Over 1,000 people flocked to Fort Worden on Saturday, June 29, to kick off the summer in style at the third annual Port Townsend Field Day.

Presented by The Production Alliance and Fort Worden Hospitality, Field Day at Fort Worden was the summer’s kickoff event. For the first time, the festivities commenced from Littlefield Green. Traditionally, the event was held at Fort Worden Parade Grounds.  

Director of Operations Daniel Milholland explained the decision to move the event to Littlefield Green was made with accessibility in mind.

“The new location was chosen primarily for its existing infrastructure: power, a fenced-in event area, and easy access to parking. Centrum has also set up some large event tents in Littlefield Green for the summer so there is built-in weather coverage in case of showers,” Milholland said.

“It will be the first of many great events happening on the Green this summer,” he said.

The Olympic Games competitions highlighted the event. The main event was the tug-of-war battle for the ages. The yearly competition pitted teams against each other in a single-elimination battle, with the winning team taking home $1,000. A total of 10 teams competed with one another. Olympic tug-of-war rules applied, limiting each team to a total of 1,500 pounds.

Large Men of PT, led by local celebrity Large Man of PT, looked to be early favorites after defeating a team of Jefferson County Firefighters. As competition unfolded, however, a dark horse emerged. In the semifinal matchup, the rugged Large Men of PT were caught off-balance when the youthful Mother Tuggers, which quickly pulled them across the line after the whistle blew in a massive upset. Mother Tuggers would go on and win the tournament in a hard-fought final round.

Field Day also hosted several quirky summertime contests, including a raucous watermelon-eating competition, a sack race, and a super field relay race.     

Organizers said the community celebration was not just about the activities but about coming together. It featured summer activities for individuals of all ages, fostering a sense of togetherness. Throughout the event, kids had the opportunity to build houses, hop around in a bounce house, play mini golf, and more.