NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, May 27.
BRINNON — The annual Brinnon ShrimpFest is one occasion when this tiny South Jefferson County hamlet becomes huge.
“This has been growing each year,” said Phil Thenstedt, president of Emerald Towns Alliance, which is sponsoring the event.
“This year, we have a solid lineup for music, kids’ entertainment, more vendors than we’ve had in the past and a lot of arts and crafts.”
Less exciting but more essential, parking capacity has been increased, he said.
The 23rd annual festival will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
It will be between Yelvik General Store at 251 Hjelvicks Road and the Cove RV Park & Country Store at 303075 U.S. Highway 101.
Admission will be $5 a day, with active military and veterans admitted free. Also admitted free will be children younger than 12 with a paying parent.
Tribute to shrimp
The festival is ultimately a tribute to the popular crustacean, the Hood Canal spot shrimp.
It will be served in several configurations, among them spot shrimp Caesar salads, paella with spot shrimp and smoked, deep-fried spot shrimp.
Attendees can purchase fresh spot shrimp for sale for $15, with as many as possible stuffed into a 1-pound container.
Belt sander races
Aside from shrimp, the festival will feature belt sander races, a wide array of arts and craft booths and food vendors, a beer garden and carnival games along with two of the most popular local musical attractions.
Locust Street Taxi, a high-energy rock band performing both originals and covers, will appear at 12:15 p.m. Saturday and at 11 a.m. Sunday while Lobo Del Mar, a multicultural music and dance troupe based in Port Hadlock, will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday.
This year, the belt sander races, cited by some as ShrimpFest’s main attraction, expands from one day to two days.
Contestants start their sanders, which are plugged into extension cords, at the top of a tilted 30-foot plank and let them fly.
The momentum yanks the cords free from the sanders and carries the machines across the finish line. The first one over the line is declared the winner.
There is no preregistration. The races are open to anyone with a belt sander.
Those who wish to participate but do not have a sander can choose from a table full of loaners.
KidZone
For the second year, the festival includes the Kid Zone, meant to recapture a past era.
Those 12 and younger are invited to play games “like the old days,” including hands-on throwing, tossing things with no computers allowed.
“This is a kids event run by kids,” Thenstedt said.
“The adults have stepped aside, and the kids have chosen the activities.”
Scampi Dance
New this year is the Scampi Dance, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. today at the Booster Club clubhouse, 151 Corey Lane.
Billed as a shrimp kabob barbecue, community variety show and dance, it will include a raffle of goods and services, door prizes and the crowning of this year’s grand royalty, Grammi and Grampi Scampi.
Entertainment is provided by the Greased Lightning Show, a vintage rock ‘n’ roll combo and pre-dance entertainment that features Elvis tribute artist James Reynolds.
Good weather is forecast, which Thenstedt said could mean more people.
“For the last few years, it’s rained, and that hasn’t kept people away,” he said.
“With the current forecast, we could get more people than ever.”
For more information, see www.brinnonshrimpfest.org or www.facebook.com/BrinnonShrimpFest.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
