This year the Tulip Festival will be March 25th -April 25th, 2010 and features over 40 acres of stunning, colorful tulips and daffodils along with activities for the entire family!  This is an absolutely must see destination for visitors who will be with us this Spring- and is located just 30 minutes north of Salem, OR (see their page for directions, hours and price of admission).

Still don’t believe us?  Check out this highlight video of past festivals…..be sure to share your photos and video on our Facebook page!

Salem’s First Wednesday-Rain Fest 2010 “UMBRELLAS IN THE CITY”- March 3

Downtown Salem-Salem’s First Wednesday is a monthly event that features the very best of downtown Salem, Oregon. This month celebrates rain and all the good it brings!  Various events throughout Downtown Salem beginning at 5pm. Contact 503-480-1111 or visit www.gofirstwednesday.info for complete details.

Oregon’s 7th Annual Wine, Cheese & Pear Jubilee March 4 – 5, 2010

Willamette Valley Vineyards, Turner- Oregon’s 7th Annual Wine, Cheese & Pear Jubilee Oregon’s premier event featuring award winning wines paired with local artisan cheeses and Oregon pears. Have fun exploring the nuances of this special coupling. Enjoy a variety of pears and fun recipes from the Oregon Pear Bureau. Your $5 admission includes wine and food tasting, and a free Riedel wine glass!

Puttin’ on the Ritz Cat Cavern - Mar 5th & 6th 2010 7:00pm

Willamette University, Salem- Puttin’ on the Ritz, now in its fifteenth year, has become a sell-out event popular with both the Willamette and Salem community. You will not want to miss this delightful evening which includes a delicious dinner and dancing to the music of the Kemtones Little Big Band and Willamette Singers vocal jazz choir. Ticket price includes appetizers, dinner, dessert, and all the snazzy jazzy music you want for easy listening or dancing. For ticket information call (503) 370-6214. 503-370-6255 or visit www.willamette.edu/cla/music

Willamette Valley Wine Walk March 12 6pm-11pm

Downtown Salem-A monthly event where wine enthusiasts gather and walk through downtown Salem and experience wine at various venues.  Visit www.salemdowntown.net for more information.

8th Annual Social Powwow-March 13, 2010

Presented by Willamette University’s Native American Enlightenment Association:  4 p.m.Free Admission. Cone Field House – Willamette University, Salem.  Features Native Arts and Crafts, Call 503-370-6265 for more information.

2010 Mid-Valley Yard, Garden & Patio Show Mar 19 2010 – Mar 21 2010

Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem-The 13th Annual Mid-Valley Yard, Garden & Patio Show will showcase the latest in outdoor living, gardening trends, and design ideas for your yard and garden plus the very latest in garden tools and equipment. www.homebuildersassociation.org or www.oregonstateexpo.org

Equinox in the Eola Amity Hills March 20th 7:00PM to 10:00PM

Zenith Vineyard – Come howl at the moon and celebrate the Equinox in the Eola Amity Hills!  Sample wines from 22 wineries from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA and even a few from outside the AVA who make wines from Eola-Amity Hills fruit. Enjoy fantastic sweet and savory bites to complement your wine tasting experience from some of the best restaurants and caterers in our area!

Woodburn Tulip Festival , March 25-April 25

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm-The festival features 50 acres of spring-time flowers, including daffodils and tulips….food, wine, fun and more.  Don’t miss this event!  503-634-2243 or 800-711-2006

Mission Mill Events Throughout March

The Toledo Incident of 1925: Three Days that Made History in Toledo Oregon March 4 5:30pm-6:30pm

Parties and Bipartisanship in Oregon Politics March  11 5:30pm-6:30pm

Of the People or for the People: Getting the Government We Deserve March 18 5:30pm-6:30pm

With the opening of our second property,  The Grand Hotel at Bridgeport, we made the decision to brand all of our hotels with the same name that best reflects the quality of our product and the level of service we provide.  We are excited for this new name and look forward to serving the community as The Grand Hotel.

We want to assure you we have the same ownership, same great staff, same exceptional service, same “Grand” accommodations.   Hope you will join the new Grand Hotel in Salem Facebook page!

“The tourism industry is vital to Oregon’s economy, and I’m confident these two new members of the Commission will serve our state well,” the Governor said. “I know they will carry forward the intensive state effort to help tourism grow and thrive, which is good for all sectors of Oregon’s economy. When we promote Oregon, we do more than invite people to visit our many beautiful tourist attractions — we bring them face to face with Oregon’s people, our towns and cities, and our vibrant business scene.”

Audette and Utz fill two vacancies on the Commission. Made up of nine members, the Commission provides expertise and sets policy direction for Travel Oregon staff.

“We are excited about the addition of Alana and Karen to the Oregon Tourism Commission,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “The Governor has selected two more talented, experienced people who will help advance the tourism industry in our state. Their unique backgrounds and insight will help Travel Oregon position the state as a must-see vacation destination and establish Oregon’s brand in strategic geographic regions.”

Audette grew up in the family hospitality businesses in Aspen, Colo. and Bend, Ore. She took a nine-year detour from her tourism roots to head east for a career in legislative policy on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Audette has served as President and CEO of the Central Oregon Visitors Association (COVA) since 1993. Under her leadership, COVA has more than quadrupled its annual marketing budget and membership base.

Utz is the owner and operator of The Black Walnut Inn in Dundee. In addition to her appointment to the Oregon Tourism Commission, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Lodging Association and Yamhill Valley Visitors Association. She is an active member of the Bed & Breakfasts of Yamhill County group.
The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance Oregonians’ quality of life by strengthening economic impacts of the state’s $8.4 billion tourism industry. Visitwww.TravelOregon.com for details.

