Nye Beach Turns Murder Into a Festival of Fun, March 10th and 11th

There will also be an activity for kids, who will pick up their “clues” at Mystery Clue business locations.

Humphrey Holmes was a private investigator (played by Jeffrey Orn), whose client was Abbie Kriar. Abbie wanted Humphrey to find her sister, who was at one time engaged to the victim's man Friday. Photo by Linda Neigebauer

(NEWPORT, OR.) - In the second weekend of March, someone in the coastal village of Nye Beach will be murdered. And locals will make a weekend out of it. It’s called the Nye Beach Murder Mystery Weekend, and it’s growing by leaps and bounds in this historic neighborhood of the Oregon coast resort town of Newport.

It happens March 10th and 11th, bringing a unique combination of time travel, prizes, role-playing and sleuthing to this seaside charmer. With the waves murmuring in the distance, a dozen or so murder suspects will be milling about these streets and shops as a few hundred members of the public try and discover who-done-it.

This year’s Nye Beach Murder Mystery Weekend is set in the Nye Beach section of Newport in the post-war era of the late 1940’s. Suspects and actors will be dressed in period garb, and the public is also encouraged to do so. The entire neighborhood fills with would-be investigators, challenging the actor/role-players, who play their parts with imposing seriousness or hilarious high camp.

Things kick off at 11:00 AM on Saturday, where participating sleuths pay $5 for their entry packet with mystery information, suspect information, clue locations and entry form.

The opening activity is from 11:00 AM until Noon at the Performing Arts Center (777 SW Olive Street) at the corner of Coast Street and Olive Street in Nye Beach.

Sleuths are then introduced to the mystery suspects, who give valuable information along with their character background and current involvement with the victim. Participants obtain clues from participating neighborhood merchants and interview the mystery suspects, who are available at mystery clue locations (various shops and restaurants) between Noon and 5:00 PM.

Entry forms must be turned in at Nye Cottage (208 NW Coast Street, Unit 1), by 6:00 PM on March 10th. The actors will be present at the mystery Denouement or “reveal,” which takes place on Sunday, March 11th, at 1:00 PM, at the Performing Arts Center. Prizes are awarded to winning entries.

If present, winners will need to show identification to receive their prizes. Those not present will have prizes mailed, if appropriate information is available on their entry form. Prizes consist of some cash awards as well as gift certificates from local businesses.

There will also be an activity for kids, who will pick up their “clues” at Mystery Clue business locations. This packet may be purchased at the Performing Arts Center between 11:00 AM and Noon on Saturday, March 10th, for $2, with prizes awarded to those who complete the activity.

Event spokesman Linda Neigebauer said the players play their personas well, getting deep into the parts. Some are dead serious in their acting gig; others play it up with goofiness. But the participant sleuths are quite steadfast and determined to win, said Neigebauer. “They want the prizes,” she said. “They’re pretty serious, in spite of the fun atmosphere of this event.”

This festival of murderous fun has grown considerably in its three years. 2005’s event had about 50 participants, with the festival selling 16 detective packets among them. The 2006 festival quadrupled in number, with approximately 200 people from around the state swarming in on Nye Beach and scarfing up around 100 packets.

Humphrey Holmes (Jeffrey Orn) was a private Investigator, whose client was Abbie Kriar. Abbie wanted Humphrey to find her sister, who was at one time engaged to the victim's man Friday.

“This year we’re counting on even more,” Neigebauer said.

Last year’s event also featured numerous participants partying it up in town for the entire weekend. Blu Cork Wine Bar experienced many of the same faces throughout the two days, who recounted their day’s sleuthing activities to staff and reveled in the fun this unusual festival provided.

Perhaps even more amusing about this event is what the actors don’t know. “None of them know if they’re the murderer or not,” Neigebauer said. “We had to keep them apart after two years ago, when a lot of them got together, compared notes and figured out who actually did it.”

There is no advanced registration. Just come join the fun on Saturday, March 10th, 2007. For more information, call toll free, 866-592-5556.