LONG BEACH, Wash., – December 29, 2011 – Connor Doran, audience favorite in Season 5 of “America’s Got Talent,” will join other celebrated flyers at the Long Beach Peninsula’s 11^th annual Windless Kite Festival. Slated for Saturday, Jan. 14 (10AM to 5PM) and Sunday, Jan. 15 (11AM to 2:30PM), 2012, this indoor kite- flying extravaganza will take place at the Long Beach School Gymnasium (Washington and 4^th Street S., Long Beach). Admission is by donation.

The event will feature Ian and Lisa Willoughby from New Jersey, as well as Jerry Cannon, Toby Arndt, Penny Lingenfelter, Scott Davis, John Barresi, and others, in artfully choreographed performances and competitions. Included among the competitive events are Indoor Ballet and the crowd-favorite Hot Tricks Shoot Out, where flyers match one challenging stunt after another. Free instruction in keeping ultra-light kites aloft and “dancing” with flicks of the wrist and movement across the floor will be offered on Jan. 14 from 3:30 to 5PM.

Doran, who lives in Bend, Oregon, put indoor kite flying in the limelight at the Portland auditions and subsequent semifinals for Season 5 of “America’s Got Talent.” His story is inspirational; Doran sought out indoor kite flying as a way to manage the stress of epilepsy, a disease he was diagnosed with at age 4. Winner of the 2009 Windless Kite Festival Experienced Competition, he performs throughout North America and shares kiting and Epilepsy Awareness with the public. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjjMHaQyk9k&feature=player_embedded

For a complete schedule of events, call the World Kite Museum at 360-642-4020 or visit http://kitefestival.com/windless-kite-festival-2/. For destination information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 1-800-451-2542 or access www.funbeach.com.

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NOTE TO MEDIA: For downloadable images, please go to http://funbeach.com/press/media-photo-library/?album=1&gallery=3, email Carol or call her at 360.481.1752.

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“America’s Got Talent” Contestant Will Be Featured Flyer At Long Beach Peninsula’s Windless Kite Festival, Jan. 14 And 15, 2012

LONG BEACH PENINSULA, Wash. – October  2011 – A Guest Lecture by noted author, Dr. Douglas Deur will lead off this year’s ‘Ocian in View’ weekend on the Long Beach Peninsula, Nov. 11 and 12, 2011. Other events include a guided bus tour, a salmon dinner hosted by the Chinook Tribe, a wild game dinner at The Depot, and an open house at the Knappton Cove Heritage Center.

Dr. Deur, author of Keeping it Living, Associate Research Professor at Portland State University Dept. of Anthropology, and Research Coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit at the University of Washington, will explore cultures at the mouth of the river. His talk will take place at 6PM on Friday, Nov. 11, at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum (CPHM) in Ilwaco. Tickets are $5, and seating is limited.

After the lecture, The Depot Restaurant (Seaview) will host a Lewis & Clark Wild Game Dinner with Memaloose Wines, Friday, Nov. 11 at 7:30PM. The four-course dinner will showcase elk, rabbit, venison, and pheasant dishes paired with select wine from Memaloose. Cost is $79 per person plus tax and gratuity. To make a reservation, please call The Depot at 360.642.7880. For the full menu, visit http://depotrestaurantdining.com/events-calendar/lewis-clark-wild-game-dinner/.

The convergence of cultures at the mouth of the Columbia River will be explored on Saturday’s Columbia Confluences Bus Tour. Starting from the CPHM, the tour explores installations at Cape Disappointment State Park. Aaron Webster, Washington State Parks Interpreter, will discuss the Maya Lin-designed Confluence Project, concluding with a “Walk Through Time,” in which 12,000 years of history will be visited along a ½-mile trail. Then, Jim Sayce, Washington State Historical Society’s manager of local projects, will guide tour goers to multiple historical sites along the Columbia Pacific Passage including a stop at Middle Village/Station Camp, the newest addition to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park. The bus tour runs from 9AM sharp to noon on Nov. 12 and costs $20 per person. Advance reservations are required and may be made by calling the Museum at 360.642.3446.

Also at the Museum on Saturday from 4 to 7PM, the Chinook Tribe will host their Annual Salmon Dinner. The meal includes regional seafood, salad, Indian fry bread, dessert, and beverages. Cost is $15 per person. Seniors (55 and over) receive a $2 discount, and tickets for children 11 years of age and under are $5.

That same day, the Knappton Cove Heritage Center will present ‘O How Horrible is the Day’ from 1 to 4PM. This open house features Pacific Northwest Living History interpreters, museum exhibits and river walks. For more information, call 503.738.5206.

