Redefining our FESTIVALS

Spring is a great time in the Northwest to celebrate shellfish. The cold nutrient rich water provides the perfect climate to sample the tasty bivalves that pepper the beaches. Normally the crisp weather and much anticipated daytime low tides herald the coming of Hama Hama Oyster Rama – the event that inspired this quarterly magazine five years ago!

However, with COVID-19 restriction still very much in place, this year we will have to forgo yet another Rama celebration and find our own way to the public beaches to celebrate the harvest with our families.

Following the Rama are Old Timers Fair in Matlock, Bluegrass From The Forest, Mason County Forest Festival, Shrimpfest, and Fjordin Crossin in Hoodsport – to name just a few of the niche events that have found a place in our hearts and schedules over the years. As we roll into a second year of restrictions, all these event organizers are busy brainstorming innovative ways to commemorate their annual traditions.

Salzer Creek Band annual preformed at Shelton's Bluegrass From The Forest

A Covid Event Model

In December Kristmas Town Kiwanis partnered with Explore Hood Canal and volunteers to host a series of socially distant small cell events in Shelton – Christmastown.

Working within mandated guidelines, organizers created virtual events coinciding with on-site activities held on a vacant lot in Shelton. Highlights included 500 Douglas Firs in a lit Christmas tree maze; marshmallow roasting fire pits; vendors; dinner wagon rides; gingerbread contest; and crafting opportunities.

In an attempt to engage families in a COVID-sensitive social activity, the craft projects were hosted online as well as live. Crafts were individually packaged to reduce touch points. Participants were able to register for free, pick up their craft kits, and join in on the activities online as families.

In all over 4800 kits were distributed thanks to donations from civic groups and local businesses who were pleased to lend a hand offering holiday cheer. Over 5000 people attended the Christmastown event in 2020 over a twelve day window.

Christmastown served as a great model for other local events. According to Amy Cooper, Mason County Forest Festival, the group is planning on making some necessary changes to this year's event, "in hopes that we can safely gather and celebrate."

The run has moved to the Ridge

Historically, the Mason County Forest Festival occurs the weekend after Memorial Day. The Forest Festival Coronation will be held on March 13 with a hybrid live and virtual event. Spectators can watch this and the button contest live on Facebook and Mason Web TV. Visit masoncountyforestfestival.org for updated schedule.

Organizers hope to continue with a few of the regular festival events on that annual weekend (6/5/2021). Starting with Run the Ridge (formerly Goldsborough Creek Run). This event has moved to The Ridge Motorsports. The group is looking at other options modeling the smaller cell events to continue to celebrate Forest Festival on this same June weekend including socially distant dinners, forest walks and farmer's market style vendor events in which the 2021 court will be able to participate and share the message of Forest Festival.

Owing to the sheer size of the crowds, the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade has been rescheduled for September 18 with the hope that we can gather once again safely in large crowds by fall.

Pivot and Adjust

Cooper added that the festival volunteers will "continue to pivot and adjust according to safety mandates and restrictions" as they develop.

Pivoting is the key word for events this season. The much anticipated Bluegrass From The Forest, normally held in May, is also strategizing engaging ways to carry on the event in 2021. "It's difficult knowing what the future holds," remarked Duane Wilson who founded the event along with musician, Greg Linder, "we want to tell our attendees what to expect and to hold a date, but right now we just need to be optimistic and adaptable."

Matlock's Old Timers Fair cancelled in 2021

Annually attracting over 3500 people to Shelton for a weekend festival of national bluegrass performers, workshops, picking, and jamming, organizers are working hard to find ways to adjust their event by offering ticketed events over multiple weekends including hybrid music workshops for kids and smaller performances outdoors. Currently the plan is to offer a series of smaller two day all inclusive ticketed "forest" camp events with regional bands, family workshops. The current model does not allow for the large drop-in crowds.

Hoodsport's Fjordin Crossin hosted by The Hardware Distillery has tentatively rescheduled their event for a September Saturday in hopes of being able to still host their festive event in 2021.

Quality versus Quantity

The new reality, at least until COVID is but a memory, is it is essential to find innovative solutions to enhance the event experiences for attendees without sacrificing revenues.

The pre-covid model for many large festivals was quantity of attendees providing revenue to fund entertainment, set up and amenities. Re-thinking this mindset is causing issues for events that experienced exploding overhead in the last decade but were able to remain viable as gate revenue and income from food and alcohol sales increased. Unless these events are able to reshape their identity and at least ride through 2021 in a modified form – they are facing cancellation again.