Admire the Beauty of Handcrafted Boats

In Festival Highlights on August 24, 2023
In the last few years, we’ve seen a wonderful resurgence of craftsmanship. More and more people are building small handmade boats—putting their love and care into creating something beautiful with
Featured image for “Admire the Beauty of Handcrafted Boats”

Historic Thunderbird Sailboats #1 and #2

In Festival Highlights on August 1, 2023
By Guy Hoppen Thunderbird #1, launched in November of 1958 and known as Number 1 or Thunderbird, and Thunderbird #2, named Pirouette and launched in August of 1959, will be
Featured image for “Historic Thunderbird Sailboats #1 and #2”

First time at Festival?

In Festival Highlights on July 26, 2023
The Wooden Boat Festival is a celebration of boatbuilding skills, craft, education, and adventure. There are hundreds of wooden boats of all shapes and varieties, hands-on demonstrations and presentations, activities for kids,
Featured image for “First time at Festival?”

A Smile on the Sea: Allen and Sharie Farrell’s China Cloud is still riding high

In Festival Highlights on July 19, 2023
By Dan Rubin Sometime in the mid-1970s, Allen and Sharie Farrell, renowned for their hand-built sailing vessels and offshore adventuring, were living in a little cedar shake floathouse in False
Featured image for “A Smile on the Sea: Allen and Sharie Farrell’s China Cloud is still riding high”

Arshay Cooper and “A Most Beautiful Thing” to Headline Wooden Boat Festival 2023!

In Festival Highlights on July 5, 2023
Join us on Saturday night at Festival for a special cinematic experience as we present A Most Beautiful Thing with Arshay Cooper—the movie’s inspiring protagonist—on-site to hold a Q&A session
Featured image for “Arshay Cooper and “A Most Beautiful Thing” to Headline Wooden Boat Festival 2023!”

Jake’s Fave Five

In Festival Highlights on August 24, 2022
Before he was hired here (and helped us improve event security), Northwest Maritime Center Executive Director Jake Beattie brought boats, volunteered, and snuck into Wooden Boat Festival for the better
Featured image for “Jake’s Fave Five”

The Harbormaster’s Picks

In Festival Highlights on August 22, 2022
Header photo by Mitchel Osborne Harbormaster, Daniel Evans, has scoured over every boat application—learning about each vessel and filling this year’s harbor with wooden boats from near and far. Through
Featured image for “The Harbormaster’s Picks”

Get inspired at the Adventure Stage!

In Festival Highlights on August 17, 2022
Header photo by Thomas Hawthorne We have an epic line-up of speakers on the new Adventure Stage across the harbor in the newly renovated Pygmy building. Some of the speakers
Featured image for “Get inspired at the Adventure Stage!”

A Member of the Family: Wooden Boats and the Legacy of Ownership

In Festival Highlights on August 4, 2022
By WBF staff As anyone with a wooden boat will tell you, owning one is like having another member of the family. A little high-maintenance, yes, but strong and beautiful,
Featured image for “A Member of the Family: Wooden Boats and the Legacy of Ownership”

Building a batana: a symbol of Croatian heritage takes shape in Gig Harbor

In Festival Highlights on July 26, 2022
Michael Vlahovich says “from design to construction, from launch to adventure, from maintenance to restoration, wooden boats are what maritime stories are made of.” A master shipwright, commercial fisherman, and
Featured image for “Building a batana: a symbol of Croatian heritage takes shape in Gig Harbor”

Get all the Festival News

We will send you our latest insights from the festival as they are released.