Explore
Anacortes
2019
A visitors guide for a special island community in northwest Washington
SKAGIT PUBLISHING
anacortesvisitor.com A supplement to the Anacortes American
Table of contents Welcome to Anacortes .......................................................................................... 3 Weather ................................................................................................................. 4 Viewpoints ............................................................................................................. 5 Parks and recreation .............................................................................................. 6 Arts ..................................................................................................................... 12 Explore history .................................................................................................... 15 Tribal nations ........................................................................................................ 16 Guemes Island, Farmers Market .......................................................................... 17 Getting around .................................................................................................... 18 Calendar of events .............................................................................................. 19
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Explore Anacortes
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Welcome to Anacortes Anacortes is an eclectic town with coastal charm, natural beauty and plenty of things to do and see. It’s nestled on beautiful Fidalgo Island and surrounded by sparkling blue water and brilliant sunsets. Residents are proud of the island’s protected community forest lands, abundant recreation, walkable downtown area, the large art and music scene and its active
working waterfront. In Anacortes, you can experience: • Almost 3,000 acres of preserved forest lands with trails for hiking and biking, as well as plenty of paved trails throughout the island • Water recreation that includes whale watching, boating and fishing • An active art scene, including
a massive annual arts festival each August and a downtown art walk on the first Friday of each month • Festivals throughout the year celebrating the waterfront, arts, wine, beer, pets, children, motorcycles and oysters. • History — seen not only in the museum, but also in various colorful murals around town of people from the city’s past.
Editor
Content
Colette Weeks cweeks@goanacortes.com
Advertising Director
Duby Petit dpetit@skagitpublishing.com
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Jacqueline Allison, Briana Alzola 901 6th St., Anacortes, WA 98221 P: 360-293-3122 © Skagit Publishing 2019 All rights reserved
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Briana Alzola
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Don’t miss these stops • Walk the Tommy Thompson Trail, check out the boats at Cap Sante Marina and pick up fresh seafood. • On Saturdays from May to October, the Anacortes Farmers Market offers fresh produce, cooked
Anacortes enjoys the benefits of Pacific Northwest rain, but the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains shields the city from some of the clouds that pass through the area. That means more sunny days each year than the city’s neighbors to the east. Anacortes averages about 28 inches of rainfall a year and sees roughly 230 days a year with either
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foods and artisan crafts. • The W.T. Preston snagboat and Maritime Heritage Center offer a look into Anacortes’ waterfront past. • Commercial Avenue is the main business area, with locally
Weather mostly or partly sunny skies for at least part of the day. Signs of spring can often be seen as early as February. The famous tulips of the Skagit Valley in April can be seen throughout Fidalgo Island, as well. Summer weather usually arrives around July, bringing days that are dry and sunny but rarely too hot. Temperatures average in the 70s from July to Sep-
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owned stores downtown offering books, art, clothing, gifts, antiques and more. Taverns and dining options are plentiful. • The Anacortes Community Forest Lands cover nearly 3,000 acres and offer numerous hiking trails.
tember. October sometimes counts for a short fall season, with colder temperatures often arriving in early November with lots of wind. Winters are pretty mild, however, often without snow. Traffic is heaviest in the summer when festivals and events beckon visitors, but the island offers its own variety of scenic beauty all year.
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Viewpoints around Fidalgo Island • Mount Erie provides views from the center of Fidalgo Island. On a clear day, most of the island can be seen along with parts of Whidbey Island to the south, North Cascades to the east and San Juans to the west. To get there, head south on Commercial Avenue, turn right on 32nd Street and left on H Avenue. The road turns into Heart Lake Road. Past the lake, turn left onto Ray Auld Drive to Erie Mountain Drive. A steep drive or long hike rises about 1,000 feet to the top. The best viewpoint is just beyond the access to the huge cell tower at the top. • Cap Sante Park provides the most scenic overlook of Anacortes as well as Mount Baker, March Point,
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Guemes Island and the waters of the San Juans. A hike from the top can lead visitors to an amphitheater carved into the side of the island. From downtown, take Fourth Street east and take a right on V Avenue, which leads to the park at the top. • Sunset Beach at Washington Park on the northwest end of the island has an open beach looking out on Rosario Strait. Nearby is Loop Road, which wraps around the park’s peninsula and offers views of Rosario Strait, Burrows Bay, and the south end of Fidalgo Island. The loop has parking spots along the way with picnic tables at Green Point and a landmark madrona tree and views of the Skyline neighbor-
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hood at Fidalgo Head. Take the 15-minute journey to get to the cityowned park by following 12th Street west. The name of the road changes along the way but leads to the park. Take the right fork to park near the beach area. • Deception Pass State Park extends across Fidalgo and Whidbey islands. Scenic spots inside the state park include Pass Lake, Rosario Beach and Bowman Bay. But the iconic photo spots are at pullouts along Highway 20 just before and at the two Deception Pass bridges. Follow Highway 20 toward Oak Harbor. A paid state Discover Pass is needed to park on the Whidbey side of the bridge.
