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⛵ Americas · USA

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

BUILD small wooden things in the Woodworking Tent and USE wooden boats on the water.

Workshop / open buildUse local gear
10–12 Sep 2027Next date
None listedNext deadline / key date
September (second weekend)Usual timing
Point Hudson, Port Townsend, Washington, USAWhere
01 · How to take part

Your way in

Buy a festival ticket, make something in the Woodworking Tent (open daily), join the workshops and get on the water in boats built by local builders.

Workshop / open build

Make something in the Woodworking Tent

The Woodworking Tent is open daily (9:30am–5pm in 2026): try a shave horse and drawknife, build a wooden pen, make and brand a keepsake or a cheese board.

Use local gear

Get on the water in wooden boats

Tour hundreds of wooden boats built by local and visiting builders and join the on-the-water activities.

You build or use
BUILD small wooden things in the Woodworking Tent and USE wooden boats on the water
Participation
Build (hands-on tent); Use (get on the water)
Entry and deadlines
Festival ticket; boat owners apply to show their boats
Where
Point Hudson, Port Townsend, Washington, USA
02 · Dates

Dates and deadlines, Jan 2026 to Dec 2027

Usual timing: September (second weekend). Dates are only shown where a source publishes them; everything else is marked TBC.

  • 10–12 Sep 2027Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2027 (50th)Official festival site: 10-12 Sep 2027. · sourceWorkshop / open build

Already passed this season: 11–13 Sep 2026: Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2026.

See it on the calendar →

03 · Skills you'll need

Skills you'll need

What to learn and practise before you go. Each resource is marked Official or Community-accepted and names its publisher. Difficulty and prep time are our estimate.

Core skill

Hand woodworking basics: shave horse and drawknife, simple joinery

Also useful:

  • Boat handling basics for small wooden boats
  • Reading a boat: hull types and how wooden boats are built
Difficulty our estimateBeginner
Prep time our estimatenone needed; one woodworking class helps

Difficulty and prep time are Curiosta editorial estimates for a first-timer, not organiser figures.

Refresher

  1. The Woodworking Tent is open daily with activities for beginners and experienced makers.
  2. You can try a shave horse and drawknife, build a wooden pen, or make and brand a keepsake.
  3. Workshops and talks run throughout the festival.
  4. On the water, follow the volunteers' instructions and wear a life jacket.

Practise before you go

  • Try a beginner woodworking class near you before the festival.
  • Read the festival's hands-on page and plan which activities to join.
  • Learn basic rowing or small-boat sailing if you want to get on the water.

Safety notes

  • Sharp hand tools: cut away from yourself.
  • Wear a life jacket on the water.

Resources

Officialofficial festival page

Hands-on Activities

What you can make and try in the Woodworking Tent.

Publisher: Wooden Boat Festival (Northwest Maritime)

Officialofficial organiser page

Wooden Boat Festival

About the festival and its organiser.

Publisher: Northwest Maritime (organiser)

Officialofficial festival site

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

Next festival dates and visitor information.

Publisher: Wooden Boat Festival (Northwest Maritime)

See also the skills guide: Human-powered craft → · All skills guides

04 · Check before you go

What we could and couldn't confirm

Before you book

  • 2027 is the 50th festival; the 2027 programme isn't published yet.
  • Costs are not listed on Nomad. Check them, and the latest dates, on the official site.
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