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Bailey Range viewed from Hurricane Ridge
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Summer Is in Full Swing on the Olympic Peninsula
Take advantage of the long days to sample something new.
Long days and starry nights invite you to linger longer on the Olympic Peninsula. We'll give you lots of good reasons to stay outdoors, from Shakespeare to drag races, historic re-enactments to fairs and festivals, low tides to night-sky viewing. With so many choices, you might need to stay an extra day or two. Whether you're on the west side or the east, the scenery on the drive from point to point will be simply stunning. Remember, the journey is half the fun.
August is peak season, so we recommend you plan ahead, make reservations before you come and stay patient. Travel early in the day when possible and enjoy your destination to the max. It's a terrific time of year to explore our scenic byways and our magnificent natural beauty by hiking, cycling, kayaking, boating, fishing or camping...or a combination of all.
Whatever you choose to do, we look forward to welcoming you to the Olympic Peninsula this summer!
Marsha Massey, Executive Director
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
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Check out what's happening on the Olympic Peninsula this month.
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Shakespeare comes to life outside this summer with exciting productions in Port Townsend at Chetzemoka Park and Port Angeles at the Webster's Woods Art & Sculpture Park. Watch with delight as local actors breathe life into characters that have withstood the test of time for over four centuries.
Shakespeare in the Park, Port Townsend
Aug. 2-25
Jealousy, glamour, ego and lies. In this contemporary version of Shakespeare's merry comedy, Key City Public Theatre presents Sir John Falstaff returning to Chetzemoka Park with plans to hustle his way to comfortable retirement by seducing two of Windsor's prominent wives.
Shakespeare in the Woods, Port Angeles
Aug. 2-4
Catch a free outdoor theatre performance of a Shakespeare classic amidst the Webster's Woods Art & Sculpture Park. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket or a low-back chair, imbibe at the beer and wine garden and enjoy the show.
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August 3
You won't want to miss this annual celebration in the small town of Joyce. Imagine rows of blackberry pies, and the tantalizing smell of summer goodness. Locals and blackberry lovers from all over stand in line for a slice of summer on a plate-pie oozing with ripe, juicy berries. Pies are baked to stringent rules-they must have only native Pacific Blackberries (Rubus Ursinus) and two crusts made from scratch. The day starts with a pancake breakfast at the Grange Hall, followed by a crafts fair, parade, music, a salmon bake, and pie... lots of pie! Happy faces abound.
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It's 1776 again at the George Washington Inn and Washington Lavender Farm, located between Sequim and Port Angeles. Join 100 re-enactors as they recreate the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Enjoy the Colonial Village and Kids' Village for demonstrations and fun activities for the whole family. You might even meet the original "First Family"!
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Summer days evoke images of local fairs from rodeo riding to the best locally grown produce to 4-H competitions or even dancing in the streets to the sounds of live music. The Olympic Peninsula is sure to please with small town fun. Check out these summer fairs:
August 9-11
Meet farm animals up close. Cheer on riders as they put their horses through their paces. See the largest fruits, vegetables and flowers grown in Jefferson County. Hear music from fantastic bands and get your dancin' boots on. Take a turn at riding the bull. Indulge in an elephant ear or a corn dog. Or watch the demo derby or mud drag. It's everything a country fair should be-don't miss it!
August 15-18
Now imagine the smell of cotton candy and popcorn the sound of gleeful squeals from
a carnival ride, the feel of warm summer breezes and the sights of 4-H animals with rows of ribbons, people in funny hats holding hot dogs, balloons and sodas. You're right there at the county fair, aren't you?
Port Townsend, August 17
C
elebrating 29 years of fun in Uptown, the fair includes great local music, the Port Townsend Arts and Crafts Fair, the Jefferson County Farmers Market, tasty food, free art activities for families and much more. Make a day of it in historic, pedestrian-friendly Uptown. Bring your appetite-there will be delicious local food vendors at the event.
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Come to Belfair State Park along the scenic Hood Canal for this family-friendly event. You'll enjoy live music, a beer garden, car show, two stages with live music and demonstrations, as well as activities for the kids, including a playground, face painting and ponies! Admission is $5 and kids under 12 are free.
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August 10-11
If you have a need for speed, then Forks is the place to be. Join the locals at the Forks Municipal Airport for daily racing and a car show. All racers are welcome. Car lovers will also want to catch Hot Thunder Nite Cruise-In on August 31st, from 4:00-10:00pm in downtown Forks for an evening of family fun.