Hosted by the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, the ‘Ocian in View’ lecture series began in 2000, when newly-rediscovered history took historians by storm: the Corps of Discovery had completed their westward voyage on the north side of the Columbia River (present day Long Beach Peninsula, Washington), overturning a long-held presumption that the Corps reached the ocean on the south side (present day Astoria, Oregon).

For general program and destination information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 800.451.2542 or access http://funbeach.com. ‘Ocian in View’ information is available by calling 360.642.3446 or at http://columbiapacificheritagemuseum.org/news-events/ocian-in-view-lecture-series/.

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Confluence Of Two Sides Of The Columbia River Focus For ‘Ocian in View’, November 11 And 12, 2011

LONG BEACH PENINSULA, Wash. – October 2011– Fall on the Long Beach Peninsula finds farmers flooding their bogs, floating berries and crating them off, while foragers are busy gathering king boletus, golden chanterelles, man on horseback, matsutake, and more for area chefs. Visitors can partake in the region’s bountiful harvest during two upcoming festivals – the Cranberrian Fair, Oct. 8 and 9, and the Wild Mushroom Celebration, Oct. 1 through Nov. 15, 2011.

91^st Annual Cranberrian Fair is a Peninsula tradition marking the annual harvest of well-established and family-owned cranberry bogs. The Fair invites visitors to watch harvesting while enjoying live music and food at the Cranberry Museum Bog, Long Beach; attend a food festival with cranberry-peach pie and Cranguyma Farm’s fresh cranberries, and observe the weaving of cranberry vine baskets by Janet Herring, ceramics by Karen Brownlee, blacksmith work by Gary Lewis, and more at Ilwaco’s Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum (CPHM). Purchase of a $5 souvenir Cranberrian button includes admission to both museums, a ride to and from the Cranberry Museum on the Cranberry Trolley, departing hourly from CPHM (seating is limited), and admission to the special exhibit “Summer Camps of the North Beach Peninsula.” Learn more at http://columbiapacificheritagemuseum.org/news-events/ocian-in-view-lecture-series/cranberrian-fair-harvest-festival/.

Wild Mushroom Celebration showcases the creativity of Long Beach Peninsula chefs in bringing a wide variety of locally gathered edible mushrooms to the plate. Look for wine or beer and wild mushroom prix fixe dinners, cooking classes, menu specials, packages, and more. Participating restaurants, inns and bed & breakfasts include the following: Boreas Inn B&B (Long Beach), The Depot Restaurant (Seaview), 42nd Street Café (Seaview), Nanci and Jimella’s Market Café (Klipsan), Pelicano Restaurant (Ilwaco), Shelburne Inn Restaurant (Seaview), Tuscany Café (Ilwaco) and Lost Roo (Long Beach). For details, please go to http://wildmushroomcelebration.com.

Located on the southwestern-most coast of Washington State, the Long Beach Peninsula provides a mouthwatering mélange of restaurants, which share a devotion to the region’s untold natural ingredients. Acres upon acres of cranberry bogs and twenty varieties of edible mushrooms thrive under its ideal coastal conditions of moist sea air, fertile sandy soil and protective evergreens. Surrounded on three sides by ocean, river and bay, the Peninsula has an abundance of fresh-caught fish and seafood readily available, giving diners an unmatched opportunity to dine at the source.

For destination information, please contact the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 800-451-2542 or access the Peninsula’s web site at www.funbeach.com.

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Crazy For Cranberries? Wild For Mushrooms?

LONG BEACH, Wash. – August 4, 2011 – Celebrating the delight of flying kites on the beach, the Washington State International Kite Festival welcomes kite enthusiasts to Long Beach, August 15 through 21. This free, weeklong, summer festival includes hands-on workshops, spectacular displays, thrilling competitions, graceful kite ballets, and more. Highlights include a magical, lighted night fly and mass ascensions of over 250 kites. The official event program can be downloaded at http://kitefestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/WSIKF-Program-2011-LR.pdf.

Each year the festival invites famous kite designers and flyers from around the world to share their expertise. Featured flyers for 2011 are Bas Vreeswijk, from the Netherlands, internationally known for his bold and beautiful appliqué designs and aerial kite photography (http://www.playingwiththewind.nl) and Karl Longbottom, from the United Kingdom, an engineer by trade with a worldwide reputation for the excellent quality, precision, balance and flying characteristics of his kites including pterodactyls, fighting pants, delta sleds, doves, and more (http://www.longbottom.org.uk/).

Beyond kite watching, kite enthusiasts of all ages are invited to participate in kite building, flying lessons and friendly competitions, as well as hands-on activities, throughout the festival.

