Every year hundreds of wooden boats of all shapes and sizes gather in Washington’s most beautiful Victorian seaport for North America’s largest wooden boat festival.
This year’s festival, September 8-10, 2023, will feature boat races, special demonstrations, presentations, music, dancing, and no shortage of great food. Indeed, the Wooden Boat Festival is a weekend of endless fun for all ages!
New this year, Festival-goers will enjoy:
- Headliner Arshay Cooper presents his film, “A Most Beautiful Thing” on Saturday night, followed by a Q&A. Inspired by Cooper’s 2015 memoir, “A Most Beautiful Thing” is a 2020 documentary chronicling the history of the first US African American public high school rowing team, composed of young men from the West Side of Chicago, many of whom were in rival gangs.
- Hands on woodworking projects: make a wooden pen, cheese board, or small bowl, and get a feel for working with wood. More experienced woodworkers can challenge themselves by practicing dovetail joinery.
- The world of wooden boats is becoming more diverse over time in terms of race, ability, gender, veteran status, and more. At our new “Future of Maritime” area, you can meet leaders who are building a better, more inclusive maritime industry.
Traditional favorites will also be available:
- More than 80 demonstrations and presentations across 8 stages.
- A myriad of ways to get on the water on sailboats, longboats, paddleboards, and more.
- Tons of family-friendly activities like kids’ boatbuilding, Gyotaku fish printing, sea shanty sing-alongs, and a pirate parade.
- Great local music, bars, food and vendors.
- Hundreds of wooden boats to tour and thousands of wooden boat enthusiasts to meet!
The Festival runs September 8-10, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM with music and dancing until midnight, and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Tickets are available here. Find out more at www.woodenboat.org, on Facebook @WoodenBoatFoundation, and on Instagram @WoodenBoatFestival. A full schedule is now available online.
