Lady Washington tall ship returns to Blaine Harbor for maritime festival

Blaine’s annual Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival is back Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 for a pirate-themed weekend with events for the whole family (pets included). The Lady Washington tall ship will make its post-pandemic return to Blaine, which will be its only stop in Whatcom County for the year.

The Lady Washington will arrive before the festival on Thursday, August 3 and remain docked at Blaine Harbor through Sunday, August 6. The crew aboard Lady Washington will offer self-directed dockside tours open to the public by donation.

For a more immersive experience, tickets are available online for a two-hour trip around Boundary Bay or longer voyages ranging from seven to 16 hours. For more information or to get tickets, visit historicalseaport.org.

The official festival begins at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Blaine Chamber of Commerce will sponsor two days of crafts, vendors, games, and a scavenger hunt from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Blaine Harbor Boating Center, 235 Marine Drive. Members of the Northwest Steam Society will be in attendance with their collection of steamboats available for public viewing at Blaine Harbor. A few steam cars may be spotted going up and down Marine Drive.

Travel across the street to the Marine Park Playground on Saturday for the Pirate Daze children’s celebration sponsored by the Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2. Concessions will be sold for $1 and there will be a photo opportunity with a mermaid. The annual pirate parade and costume contest will start around noon. 

The Blaine Community Theater will present the “Pirates of Penzance” water balloon show in 30-minute intervals, sharing the stage with Blaine Public Library’s storytime. The Pirate Daze finale water balloon fight will start at 2 p.m.

Attendees can return to the boating center on Sunday for more arts, crafts and food vendors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Pirate Pet contest, a community favorite, will start at 1 p.m. To register, participants can visit the Blaine Chamber of Commerce information booth with their dog, cat or other costumed pet.

“It doesn’t take long, about a half an hour, but it gathers quite a crowd, and it’s a lot of fun,” said chamber volunteer Carroll Solomon, recalling one year when a rooster with plenty of personality took first prize.

This year, even though the historic Plover passenger ferry won’t be operational for trips between Blaine Harbor and Semiahmoo Spit, the celebration stretches to Semiahmoo Park, where the Alaskan Packers Association Museum will be open from 1-5 p.m. during the weekend. Stop by to learn about the historic and influential fishing practices of the region. 

For more information on the event or volunteer opportunities, call the Blaine Chamber of Commerce at 360/332-6485.