coast culture
Got milk beer?
Santa
tells all
With decades in the casino business,
former Lincoln City resident Don
Kennedy has heard his fair share of
stories. But the tales
that tickle him the most
come from his side gig,
playing the part of Santa
Claus for charitable
organizations.
Kennedy, who served
as marketing director at
Chinook Winds Casino
Resort from 2002 to 2004 and again
from 2007 to 2008, has collected some of
the most memorable anecdotes from 25
years of wearing the red suit in “Kids Say
Th e Darndest Th ings To Santa Claus.”
Th is Sunday, Sept. 8, Kennedy will be
at Lincoln City Farmers Market from
9 am to 3 pm, signing books and giving
out signed author’s photos with each
book sold.
“Great for dart boards, I’m told,” he
said.
Proceeds from the event will go to
Angels Anonymous, a charity that gives
one-time fi nancial assistance to North
Lincoln County residents to help with
basic needs.
Beer, brats and lederhosen as far as
the eye can see will signal the return
of Oktoberfest in the Dairylands
this Saturday, Sept. 7, at Tillamook’s
Second Street Plaza.
Now in its fi fth year, the
Oktoberfest aims to recreate the
celebration of Swiss music and
culture that was a huge part of the
childhoods of many Tillamook
County residents.
“A lot of us grew up with Swiss
dances, festivals, reunions and music
being a huge part of our lives,” said
Adam Schwend, one of the original
organizers. “We felt that there would
be those in the community who
would love to relive those days.”
Entertainment at the event will
include Th e Fabulous Polkatones,
a polka band with its roots in
Tillamook. Schwend’s great-uncle,
Al Schwend founded the band in
Tillamook in the 1970s and took
it on the road all over the western
United States. When Al passed away
in 1997, the band continued on and
does so to this day.
Dancing is also a huge part of
Oktoberfest and Tillamook will be
graced with both local and imported
talent. Th e dancers from Oregon
Coast Dance Center will again take
part in the event, as well as Th e
Tirolean Dancers of Oregon, a troop
The Polkatones
of professional dancers from Portland.
Chef Nelia Seratista will be on
hand serving incredible Bavarian
cuisine. Beer, wine, soda and water
will also be available.
Oktoberfest in the Dairylands, a
fund-raiser for the Monday Musical
Club of Tillamook, will run from
noon to 6 pm at the Second Street
Plaza.
Tickets, $10 and including a
commemorative mug while supplies
last, can be purchased at the
Tillamook Chamber of Commerce
Visitors Center, online at www.
mondaymusicalclub.com or at the
gate. For more information, contact
Schwend at 503-457-8865 or
apschwend@gmail.com.
The Tirolean Dancers
8 • oregoncoastTODAY.com • facebook.com/oregoncoasttoday • September 6, 2019
Get a
ton of
reading
done
In the normally hushed confi nes of
Newport Public Library, the silence
has been broken by the unmistakable
clanging of a gauntlet being thrown
down.
As part of its centennial celebration,
the library is issuing a Centennial Book
Challenge to read 100 books between
Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020.
Th e challenge includes eBooks
or audiobooks as well as good old-
fashioned paper; and readers can win
prizes for every 25 books read along the
way.
Th is Centennial Book Challenge
is free, open to the public and proudly
sponsored by the Newport Library
Foundation.
For more information, go to www.
newportlibrary.org or call 541-265-2153.
Th e library is located at 35 NW Nye
Street.