PORT TOWNSEND – Some 300 wooden boats of all shapes and sizes are expected to gather in the Victorian seaport of Port Townsend this coming Friday for North America’s largest wooden boat festival.
The Wooden Boat Festival, which was canceled in 2021 because of concerns over COVID-19, will offer some 100 presenters and 50 exhibitors during three days of boat races, demonstrations, presentations, music, dancing, special activities and a variety of food at the Point Hudson Marina.
Hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with music and dancing until midnight Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11.
Tickets can be purchased now online at www.woodenboat.org. They also can be purchased at the main gate. Those purchased online can be picked up at Will Call at the main gate.
Single-day tickets are $25, with discounts to $20 for seniors 65 and older, students 13 to 18 and active military personnel with ID. Three-day tickets are $50 with discounts to $40 for seniors, students and military personnel. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.
Tickets provide access to all festival boats, almost all daytime presentations and demonstrations, exhibitors, music performances, children’s activities and food vendors.
A portion of ticket sales supports the year-round programs and events at the Northwest Maritime Center.
Tickets also are needed for the Race to Alaska Blazer Party, a finish line party for the race that was held in June. Racers are expected to attend the gathering set from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the Northwest Maritime Center.
World records will be recognized, awards — such as the Dirtbag Award given those with the cheapest boat — will be given out and details will be announced for next summer’s race.
Special workshops with well-known boating experts Nigel Calder and Lin Pardey are planned on Thursday and Friday. The four workshops are an extra charge and space is limited.
Some attractions will be new for festival-goers.
• A Green Boating stage and Innovation Marketplace will be a place to learn about everything from solar and electric power to eco-friendly paints, and how to dramatically reduce the climate and marine ecosystem impacts of boating.
• A new Woodworking Tent will allow visitors to immerse themselves in woodcraft—vendors, presentations, demos, and a wood plankton art installation.
• A glimpse of the maritime history of Croatia will be available through visiting the boat shop to see the newly-constructed batana — a Croatian flat-bottom fishing skiff which is a variant of design once common to the Northern Adriatic and learn from its builders.
For more information, see www.woodenboat.org, on Facebook @WoodenBoatFoundation and on Instagram @WoodenBoatFestival. t Sound Info Follow us:
