PORT TOWNSEND — It’s tempting to define this weekend’s Boomfest as a reiteration of hippie celebrations of the ’60s, but that belies deeper roots that honor Port Townsend’s history.
The third annual Boomfest begins this evening with a bike parade from Aldrich’s Market, a Mexican-style potluck and a DJ dance party on property at 1620 S. Discovery Road.
It continues Saturday and Sunday with events that include a jousting contest complete with protective armor, a Chautauqua — featuring speakers, teachers, musicians and entertainers — and live music performed by a half-dozen local musicians.
Get together
“Humans like to get together and have a good time. That’s not unique to Port Townsend,” said festival coordinator Danny Milholland.
“Even in the 1900s, James G. Swan and Chief Chetzemoka threw big clambakes where 1,200 people showed up.
“This is in part inspired by those old parties.”
Billed as the P-Town Throwdown, Milholland expects perhaps 400 to 500 people to attend the three-day festival on 10 acres just south of town.
A throwdown event invites participants to bring personal items to “throw down” or give away.
Milholland said he hopes people will bring handmade crafts or arts as well as other items they want to share.
“Not everybody gets it [the throwdown concept],” Milholland said.
“Sometimes, there’s some awesome things like crafts pieces. We want people to bring things that are meaningful for their lives.”
The festival does elicit images of hippie festivals, and that’s OK with Milholland, who said many of the volunteers working on organizing the three-day event grew up in hippie households.
“We grew up with hippie parents, but people put hippies in a small box,” he said.
“They were fishermen and craftsmen and not a bunch of flakes but proactive and very community-oriented.”
Milholland said festival-goers are strongly encouraged to ride their bikes to the event, both for environmental reasons and to address paucity of parking at the site.
Two bike parades
Two bike parades are planned — both leaving from Aldrich’s Market, 940 Lawrence St. — one at 6 p.m. today and another at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The bike rides, sponsored by The ReCylery, could include several dozen bicyclists pedaling the four or so miles to the site.
Those who do bike get a free raffle ticket for the Olympic Basket, which will include items brought by participants.
The community event grew out of an idea Milholland and friends had three years ago to throw a party.
It soon grew too large for indoors, so they moved outdoors to the current site.
An estimated 500 people showed up last year, and this year’s event promises to at least equal that amount.
Several dozen local businesses have made in-kind donations for the festival, while perhaps 100 people are involved in planning and organizing the festival.
“There’s a lot of people making it a success,” Milholland said.
Huge collaboration
“It’s a huge collaboration in the community, and we want it to grow that way so the weight of it isn’t on any one person.”
The potluck and dance this evening also feature a flock of piñatas — dozens of bird-shaped piñatas ready for whacking.
A Chautauqua takes place at 3 p.m. Saturday, with other events planned throughout the day — such as a human crop circle and a jousting tournament.
“The Chautauqua is a tradition where local elders and poets and entrepreneurs and political candidates and spiritual leaders talk and share their ideas,” Milholland said.
The idea dates to the late 1900s and takes its name from the first event held at Chautauqua Lake in New York.
Jousting
The jousting tournament is a new feature this year and features combatants with 8-foot poles standing in handmade carts, pushed by their squires.
All entrants must wear armor, which will be examined by festival organizers. They must also sign waivers in case of injury.
“It’s pretty safe,” Milholland said. “They wear armor and shields, and our guys will check out the armor. They’ll use 8-foot dowels with huge foam pads on the ends.”
The event is provided free of charge, though donations will be gratefully accepted to help offset various costs to put on the festival such as rental of portable bathrooms, Milholland said.
Limited parking is available for a $5 fee, though, but that’s to encourage people to bicycle or carpool, he said. Festival-goers may also bring tents and sleeping bags for the weekend.
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Philip L. Watness is a freelance writer and photographer living in Port Townsend. He can be reached at whatnews@olypen.com.