Long Beach has been called the ‘Kite Capital of the U.S.’ – a distinction attributable to dependable ocean breezes over acres of open sand, ideal for complicated and free kite displays. Kite shops, resident kite flyers, and the beloved World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame provide enjoyment for longtime kite enthusiasts and first-time flyers alike. Including the town of Long Beach, the Long Beach Peninsula boasts a string of coastal communities with satisfying restaurants, comfortable accommodations, unique shops, and fine art galleries. Attractions include national and state parks, two historic lighthouses, an eight-mile paved coastal bike and pedestrian trail, the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge, one-of-a-kind museums, and a 20-mile span of wide, sandy, public beach. For event and visitor information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau toll-free at 1-800-451-2542 or visit www.funbeach.com.

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NOTE: For images of the Kite Festival for editorial use, please contact Carol at 360.481-1752, email carol@zahorskypr.com or access downloadable files at http://funbeach.com/press/media-photo-library/?album=1&gallery=3.

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Washington State International Kite Festival Colors The Sky August 15 Through 21, 2011 On The Long Beach Peninsula

LONG BEACH PENINSULA, Wash. – August 4, 2011 – Anticipate a great summer weekend of live music and great food on the Long Beach Peninsula with back-to-back crowd-pleasing events – Blues & Seafood, Aug. 12 and 13, followed by Jazz and Oysters on Aug. 14.

Blues & Seafood (http://bluesandseafood.com/schedule/) features two days of entertainment, food and fun at the Ilwaco marina, on Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13. The Robbie Laws Band, most well known for swinging blues that reaches the heart of the audience, will open at 7PM for Friday night’s All Star Jam, followed by the North Coast Blues Band, playing until 10PM.

Saturday’s entertainment goes from 2 until 10PM with Boogie Bone, the Coyote Kings, and Portland’s Norman Sylvester Band. Headliner will be The Harp Breakers – an all-star lineup featuring Vyasa Dodson and Dave Melyan of the Insomniacs, Peter Dammann of the Paul deLay Band, harmonica great Bill Rhoades, Cliff Ashmon of the Hudson Rocket Band, Franco Paletta of Franco Paletta and the Stingers, Kim Field of Kim Field and the Mighty Titans of Tone, bass great Albert Reeda, and Jim Rafferty. Friday tickets are $10; Saturday tickets are $20.

On Sunday, Aug. 14, Jazz and Oysters (http://watermusicfestival.com/jazz-and-oysters), previously at the Oysterville Schoolhouse, has moved to a larger venue, Wilson Field (25815 Sandridge Road, Ocean Park). Billed as an outdoor jazz club complete with a stellar musical lineup, oysters, sausages, tasty tidbits, desserts, and beverages, Jazz and Oysters brings Zona Calda’s own “Boho Jazz” and jazz standards (10:30AM to 1PM) as well as original material by Tall Jazz (2 to 5PM) to the Long Beach Peninsula. All-day lawn seating (exclusive of food) is $15.

A discounted weekend pass for those wishing to attend both Blues & Seafood and Jazz and Oysters is available for $40 per person online at http://bluesandseafood.com/tickets/.

In addition to a 20 mile stretch of wide open, windswept public beach, the Long Beach Peninsula boasts a string of coastal communities with award-winning restaurants, great seafood, comfortable lodging, colorful shops, and fine art galleries. Attractions include national and state parks, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, two historic lighthouses, an eight-mile, bike and pedestrian friendly coastal trail, the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and one-of-a-kind museums.

For additional event and visitor information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 800.451.2542 or access www.funbeach.com.

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Blues And Seafood, Jazz And Oysters Make The Most Of Summer On The Long Beach Peninsula, August 12-14, 2011

LONG BEACH, Wash. – July 10, 2011 – The region’s top cowboys and cowgirls will parade through downtown Long Beach at 6:30PM on Friday, July 29, to kick off a lively weekend of NPRA-sanctioned rodeo events. Ticketed spectators can watch riders compete in bull riding, saddle bronc, barrel racing and five more daring events during the Northwest Professional Rodeo on July 30 and 31. The rodeo starts with the ceremonial Grand Entry each day at 1PM at the Peninsula Saddle Club.

Lee Daggett will return to announce the fast-paced and thrilling rodeo events on Gold Buckle Rodeo Company’s top stock, while clown Josh “Slick” Shepard provides added entertainment. Following the rodeo on Saturday, the popular Family Night gives junior buckaroos the chance to compete in Stick Horse Races and more. The Saddle Club’s famous cowboy breakfast will be served in the clubhouse on Saturday and Sunday from 7 to 11AM.

