PORT TOWNSEND — The 45th annual Crafts by the Dock was well received this weekend by both visitors and vendors despite heavy winds disrupting part of its run.
Crafts by the Dock is one of four major fundraisers for the Port Townsend Arts Guild and coincides with the always popular Wooden Boat Festival.
“[Saturday] was just a lesson in letting go,” said Christine Azula Phillips of Azula by Design on Vashon Island. “I broke a mirror and a lot of people lost inventory.”
Gerry Guertin of Salish Sea Designs in Poulsbo said the wind made the whole experience a little less fun.
“It kind of defeats the spirit of it if you’re just worried about keeping everything on the ground,” said Guertin.
Upbeat weather
However, Sunday found most of the artists still in good spirits and the sunny and calm weather made up for Saturday’s stressful evening.
“I’ve done this for three years and this year is a little smaller, but it’s also been the best of the three,” said Guertin.
Jean Lambert, visiting from Penzance, England, said she has attended this festival for more than 20 years and enjoys it every time.
“I nearly always buy something,” said Lambert. “It’s always lovely and there’s so much work here that’s just beautiful.”
This year’s festival featured artists from all over the Northwest selling everything from handmade candles to T-shirts to salsa spices out of white tents that lined Madison Street.
Just a block from the Wooden Boat Festival the craft fair drew quite the crowd Saturday, which was also the busiest day for the boat festival.
“Yesterday it was just packed,” said Jean Gruver from San Jose, Calif. “Today is just a nicer population density.”
The fair is the largest fundraiser for the Arts Guild, which uses the money raised to host art-related events around town and donates up to $2,000 a year to local college-bound students looking to study the arts.
“It’s a local show and it’s for a good cause,” said Marla Streator of Nimbus Candels in Port Townsend.
Streator said she’s been attending the festival for more than 20 years.
“There’s just a lot of unique work, especially some of the hats,” said Karin Gruver who was visiting the art fair for the first time from Gig Harbor.
“Especially today; you can’t beat the weather so the whole experience has been a 10.”
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5550, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
