Whether you’re a boater, wanna-be boater, or landlubber, summer is a great time to take in a maritime-themed festival. From coast to coast there are assorted maritime- or marine-themed festivals to celebrate marine heritage, seafaring traditions, maritime culture, and all manner of boats, usually concurrent with opportunities to enjoy music, food, art, beverages, and more.
One of the most notable of these is the Olympia Harbor Days extravaganza in Washington State. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, and taking place over three days every year on Labor Day weekend - August 30 through September 1 in 2024 - this free festival is a West Coast icon with notable and unique happenings. Here are some of the top things to enjoy at Olympia Harbor Days in 2024.
Tugboat Racing
Okay, you probably have to be an aficionado of tugboats to enjoy this, since we’re not talking Grand Prix-style action. But surely it’s unique, especially since this activity commemorates a tradition dating to the 1800s when local tugboats steamed out to be the first to meet a tall ship that needed to be guided into port. At Olympia Harbor Days there are two or three classes of tugboat races and you have to be out on the water (no passengers) to actually view them, either on a personal boat or with a licensed harbor tour boat. Races last approximately three hours.
Tall Ship Tours and Sails
Lady Washington is the official tall ship of Washington State. A full-size replica of the first American vessel to land on North America’s West Coast (in 1788), and the first American ship to visit Honolulu, Hong Kong, and Japan, it was featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and several other films and shows. There will be dockside tours as well as afternoon short sails priced from $40 to $90.
Historic Steamer Cruising and Viewing
Designated a National Historic Landmark, the Virginia V steamer is the fifth and last of the Virginia line of Mosquito Fleet vessels providing transportation of goods and people throughout Puget Sound by the West Pass Transportation Company. The Mosquito Fleet was the first ferry system in the Puget Sound region, and Virginia V made near-daily excursions from Seattle to Tacoma from 1922 to 1938. Built of local old-growth fir in 1921, it underwent a major restoration in 1995 and is docked on the south shore of Lake Union. There will be short harbor cruises priced at $25 for adults and $10 for children.
Schooner Sails
During Olympia Harbor Days, the private schooner Pterodactyl will offer five daily two-hour sails for up to six passengers from Boston Harbor Marina at a total cost of $315. Built in the 1970s of Pacific Northwest timber in Snohomish, Pterodactyl is a 58-foot gaff-rigged schooner that has been a fixture on the Salish Sea for five decades. Passengers can help hoist sails, assist with maneuvers, take the wheel, or just sit back.
Maritime Drone Show
On Friday, August 30, there will be a drone show at 9:30 PM over the Westbay of Budd Inlet. In 2023 the show featured 75 drones, and that’s impressively doubled for 2024. This up-in-the-sky viewing event is free, so check the website for more information and best viewing areas.
Olympia Harbor Days is located along the Olympia Harbor waterfront from the Port of Olympia to Percival Landing and is managed by the Olympia Kiwanis and volunteers from the South Sound Marine Heritage Association. For more information and specifics about festival activities, times, events, parking, boating, and facilities, visit the official website.
