Yachats Oregon Writer Rick Schultze

By now you’ve been reminded over and over that the economy is less than robust and it’s affecting all aspects of life including what to do for fun with out going broke!

As we approach the time for outdoor activities and vacations I noticed that in the area of the Central Oregon Coast there are lots of events and activities that hark back to the days when there were many events and activities that were relatively inexpensive but a lot of fun for folks.

These are the events put on by schools, churches, non-profit organizations, fraternal groups and neighborhood groups, towns and villages. The pot-lucks at the park, the local socials, the community fish fry’s, music festivals, crafts fairs, fishing derby's and upcoming festivals like the Beachcomber Days Festival in Waldport, the many fund raising car washing in market parking lots and other such activities that have folks mingling with each other, swapping stories and hellos, working together to coordinate the events and generally having a blast doing it!

In recent years a lot of people have hit the road for expensive vacations at theme parks, cruises, Hawaiian and European travel but this year I’m thinking that the; “Staycation” staying local, will be big. It’s inexpensive and today that’s a big deal!

Here are a couple of examples of how folks had fun without going too far away and blowing the bankroll.

The fishing derby held last weekend in Waldport pointed out the simplicity of a locally produced event that was very well attended. Not only did the kids get to fish and play games they got lesions and tips on water safety and safe practices in general. Another event which was a bug success and a lot of fun was the Safety Day/Sports Day at Angell Job Corps in Yachats which featured events like horseshoes, a hacky sack tournament, a tug of war, a water balloon catapult, sidewalk art, a car push and for sheer fun, a pie eating contest. All of the day’s events stressed teamwork and safety.

Florence hosted the 102^nd Rhododendron Festival which was a great way to enjoy cars, people and fun!

Also in Yachats the Ladies club outdid themselves with their ever popular Pie Social and the Annual Arts and Crafts Fair filled the Yachats Commons while the Lions Club “all you can eat breakfast” filled many stomachs for a very low price.
As you can see, right here there are lots of activities and events that are fun, cost friendly and of course, there is nothing like hitting the beach for a bit of FREE beach combing.

Keep your eyes and ears open and check the paper for future events in your area and let’s enjoy the Central Oregon Coast and have some fun locally without crashing the budget!

To reach Rick Schultze email: yarick@pioneer.net