Festivalgoers turn out for 40th Beachcombers and Glass Float Expo in Ocean Shores
Published 8:30 am Monday, March 9, 2026
The 40th Beachcombers and Glass Float Expo took place at the Ocean Shores Convention Center this past weekend. The Expo serves as the unofficial kick-off to spring festival season. Despite gloomy weather, a line the length of half the Convention Center formed as people anxiously waited for the doors to open.
Greeters at the door recorded where people were from, collected entry fees, and distributed wristbands. The Museum of the North Beach, the Coastal Interpretive Center and the Surfrider Foundation staffed tables chock-full of information in the lobby, while Too Cool Sports sold custom screen-printed T-shirts and hoodies. Inside the main exhibit hall, vendors plied their wares, and tables displayed exhibitions entered in various contest categories.
“Float Wranglers” and “Float Fairies” have been releasing glass floats into the open sea and surf, and on local beaches since Valentine’s Day. Dozens of people posted pictures of themselves with their float finds to the Expo’s Facebook page prior to the Expo and continued to do so throughout the weekend in hopes of winning one of seven large glass floats. Entrants could increase their chances of winning the contest by entering in person at the Expo.
The event also included educational talks with John Anderson, Cascadia Research, Mary Beth Beuke, John Weldon and Alan Rammer, and a special presentation on Saturday by renowned glass blower Ro Purser, and a dessert social.
One of the event organizers, John Shaw, executive director of the Westport South Beach Historical Society, says events like this are important to the local community during the off-season.
“It’s great to see we get hundreds of people out on the beach. The float release goes on from Valentine’s Day forward,” Shaw said. “We’re driving a lot of people to the beach for a three-week cycle, and we’ve had lousy weather, but it’s wonderful for beachcombing. People were lined up along the sidewalk all the way down to the corner to get in. The beach was busy with people. The town is good and full. We’re having more speakers. We have a lot of great glass float vendors. We’ve expanded into sea glass and other beachcombing-related collectibles. There’s a lot of stuff to do other than just glass floats.”
Expo founder Alan Rammer never imagined that his idea would turn into the popular event it is today.
“I reflected back to 1983, and this wasn’t even on the radar back then to think of something like this. It’s pretty amazing. Because we have all the special festivities and stuff, I think that’s drawing people,” Rammer said. “I want them to realize the endless opportunities, endless ways you can enjoy the ocean, there’s so much to be had here for families, crafts, and history of floats, and how they repurpose trash from the beach, so there’s all kinds of learning opportunities.”
Rammer was honored by organizers and vendors before the Expo got underway Saturday morning.
Shaw said it was important to recognize Rammer and all he has done for the Expo and Ocean Shores through this event, but also to start looking ahead to the next chapter.
“Alan’s been wonderful. He was part of bringing this to town in 1985, and he’s been with it ever since. This was a great year to celebrate Alan, and we did so before we opened, and there’s a bit of a passing of the torch,” Shaw said. “Things like this have to have a plan to go forward, because none of us lasts forever. We’ve got a great new group of people who are gonna be picking it up, and we’re very excited to keep it going.”
Rammer says he is proud of the event he championed and brought to Ocean Shores 40 years ago.
“It’s wonderful. A lot of people have been telling me how much they enjoy it, how much they’ve been learning, and I’m at a stage now where I’m getting ready to let it fly after 40 years,” Rammer said. “So it’s kind of like watching a child grow up. The stumbles, the falls, and everything, and now this blossoming as it has. I’m at a good point to walk away now.”
Last year, of the nearly 1,000 floats released, 450 were returned for entry into the contest. This year, of the just over 900 floats released, approximately 500 were brought back to the Convention Center.
“The event keeps growing, and I think Saturday was the biggest day I’ve seen in my experience, which dates back to 2016,” Shaw said.