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Go outside Forest Lands The Anacortes Community Forest Lands encompass 2,800 acres preserved from development. The property features forest lands, meadows, wetlands, Mount Erie, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Cranberry, Whistle and Heart lakes. The 50 miles of trails in the Forest Lands accommodate hikers, bicyclists and horse riders. Some allow twowheeled motorcycles in the warmer months. Dogs must be on a leash. Color trail maps on water-resistant paper are available at City Hall, 904 Sixth St., and at the Visitor Information Center, 819 Commercial Ave. Suite A. Electronic versions are on the city’s website, www.anacorteswa.gov.
Meet our Providers Thank you for being our guest! We are pleased to meet you.
Cynthia Sahnow Prenatal Massage & Deep Tissue
Massage Therapists & Specialties
Jessica Smith Deep Tissue & Body Treatments
Robert Sill Customized Gridwork & Deep Tissue Tim Hazelo Deep Tissue, Hot Stone, Relaxation & Body Treatments
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Angela Terek Organic Facials, Peels, Full Body Waxing & Product Recommendations
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Teresa Tweed Orthopedic, Therapeutic and Deep Tissue
Beth Workman Pain Management Massage & Prenatal Massage Age prevention & correction Facials & Brazilians
Spa packages, parties, couples massage and memberships available. Open 7 days a week. 419 • Commercial Ave • Anacortes 360.299.2112 • TheApothecarySpa.com
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• Ace of Hearts Rotary Park, 38th Street and H Avenue. A Little League field and off-leash dog park with a watering station, wash-off hose and a separate fenced area for small dogs. • Ben Root Skate Park, 2313 R Ave., in the Alice Parchman Newland Park. A 7,500-square-foot concrete skate area with lights, seating and restrooms. • Cap Sante Park, 1000 W Ave. A 37-acre forested area at the top of Cap Sante, offering views of Anacortes, Fidalgo Bay and March Point. • Causland Memorial Park, 710 N Ave. This 2-acre park is dedicated to Anacortes veterans and is on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring decorative rock and mosaic walls and structures, including a bandstand, amphitheater and terraces. • Clearidge Park on Blakely Drive is a small neighborhood park with a tennis court, a pickle ball court and a basketball court. • Guemes Channel Trail starts at the Edwards Way cul-de-sac. The walking/biking path runs about 1 mile along Guemes Channel toward downtown Anacortes. • John and Doris Tursi Park, 2200 Pennsylvania Ave., is a neighborhood park just east of the Anacortes Airport. Playground, picnic tables, nature trail and a log pavilion. • Kiwanis Waterfront Park, 1708 Sixth St. Two acres overlooking Guemes Channel and the Guemes Island ferry landing area with benches, picnic tables, pathways, an overlook and beach access. • N Avenue Park, Second Street and N Avenue. Small park at a street end with views of Guemes Channel. • Roadside Park, Kansas and Oakes Avenues. Small park at a street end with picnic tables and views of Guemes Channel. Stairs lead down to Guemes Channel Trail. • Rotary Park, 701 T Ave. The 1.5-acre park runs along the shoreline
of a Fidalgo Bay inlet at the base of Cap Sante and next to Cap Sante Marina. Features disc golf course, walking trails, a gazebo, picnic tables and beach access. • Ship Harbor Interpretive Preserve, between the Washington State Ferries terminal and Edwards Way cul-de-sac. Features 25 acres of freshwater wetlands, 5 acres of up-
land habitat and 2,000 feet of sandy beach and eelgrass beds. A walking trail/boardwalk protects sensitive areas and offers interpretive signs. • Shugarts Playground, 10th Street and N Avenue. A half-acre park next to the Anacortes Public Library with a small playground and benches. • Storvik Park, 1110 32nd St. The 8.7-acre park is home to the
