art, Photo and 3D Show at the Convention Center.

• July 26-28: Bikers at the Beach at the Convention Center.

• Aug. 10: Ocean Shores Woof-a-Thon, North Beach High School.

• Aug. 24-25: Ocean Shores Body & Soul Festival at the Convention Center.

• Aug. 30-Sept. 1: AAOS Arts & Crafts Festival at the Convention Center.

• Aug. 31: Paddle the Shores, Oyhut Bay Seaside Village.

• Sept. 20-22: Whale of a Quilt Show, Convention Center.

• Oct. 16-20: Celtic Music Festival, Galway Bay and Convention Center.

• Nov. 29.-Dec. 1: Winter Fanta-Sea, Convention Center.

Events showcase for 2019 highlights changes to festival lineup