Glass Treasures Abound on Lincoln City Beaches

Quinten Woodbridge holds a large glass float crafted by local artist Kelly Howard that will be among 500 pieces of glass art put on Lincoln City beaches during spring break as part of the Finders Keepers promotion that runs through Memorial Day. (Photo by Larry Coonrod)


By Larry Coonrod

LINCOLN CITY—Visitors to Lincoln City are finding plenty of treasure on the beach during spring break as the largest glass art drop in the city’s history continues through March 29.

“For a whole week we’re going to drop 500 glass floats out on the beach from Siletz Bay down to Roads End,” said Quinten Woodbridge, a volunteer with the popular glass float program.

Sponsored by the Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau, the special spring break glass art drop is part of the annual Finders Keepers promotion. Finders Keepers celebrates its 15th anniversary this year with glass art, including floats, crabs, starfish and sand dollars, placed daily on the city’s 7.5 miles of beaches. 

“Our glass art goes on the beaches during daylight hours,” Woodbridge said. “We don’t put them out in the ocean or in the rocks. They’re scattered around the beach. So it’s fun to walk out during the day and find these beautiful glass floats.”

Handcrafted Art Pieces

Artists from seven glass studios, including the Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio in Lincoln City and Ocean Beaches Glassblowing and Gallery, handcraft each glass art piece.

In celebration of the promotion’s 15th anniversary, sometime during spring break, a special giant glass float designed and crafted by local artist Kelly Howard at the Glass Art Studio will be placed on the beach.

For those who don’t have the opportunity to hunt for the glass art during spring break, not to worry. Finders Keepers continues through Memorial Day, May 26, with floats put out daily.

Collectors’ Items

Each piece of glass art is signed and numbered. When the floats are found, they become collector’s items. People may bring their discovered treasure to the Visitors’ Center at 540 NE Highway 101 in Lincoln City to receive a certificate of authenticity and a biographical sketch of the artist who created the glass float.

“It’s going to be really incredible,” Woodbridge said.

Contact Larry Coonrod by emailing editor@lincolncountydispatch.com