community-built Our Town Our Park playground. Includes a spray park open in the summer, plus a Little League field, two basketball courts, barbecues, picnic shelter and tables. To reserve the picnic shelter, call 360-293-1918. • Tommy Thompson Parkway is 3.3 miles of paved trail for pedestrians and bicyclists that runs along the west side of Fidalgo Bay, leading to a walkway over the bay on a former train trestle connecting to March Point. Trail heads are at 22nd Street and R Avenue, 30th Street and U Avenue, and in the Fidalgo Bay Resort at 4701 Fidalgo Bay Road. • 28th Street Playground, 28th Street and Q Avenue, a half-acre children’s playground. • Volunteer Park, 1915 13th St. The city’s sports center has a fastpitch/Little League field, two regulation baseball fields, a field house, Kiwanis Meadows soccer field, basketball court and Doug Colglazier Playground. The park also has walking paths and a covered picnic shelter. • Washington Park, 6300 Sunset Ave. The park encompasses 220 acres on the west side of Fidalgo Island. It has day-use and overnight camping facilities for tents and RVs, a boat launch, picnic shelters, playground and showers. A scenic 2.3-mile loop road around the park can be walked or driven. Camping reservations: 360-293-1918.
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Recreation Marinas • Cap Sante Marina, 1019 Q Ave., is owned and operated by the Port of Anacortes. It is a Customs port of entry on the west side of Fidalgo Bay within walking distance to downtown stores and restaurants. The marina provides permanent and transient moorage with 150 to 200 berths for guest moorage. Floats have power and water. Features restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, fuel dock, pump-out stations, boat launch and Wi-Fi. www.portofanacortes.com/marina. 360-293-0694. • Skyline Marine Center, 2011 Skyline Way, at Flounder Bay on the west end of Fidalgo Island is a full-service marina with slips up to 100 feet. Features guest moorage, a travel lift, fuel, pump-out services, shower and laundry facilities. skylinemarinecenter.com. 360-2935134. • Anacortes Marina, 2415 T Ave., is a privately owned condominium marina with annual leases only. www.anacortesmarina.com. 360-293-4543.
Kayaking • Anacortes Kayak Tours gives
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newcomers a chance to try the sport. It offers tours and guides when it comes to getting out on the water, as well, including everything from an hour or two to multiple days. www.anacorteskayaktours.com.
• The Deception Pass Dash each December brings together about 200 kayaks and other nonmotorized water craft to race from Bowman Bay through the Pass. Participants travel about 6 miles total in the race.
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Then come into a store filled with unique jewelry, extraordinary gemstones, the largest selection of crystal and dinnerware in the Northwest, an Art Gallery, and unexpected treasures.
7th and Commercial in Anacortes Washington • 888-293-6469 Check us out at: burtonjewelers.com for gift ideas REGISTERED JEWELER
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Whalewatching tours Heading out in a boat may mean a glimpse of several types of whales that visit the area, such as orcas, gray whales, humpbacks and minke, plus an array of other marine life, including seals, otters, bald eagles, hawks and various fish. Tours generally run from April to October with rates ranging from about $60 to $150. Binoculars are encouraged. • Island Adventures www. island-adventures.com — 800465-4604 • Mystic Sea Charters www. mysticseacharters.com — 800308-9387 • Outer Island Excursions www.outerislandx.com — 360376-3711
Cycling
Golf, tennis, swimming • Swinomish Golf Links, 12518 Christianson Road, is an 18-hole, par72 public course on the west side of Fidalgo Island between Fidalgo and Similk bays. The course is rated 67.8 for men and 65.2 for women. It has a slope rating of 110 for men and 106 for women. Instruction is available. Operated by the Swinomish Casino & Lodge. swinomishgolflinks.com. 360-293-3444. • Six tennis courts are at Anacortes Middle School, 22nd Street near J Avenue. • A tennis court and a pickleball court are at Clearidge Park, 1900 block of Blakely Drive next to the Anacortes Airport. • Fidalgo Pool & Fitness Center, 1603 22nd St., is a 25-meter by
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25-yard pool with an average water temperature of 83 degrees. Its schedule includes times for open swims and lap swims. The facility
includes a 1,900-square-foot fitness center with cardio and weightlifting equipment. www.fidalgopool.com. 360-293-0673.
