Port Townsend, Washington is hosting the 48th annual Wooden Boat Festival. Last year’s event featured women in boat building, and this year’s theme goes even further inviting shipwrights from around the world to speak and host demonstrations about their craft.
“We’re celebrating shipwrights this year and really shining a spotlight on them,” said Barb Trailer, festival director. “I don’t know if that’s ever happened before, and oh my god is it hot.”
The festival will feature shipwrights such as Jim Davis from the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Clem Mollier and Betzy Shell from the National Museum of the Royal Navy in the UK and Graham McKay from Lowell’s Boat Shop, the oldest working boat shop in the US dating back to 1793.
“We had a lot of sailing heroes throughout the years,” said Trailer. “Famous people who were authors and out sailing around the world in engineless boats.” She says it’s high time shipwrights join the festival’s headliners.
Hands-on workshops are a standout part at Port Townsend’s Wooden Boat Festival.This year will be one of the biggest celebrations yet in 48 years. With more stages running later than ever.
“There’s so much more going on,” said Trailer. “Every day has its own loveliness about it.”
The festival kicks off Thursday night as boaters get settled in the docks. All weekend, their boats will be available to explore between the presentations, workshops and movie screenings. The event also hosts live music, a parade, scientific demonstrations and hands-on weaving and woodworking to turn any mariner into an expert member of the cruising community.
The Wooden Boat Festival will be at Port Townsend’s waterfront by the Point Hudson Breakwater September 5 to 7, the first weekend of the month.