With the backdrop of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the fellowship of PNW wooden boat fanatics flooded Port Townsend on Friday. Come join the fun this weekend!

Hosted by the Northwest Maritime Center (48° North’s publisher), the continent’s largest wooden boat festival got underway this morning in Port Townsend, celebrating its 46th annual event. More than 10,000 people will attend over the next three days, and today’s crowds signal that it will be a big festival year. Seminars and education sessions have been standing room only, bands are already bumping in “Bar Harbor”, docks creak under the weight of the masses, and smiles extend across the faces of everyone from genuine experts to the wooden-boat-curious.

Throughout Thursday, the several hundred wooden boats on display found their places in the harbor and on the plaza. They now total about 300 and, along with more than 80 engaging presentations, are the main event. To say Point Hudson Marina is jam-packed with beautiful vessels is an understatement — each of them an exercise in art, function, and astounding commitment by their stewards.

This is a quick update from the 48° North staff about Festival’s kickoff and a few early sights, and to invite you to come join the fun this weekend in Port Townsend. Hats off to our colleagues who work all year long to put make the Wooden Boat Festival happen. It’s a joy every year, and this year is certainly no exception! And as this is being written, the sun is out, and the rest of the day is looking even brighter in every way.

The Festival runs today (September 6) through Sunday, September 8, 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 available online.