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• Anacortes Community Forest Lands offer easy to moderate trails. Color trail maps on water-resistant paper are available at City Hall, 904 Sixth St., and at the Visitor Information Center, 819 Commercial Ave. Suite A, or download at www. cityofanacortes.org. • The Tommy Thompson Parkway is a scenic, flat ride from downtown along the east side of the island on a paved trail that leads to the trestle that crosses Fidalgo Bay to March Point. Add more cycling miles by following the road around the point and then back to the trestle. • The Guemes Channel Trail follows a former railway on the north side of the island. It provides scenic views of the channel, Guemes Island and Mount Baker on clear days. Trail connections are off Edwards Way in the San Juan Passage subdivision and down the wooden stairs at Oakes and Kansas avenues just west of Lovric’s Sea-Craft.
The Anacortes arts scene
Public art
Murals, sculptures and statues are some of the features around Anacortes that nod to its appreciation of the arts. In the roundabout where Highway 20 turns onto Commercial Avenue, stands a large bird nest sculpture called “Aerie.”
Murals appear in various places, including along the Tommy Thompson Parkway. Also on the parkway are two stainless steel joggers created by Ken Turner of Seattle. The “Lady of the Sea” statue stands watch over Cap Sante Marina, along with the Seafarers’ Memorial. Nearby is the striking bronze orca fin called “Annie Curtis,” created by Gerard Tsutakawa.
christiansonsnursery.com • Open Daily Skagit’s Best 2017
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Other popular pieces include “Windsong,” a Leo Osborne bronze at Kiwanis Park near the Guemes Ferry Terminal; “The Bird Family,” a Philip McCracken bronze at the post office downtown,;“How Much Longer” by Peregrine O’Gormley at Fourth Avenue and O Street; and “The Leaking Vase” by Andries Lukas Breedt at the N Street Park. On the south side of the Wilson Hotel on Eighth Street, there is Anne Curtis Bowman (the city’s namesake and wife of city founder Amos Bowman) painted by Swedish artist Lisa Liedgren in 2007. Even the garbage cans offer an artistic touch. Eleven salmon canneries operated here in the early 1900s and the downtown street cans play homage to that heritage, with early salmon can labels recreated on the outside of each can. Visit anacortesartscommission. com to see the location of permanent
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pieces and what’s new. Maps are at the Visitors Center on Commercial Avenue.
Art events From 6-9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month, the First Friday Gallery Walk features some of the best new art around Anacortes. Different galleries and businesses host shows of the work, with special hours, artist receptions and refreshments. The Fidalgo Island Quilters feature their stunning fabric art each April during the annual Quilt Walk. Businesses and shops downtown feature pieces from the quilters in their stores. Visit fidalgoislandquilters.com. The Anacortes Arts Festival each August brings tens of thousands of people to see the work of 250 traveling art vendors, a fine art show and musical acts. In April, the festival spring event has a 5K color run event and a week-long art show. Visit anacortesartsfestival.com.
The third weekend of October, the Arts Commission hosts the 98221 Studio Tour, which allows visitors to stop by the studios of dozens of local artists, see demonstrations and enter to win prizes.
Murals Murals depicting some of Anacortes’ most colorful residents of the past were created by Anacortes artist Bill Mitchell, starting in 1984. More than 150 can be seen around town, including Bobo the Gorilla (who lived in Anacortes for a time before moving to the Woodland Park Zoo), former mayors, area artists and others who lived here — from dancers to bar patrons to children. Even Mitchell the artist is featured in his trademark three-wheeled 1954 Autoette near the corner of Fifth Street and O Avenue. A mural map is available at the Visitors Center on Commercial Avenue.
