Seaside Dahlia Show

Seaside Dahlia Show
Presented by the Seaside Museum

Saturday, August 22nd, 2026
Noon – 4:00pm
Seaside Museum (570 Necanicum Drive)

Free admission, all are welcome to attend and/or participate!

The Seaside Museum is showing off its roots as well as blooms!  In 1909, the dahlia was adopted as Seaside’s flower due to its phenomenal beauty and ease of growth in this region.  From this, the first Seaside Dahlia Show was held the same year!  In 1913, the Children’s Dahlia Parade was added to the festivities and continued annually until 1964.  The Seaside Museum is honored (and excited) to revive this historical tradition for the enrichment of our community.

Dahlias have always been a crowd-pleaser, but recently there has been a “big bloom” in popularity. With the growth in public interest, many new varieties have been bred with both appearance and hardiness in mind, making them an excellent choice for coastal growing as they can withstand the wind and rain from summer storms.  Many of the dahlia varieties in the Butterfield Garden at the Seaside Museum are heirloom varieties which were introduced in the late 1800s or early 1900s, though all dahlias are welcome at the show!

This show is strictly for fun, community engagement, and local history.  Stop by and check out the flowers from noon to 4:00 pm on Saturday, August 22^nd!  Bouquets and single stem flowers available for purchase will benefit the Butterfield Garden at the Seaside Museum.  Experts from the Portland Dahlia Society will be there to share their hints on cultivating dahlias as well.

Registration is open now through August 20^th at 4:00 pm.  There is no entry fee.  To enter your blooms, bouquets and/or floral arrangements, forms are available at seasideoregonmuseum.com or at the museum during open hours.  Bloom drop-off for participants will be Friday, August 21^st from 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm.