Tag Archives: entertainment

Florence, OR

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Florence, Oregon is a town of art. On the left, there is a photo of one of the latest murals. Spectacular.

The city contains a lot of artistic murals, displays, statues (of seal lions). Bunches.

Florence is located at the mouth of the Siuslaw River about midway between Newport and Coos Bay. It has a population of approximately 8,466 people.

Florence is a historic riverfront town that provides a diverse array of activities for locals and visitors.

Heceta Head Lighthouse. Image Source.

While logging, commercial fishing, and agricultural industries have served as the historical pillars of Florence’s economy, tourism is becoming increasingly significant. There are a variety of businesses, points of interests, and parks in and around Florence that offer unique experiences and outdoor recreation.

Entertainment

One can enjoy headliner entertainment at the Florence Events Center or Three Rivers Casino Resort after exploring the Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint, and the Heceta Head Assistant Keeper’s House. The park features a seven-mile network of hiking paths that join the short hike to the lighthouse.

The Keeper’s House functions as both an interpretive center and a bed and breakfast. Guided tours are offered by knowledgeable docents during the summer to educate visitor’s about the iconic lighthouse and its rich history.

The Sea Lion Caves. Image Source .

Sea Cave

A ‘must see’ attraction located 15 minutes from the Florence city center is North America’s largest sea cave. This amazing cave is a privately owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary.

As many as 200 Stellar sea lions reside in the cave. The Sea Lion Caves are part of the Oregon/Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve.

Visitors can take an elevator ride descending 200 feet down into the Sea Lion Caves, which is as tall as a 12-story building and as wide as a football field.

The Caves are not a zoo. The wild animals are protected and come and go as they please and follow their normal routines.

The cave is alive with sound, roars, bird calls, and crashing waves. This sea cave is the only known mainland home of wild sea lions in the world and is a must see for visitors of Florence.

During the summer, sea lions lounge in the rookery areas (along the rock ledges outside) with their young. In the fall and winter, they can be found inside the cave’s natural amphitheater.

Coastal Brewing Company Goes Above and Beyond Part 3

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Serving the locals and welcoming the tourists

To add onto the great amount of sustainability being practiced by 7 Devils, the beer company has contributed a great amount to the local community. Hiring local musicians to play live music was an idea that started when they saw that there was a niche that needed to be filled. They wanted more music and culture in the community.

“The way I think about it is that locals keep us going and then the tourism dollars are the cream on top,” said Pollard. “Our business doubles in the summer and a lot of that is tourist coming in. We wouldn’t have profit if it weren’t for the tourist but we wouldn’t have our doors open year round if it weren’t for the locals.”

As more people are visiting Coos Bay and 7 Devils, more people are needed to work. Pollard and Matthews are responsible for 40 employees during the summer, which puts a lot of pressure to be successful.

Group at 7 Devils being served food

Even the beer itself is contributing to the local economy. Most of the hops used are from local farms, to reduce their carbon footprint. By the end of the year they are switching over to a local grower from the Willamette Valley, Crosby Hop Farms, too increase the percentage of local hops used. They will also be adding several varieties of Certified Salmon Safe hops.

“The whole process is just to not put extra nutrients and runoff into creeks that are going to damage the spawning and rearing grounds of salmon.” said Pollard. “So you are organically farming but you are also making efforts making sure your runoff isn’t causing silt or eutrophication in the streams.”

One of the beers, the Chinook Redd, referencing a salmon’s nest, is going to only have 100% salmon safe hops, and hopefully as many of the other beers will too. One of their seasonal beers, the Hydrant Wheat, contributes to the local firehouse. 20% of the gross sales from that beer is donated. The total amount of generosity, among with some other donations can account up to $25,000 a year that is donated to non-profits, according to Pollard.

7 Devils Brewing self distributes their beer, as far north to Florence, east to Elkton and south to Gold Beach to over 50 accounts. They are in the process of applying to a grant in order to put more solar panels on the roof to power the refrigeration of the beer.

For more information, please see http://www.7devilsbrewery.com