Charleston will celebrate the sea's bounty this weekend as the community hosts the 15th-annual Charleston Seafood Festival.

For nearly 30 years, this coastal fishing village has set aside the third weekend of August to enjoy the summer catch and have a party. Fifteen years ago, the Charleston Seafood Festival was formally established, and this year's event runs from 7 a.m. to dusk Saturday and Sunday at the Charleston Marina.

Festivities kick off each morning with a Fishermen's Pancake Breakfast from 7 to 11, served by the Charleston Rural Fire Protection District volunteers. At 10 a.m. Saturday, the Charleston Merchants Association will officially open the celebration with a flag presentation, followed by the Wild Women of Charleston's "Best of the Worst" parade and a special "thank you" to a scandalous area resident.

Throughout the weekend, visitors can take boat tours of the lower bay and ocean bar, attend an open house at the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboat Station and learn about the area at outdoor recreation and wildlife displays by Oregon State Parks, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

There also will be a record number of regional vendors, including many Oregon artisans, offering handmade woodwork, glass art, ceramics, photography, handmade clothing and more. Kids of all ages will be entertained by the Barview Area Charleston Area Park Association's dunk tank, the Coos River Salmon-Trout Enhancement Program fishing pond, pony rides and a game center, as well as appearances by the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission's "Louie the Crab" and the Oregon State Parks Beaver.

In addition to seafood of every type at vendor booths and lots of dessert selections, Merchants Association volunteers will serve a salmon and albacore tuna lunch from noon to 3 p.m. both days. Wine and beer will be available at the adult refreshment garden. For visitors wishing to take home some fresh seafood, local seafood markets have stocked up on salmon, tuna, crab, oysters and other selections, and commercial fishing boats plan to have fresh albacore available at the marina docks.

The Charleston Seafood Festival is sponsored by the Charleston Merchants Association, Charleston Fire Department volunteers and the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay. Community volunteers from the Visitor Center also help promote the event and coordinate activities. For more information, contact Don Yost at 888-2548, 888-6111 (fax) or e-mail donyost@charlestonmarina.com.