The first Wooden Boat Festival (WBF) in North America in 1978 at Port Townsend eventually joined with Northwest Maritime Center in 2005 to continue to engage and educate people in traditional maritime culture and to inspire people to adventure on the sea–the most powerful teacher you may ever know!
Today, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival at Point Hudson is the largest wooden boat festival in North America. It’s a place where kids and adults alike experience the magic of getting on the water, the beauty of wooden boats, and the richness of our maritime culture. Learn from the experts, swap stories with fellow wooden boat aficionados, and bring your family for a weekend they’ll never forget. Prepare to experience it all yourself: the boats, the craftsmanship, the community, the celebration.
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Braided red nylon boat line tied to gray cleat on dock at Des Moines, Washington marina
Virtual: Wooden Boat Festival winter series 2021
When it’s cold and COVID outside, join the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival online for this unique Zoom experience with many of your favorite boating experts from across the country and all over the world!
The winter series includes interviews, demos, and videos. Visit with experts on the east and west coasts, pop down to Mexico and Costa Rica, and over to New Zealand. In each session, there will be a Q&A session with plenty of time to ask your burning questions– from the comfort of your home!
Join just one session (see schedule below). Or get all 8-session, PLUS enjoy on-demand viewing to all 8 sessions through April 15, 2021!
- Series of 8-sessions + on-demand access thru April 15, 2021: $30.
- Single session: $5.99 (no on-demand access).
More info: Wooden Boat Festival | Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival
Winter series “Ask an Expert” schedule
- JAN 6 LIN PARDEY at home in New Zealand covering the America’s Cup, Larry’s memorial, and planning her next sailing trip.
- JAN 20 DOUGLAS BROOKS. Building a Boat the Japanese Way: learning silently, no written plans, and the differences between Eastern and Western techniques.
- FEB 3 BEHAN & JAMIE GIFFORD. Pandemic Cruising in Mexico. Free to move about! Currently in Mexico, Behan and Jamie share knowledge for cruising during the pandemic.
- FEB 17 CHRIS CHASE & SUSAN SHILLINGLAW. Behind the Scenes of the Western Flyer Project: the charming backstory about the bandsaw that built the boat twice, partnering with surfboard builders, and more.
- MAR 3 ANDY STEWART & PAUL BIEKER. Designing a Performance Daysailer. From concept to sailing in one year—Paul Bieker of Bieker Boats and Andy Steward of Emerald Marine take you through the process.
- MAR 17 ERNIE BAIRD & DIANA TALLEY. Estimation and Precision in Boatbuilding. When to go fast and when to go slow. Ernie and Diana share their boatbuilding wisdom and experience: when you can estimate and when precision is imperative and non-negotiable.
- MAR 31 JOHN WELSFORD. Turning a Dream Into Reality. All about boat design—from working up a design brief to translating that into plans to produce a craft that will fit the clients needs and resources.
- APR 7 DANIELLE DOGGETT. Ceiba: Building a Cargo Ship in the Jungles of Costa Rica. The amazing story of building Ceiba: carbon-neutral shipping, sustainability, and making the world a better place.
Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival photo by Mitchel Osborne
Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend
Enjoy 3 days of boats, presentations, exhibits, family activities, and fun on the water!
When: September 10-12, 2021. Friday-Saturday 9:00 AM–6:00 PM (plus live music until midnight). Sunday 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Location: Port Hudson Marina at Port Townsend, WA (55 miles NW via Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry or 78 mi. N of Tacoma). Overnight accommodations can be hard to find. Try: ptguide.com and enjoypt.com.
Paid parking:
- Memorial Field. Friday or Sunday: $15. Saturday: $25. Proceeds support the maintenance and operation of Jefferson County Parks & Recreation. Walk two blocks to the festival.
- Haines Place Park & Ride. Friday-Sunday: $1 dollar for an all-day pass. Two miles from the festival; shuttles run all day Friday and Saturday and half a day on Sunday.
Tickets: Adult: 1-day $20 or 3-day $40.
More info: https://woodenboat.org/
But wait, there’s more!
- Find more boat shows, maritime events, and waterfront festivals.
- Find the latest free and cheap things to do this weekend.
- And here’s a list of 101+ always free things to do for fun.
- Find free and cheap things to do every day on the Greater Seattle on the Cheap calendar.
- Visit the Greater Seattle on the Cheap home page and choose from a menu of free and cheap activities in the Puget Sound region.
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Upcoming Boat Shows, Waterfront Festivals, and Maritime Events
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Friday, April 16, 2021
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Monday, April 19, 2021
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