2011 Festival of American Fiddle Tunes

Don't miss the 2011 Festival of Fiddle Tunes, happening now.

The 2011 Festival of American Fiddle Tunes is underway at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, on the Olympic Peninsula. Fiddle fans have until Saturday, July 9, 2011, to enjoy some of the finest fiddlers around.

The much-anticipated Country Cajun Stomp takes place Friday, July 8, at 6 p.m. Bring a picnic and a low-back chair (if you want to rest) to the lawn at Littlefield Green and get ready for a mighty fun dance event.

The Master Hands Project: NEA National Heritage Award Winners Concert takes place at the McCurdy Pavilion on Saturday, July 9, at 1:30 p.m. Don’t miss this historic celebration of Wayne Henderson, Dudley Laufman, Marc Savoy, Paul Dahline, and Liz Carroll, with Jacqueline Laufman, Paul Dahline and Family, and John Doyle.

No trip to Port Townsend would be complete without a visit to the local Olympic Peninsula Wineries. Taste locally made Washington wine at Sorensen Cellars and FairWinds Winery. Bringing a bottle or two back home with you is a great way to remember a fine weekend at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend.

Please visit Fiddle Tunes for additional festival information.

Summer Cider Day in Port Townsend

What promises to be the first Summer Cider Day of many takes place this Saturday July 9, 2011, from 11 a.m to 7 p.m.

Ciders from all over the Northwest – including 10 local cidermakers – will be at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. They’ll pour their cider, discuss differences between the various cider styles, and generally celebrate the fermented apple. It promises to be a fun event.

Two of our member Olympic Peninsula Washington Cideries will participate: Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cider. They’ll be joined by cider makers from the Methow Valley, the Skagit Valley, the Willamette Valley, and beyond. Try one, try all.

Try Washington State Cider at the Summer Cider Day, July 9, 2011.

In addition to cider, there will be a selection of local cheeses and some fine live music. More information may be found at Summer Cider Day.

2011 Sequim Lavender Farm Faire

The 2011 Sequim Lavender Farm Faire is scheduled for the weekend of July 15-17. Plan now to be on the Olympic Peninsula then. Tour lavender farms, eat lavender-infused foods, and spend time at the faire’s new location at Carrie Blake Park at the east end of town.

Carrie Blake Park

Lavender in the Park will be the location for all things lavender and more – with the exception of the actual lavender farms. New Vendors plus vendors from past lavender weekends will have their booths in the park, surrounded by lovely open spaces where children may run and play. This is a wonderful location for the Wine and Beer Garden which will be located next to the Amphitheater along with all your favorite food vendors from past lavender festivals. The Wine and Beer Garden will be the perfect place to hang out, catch the concerts while enjoying a glass of Washington State Wine. Each of our member wineries / cideries will be pouring two wines or ciders in the garden.

Lavender in the Park will be open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Evening concerts, food booths, and the Wine and Beer Garden will be open until 9 p.m. On Sunday, Lavender in the Park will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Stand in beautiful and fragrant fields of lavender. Try lavender-infused ice cream and enter the lavender pie-making contest. Refresh yourself with a glass of Washington State Wine made on the Olympic Peninsula.

Hope to see you July 15-17, 2011 for the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire. Additional information is available at the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire website.

Join Olympic Peninsula Wineries at the 2011 Sequim Lavender Farm Faire.

Dungeness Historic Homes Tour

Visit the Old Dungeness School House on June 18, 2011.

When driving to Sequim from the Hood Canal Bridge, one travels through dense forests, past newly-planted clear cuts, and along Discovery and Sequim bays. After leaving Sequim Bay behind, one travels around a bend in the road and then suddenly the land opens up. Sequim stretches out from the foothills of the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The journey isn’t far, but it’s easy to imagine how long it must have seemed for people traveling overland before the advent of automobiles. The gently rolling prairie of Sequim must have seemed like a safe haven and the end of the journey. People accustomed to the heavy rains of the Pacific Northwest must have been happily amazed by Sequim’s sunny weather. It is no wonder people settled there.

The S’Klallam tribe had long lived in the open lands of Dungeness. White settlers moved to Sequim in the 1850s – the first “white” wedding in Clallam County dates from 1856 – and by 1868 there were enough children on the prairie to merit a school. Since then, the town has grown to about 6,000 people in the city limits.

The history of Sequim may not be immediately apparent to visitors, for in the past decades, new development has mushroomed. Yet here and there, historic buildings have been preserved. A good time to see them is during the Dungeness Historic Homes Tour on June 18th, 2011.

