Port Townsend 2012 September Festivals: Wooden Boat Fest and the Film Festival

Wooden Boat by Swedish boat builder Carl Gustav Pettersson

Walk through Point Hudson Marina in Port Townsend to see beautifully crafted wooden vessels of every type, from kayaks to three masted ships!

Two of the biggest events of the year are coming to Port Townsend, WA in September. Don’t miss these favorite cultural festivals on the Olympic Peninsula:

September 7-9, 2012 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival
This is the 36th annual festival celebrating the tradition of wooden boat building on the Olympic Peninsula. Come to downtown Port Townsend and Point Hudson Marina to see the beautiful boats, learn, sail and buy. More than 300 wooden boats will be on display. There will also be many opportunities to learn through hundreds of presentations and demonstrations offered throughout the weekend. The bustling crowds, fun activities for the kids, exciting races and live music add to the festive atmosphere of this Port Townsend maritime heritage celebration.

For more information and to buy tickets online, visit WoodenBoat.org/festival.

The magic of cinema returns to downtown Port Townsend, WA with the 13th Annual Port Townsend Film Festival this September.

September 21-23, 2012 Port Townsend Film Festival
This beloved Pacific Northwest film festival fills Port Townsend’s streets with movie lovers of all ages and tastes. It’s a wonderful block party with the added excitement of a surprise celebrity guest every year. In addition to enjoying great films, there will be informative discussion panels and talks with filmmakers, actors and writers.

Watch classic movies as well as exciting premiers of new films at different movie venues in town and on the giant screen set up in the middle of downtown. This year’s outer space theme is behind the new addition to the 2012 PT Film Fest: the Area 51 Cocktail Lounge. Area 51 at 607 Water Street will keep you “refreshed” throughout the weekend.

See the full schedule of events at PTfilmfest.com. Tickets can also be purchased online or at the venues listed on the website.

Choose local wines and ciders made by the wineries of the Olympic Peninsula during these great events! Many of the fine cafes and restaurants in Port Townsend, WA serve Olympic Peninsula wines. On your way to and from Port Townsend, stop by our Olympic Peninsula wineries. You can also take a break from the crowds and visit the local Olympic Peninsula tasting rooms.

Visit Olympic Peninsula Wineries during Labor Day Weekend 2012

As you drive along Hwy 101 during your Olympic Peninsula Labor Day weekend, the wineries in Port Townsend, Sequim and Port Angeles are right along your route.

The Olympic Peninsula is a great place to vacation any time of the year, but Labor Day is the traditional last hurrah for summer vacationers. There’s a big surge of travelers to our area, seeking that last taste of summer. What better way to taste it than to spend your Olympic Peninsula Labor Day weekend visiting our local wineries! All the wineries of the Olympic Peninsula will be open that weekend.

For quick reference, below are the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ hours during Labor Day weekend. For full information on hours throughout the year, please visit each winery’s page on this site or their respective websites.

Wind Rose Cellars: Friday 1-7 pm ~ Saturday & Sunday 1-5 pm ~ Monday 1-4 pm
Olympic Cellars: Open Daily 11 am – 6 pm
Harbinger Winery: Friday-Saturday 11 am-6 pm ~ Sunday 11 am-5 pm ~ Monday 11 am-6 pm
Finnriver Farm & Cidery: Open Thursday-Monday, 12 to 5 pm
FairWinds Winery: Friday-Monday 12 to 5 pm
Eaglemount Wine & Cider: Friday-Monday 12 to 5 pm
Camaraderie Cellars: Friday-Sunday 11 am-5 pm ~ Monday 11 am-3 pm
Black Diamond: Friday-Sunday 11am -4pm ~ Monday closed

In addition to the fun of touring our wineries, pick up some local wines for your Olympic Peninsula camping trips or hiking, kayaking and biking excursions. There are so many ways to enjoy the natural beauty of our waters and mountains. A bottle of award-winning Olympic Peninsula wine adds just the right touch when you’re looking out over the Strait Juan de Fuca, or walking among the stately old growth trees of the Hoh Rainforest.

Keep a few extra bottles to take back home or join the wine clubs to keep the Olympic Peninsula wines and fond memories flowing all year long.

