Road Trip: Port Townsend Boat Show and Film Festival

Why a trip to Port Townsend for September's Boat Show and Film festival is a must

By Madeline Lootens August 3, 2015

0915roadtrip_0

This article originally appeared in the September 2015 issue of Seattle magazine.

[addtoany]

WHERE:Port Townsend, a picturesque maritime city on the Olympic Peninsula.

WHY: Because Port Townsend is great anytime, but even better when there’s a boat show or film fest.

WHAT, PART 1: Since 1979, the Wooden Boat Festival (9/11–9/13; Point Hudson; nwmaritime.org) has celebrated Port Townsend’s historic past as a thriving seaport. This year, the party features hundreds of elegant old-school vessels, workshops on everything from sail making to varnishing, tales of epic sea journeys, beer, bands and chances to hit the water in style. Join the crew aboard a replica of Captain George Vancouver’s longboat, perhaps? Keep the kids busy with costumed treasure hunts, crafts and rides (the carousel is free all weekend). WHAT, PART 2: Return two weeks later for the Port Townsend Film Festival (9/25–9/27; various locations; 360.379.1333; ptfilmfest.com).

This year, more than 80 films will be shown in theaters around Port Townsend’s National Historical District. Kick back and relax on straw bales when Taylor Street becomes a “theater,” and catch special guests Beau Bridges and Chris Cooper as they bring some Hollywood stories and prestige to this small-town fest.

 

Follow Us

Summer of Aquatic Bliss

Summer of Aquatic Bliss

Dive into diverse delights

To celebrate this summer of aquatic bliss, we rounded up providers that deliver all the nautical thrills at a fraction of the overhead. Along the way you can also encounter indigenous lands, marine mammals, and distant islands...

Food Flight

Food Flight

The best portable meals to grab on the way to Sea-Tac

Crunching through a fresh bánh mì at the far end of Terminal C at Sea-Tac International Airport or unwrapping an oversized cemita during boarding sits just at the edge of acceptable airport behavior. Not because someone shouldn’t be able to enjoy some of Seattle’s finest sandwiches or slices en route, but simply because...

Hidden Washington: Leavenworth All Year

Hidden Washington: Leavenworth All Year

This Bavarian-style village in the Cascade Mountains offers more than just Oktoberfest and Christmas celebrations

Beyond the beer and bratwurst and lively seasonal celebrations — notably Oktoberfest with a “K” and Christmas with a heaping dose of Nutcrackers — Leavenworth is a fabulous place to spend a long weekend...

Got to Get to California

Got to Get to California

The state’s stunning beauty is on full display in these pastoral midsize cities

Just like the 1987 Seattle Supersonics, California has a Big Three. Xavier McDaniel, the “X-Man,” is Los Angeles, flashy and often spectacular...