The Dungeness Historic Homes Tour is a self-driving tour of the following:

Dungeness Schoolhouse

Groveland Cottage

Cline House and Barn

Eberle Barn

Wheeler-Cays Barn (now a home)

Dungeness Pioneer Cemetery

Though transportation is not provided, guided tours of each site are provided. For more information and tickets, please visit the Dungeness Historic Homes Tour.

After the tour, take advantage of something that wasn’t here in the 19th century – Olympic Peninsula Washington Wines. Wine tasting is offered at several Olympic Peninsula wineries in nearby Port Angeles:

Olympic Cellars

Harbinger Winery

Camaraderie Cellars

Black Diamond Winery

Or take the long road home and swing by Port Townsend. Four Washington Wineries and Cideries in and around Port Townsend offer wine and cider tasting:

Eaglemount Wine & Cider

Sorensen Cellars

FairWinds Winery

Finnriver Farm & Cidery

Sipping hand-crafted Olympic Peninsula wine and cider is the perfect way to conclude a day of touring historic homes in Sequim.

Whale Watching and Wine Tasting

Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is one of the few places in the state where one can go whale watching and wine tasting in the same day.

Killer whales, humpback, minke, and gray whales all swim in the waters of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia. Puget Sound Express, based in Port Townsend, takes passengers out to see them all. For the past few months, gray whales have been most visible. For the next few months, orcas should be most prevalent.

A glass of Washington State Wine is just what is needed after an exhilarating day searching the waters for whales. Sorensen Cellars and FairWinds Winery are both located in Port Townsend, and both offer wine tasting. Wine and cider tasting is also available at Finnriver Farm and Cidery, located outside of town in lush Chimacum valley, and Eaglemount Wine and Cider, in the hills on the southeast banks of Discovery Bay.

The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the most majestic creatures on earth – whales. It is also home to some mighty fine wine – Washington State Wine. The Olympic Peninsula is the place to experience both.

Additional information about whale watching tours is available at Puget Sound Express.

2011 Sequim Irrigation Festival

2011 is the “One Hundred and Sweet Sixteen” Sequim Irrigation Festival. The oldest festival in the state is currently underway, and concludes Sunday, May 15. What a great excuse to drop everything and travel to the Olympic Peninsula this weekend.

Experience the 2011 Sequim Irrigation Festival, May 6-15.

Sequim Irrigation Festival Highlights:

Logging Show, Truck & Tractor Pull. May 13, 5-10 p.m., May 14, 10-5 p.m.

Strongman Showdown. May 13, 6-8 p.m.

Fireworks. May 13, 9:30 p.m.

Kids Parade. May 14, 10 a.m.

Grand Parade. May 14, noon.

Carnival. May 13-14 until 11p.m., May 15 noon to 5 p.m.

There are several Washington State Wineries close to Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula. When you’ve had your fill of parades and tractor pulls, slip away to taste locally made Washington wines at one of the wineries in nearby Port Angeles: Olympic Cellars, Camaraderie Cellars, Harbinger Winery, and Black Diamond Winery. As you head home on Sunday, allow time to try Washington wine and hard cider at Finnriver Farm & Cidery or Eaglemount Wine & Cider.

The 2011 Sequim Irrigation Festival is a wonderful tradition. Please visit the Sequim Irrigation Festival website for more information.

Cape Flattery

Cape Flattery sits at the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, on Makah land. Indeed, it is the northwestern-most point of the contiguous United States. For that reason alone, it’s worth a visit.

The Cape Flattery Lighthouse on Tatoosh Island.

It’s easier to travel to the tip of Cape Flattery than it used to be. A couple of years ago, the rough and pitted dirt road that once lead intrepid travelers 4.5 miles from Neah Bay to Cape Flattery was paved. The muddy, poorly maintained trail to the tip of Washington state was transformed into a groomed earthen and cedar plank trail. The Makah Tribe rightly decided that more people would come to Cape Flattery if it was easier to get there. Still, the journey requires a commitment – Cape Flattery is nearly 90 miles northwest of Port Angeles.

Once there, it’s worth staying a while. There are several options available. Hobuck Beach Resort on the Makah Indian Reservation offers cabins, RV camping, and tent camping. For more information, please see the Hobuck Beach Resort.

