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OREGON COAST AQUARIUM EVENTS

By LaFleur Magazine

The community of Newport, Oregon can enjoy year-round events at Oregon Coast Aquarium, ranking high in comparison to national aquariums. Oregon Coast Aquarium offers year-round events to families in the community.

Family and kid-friendly events in Newport are held at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, located at 2820 Southeast Ferry Slip Road. The events are a great way for local families to enjoy the wonders of the sea. Get whisked away and spend a night with the sharks, or attend a day event enjoying behind the scenes tours, along with feeding the seals and sea lions. Kids of all ages can find an event aligned to their unique interests, including preschool classes and homeschool opportunities for all children in Newport. 

Community Event Dates for Oregon Coast Aquarium


Private Sleep in the Deep

For an adventurous and fun local family event, why not snuggle down for the night in Oregon Coast Aquarium's "Passages of the Deep" exhibit with 360 degree tunnels, surrounded by almost a million gallons of sea water and more than a hundred sharks, halibut, rays and other marine life!

The overnight event is designed for kids ages 6 years and up to enjoy as a private group of 20 or more. The private group will have the aquarium to themselves for a fun-filled evening (and morning) of ocean exploration and hands-on fun. This could be a great way to spend a birthday, family get together, class event or group playdate. A professional staff member will guide you through your entire experience. 

Oregon Coast Aquarium sleepovers are a great way to bond as a family and extend your sea world experience in Newport. Use the time to explore the aquarium and get to know the natural and historical sites of the coast. Sleepovers are designed for participants ages 6 and up.

Benefits of the Event:
  • View the aquarium without large crowds
  • Professional, knowledgeable and friendly staff guide you through your experience
  • Age-appropriate, hands-on activities are offered
  • Morning behind-the-scenes experience
  • Entry to the aquarium the following day
  • Meals, snacks, dinner & continental breakfast are offered

Family-Combo Sleep in the Deep Event

If you do not have a large enough group to form a private sleepover, try a public-combo event. These events are the perfect way for smaller groups, families, and individuals to enjoy the magic of a "Sleep in the Deep" event. Reservations are required and registration typically closes 2 weeks prior to the event.Contact Oregon Coast Aquarium directly find out more about this event. 
AQUATOTS

Aquatots is a free preschool program offered each month for little ocean explorers. Designed for children ages 3 - 5 years old, the program invites preschoolers to explore the wonders of the sea. An Aquarium educator will lead the kids on a voyage of discovery, kids will participate in activities focused on a specific theme. Each activity includes a craft, story, song, animal encounter and game. 

Dates & Times

Preschool classes are held the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 10:30 am. The Program meets in the classroom located at Oregon Coast Aquarium. At least one parent or caregiver must accompany each child. No registration is required, and the class if free.
March 27, 2019: Animal Enrichment Day

Spring break visitors are invited to dive into the world of animal play on Enrichment Day at the Aquarium held on March 27. Aquarium staff share techniques and tools for keeping an ocean of animals entertained, including tips for creating animal enrichment for pets at home. Guests can try to paint like a sea lion, learn what counts as fun for a pelican, and even peek behind the scenes at the otters’ toys. Those impressed by the artistic seals and sea lions can to enter to win their very own one-of-a-kind pinniped painting. Enrichment Day activities are included with aquarium admission. Visit aquarium.org for a detailed schedule of Enrichment Day events.

April 20, 2019: Annual Earth Day 5K & Kids’ Dash and Earth Day Celebration

Visit for a race, stay for an aquarium adventure! Every participant in the 7th Annual Oregon Coast Aquarium 5k & Kids’ Dash take part in a fun race, and receive free entry to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for the rest of the day to celebrate off their accomplishment! The 5K (3.1 mile) route starts and ends at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The event is perfect for the speedy, the slow and everyone in-between. Oregon Coast Aquarium's 5k & Kids’ Dash seeks to promote healthy lifestyles on the coast and proceeds benefit animal care programs at Oregon Coast Aquarium. The Kids’ Dash is a fun way to get kids ages 2-9 involved in their first race too, teaching them about fitness and giving them a chance to cross a real finish line. This closed course is perfect for little athletes.
 
