South Sound Maritime Heritage Association (SSMHA) successfully reaches its 50th-year presentation of Olympia Harbor Days Maritime Festival (OHD), Labor Day weekend starting Friday, September 1 at 3 p.m. and closing Sunday, September 3 at 6 p.m. SSMHA also announces the opening of an outdoor exhibit of the History of the Logos of Olympia Harbor Days in the 48 windows of 108 State St, Olympia.
The maritime heritage festival takes place along Olympia’s Downtown Budd Inlet Waterfront Boardwalk from historic Percival Landing to the Port of Olympia’s Port Plaza Park. This year’s event continues highlighting the traditions of Puget Sound’s vintage tugboat races and shows, along with historic ships, tribal activities, four makers markets, live entertainment, kids activities, and two food G’Alleys, all weekend.
The logo of the festival features a different tugboat annually and this year is no exception. Tugboat Chippewa, formerly known as the Roland Foss, is the 2023 Logo Tug and returned to Olympia Harbor Days after many years of absence and full restoration by owner Jeff Mincheff of Tacoma. The tug, built in 1943 is 85 feet long with a 375 horsepower diesel engine. Watch a video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyzjpd2T-18&ab_channel=SteveBloom . Learn more here https://tugchippewa.com/gallery%2Fvideo
The fleet of OHD will comprise tugboats built from the early 1900s through the 1970’s range in size from 25 feet to over 145 feet long, with many racing in the deep channel on Sunday starting at noon. Tugboat skippers offer a climb aboard show on Saturday and on Sunday if not racing. Oregon Public Broadcasting will be on hand to film a feature of the vintage tugboats for their Oregon Field Guide Program. Lady Washington, Washington State’s Tall Ship, will be arriving mid-week and the historic Mosquito Fleet Steam-Ship Virginia V should be cruising the South Sound arriving Friday in time for the start of the festival. Both ships will offer dock-side touring and harbor sailings and tours of Budd Bay. Other wooden and hand-crafted boats will also be moored at the docks and local small-craft recreational clubs will have their crews on hand and will offer on-water experiences.
While plans are still being made, visitors can count on an amazing and fun time shopping the unique maker's markets, international food vendors including seafood, informational and demonstration maritime booths as well as mini tugs and remote-controlled displays. Tugboats will also be created in sand, stone, and wood by some of Olympia’s creative sculpture teams.
Kids engage in hands-on activities including a LEGO Harbor Build, a marine science area with a touch tank offered by the Puget Sound Estuarium; and a tugboat make-race-take activity with the award-winning Olympia Hands on Children’s Museum, puppet shows, and more. This family-friendly event offers plenty of photo ops and memories to be made.
Online registration is currently open for Skippers wishing to participate with their vintage tugs or other historic vessels and for all categories of vendor and food booths but the event is just about sold out so hurry.
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