Cranberry Food Fair

Sept. 7-8: The Cranberry Food Fair cooking contest will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall on Bates Road, Bandon. Entries will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon on Sept. 7.

All entries must contain cranberries and be made from scratch. Categories include main dish; quick breads; salads; candy; sauces/relish; berries; jams/syrups; juice; cakes; cookies; pies; desserts; diabetic; and wine/cordials.

Judging will be at 1 p.m. on Sept. 7. The fair is hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3440.

For more information, those interested may call Joye Olson at 347-9351.

Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration  

Sept. 7-9: Featuring a traditional salmon bake, canoe races and an award-winning line up of Native-American musicians, the fourth-annual Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,  at The Mill Casino-Hotel/RV Park.

Known for its incredible Salmon Bake dinner, in which fresh salmon is prepared in the time-honored Coquille open-pit manner, the Mill-Luck Salmon Celebration is a fun-filled experience for the entire family.  

Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8 and Sunday, Sept. 9, visitors to The Mill Casino will be treated to drummers and dancers, as well as traditional games and activities for children, a number of unique cultural demonstrations and a marketplace offering traditional wares and food.

Bay-front canoe races will begin at 2 p.m.  on Saturday.

Native American Music Awards 2006 Best Male Artist of The Year Wade Fernandez will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Salmon Room on Friday and Saturday.  

Tickets for the concerts as well as the Salmon Bake dinner, served from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, are on sale now at KoKwel Gifts inside The Mill.

Chowder, Blues & Brews!

Sept. 21-23: The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 12th-annual Fall Festival with award-winning chowder offered from all along the Oregon coast, the finest blues music Oregon has to offer and microbrews from some of the best breweries in the Northwest.

Saturday will highlight the seventh year of the Oregon Coast Professional Chowder Cookoff where festivalgoers will have a chance to taste the best chowder the Oregon Coast has to offer from Astoria to Brookings.

For more information, those interested can call the Florence Area Chamber at (541) 997-3128 or the Event Center at (541) 997-1994.