Anacortes Museum For Information Call: (360) 293-1915 or Check our Website:
museum.cityofanacortes.org Anacortes Museum 1305 8th Street • Anacortes, WA
Exploring the history of Fidalgo and Guemes Islands through:
• Educational Programs • Exhibits • Research Library • Special Events
The W.T. PresTon & Maritime Heritage Center 7th Street & R Avenue Open weekends: April - October Open Daily: June, July, August Closed Monday
8th Street & M Avenue
The Carnegie Gallery
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Gallery Open Year-Round Tues. - Sat., 10-4 Sunday 1-4, Closed Monday
Organics • Vegetables Baked Goods • Honey Fresh Meat • Dairy • Eggs Art • Live Music • Community
Saturday, 9am-2pm January 12 February 9 March 9 April 13
Every Saturday 9am-2pm May 4 - October 26
September 21 (During the Market) Pie Contest & More
November 23 & 24 At The Port 100 Commercial Ave., Anacortes
6th St. & “R” Ave.
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Music • A summer series of familyfriendly rock and blues concerts are held Friday nights at Seafarers’ Memorial Park in Cap Sante Marina. During the same time period, a Wednesday jazz series brings even more live music to the area. Learn more about that at portofanacortes. com. • Brewgrass! comes in early to mid-November, when several pubs and restaurants host performances of bluegrass, while microbrewers bring kegs of more than 50 smallbatch beers to town for tasting. • The library hosts free jazz concerts the second Sunday of each month. • Several local venues offer live music each week.
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Performing arts • Anacortes Community Theatre (ACT) will present six main stage shows in 2019: “Shakespeare in Love,” “Silent Sky,” “James and the Giant Peach,” “Noises Off,” “My Fair Lady” and “Number the Stars.” The theater also offers several fringe productions throughout the year. Visit acttheatre.com. • Fidalgo DanceWorks school hosts shows in June and December, in addition to the annual holiday ballet “The Nutcracker” each December. Visit fidalgodanceworks.org. • Anacortes Readers Theatre hosts shows throughout the year. Find the group on Facebook.
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Explore history Tours Several self-guided tours are available to see the beautiful sights of Anacortes. The Cap Sante esplanade is located behind the W.T. Preston snagboat. The waterfront walk offers views of Fidalgo Bay and several interpretive displays featuring the area’s history. Stop in at the marina office with questions. A walking tour of historic downtown Anacortes offers a chance to see the city’s old, beautiful homes. Brochures are available at the Visitors Center, at City Hall and online at www.anacorteswa.gov/333/Museum. The Tommy Thompson Trail starts at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Q Street and continues south through town and out
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onto the water toward March Point. Along the way are Discovery Points filled with facts about Fidalgo Bay’s history and diverse ecology.
Maritime Heritage Center The Maritime Heritage Center and W.T. Preston Snagboat are located at 703 R Ave. The heritage center is focused on Anacortes’ traditions of fishing and history of boatbuilding and marine transportation. The center is open on weekends in April, May, September and October and daily (excluding Mondays) from June to August. Even when the location is not open, displays outside highlight
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some of the city’s maritime history. The W.T. Preston is a historic sternwheeler (the last one to work in the Puget Sound and one of only two snagboats remaining in the United States). The W.T. Preston was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and retired from duty in 1981. The snagboat came to Anacortes in 1983 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
Museum The museum at 1305 Eighth St. was once a Carnegie Library. Visitors to the website (www. anacorteswa.gov/333/Museum) can search through a database of more than 20,000 museum records. The museum is open each day except Mondays and is free to visit.
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Tribal nations
Two tribal nations, Swinomish and Samish, are indigenous to the Anacortes area. They are signatories to the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855 and have a government-to-government relationship with the United States. The Samish and Swinomish are stops on the annual Canoe Journey, which features traditional dress, dances, food and other cultural sharing.
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Both co-host a cultural day each summer at Bowman Bay.
Information: www.swinomishnsn.gov
Swinomish
Samish
The Swinomish Casino & Lodge is located on Highway 20, just east of Anacortes. Views from the building take in the land that the Coast Salish people have called home for thousands of years. The tribe also operates an RV park and Swinomish Links Golf Course.
The Samish Indian Nation owns Fidalgo Bay RV Resort, featuring scenic views of Fidalgo Bay and access to the Tommy Thompson Trail, which can be taken into town by bicycle or on foot. Information: www.samishtribe. nsn.us
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Guemes Island
A five-minute ferry ride is all that separates Anacortes from nearby Guemes Island, which offers places to hike, new things to see and a store that features local food and live music. The island is accessible only by water. The ferry terminal is at 500 I Ave. in Anacortes, and the ferry runs every half-hour or so. Visit www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/PublicWorksFerry/main. htm for a schedule.