You’ll want to have a good supply of Washington State Wines with you while you’re exploring Cape Flattery and Neah Bay. Be sure to allow time for wine tasting on your journey west; there are several Olympic Peninsula Washington Wineries in Port Angeles – right on the way. Wine tasting ensures you’ll be drinking a wine you really like when you’re at the northwestern tip of the contiguous United States.

Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival

Each spring, historic Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula celebrates community and Washington’s beautiful state flower during the Rhododendron Festival. In 2011, the 76th Annual Rhododendron Festival takes place May 16-21. Rhody Fest means spring has come.

Relax in Sweet Laurette's courtyard after the Rhody Festival Pet Parade in Uptown Port Townsend.

Residents of Port Townsend and surrounding communities participate in numerous parades just for the fun of it during Rhody Fest. Everyone gets caught up in the celebratory mood while watching the great Trike Race downtown and the fancy Pet Parade Uptown. The Bed Race is one of the most entertaining and hilarious events in Washington State, while the Grand Parade is reminiscent of a bygone day. No Rhododendron Festival would be complete without the carnival that takes over Memorial Field at the end of the week.

It’s worth traveling to Port Townsend for the Rhododendron Festival. While there, we suggest you visit one or all of the Washington State wineries in and around Port Townsend. Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery are located in Port Townsend proper, while Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cellar are tucked into the beautiful land outside of town.

Bring a bottle of your favorite Washington State Wine back home with you, and when you drink it, remember the good fun you had during the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival.

A schedule of festival events is available at Rhodyfest.

Port Townsend Kitchen Tour

The kitchen has long been the heart of the home. People are drawn to the warmth of the kitchen and sustained by the meals that emerge from it. For many, the kitchen is the embodiment of the word “home”. Perhaps that’s why it’s so interesting to see other peoples’ kitchens.

The 14th annual Port Townsend Kitchen Tour takes place Saturday, April 30, 2011. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., participants may tour eight different kitchens in Port Townsend’s historic Downtown and Uptown. This is a unique opportunity to peek into some of the homes you’ve most admired in Port Townsend.

Some of the kitchens are in historic homes, updated to meet the needs of our time. Others are in new homes, and reflect current trends in design. If you’ve been considering a kitchen remodel, the Port Townsend Kitchen Tour is a fantastic opportunity to see a variety of kitchen designs, cabinetry, counter tops, and more. Plus it’s fun.

There may be no better activity after a day of kitchen touring than Washington State Wine tasting. Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery are located in Port Townsend; both offer wine tasting on the weekends. Two more tasting opportunities are just outside of town in beautiful Chimacum: Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cider.

Local Washington State Wines and Ciders are also available at The Wine Seller, on Water Street in Port Townsend.

Please visit Port Townsend Kitchen Tour for additional detail.

Wine and Cheese on the Olympic Peninsula This Weekend

It’s finally here, the weekend all wine and cheese aficionados have been anticipating for weeks. The Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour of Olympic Peninsula WA Wineries is tomorrow and Sunday, April 16 and 17, 2011.

Blue Cheese from Willapa Hills

Hire a sitter for the kids or call your closest friends – a variety of wine will be poured at the eight participating Washington State Wineries in Port Townsend, Chimacum, and Port Angeles. Each will be paired with a local cheese, and together the wine and cheese will bring out the best in each other. (more…)

Port Townsend Farmers Market Opens April 2

The Port Townsend Farmers Market is a big market for a small town. Each week, more than 70 vendors set up their stalls to sell their wares and thousands of people visit them. 40 farms sell fresh, locally grown produce. 4 artisan cheesemakers sell cheese created from locally raised sheep, goats, and cows. There are many crafts and some fine live music. One can purchase hand-crafted Washington State hard apple and pear cider and Washington State Wine. It is, in short, a gustatory paradise. (more…)

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Washington Wine

March 8, 2011, is the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. This is a day for women to come together, recognize achievements, and look toward the future. In countries all around the globe, women meet to discuss politics, business, art, and societal needs. The overriding theme for 2011 International Women’s Day is “Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.”

Join Washington State Wineries in celebrating International Women's Day.

Two Washington State Wineries on the Olympic Peninsula are owned and operated by women: Olympic Cellars and Harbinger Winery. The other six Washington Wineries / Cideries are owned and operated by families or couples.

Support local Washington State wine and women winemakers on March 8, 2011. Olympic Cellars is hosting a Women’s Day Celebration at 6 p.m. There will be freshly baked bread, homemade soup, and of course locally crafted wine and cider. 2011 will be the 10th annual Olympic Cellars community IWD celebration, and all are welcome: women, men, and children.