May 18, 2018: International Migratory Bird Day

The aquarium is home to the largest outdoor seabird aviary in North America and honors bird migrations with pleasant surprises for aquarium visitors and animals. Guests will have an opportunity to meet brown pelicans and turkey vultures, learning about seabirds’ springtime courtship antics during chats with the aquarium’s aviculturists. The aquarium’s feathered residents are treated to enrichment activities and experiences that provide something new from their normal routine. International Migratory Bird Day activities are free with aquarium admission and advance registration is not required.

June 29th: World Oceans Day

Oregon Coast Aquarium will celebrate World Oceans Day on Saturday, June 29. The event highlights the importance of the ocean and its inhabitants through interactive activities, raffles, and animal presentations. The event encourages guests to take part in everyday solutions to plastic pollution and marine litter. The best part? The aquarium animals will help demonstrate how! Learn from Max the sea lion and Schuster the sea otter as they show their commitment to recycling by disposing of plastic bottles in the proper receptacle. Presentations starring JoJo, the brown pelican, educate guests on the importance of proper waste disposal to minimize endangering seabirds with plastics and fishing line. Visitors can chat with the marine mammal team about the aquarium’s entanglement rehabilitation cases.
OTHER EXHIBITS
Along with year-round events, exhibits for adults and children of all ages invite exploration. Whether navigating underwater glass tunnels for sharks, visiting sea lions up-close, or the variety of birds and animals, the assortment of exhibits are engaging for both kids and adults. 

From standing on the seashore to experience the re-creation of the docks and piers where anemones, mussels and Dungeness crabs scuttle along the bottom, to exhibits replicating the constant ebb and flow of the surf against a tide pool filled with anemones, sculpins and oysters, it is impossible to not be drawn into the mysteries of the sea. 
Sea Otters, Sea Lions & Seals
The seals and sea lion exhibit is fifteen feet deep in some areas, allowing the animals to dive, twist, twirl and leap as they would in the wild. The two largest marine mammals share the sprawling exhibit containing up to 90,000 gallons of sea water. Multiple view stations are set for visitors to view sea lions, which particularly enjoy interactions with human beings often swimming up to the acrylic barriers for a closer look.

Sea otters were widely targeted by trappers throughout the United States and Canada as their unique pelts, containing up to a million follicles per square inch, provide great insulation. Within decades, the otter’s survival was seriously imperiled all along the entire Pacific coast.
Shark Varieties
A variety of sharks call Oregon Coast Aquarium home. From spiny dogfish shark, to leopard shark, and broadnose sevengill shark, the aquarium’s Passages of the Deep exhibit allows visitors to become immersed in the ocean realm existing right off the Oregon coast. 

A series of underwater walkways leads visitors from the dark, quiet canyons of Orford Reef, through the waters of Halibut Flats, to finally reach vast blue expanses of the open sea. As visitors pass through three ecosystems, moving symbolically further into the Pacific Ocean, they will encounter the variety of sea creatures and sharks living in the deep blue. 
Oregon Coast Aquarium is a rich experiential educational experience for local Newport children of all ages to explore the vast wonders of the Pacific Ocean to go beyond the surface and explore ocean life of the Oregon Coast. For many local Newport families visiting the aquarium each year, this is the first opportunity to get to the sea life in their own ocean community up-close . 
This article is sponsored by Pediatric Dental Associates Newport, Oregon
(541) 928-1509
hello@pediatricdentistor.com
Dr. Jay Vaikuntam, Pediatric Dentist
PDA Newport, Oregon
Pediatric Dental Associates is proud to now serve the children of Newport, Oregon and their families, having provided dental services in Oregon for over 20 years. At Pediatric Dental Associates Newport, Oregon, the doctors and staff are committed to creating a fun, comfortable dental experience for children, teens and their families. Understanding that each patients' dental, behavioral and emotional needs are unique, the entire dental team is committed to providing a positive and comprehensive experience by creating a welcoming and inviting environment to support each patient’s needs.

Visit Pediatric Dental Associates online for more information, or call to schedule your child's appointment today!
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