Celebrate by the beach: Historic milestones and more in 2016

It’s a birthday year on the Long Beach Peninsula – both the Shelburne Inn and the Pacific County Fair turn 120 years old, Washington State Parks celebrated 103 years and the Astoria-Megler Bridge is turning 50 – so join the celebration!

• The Shelburne Inn, Seaview: The oldest continually operating inn in Washington

  state has planned nine months of festivities to celebrate its 120^th year in business. The fun began at the Shelburne Inn in March and continues through New Year’s Eve with themed dinners, cocktail and spirits tastings and traditional English teas. See the full lineup of events here.

• The Pacific County Fair, Menlo (Aug. 24-27): Also turning 120 years old this year, the Pacific County Fair boasts an authentic rural Pacific Northwest experience. This fair doesn’t change much over the decades, and that’s how we like it! Check out the hard work of local 4-H and FAA members, enjoy classic fair food and local artwork, and visit one of Pacific County’s hidden gems – the town of Menlo!

• Jake the Alligator Man’s Birthday, Long Beach (Aug. 5-6): Jake the Alligator Man’s 75^thbirthday is celebrated annually on the Long Beach Peninsula, and 2016 marks the celebration’s 10^th The annual shindig features a car show, Bride of Jake competition, lots of live music and a burlesque show.

• Astoria-Megler Bridge, -Wash. (Aug. 13): The final link in U.S. Highway 101 between
  Los Angeles and Olympia, the Astoria-Megler Bridge was completed in 1966 and provided the Long Beach Peninsula with a much-needed connection to northern Oregon. The 50^th anniversary celebration includes a reenactment of the bridge opening, an appearance by the Astoria clowns and historical programming at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco.

• Free State Parks Days, statewide (various dates): Washington State Parks turned 103 years old on March 19 and celebrated by throwing open its doors for free admission. Thankfully, that isn’t the only day in 2016 when no Discover Pass is needed to enter state parks. Additional free parks days are: May 8, June 4, June 11, Aug. 25, Sept. 24 and Nov. 11.
• Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Ilwaco (1856): Although not technically a celebrated anniversary, the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Parks marks 160 years of service in 2016.
• National Parks Service, nationwide (Aug. 25): Celebrate the century-old founding of the National Park Service with free entry to national parks on Aug. 25, including the Lewis & Clark National Historic Park in Pacific County.

We love the Long Beach Peninsula’s living history – think: Oysterville, lighthouses and early architecture – and we especially love to celebrate the historic cultural connections that help define the region. The Shelburne Inn has served superb local cuisine for more than 100 years, helping shape the Peninsula’s culinary history. The Pacific County Fair perpetuates the area’s agricultural roots, and Free State Parks Days showcases the county’s more-wild reaches. The completion of the Astoria-Megler Bridge in 1966 offered the bigger world a more-convenient entrance to Pacific County. And Jake’s Birthday is all about good times!

These events are all worth a serious celebration! Wanna join the party?