This year’s special guests will include Miss NPRA Shalaina Joiner and the Sunsation! Ladies Mounted Drill Team.

Adult admission is $10; senior admission is $9; admission for children, ages 6 to 12, is $5; with free admission for children age 5 and under. The Rodeo Grounds are located at 6407 Sandridge Road, Long Beach. Parking is free.

Long Beach is Washington’s quintessential beach town with access to 20 miles of wide sandy beach, a one half-mile long boardwalk, the eight-mile bicycle and pedestrian-friendly Discovery Trail, two historic lighthouses, wildlife refuges, as well as state and national parks. Browse kite shops, one-of-a-kind museums, galleries, and the Clam Pan pocket park. Enjoy childhood treats – double scoops of ice cream and saltwater taffy. Ocean-view and waterfront lodging and great places to eat round out the mix. For event details, visit www.peninsulasaddleclub.com/rodeo.html. For destination information, call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 800.451.2542 or access www.funbeach.com.

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Rodeo Parades Through Long Beach On Friday, July 29, 2011

LONG BEACH, Wash. – June 21, 2011 – Sandsations, a sand extravaganza, invites competitors and spectators alike to Long Beach, Wash., from July 20 through 24. This family-friendly event includes demonstrations, lessons, a chili cook-off, the Sand Flea Pet Parade, and the ever-popular Sand Sculpting Contest.

On Wed., Thurs. and Fri., master sand builders will demonstrate their art and craft on sand trucked into downtown Long Beach. A master sand builder will also be available to teach children how to build a sand castle each day.

On Friday, free sand sculpting lessons, as well as last minute registration, will take place on the beach from 3 to 5PM. From 4 to 8PM, visitors are welcome to take part in the chili cook-off fundraiser, followed by a bonfire on the beach, starting at 8PM.

On Saturday, see beach sand transformed into enchanting sculptures by novice and experienced sculptors alike. Check in starts at 8:30AM, construction begins at 10AM and ends at 3PM for judging. The awards presentation is at 3:30PM.

As the tide recedes, registered groups will have just five hours to build their most fantastic imagined or themed creations – mermaids, dragons, sandcastles, buried treasures, and more – from a pile of sand and buckets of sea water in a marked off site. The contest takes place at the shoreline adjacent to the Long Beach boardwalk and near the Bolstad beach approach.

As the tide rises, the judges will vote on the best in five categories – master, intermediate, novice, family and children – for overall appearance, creativity, teamwork, effort, and intricacy. Cash prizes up to $1,500 will be awarded. Registration fees range from $65 for masters to $1 each for children under 12.

Same place, same day, at 12 noon, visitors are invited to watch or enter the Sand Flea Pet Parade sponsored by the South Pacific County Humane Society. All pets are welcome to this free event and prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories.

Throughout the day, beachgoers can enjoy free hot dogs served by the Long Beach Kiwanis.

Long Beach is Washington’s quintessential beach town with access to 20 miles of wide sandy beach, a one-half mile long boardwalk, the eight-mile bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly Discovery Trail, two historic lighthouses, wildlife refuges, as well as state and national parks. Visitors enjoy colorful kite and gift shops, galleries and one-of-a-kind museums, as well as beach treats – double scoops of ice cream and saltwater taffy. Oceanview and waterfront lodging and great places to eat round out the mix. For event details, please access www.sandsationslongbeach.com. For destination information, call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 800.451.2542 or access www.funbeach.com.

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Sand Sculptors Compete For Fun And Cash Prizes At Sandsations On The Long Beach Peninsula, July 20 Through 24, 2011

LONG BEACH PENINSULA, Wash. – May 17, 2011 – Doggie Olympic Games, a fun and friendly competition for dogs of all ages, shapes, breeds and ability levels, welcomes participants and spectators to the Long Beach Peninsula, on Saturday, June 25, 2011.

Well-behaved, leashed dogs, and their owners are invited to compete for gold, silver and bronze paw-shaped medals in 12 events ranging from Dunking for Dogs — hot dogs that is — to the Luciano Pavarotti Commemorative Sing Off. The Games take place from 1 to 5PM at the Bolstad beach approach in Long Beach, a dog- and family-friendly beach destination. Other events are as follows:

• What No Ducks? Ball Toss
• Nadia Comaneci Agility
• Rip Van Winkle Sleep Off
• Filla Fuller Brush Shedding
• Babe Ruth Obedience Baseball
• I’ve Got Rhythm Musical Sit
• Peanut Butter Lick
• Frisbee Throw
• Who’s Your Daddy, and
• Doggie Dash.