The Guemes Island Resort offers a variety of accommodations including homes, cabins and yurts. The resort features a boat launch, kayaks, rowboats, a sauna and massage therapy. Young’s Park, 13 acres next to the resort, has picnicking amenities and water access for day use. Head east for a great view of nearby islands from Guemes Mountain, which has a 1.2-mile hiking trail that climbs steeply 550 feet to the summit.
WHERE THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!
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Visit the weekly farmers market The Anacortes Farmers Market fills the plaza outside the Depot Arts & Community Center, Seventh Street and R Avenue, each Saturday through the summer and into the fall. Market vendors sell farm-fresh vegetables, cheese, pies, hot meals, cut flowers, arts and crafts. Bands and solo singers take the stage almost every week. Community programs and
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self-help workshops are available throughout the summer. The market is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday May to October. The winter market is the second Saturday of each month from October to May. A pie festival is held in September, and a holiday market is in November. Information: anacortesfarmersmarket.org
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Getting around Beyond personal vehicles or taxi service, here are some other ways to get around the area or to neighboring towns or islands:
By Bus • Skagit Transit, based in Mount Vernon, provides bus service in Anacortes Monday through Saturday. Route 410 includes stops at the Guemes Ferry terminal, the Washington State Ferries terminal and March Point. Route 409 runs from 10th Street and Q Avenue downtown to Island Hospital, with stops including the Guemes Island ferry, Fidalgo Pool and the senior center. Skagit Transit runs throughout Skagit County with connector service to Bellingham, Everett and Whidbey Island. The main transfer location for most routes is in downtown Mount
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Vernon. Skagit Transit also offers Dial-A-Ride service for people whose conditions prevent them from traveling on fixed routes. A Park & Ride lot is east of Anacortes at March Point. Information: 360-757-4433 or skagittransit.org
By Ferry • Washington State Ferries provides passenger and car service from the Anacortes terminal to Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Shaw Island, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, and Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. The terminal is at the end of Highway 20, four miles west of downtown. Reservations required for vehicles. Information: 888-808-7977 or wsdot.wa.gov/ferries
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• Guemes Island Ferry provides ferry service for passengers and vehicles from Anacortes across the Guemes Channel to Guemes Island. The dock is located at Sixth Street and I Avenue. Crossing takes about five minutes. Information: 360-419-7618 or skagitcounty.net/Departments/PublicWorksFerry/main.htm
By Airplane • Anacortes Airport, at 4000 Airport Road, offers various airport services. San Juan Airlines operates several flights to the San Juan Islands and Bellingham. Charters and scenic flights are available. Call San Juan Airlines at 800-874-4434. Airport information: 360-2991828 or www.portofanacortes.com/ airport
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Calendar of events Anacortes is a small town, but the people here keep busy, especially with the launch of spring. Events celebrate art, waterfront and pets, just to name a few.
