PORT TOWNSEND — After sun, lightning and rain, the Wooden Boat Festival closed its piers after another successful turnout over the weekend.
The Wooden Boat Festival, which is put on by the Northwest Maritime Center, played host to 300 wooden vessels and held a variety of maritime-themed events throughout the weekend. Offerings included workshops, demonstrations, performances, races and awards.
On Sunday afternoon — the final day of the festival that started last Friday — all 300 vessels sailed away from Point Hudson together in a sail-by to cap off the event.
As of Monday morning, Maritime Center Communications Director Anika Colvin did not have final attendance figures for the festival, but she said that everyone she has talked to enjoyed the festival and that it was a success.
“Our feedback between staff and volunteers and just attendees was that everyone was super pleased, calling it one of the best festivals they’ve attended,” Colvin said.
The only issue that arose during the weekend was the weather, with thunder and lightning Saturday night and rain Sunday.
“I would love to change the weather,” Colvin said. “But it didn’t scare people away.”
The lightning storm Saturday didn’t disrupt the festivities at the main stage at Bar Harbor, where the bands played right through the weather and the audience enjoyed the light show from under the tent, Colvin said.
“Our Bar Harbor was just going strong with a packed house,” Colvin said. “Everyone had a great time.”
Outside of the weather being less than ideal, including rain Sunday, there were no issues that arose during the festival, Colvin said.
“It was a really well-oiled machine,” Colvin said. “It was a fun year.”
The next Wooden Boat Festival will take place on the second weekend of September 2020, starting Sept. 11, 2020, and running through Sept. 13, 2020.
“It’s one of my favorite weekends of the year and it still is,” Colvin said. “It was great.”
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5 or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
Madelyn Wagner, 4, of Vancouver, Wash., tries out the paddleboard pool at the Wooden Boat Festival with the help of her father, Ryan. (Zach Jablonski/Peninsula Daily News)
Andrew Eberting paints a fish that will be pressed onto a T-shirt for his daughter while at the Wooden Boat Festival. (Zach Jablonski/Peninsula Daily News)
