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C OAST R ADIO
atching a wave is much more
than just the theme of the
109th annual Rhododendron
Festival. It’s been a way of life for
Coast Radio, its staff, sponsors and
listeners for many years.
Tune in to Florence’s local radio sta-
tions, KCST (106.9 FM) and KCFM
(104.1 FM/1250 AM), where you can
“Catch the Wave” and celebrate Rhody
Days. Both stations will provide cover-
age from the festival’s biggest events
throughout the weekend.
“The festival remains the Florence
area’s kickoff to the summer season,
the pride of our community and a
chance to embrace our history. The
station and most of the staff have
been a significant part of that for sev-
eral decades,” says Coast Radio
General Manager Jon Thompson.
Coast Radio’s on-air staff will
broadcast from various locations all
weekend, giving listeners on-site
insights from the carnival rides,
C
CATCHES WAVES ON AIR
bustling Bay Street and the Old Town
Vendor Fair. Other live coverage
includes Saturday’s 5K and 10K
Rhody Run, junior parade and news
and interviews from the Elks Lodge
chicken barbeque and pie sale.
Saturday’s live coverage concludes
with the KCST Classic Car Cruise
and oldies broadcast from Old Town.
Coverage resumes just before noon
on Sunday with the grand floral
parade and updates from all over
town. Coast Radio not only broad-
casts the annual car cruise, it organiz-
es and hosts the entire event with the
help of the Siuslaw Valley
Firefighters Association.
Registration for the KCST Classic
Car Cruise begins at 8:30 a.m. during
the Rhody Cruisers car club’s Show
and Shine in the Grocery Outlet park-
ing lot at 21st and Highway 101.
Registration is required and entries
are limited to the first 150 registrants
of 1976 and older model vehicles.
KCST donates 100 percent of the
registration fees to the firefighters
association.
“We’ve been honored to benefit our
firefighters with this annual fundraiser
since 1998,” says News Director Bob
Sneddon, who organizes the yearly
event in partnership with key sponsors
Hoberg’s Complete Auto Repair,
Central Lincoln PUD, Beachcomber
Pub, Keri’s Dunes Café, Potter’s Tire
and Automotive Care, Foglio Drop
Box Service, Krab Kettle, BJ’s Ice
Cream, Fresh Detailing, Best for
Hearing, Coast Insurance Services and
Homegrown Public House.
Staging for the Cruise begins at 5
p.m. at the Florence Christian Church
at 2nd and Ivy streets. Cruisers who
want to be judged for one of the many
prizes need to be in place by 6 p.m.
This year’s KCST Classic Car Cruise
will last one hour beginning at 6:30
p.m. and retracing its Old Town loop
until 7:30 p.m.
Coast Radio will have a remote
broadcast location for the cruise set up
in Old Town on Maple Street at the
intersection with Bay Street. Sneddon
and noted classic car expert Mike
Groshong will play top hits from the
’50s and ’60s while they highlight the
cars and interview drivers.
Live coverage of Sunday’s Grand
Floral Parade begins at 11:45 a.m.,
with “float-by-float” descriptions of
entries from the reviewing stand —
built by W.G. Peterson Woodworking
— at TR Hunter Real Estate, between
17th and 18th streets on Highway 101.
Parade broadcast is sponsored by
the Florence Area Chamber of Com-
merce Distinguished Sponsors and
Underwriter Three Rivers Casino
Resort. On-air personalities Harley
Youngblood and Calista Cates, co-
hosts of the KCFM Morning Show,
will provide commentary, back-
ground and insights on the parade’s
floats, bands, entries and dignitaries.