Wooden boats on the water

It’s that time of year again, when some 10,000 people are expected to converge on Port Townsend for the Wooden Boat Festival. It’s enough people that Washington State Ferries will be operating a second ferry for the duration of the event, which starts on Friday, Sept. 6, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 8.

The event includes 300 boats, 100 presenters and 50 exhibitors. Boat tours, presentations and demos happen all weekend. 

Among this year’s highlights are special guests from the Haida Nation, who will host a presentation on the resurgence of Haida sail-making, and Women in Boatbuilding (WIBB), an international community that supports and inspires women in the boatbuilding industry. Hardanger Maritime Centre, Norway’s national maritime museum, is bringing a delegation to demonstrate traditional ropemaking.

The Sound and West Shore, by Indigenous storytellers and filmmakers Children of the Setting Sun Productions, will be screened Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6:30 p.m. A special exhibition that tells the stories of the many Black whalers, commercial mariners, fishers, explorers, soldiers and sailors who traveled along the Pacific Coast from the 16th century. Less formal happenings include the gathering at the new jetty on Thursday, Sept. 5, before the official start of the festival, when people collect to watch boats come in.

Brinnon’s ‘Meet the Candidates’

The North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a non-partisan “Meet the Candidate” question-and-answer event from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, at Camp Parsons in Brinnon. Invited candidates include Heather Dudley-Nollette, Ben Thomas, Mike Chapman, Marcia Kelbon, Matt Roberson, Adam Bernbaum, Terry Roberts and Steve Tharinger. A moderator will present pre-curated questions to the candidates running for office, and time their replies and responses, followed by an open question-and-answer period with the audience, capped off by half an hour of socializing and informal conversation, with refreshments. It’s the first such event held by the North Hood Canal Chamber. For more information, email emeraldtowns@gmail.com or call 360-765-4999.

Whidbey invites visitors to Greenbank Farm 

The second annual Harvest Faire, at the historic 150-acre Greenbank Farm, hosts local artisans, farmers, nonprofit organizations, chefs and musicians from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8

Activities and entertainment at the free event will include hay rides, games on the lawn, a beer garden and food, local music and artisans, children’s crafts, flower farm tours, native plant education, a marine touch tank and a pie-eating contest at 2 p.m. Greenbank Farm is in central Whidbey Island, at 765 Wonn Road, Greenbank, WA 98253. The Port of Coupeville serves as caretaker of the Coupeville Wharf and Greenbank Farm, which hosts a variety of hobby gardeners and several small businesses.