PORT TOWNSEND — This weekend, Port Townsend will see its past come to life at the 22nd annual Victorian Heritage Festival.
A self-guided Pub Crawl that begins at 7 tonight will kick off the festival, which will offer a variety of experiences from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Most activities will be at the American Legion Hall at the corner of Water and Monroe streets. In addition, tours will leave from the Bishop Victorian Hotel, 714 Washington St., and special teas are planned at the Commander’s Beach House, 400 Hudson St., and the Old Consulate, 313 Walker St.
Two-day general admission is $24.95. Saturday or Sunday only tickets are $20. A Grand Victoria Pass is $39.95; it provides access to the presentations, demonstrations, lecturers, viewing of the steam launches, and the exhibition hall on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the Grand Victorian Ball and a private reception at the Bishop Victorian Hotel on Saturday.
Tickets to the Grand Ball only are $15. High Tea at one of two venues is $35 and must be purchased in advance.
Tickets can be purchased online at http://2018.vicfest.org/.
Admission is free to lectures and exhibits for children 16 and younger.
“Whether people are interested in history or just a fun weekend, this is a grassroots celebration of everything that makes Port Townsend special,” said coordinator Jason Pageau of Swashbuckle Industries LLC, which is producing the festival.
“We have more offerings than ever before, with a’ la carte choices,” Pageau said. “Whatever visitors want to do, we’ve made it a festival for everyone.”
This year’s theme is “Legends of Literature.”
“From Sherlock Holmes to Alice in Wonderland and all points in between, come celebrate the literary adventures of the time and see their real-world origins,” the festival website says.
“For one weekend, among the grand old buildings and croquet lawns, the 1890s will live again.”
Walking tours
On Saturday, the festival will offer walking tours of several of Port Townsend’s historic buildings, led by local historian Grymm Dupp. The tours will leave from the Bishop Hotel at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
A fashion show featuring favorite characters from Victorian novels is scheduled at 4 p.m. at the American Legion Hall.
“We’ll also have a collection of penny-farthing bicycles on display,” on Saturday, Pageau said.
“Those are the bicycles that have a large front wheel and a smaller rear wheel, popular in the late 1880s.”
Grand Victorian Ball
The Grand Victorian Ball, the festival’s signature event, is a time to wear the Victorian era’s finest fashions. It takes place Saturday night at the Hall from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Music will be performed by Broken Dreams.
“On Sunday, there’s a 19th century fencing demonstration. For kids, we have an exhibit on boat building and there will be a singalong,” Pageau said.
A Sunday afternoon concert by Port Townsend’s Nelson’s Blood will feature “working songs from the shanties” and will support NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
An Exhibition Hall will be open both days — from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
The Commanding Officer’s Quarters at Fort Worden; the Art Deco Lighting Museum at Vintage Hardware, 2000 West Sims Way; the Rothschild House at the corner of Jefferson and Taylor streets in uptown; and the Jefferson Museum of Art & History will be open to experience the feel of the community long ago.
A Merchants Square will offer Victorian items.
A special limited edition commemorative poster is available.
Pageau suggested booking online as some of the events have already sold out.
Here is the schedule for Saturday and Sunday. Activities are at the American Legion Hall unless otherwise specified.
Saturday
• 10 a.m. — Welcoming ceremony and opening of Merchants Square.
• 10:15 a.m. — Architectural History of Port Townsend with Elizabeth Young.
• 11 a.m. — Getting around in the 1800s: Bicycles, Lamps, Bells & Whistles with Jack Sebben. Tour departs from Bishop Hotel.
• Noon — Exhibition Hall opens.
• 1 p.m. — Tour departs from Bishop Hotel.
• 2:30 p.m. — Tea by the Sea at Commander’s Beach House.
• 4 p.m. — Victorian Fashion Show. Seating opens at 3:30 p.m.
• 5 p.m. — Private reception for Grand Victoria patrons at the Bishop Hotel.
• 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. — Grand Victorian Ball.
Sunday
• 10 a.m. — Exhibition Hall opens; Merchants Square opens.
• 11 a.m. — Fencing demonstration.
• Noon —Exhibition Hall open.
• 1 p.m. — Tour departs from Bishop Hotel. Grand High Tea at Old Consulate.
• 2 p.m. — Telling the Twisted Tales of Time in the Vancouver Room at the Bishop Hotel.
• 2:30 p.m. — Tea by the Sea at Commander’s Beach House.
• 3 p.m. — Afternoon Concert: Nelson’s Blood.
For more information, see http://2018.vicfest.org/.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Jeannie McMacken can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jmcmacken@peninsuladailynews.com.