From all of us at the Olympic Peninsula Wineries, we wish everyone a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend.

2012 County Fairs on the Olympic Peninsula

Flying high at the county fair.

Late summer is the beginning of the harvest season. It’s a tradition throughout the agricultural communities of the U.S. to have county fairs celebrating the bounty produced by local farms. The wineries of the Olympic Peninsula are proud to be part of the rich agricultural heritage of the North Olympic Peninsula and the counties of East Jefferson and Clallam. Every year, all of us look forward to the Jefferson County and Clallam County Fairs. The Jefferson County Fair in the eastern part of the Olympic Peninsula will be having their festivities first. Clallam’s County Fair follows the next weekend. Tickets are available at the gate or you can save on the cost by pre-purchasing your tickets.

2012 Jefferson County Fair in Port Townsend, WA
August 10-12, 2012 at 4907 Landes Street
Hours: Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. ~ Sun. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
JeffCoFairgrounds.com/JeffCo_Site/JeffCo_Fair.html

2012 Clallam County Fair in Port Angeles, WA
August 16-19, 2012 at 1608 West 16th Street
Hours: Thurs-Sat: 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (gates close at 9 p.m.) ~ Sun. 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday is Kids’ Day, so children 12 and under are FREE until 6 p.m.
Clallam.net/Fair

Both fairs will offer competitions, fun fair rides, demonstrations, live music, art shows and much more. Get an elephant ear, walk through the different exhibits of animals, foods and crafts and enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere of the local county fairs!

We highly recommend you check out both fairs since every county fair is a little different. The many different microclimates and growing conditions in our area affect the flavors of similar products. For example, the honey from one farm won’t taste the same as the honey at another farm because the bees are feeding from different kinds of flowers. It’s part of the magic of experiencing handcrafted local foods.

While you travel between fairs, be sure to stop at the wineries of the Olympic Peninsula which are located all along the route between Port Townsend and Port Angeles. It’s a perfect way to get a full taste of the local foods, ciders and wines of the Olympic Peninsula’s fields, orchards and vineyards!

Wine Pairings with Lamb Chops with Lavender & Herbs Recipe

During the 2012 Lavender Weekend in Sequim, all the Olympic Peninsula Wineries will be joining in the celebration. To whet your appetite, we’ve found a great recipe with lavender to share: Grilled Colorado Lamb Chops with Lavender. Each of the eight wineries of the Olympic Peninsula shared their recommendations of wines to go with this simple and delicious lavender and lamb dish. Try this lavender recipe and have your own tasting with a wine or cider from each winery! We also suggest taking the Olympic Peninsula Lavender Weekend Wine Tour. Each winery will have additional wine and lavender pairings to suit every palate.

For the stronger flavors of the lamb, rubbed with lavender and herbs then grilled, each winery recommended these selections from their wines…

Black Diamond Winery: Muller Thurgau. This Reisling cross is slightly sweet with spicy undertones.

Camaraderie Cellars: Merlot, with its blackberry and cherry flavors or their slightly peppery/spicy Syrah.

Eaglemount Wine & Cider: Raptor Reserve, a blend of Cab-Sauv, Merlot, and Cab Franc. Also Apple Mead or Quince Cider.

FairWinds Winery: Lemberger, an unfiltered red with mellow yet complex flavors of fresh fruit and spice.

Finnriver Farm & Cidery: Sparkling Appleblueberry, an off dry champagne method cider or the dry Artisan Sparkling Cider.

Harbinger Winery: El Jéfe, a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvédre and Petite Sirah. Or Bolero (Tempranillo + Grenache)

Olympic Cellars: Their full-bodied Syrah or the Cabernet Franc with flavors of sage, tarragon and lavender.

Wind Rose Cellars: Nebbiolo. Opening aromas of pipe tobacco and savory herbs. Cherry and plum flavors with a cranberry finish.

Be sure to take the Olympic Peninsula Lavender Weekend Wine Tour to taste these and other award-winning Olympic Peninsula wines. Many wineries and cideries will have special releases of lavender-themed creations. You can also experience Olympic Peninsula wines by visiting the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire Wine & Beer Garden at Carrie Blake Park (202 Blake Avenue in Sequim).