APRIL • April 13: Anacortes Spring Wine Festival, noon to 5 p.m., Port of Anacortes Transit Shed Event Center. About 30 wineries from around the region and state participate and local restaurants offer food. This event is put on by the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, with tickets ranging from $75 to $150. Visit anacortes.org. • April 13: Do the Bloom Color Run. The Anacortes Arts Festival hosts the annual color run 5K where runners become artwork as powdered paint is thrown at them during the race. Proceeds benefit the Cultured Arts Program for the Anacortes School District. Visit anacortesartsfestival.com. • April 26 to 27: Anacortes Vintage Market. Friday night features a limited number of tickets and is 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 40 vendors featuring antique, vintage and repurposed treasures for home and garden at the Port of Anacortes Transit Shed Event Center, 100 Commercial Ave. anacortesvintagemarket.com
MAY • May 11: Pull and Be Damned Messabout, 11 a.m. Saturday, May 11, (after a social gathering and music the evening of Friday, May 10). See various small craft, including rowing skiffs, dories, kayaks and longboats at this family-friendly event at Seafarers’ Memorial Park. • May 16 to 19: The Anacortes Boat and Yacht show, hosted by the
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Anacortes Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Marine Trades Association, Cap Sante Marina. Over 250 new and used boats will be
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on display on-water and land, with participation from over 100 Pacific Northwest businesses. anacortesboatandyachtshow.com
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JUNE • June 1 to 2: Anacortes Waterfront Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, near Cap Sante Marina. Family-friendly free event features boat building, free boat rides, a children’s area, a car show, vendors, food, entertainment and more. anacortes.org • June 1: A Kids Fishing Derby is 7-11 a.m. at Heart Lake. The free derby is hosted by the City of Anacortes and the Puget Sound/Fidalgo Chapter Anglers. Each kid who enters the derby will be entered to win prizes. • June 1: The annual Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration is noon to 4 p.m. at Deception Pass State Park. Celebrate culture of the two participating Coast Salish tribes with canoe rides, Native singers, drummers, weavers, artists and food. Activities at the event are
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presented by the Samish Indian Nation, the Samish Canoe Family, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and the Swinomish Canoe Family. • June 29: Bark in the Park is
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10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Storvik Park. Canines and their humans gather for a pet parade, costume contest, demonstrations, games and more. www.anacorteswa.gov
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JULY • July 4: Fourth of July Celebration. The July 4 event begins with a town portrait at 10 a.m. in downtown Anacortes at Commercial Avenue. A parade starts at 11 a.m. Later in the day, enjoy music at the Rock the Dock community concert at Seafarers’ Memorial Park followed by fireworks over Fidalgo Bay at dusk. • July 13: The Kids-R-Best Fest, at Storvik Park, offers the youngest members of the community free activities, entertainment, crafts, inflatable bouncers, games and concessions. • July 20: Shipwreck Fest, on Commercial Avenue. The street is closed to traffic and filled with old furniture, clothes, lamps, boat gear, tools, collectibles and much more. This massive swap meet and sale starts at 8 a.m. downtown. The Fidalgo Rotary Club-sponsored event funds worthy causes. Free to attend. shipwreckfest.org
AUGUST • Aug. 2 to 4: The Anacortes Arts Festival on Commercial Avenue is a three-day celebration of art featuring 250 booth artisans downtown. Arts at the Port will showcase 30 more artists in three exhibitions, and there will be art demonstrations, live music, kids’ activities, food vendors and beer and wine gardens. anacortesartsfestival.com • Aug. 3: The Art Dash is put on by the Arts Festival and the City of Anacortes to raise money for public art. It features 5K, 10K and half-marathon lengths. anacortesartsfestival. com • Aug. 25: Open Streets and Anacortes Buskerfest, on Commercial Avenue. Leave the cars behind and take to the streets by foot, bike or skates. Any human-powered vehicle is welcome, and buskers entertain at each street corner.
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SEPTEMBER • Sept. 22: Oyster Run, Commercial Avenue downtown. Anacortes welcomes an estimated 10,000 leather-clad bikers who ride into
town from various points as part of the largest motorcycle run in the Pacific Northwest. The free one-day downtown event includes motorcycle vendors, musical entertainment and plenty of oysters. oysterrun.org
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• Oct. 4-5: Bier on the Pier, at the Port of Anacortes Transit Shed. A celebration featuring more than 30 breweries and 10 cideries. The event also features food vendors and music. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday. anacortes.org • Oct. 18-19: Anacortes Vintage Market, Port of Anacortes Transit Shed. Friday night features a limited number of tickets and is 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 40 vendors featuring antique, vintage and repurposed treasures for home and garden at the Port of Anacortes Transit Shed Event Center, 100 Commercial Ave. anacortesvintagemarket.com
NOVEMBER • Nov. 1-2: Brewgrass! at sev-
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eral restaurants in town. Different locations host bluegrass bands over the course of the two days. Six acts will perform alongside a celebration of beer in Anacortes. anacortes.org
DECEMBER • Dec. 6-7: Anacortes Tree Lighting, holiday parade and more. This holiday weekend in Anacortes includes the tree lighting, pictures with Santa, music performances, hot cocoa, a holiday artwalk, a parade, a gift show and fundraisers. anacortes.org • Dec. 13-14: Wonderland Walk at Washington Park, 5 to 8 p.m. each night. Community groups, businesses and other organizations decorate campsites with lights and holiday fun. Visitors are encouraged to carpool and bring flashlights. www. anacorteswa.gov
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