By Jami Makan The Drayton Harbor Days maritime festival happens this weekend, allowing Blaine and Birch Bay residents to participate in a variety of maritime-themed activities.
The festival will take place on Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4 at the Blaine Harbor Boating Center, 235 Marine Drive.
On Saturday, attendees can start the day off with a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be arts, crafts and food vendors at the Blaine Harbor Boating Center. There will also be kids’ games and a scavenger hunt, as well as model boat and steam boat displays.
Kids’ Pirate Daze will take place across the street at the Blaine Marine Park playground from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Pirates of all ages can participate in the games and shenanigans. Come in costume and join the parade at noon, with a grand finale water balloon battle at 2 p.m.
The Prestigious George Raft Race will kick off at 1 p.m. at the Blaine Harbor public boat launch. Participating teams will race homemade vessels crafted from a wide variety of materials. “The race can get quite competitive with rafts going head to head with near photo finishes,” said founding director Richard Sturgill.
On Sunday, a similar range of activities will take place, including arts, crafts and food vendors, kids’ games, a scavenger hunt, live music and model boat and steam boat displays. A pet contest will occur at 1 p.m. at the Blaine Harbor Boating Center.
As part of the annual festival, the public will have the chance to climb aboard tall ship Lady Washington after it arrives at Blaine Harbor. On Friday, August 2, vessel tours will be offered from 2 to 6 p.m. with a $5 suggested donation. There will be an evening sail from 6 to 8 p.m. ($49-55).
On Saturday, adventure sails will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m. ($49-59). On Sunday, tours will again be offered from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with an adventure sail from 2 to 4 p.m. ($49-59).
The adventure sails will feature live demonstrations, including a close-up look at traditional methods of tall ship handling. For more information and tickets, visit historicalseaport.org.
The tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain is out of service and will not be making an appearance at this year’s festival. It is undergoing critical repairs and upgrades for the remainder of the summer to ensure that it is seaworthy for decades to come.
The work will include significant welding, wiring and woodwork performed by professional shipwrights and technicians. Those who already booked Hawaiian Chieftain tickets can request a refund by calling Grays Harbor Historial Seaport at 800/200-5239.
Throughout the weekend, attendees can also enjoy rides on the historic Plover ferry from noon until 8 p.m., as well as visits to the Alaska Packers Association Museum. The museum will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. at 9261 Semiahmoo Parkway.
To learn more, and for a full schedule of activities, please visit blainechamber.com.
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