Port Angeles Events for December

Port Angeles, the largest town on the Olympic Peninsula, has a couple events taking place next month you may want to attend.

Port Angeles Farmer’s Market

Attending the Farmer’s market in the morning is a great way to start the day. Buy a steaming hot cup of coffee, peruse the different food stuffs for sale from local farms and artisans. Pick out something delicious to for dinner and surprise your family. Then, stop by one of our member wineries for some Washington wine to complement the meal.

Veggies from local producer Nash’s Farm. Photo courtesy of Devon Beck.

The market takes place from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. every Saturday, year round. Other items for sale include Fair Trade organic coffee, organic bread, produce, eggs, jams and honey, unique handcrafted candles, soaps, hats, baskets, pottery, scarfs, tie-dye.

Second Weekend Art Event

For a small and somewhat remote town, Port Angeles has its fair share of artists. On the second Friday of every month, the galleries hold openings and shows to kick off another weekend of art events.

Saturday morning take a walk with artists Bob Stokes, Harry von Stark and others to learn more about artists’ media, methods and inspirations. Meet at the Landing Mall on Railroad the Second Saturday of the month at 11:00 a.m.

Galleries in Port Angeles

Landings Art Gallery – Located inside the Landing Mall at 115 Railroad Ave., the work of local artists is on display and for sale. Many of these same artists work in the gallery as volunteers rather than paying a large membership fee. Showing now are artists from Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, Port Ludlow, Shelton and Burlington. Paintings, jewelry, metalwork and woodwork are some of the media for sale.

Studio Bob – Located at 118 1/2 E Front St., Studio Bob is an active participant in Second Weekend events. Stop by Friday night for a new art opening promoting different groups of artists.

Waterfront Art Gallery – This space is a cooperative gallery of local artists and quality crafts people. Located at 120 W. First St., Waterfront Gallery displays watercolors, oil, pastel, wood block, glass, photography, jewelry, pottery, magnets and cards.

Do you know what goes perfect with art? Wine. That’s why they serve it at every opening! Learn about how wineries on the Olympic Peninsula use the best grapes from all over the state when making their products.

Fine Dining and Fine Wine on the Olympic Peninsula

Travelers to the Olympic Peninsula have long gone there to find stunning scenery, rain forests, and unparalleled outdoor activities. Back in the day few travelers expected to find great food or wine. That has changed.

A young apple presser examines a batch of apples that will soon be turned into cider at Finnriver Farm & Cidery

These days, people exploring the Olympic Peninsula come across restaurants that have been written up in the New York Times (Fins, in Port Townsend). They find hand-crafted pizza made in wood-fired stoves at Sequim’s Alderwood Bistro. They find elegant garden dining at the Cafe Garden in Port Angeles. They also find award winning Washington State Wine and cider.

When next you head to the Olympic Peninsula, be it to hike, admire views from Hurricane Ridge, or spend time in a historic seacoast town, be sure to bring your appetite. Allow time to stop by one of the Washington State wineries in Port Angeles and Port Townsend, where you may taste hand crafted Washington wine. Visit a picturesque cidery in the Chimacum Valley, and taste cider made from Washington apples. You’ll be happy you did.

Fun Film Festival in Port Townsend

Each fall, after summer crowds have thinned and locals have bid farewell to the last of the wooden boats, an expectant air lingers in Port Townsend. Summer may be over, but festivities are not. There is still something to anticipate: the Port Townsend Film Festival.

The 2010 Port Towsend Film Festival takes place September 24 – 26 at several venues around town. The heart of the festival is The Rose Theatre, a historic theater on Taylor Street. Straw bales are set up each evening in front of The Rose for outdoor screenings, and a beer garden makes the mood complete. Locals and visitors fill the street to watch the night sky come alive; children bundled in strollers stare at the screen with big eyes until sleep overtakes them. It is a magical experience.

Avid film buffs trot from The Rose to the Pope Marine building at the end of town, or up the steps to the Uptown Theatre. Screenings run all day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and most films show at least twice. Documentaries, feature films, and classics fill the program – something for every cinematic preference. Remember to take time out and rest your eyes from time to time; we suggest trip to one of the Washington State Wineries in Port Townsend.

The community of Port Townsend is warmer and more welcoming than ever during the Film Festival. Come see for yourself. While there, relax with a glass or two of Washington State Wine, and visit Sorenson Cellars, FairWinds Winery, and FinnRiver Farm and Cidery.

Celebrate Lavender Wine Tour

Summer covers the North Olympic Peninsula in numerous shades of purple as the designated Lavender Capital of North America comes abloom. Celebrating this seasonal heritage, the Olympic Peninsula Wineries invite the public to enjoy a special Lavender Wine Tour, from Saturday, July 12 to Sunday July 20. the seven artisan wineries will pour their new and current releases from 11- 5 daily. Drive the self-guided Lavender Wine Tour and experience the warm hospitality for which the wineries are known.

The wine tour kicks-off Sequim’s annual Lavender Festival, set to take place July 18-20. The festival is the largest lavender event in North America, attracting visitors from around the world each year. The Olympic Peninsula Wineries will be featured in the Wine & Beer Garden during the Festival Street Fair, with wines available for tasting or for purchase by the glass or by the bottle.

What about the kids??

Most winery tasting rooms can accomodate looked after children. Wineries in other areas have chosen to handle the situation by posting signs saying “must be 21”. The seven wineries of the Olympic Peninsula Wineries are open to you bringing your children and here are a few things you can do to make it a more enjoyable experience them:

1. Some wineries will provide some sort of beverage for underage folks and some will not. For the wineries that do not, they may be reluctant to let your toddler handle an expensive glass so she can be a “big girl”.

2. Keep them close to you while you are tasting-little people are out of the line of sight of adults whose attention is elsewhere and they can be bumped into and become overwhelmed in a sea of adult legs in a crowded tasting room.

3. Be sure it’s okay to leave them outside to run and play– there may be machinery, traffic, etc that could be dangerous to them.

4. If they have toys to keep them occupied, watch that they don’t set up a GI Joe camp in the middle of the floor where someone may trip on their toys or step on the children.

Children are almost always welcome and a little attention from their parents will make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.