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August 16-18
Come to Shelton along the Hood Canal, and bring your lawn chair, a blanket and good company to soak in the great music from bands and artists at this weekend-long music festival with spectacular river side camping. Enjoy local beer, wine, food and retail vendors with all they have to offer.
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August 23-25
Makah Tribal Members of Neah Bay gather and reunite with the members who have since moved away, to commemorate thousands of years of the Makah ancient culture and the anniversary of becoming U.S. Citizens. They welcome everyone to join, as they celebrate with neighboring tribes from Washington State and First Nations members from Vancouver Island in Canada, since they are closely related to the Nuu-chah-nulth.
Enjoy the blend of traditions of the past with modern times, including traditional dancing, war canoe races and salmon bakes. Browse the street fair for native arts and crafts or more modern items. Don't miss the Grand Parade, the fireworks or the coronation of the Makah Royal Court. During the pageant, warriors, princesses, kings and queens are crowned.
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August 24-25
It's all about aviation at the Sequim Valley Airport. Look to the sky for all manner of aircraft. This Fly-In weekend is packed full of family-friendly activities including hot air balloon rides, helicopter rides, remote control aircraft, antique plane exhibitions, aviation crafts, food, music and more.
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Olympic Coast Tidepooling
August 2 from 7 - 9:30 am and August 3 from 8 - 10:30 am
Explore the world-class tidepools of the Olympic Coast at the Kalaloch Beach 4 trailhead with Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary experts. During these incredibly low tides, it's a great place to discover marine life and "Get Into Your Sanctuary." Wear sturdy shoes or rubber boots that can get wet. Dress in layers and bring rain gear, sunscreen and sunglasses. For more info, contact
Nicole.Harris@noaa.gov
or call 360.406.2083.
Sip and Paint with PNW Artist Todd Fischer
August 2, 3-5 pm at Kalaloch Lodge
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Summer is a busy time in the Olympic National Forest, and forest staff would like to remind people to be vigilant when traveling forest roads as pedestrians are often on narrow, winding roads and many of them are graveled and dusty. Travelers are reminded that the recommended speed on most forest roads is 25 mph. Dust, growing brush and renewed potholes can make travel less than ideal. Also, timber sales are ongoing and road improvements are underway.
Mt. Ellinor:
August 18-30, all trails and roads leading to Mt. Ellinor will be closed for mountain goat relocation in the area. There will be no public access to Mt. Ellinor during this time period including the Forest Service Roads #2419 and #2464.
Hamma Hamma
: Washington Department of Transportation will be closing FSR #25, the Hamma Hamma Recreation Area road, sometime between September 3 and September 27 for two to three days for road repair. When the exact dates are known, WDOT will notify the public.
Falls View Campground and Falls View Trail:
still closed to the public as an active timber sale is removing hazard trees from the campground.
Campgrounds are very busy this time of year and since most of our campgrounds are first come, first served, visitors are reminded to get to a campsite as early as possible and remember that the first night at the site needs to be occupied.
As a reminder, be sure not to leave valuables in your vehicle and please remember that if you "Pack in it-Pack it out." Don't leave trash on national public lands. Also, State Park Discover Passes are not valid on National Forest lands. Visitors must get Recreation Passes to avoid tickets.
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Olympic National Park
is also very busy with summer visitors! This means the parking lots at Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest fill up by 11 am or earlier and can cause long waits at the entrance stations (1-2 hours). Visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly and consider arriving early or late in the day to avoid the heaviest congestion.
Join a Master Observer at Hurricane Ridge for an evening of astronomy and star-gazing. On a clear night, visitors can gaze on thousands of stars, as well as galaxies, constellations, nebulae and planets
. Telescopes will be available for close-up views of these celestial wonders. Dress warmly for comfortable viewing. The program is free, but the park entrance fee applies. If skies are cloudy, programs will be cancelled. For program status, call 360-565-3131 after 2 pm the day of the program
When planning a visit to Olympic National Park,
be sure to check out the Alerts & Conditions information on the park webpage
or call the recorded Road & Weather line at 360-565-3131 (updated daily).
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Mark your calendar and save these dates for upcoming September events:
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Check out what's happening on the Olympic Peninsula this month.
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Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission | 360-452-8552 info@olympicpeninsula.org |
OlympicPeninsula.org
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