Mari F. Mullen

As part of the First Federal Community Foundation marketing grant, the Port Townsend Main Street Program invites you to explore our culinary scene through a variety of experiences. “Passport to Port Townsend” is a series of self-guided culinary events. The “Viva La Vino” wine stroll is coming May 14 through May 23. 

Some locations may focus on their expertise, while others may feature a favorite or new wine at a special price, a wine and food pairing or a wine flight. 

Participating businesses decide how to price their experiences. The goal of this experience is to re-introduce customers to the variety of wines and the different establishments which feature wine in the historic districts. See the event signs for participating locations and pick up your passport there.

Future culinary experiences include “PT Eats” from June 11 to June 20. Take the night off from cooking and tantalize your taste buds at a local eatery. 

The “Hoppy Takeover” (July 16 to July 24) spotlights the many varieties of beers served in town. Summer is the perfect time to try refreshing local beers. Visit iLovePortTownsend.com for more information.

Ongoing activities of the grant include the “Port Townsend Treasures” self-guided trivia hunt and the “Buskers on the Block” free outdoor music series. Musicians play at various spots on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. in May, plus May 31 (weather permitting). It was exciting to see KING TV at the April 15 busker performance which was included on their “Evening” television program.

Outbound advertising begins in May and June with underwriting spots scheduled for KUOW FM 94.9 FM and KNKX 88.5 FM this summer. Online ads will run in Tacoma and Olympia as well as in Crosscut, which has a state-wide readership. The schedule will complement the local media promotion on KPTZ 91.9 FM and in The Port Townsend Leader and the Peninsula Daily News. 

Other goals of the grant are to support local nonprofits’ outreach efforts as COVID phases open up. The First Federal Community Foundation grant is helping support on-site classes at Port Townsend School of the Arts over the next few months. Check out the classes at https://ptschoolofthearts.org/classes.  

The “Love Where You Live” campaign will also help support the Jefferson County Historical Society for printing interpretative materials, self-guiding tours, and family fun. See more about the Jefferson County Historical Society and the Jefferson Museum of Art and History at jchsmuseum.org.

Also in May, check out “Art Wave — Children’s Art in the Stores,” on display through May downtown and uptown. 

A number of stores have donation jars and your contributions go towards the arts in the schools program. Have fun touring Art Wave, which is a celebration of the creativity of Port Townsend’s budding artists. It is coordinated by the Port Townsend Main Street Program and PT Artscape.

Watch for Hidden History Tours coming in June.

Key City Public Theatre actors will lead free Hidden History tours twice a month. Look for some interactive fun at these whimsical yet factual tours which focus on the lesser known facts of Port Townsend’s history. 

Do you know where Port Townsend’s first settler cabin was built? Or where trained trout used to perform downtown? Find out the answers on the Hidden History tours. You might even win a small prize! 

The tours will meet at the Haller Fountain at 1 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays of the month for a casual wander through the historic districts. Sign up to receive our nonprofit’s enewsletter at ptmainstreet.org. You can also follow the Port Townsend Main Street Program on social media or visit iLovePortTownsend.com to get program updates.

We are grateful to the First Federal Community Foundation grant for the opportunity to offer these experiences and we also thank the Port of Port Townsend and Windermere Real Estate for helping sponsor the campaign. The media sponsors are The Port Townsend Leader and KPTZ 91.9 FM.

Thank you for exploring Port Townsend’s historic districts.

(Mari F. Mullen is the executive director of the Port Townsend Main Street Program.)