It is no secret that Oregon wine makers has earned their place among the worlds best. Travelers from all over the world come to our region year round to tour the beautiful vineyards and indulge in wine tastings and dinners.  Salem’s surrounding countryside is home to vineyards and wineries whose wines compete with the finest vintages of Europe’s Alsace, Burgundy and Rhine region.

In March, the annual Equinox in the Eola Amity Hills event invites wine lovers to taste the wines of 22 local wine makers!   If you are wondering what makes Oregon wine so incredible, enjoy this little taste of Oregon Wine history, courtesy of Travel Salem:

Salem’s surrounding countryside is home to vineyards and wineries whose wines compete with the finest vintages of Europe’s Alsace, Burgundy and Rhine regions. Rolling hillsides tucked between the Cascade Mountains and the Coastal Range flank the Willamette River. These hillsides provide the perfect microclimates for a wine-growing region of rare distinction. Volcanic soils, perfect elevations and cool Pacific breezes work together to produce the ideal growing conditions for cool climate grapes.

The soil, weather and the gentle, sunny slopes allow the grapes to ripen slowly; developing the delectable flavors required for world-class wines. By world standards, the region’s largest wineries are small but the wines they produce are exceptional.

Pinot noir has become Oregon’s signature varietal and no other region in the New World has the climate to produce this complex and elegant red wine. Only France’s Burgundy region rivals the conditions found here in the Salem area for this temperamental grape.

Pinot gris along with Chardonnay and Riesling are other white wines you will enjoy here, along with Gewürztraminer, Pinot blanc, Müller Thurgau, and others – as well as excellent dessert and sparkling wines.

Traveling along the country roads of this region, keep your eyes open for vistas, wildlife, old country churches and photo opportunities.

Salem area winemakers are justifiably proud of their work and are willing to help you to learn more about the wines so that you might better enjoy “the fruit of the vine.”

Come howl at the moon and celebrate the Equinox in the Eola Amity Hills!  This event sold out two weeks before the date last year and the guests loved the chance to taste wines and discuss the vintage with most of the key principals of the Eola-Amity Hills winemaking community.

They have assembled 22 wineries from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA and even a few from outside the AVA who make wines from Eola-Amity Hills fruit.

Enjoy fantastic sweet and savory bites to complement your wine tasting experience from some of the best restaurants and caterers in our area!

When: March 20th 7:00PM to 10:00PM

Where: Zenith Vineyard 5657 Zena Rd NW Salem Here is a map.

Wines: 22 amazing wineries will be pouring including: Amity Vineyards; Antica Terra; Argyle Winery; Bethel Heights Vineyard; Brooks Wines; Calamity Hill Vineyard; Carter Vineyard; Cherry Hill Winery; Cristom Vineyards; Cubanisimo Vineyards; Domaine Serene; Dukes Family Vineyards;Evesham Wood Winery; Holloran Vineyard Wines; Lewman Vineyard; Methven Family Vineyards; Redhawk Winery; St. Innocent Winery; Stangeland Vineyards; Toluca Lane; Witness Tree Vineyard and Zenith Vineyard

Gourmet Food by: Extreme Chocolates; Loustic Catering, Olive You Events & Catering, Red Hills Provincial Dining, Joel Palmer House, Silver Grille, Vibrant Table Catering & Events and Willamette Valley Cheese Co.

Tickets are $35 per person, buy your tickets online - print and keep your receipt as your entry to the event.

Special overnight rates available for all attendees of this event- including shuttle for hotel guests to and from Zenith Vineyards.

Join Our Facebook Page and Invite Your Friends!

No pun intended, but the staff at Bentley’s Grill (located inside our hotel) has an extremely full plate this month!

They kicked off the weekly Lounge Lizard Monday yesterday by featuring Bushmills Irish Whiskey in 2 new cocktails.  If you missed it- not to worry.  They have 3 more Lounge Lizard Monday events this month!  Lounge Lizard Monday is available in our lounge each Monday from 4 to 6 pm.  They will also be  giving out complimentary promotional merchandise (while supplies last).  Check the Bentley’s Grill Events blog and/or their Facebook Page to find out which appetizer specials will be complimenting the cocktails made with the following featured liquors:

February 8th  - Ciroc Vodka

February 15th  - Yazi Ginger Vodka

February 22nd  - Baileys Irish Cream

Finally- there has been much buzz about Bentley’s Grill upcoming Fat Tuesday Dinner on February 16!  If you can’t make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year, you can still get your Fat Tuesday fix- even in Salem Oregon!  Chef Derek Ridgeway and his brilliant staff will be serving traditional New Orleans dishes with a Bentleys twist- from Shrimp Po’ Boy toJambalaya and Beignets….cocktail specials and more.    And yes- there will be beads!   Visit their blog or Facebook Event page to get a preview of the Mardi Gras dinner specials.

Experience a night of Grand Romance in Salem, Oregon! This wonderful evening includes overnight accommodations for two in your choice of Suite, champagne or cider delivered to your room, fresh flowers, and our complimentary extended hot breakfast buffet. Top off this package with a late check out of 1 pm.

Book NOW

Oregon State Fairgrounds – January 23 & 24, 2010
2330 17th St. NE
Salem, OR 97303
Hours: Saturday 10-5 & Sunday 11-4 

Fashion Shows at 12:30 and 3

SEE YOU THERE!