Kicking off the festivities will be a Pre-Registration Pizza Party on Friday, June 24, from 4 to 7PM, at the Breakers Beachfront Resort, 210 26^th St. NW, Long Beach. At the party, qualifying dogs can participate in two special free events – a Puppy Dash for youngsters 4 and 5 months old and a Senior Sleep Off for dogs 10 years of age and older.

Registration will take place at the pizza party or at the event. To ensure a spot in any competition, pre-registration is strongly encouraged, as the Doggie Olympic Games are limited to 125 participating canines. Registration fee is $10 per event or $40 for five or more events.

Registration materials and event details can be found at www.funbeach.com/events/doggieolympics/index.html.

Downtown Long Beach offers great places to shop, play and grab a bite to eat, while other communities on the Peninsula – Seaview, Ilwaco, Ocean Park, Nahcotta, and Oysterville – also invite discovery. For destination information, please contact the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 1-800-451-2542 or access the Peninsula’s web site at www.funbeach.com.

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Doggie Olympic Games Welcomes Canines Of All Kinds To The Long Beach Peninsula On June 25, 2011

LONG BEACH, Wash. – April 22, 2011 – The new Columbia-Pacific Farmers’ Market, a Friday afternoon market in downtown Long Beach, will open on May 6 and will be open each Friday from 3PM to 7PM through September. The new market will offer fresh, locally sourced produce, seafood, meat, eggs and dairy, as well as flowers, plants and locally packaged food.

“The market will be an authentic, regional market featuring food and produce delivered fresh and direct from those who farm, ranch, fish, produce packaged food, and grow flowers and plants,” remarked Jane Holeman, Market Manager. “The weekly Friday afternoon market will support working food producers, honor their way of life and provide a place to gather as a community to have fun.”

Beyond celebrating local food, the market will offer musical entertainment, education, cooking demonstrations and nutritional information, and games and amusements for the children.

An addition to existing seasonal markets, the Columbia-Pacific Farmers’ Market will complement Ilwaco’s Saturday Market at the Port and the Astoria Sunday Market.

The Long Beach Peninsula, sometimes called, “the Cape Cod of the West,” is located where the mighty Columbia River meets the majestic Pacific Ocean.  Twenty-eight miles of unobstructed beach is protected by sand dunes carpeted by tall grass and a deep row of pines. Since the 1880s, the Long Beach Peninsula’s spectacular and wild natural beauty has attracted multiple generations of vacationers. Famous for its seafood and cranberries, the Peninsula boasts a wealth of talented chefs and is a showcase for Northwest cuisine.

For market information, please contact Jane Holeman at 360.244.9155 or by email at jane@willapabay.org. For visitor information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau toll-free at 800.451.2542 or visit www.funbeach.com.

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Columbia-Pacific Farmers’ Market To Open In Long Beach On Friday, May 6, 2011

The flying and driving event, under special permit from Washington State Parks, will take place from 10AM to 4PM both days along a three-quarter-mile stretch of beach paralleling the Long Beach boardwalk. A display area will give the public opportunities to see the buggies up close and talk with their pilots, all members of the North American Power Kiting Association.

The event marks the opening of the World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame’s “Kites Have Power” exhibit, which runs through March 2012. This exhibit on land and water power kites includes the first kite buggy made by Australian Peter Lynn; as well as George Pocock’s development in the late 1820s of a pair of four-line arch kites to pull a carriage; Paul Garbor’s WWII Target kites, which pulled a moving object to train gunners on ships; and more.

“It’s exciting to watch the kite buggy develop from a sport Peter Lynn introduced in 1990 toward practical applications,” said Kay Buesing, Executive Director, World Kite Museum. “Our ‘Kites Have Power’ exhibit captures some of those applications and, who knows, may inspire more.”

Long Beach has been called the ‘Kite Capital of the U.S.’ Kite shops, resident kite flyers, the Washington State International Kite Festival and the World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame provide enjoyment for kite enthusiasts and first-time flyers alike. In addition to the town of Long Beach, the Long Beach Peninsula boasts a string of coastal communities with satisfying restaurants, comfortable accommodations, unique shops, and fine art galleries. Attractions include national and state parks, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, two historic lighthouses, an eight-mile paved coastal trail, the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge, one-of-a-kind museums, and a 26-mile span of wide, sandy, public beach. For event and visitor information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau toll-free at 800.451.2542 or visit www.funbeach.com.

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First Official Public Demonstration Of Kite Buggies Slated For April 16 And 17 On The Long Beach Peninsula