UPDATE | Wooden Boat Festival sets sail once again this September

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The Northwest Maritime Center has announced it is planning for the Wooden Boat Festival’s triumphant return this September as long as things continue to improve pandemic-wise.

The annual event will feature hundreds of wooden boats, more than a hundred presenters, and 50 or so exhibitors over three days of festivities in Port Townsend.

Northwest maritime Center’s executive director Jake Beattie said it’s not a cheap decision to have to make — canceling an event the size of the Wooden Boat Festival — should COVID-19 cases resurge and prompt additional restrictions.

But the risk, he added, was worth the potential reward of a festival.

“To me right now, it feels like things are getting better about as fast as they were getting worse last year,” Beattie said.

“A month ago I don’t think we would’ve made this call. As our county is leading the state in vaccinations and the nation in general is trending pretty well,” he said.

Beattie added that the center is continuing to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 variants but overall trends suggest lessened restrictions come summertime.

“We’ll know more as things keep moving,” Beattie said. “If we’re to believe that it’s going to be Fourth of July like normal, then it’s probably going to be safe to put on a Wooden Boat Festival.”   

According to the center, organizers are preparing COVID safety protocols to be at the ready, should they be called for.

The announcement even drew the attention of local elected officials.

County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour noted the news from the Northwest Maritime Center during the county commissioners’ meeting Monday.

The center is moving forward with plans for the festival, “with lots of precautions in place,” she said. “That was a big decision for them,” Eisenhour said.

Port Townsend City Manager John Mauro said he “could barely wait” to see the return of the Wooden Boat Festival this year.

“I’m thrilled to hear that the NWMC is charting a course to bring Wooden Boat back in September!” Mauro said in response to the announcement. “I’m only months older than the Wooden Boat itself, so my family and I are very eager to celebrate this long-standing and quintessential Port Townsend celebration. Events like Wooden Boat define and sustain our community in more ways than one — it is my hope that our strong efforts getting through the pandemic will translate into a real reward for all of us in being able to safely gather, learn, and celebrate together,” he said.

The 45th Wooden Boat Festival is planned for
Sept. 10 through Sept. 12.