History Origins of Newport Loyalty Days Two thousand people visited Newport on May 1, 1938, with the prospect of a "free lunch" -- 6,000 crabs were distributed free of charge to visitors to the first annual Crab Festival. The reason was twofold: the price of Dungeness crab had hit rock bottom; organizers promoted the idea of the festival believing it would create a craving for the local crustacean. Moreover, Newport, like the rest of America, was reeling from the Depression; it was thought that the Crab Festival would be an economic "shot in the arm" for Oregon's Central Coast. When World War II broke out, fisherman went off to war, while others turned their boats over to the military for patrolling the coast. The Crab Festival fell by the wayside. After the war, the Festival was revived in a big way, when a Crab Festival Queen was crowned and the chance to win a new car was raffled off. About the same time, the nation was gripped by anti-communist fervor. In 1953, the annual May Crab Festival was replaced with Loyalty Days, and Lincoln County veteran’s organizations held a modest parade "in support of a counter demonstration of the annual May Day mass rallies and celebrations staged by the communists." In 1958, President Eisenhower signed a Loyalty Days Proclamation. The focus of Newport Loyalty Days gradually switched to fun, not unlike the Crab Festivals of old. By 1970, parade entries totaled nearly 50, and the event featured a Dungeness crab dinner for $1.75. Demonstrations of crab pot construction and net making and repair were held. Since then, air shows, boat races, horse shows, scuba diving contests, and crab running contests have all contributed to becoming part of the Loyalty Day events. Through the years of this celebration, Loyalty Days continues to add events, a Loyalty Day court, featured carnival rides, boat tours, yacht races and car shows were offered during the four-day event.  A memorial ceremony honoring Oregon's servicemen and women who lost their lives while serving their country is held with the annual reading of the names at Don Davis Park, held at the ocean's edge. Although the fading away of the Cold War has diminished the need for a patriotic May Day festival, Newport's celebration of Loyalty Days is alive and well and continuing to grow. Having roots in both the Crab Festival and Loyalty Day of previous decades, it has evolved into a celebration of community pride and a Newport rite of spring.