From the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association (SSMHA):
(OLYMPIA, Wash.) — The South Sound Maritime Heritage Association, working within Washington state coronavirus health guidelines, developed a scaled-down version of its popular Olympia Harbor Days festival normally held every Labor Day weekend. This year it is presented as a monthlong September event, according to Acting Executive Director Carol Riley.
“There is something for everyone to do safe at home, including learning from videos and stories about the tugboats of Olympia Harbor Days, building LEGO tugboats and creating maritime-themed yard and window displays at home. History buffs can take a self-guided and safe-distanced maritime heritage tour along the boardwalk and families can go to the beach with activities to identify marine creatures and more,” Riley said.
“While we wanted to continue our 47-year-long Harbor Days legacy, we were also aware that we needed to offer a safe event for the public in this coronavirus pandemic era,” Don Chalmers, SSMHA president stated.
Olympia Harbor Days Festival and Tugboat Races, was founded by the SSMHA founded in 1974. The Labor Day festival has become a widely known, community-based event bringing together South Sound area communities and tugboat heritage enthusiasts from around the Pacific Northwest. The vintage tugboat races are the last of their kind in the region.
“The association, with community partners and sponsors, has worked diligently to accomplish their goals to keep the festival alive in 2020,” Chalmers said, “and now we are focused on finding new partners to help us preserve and present our traditional Olympia Harbor Days Festival and Tugboat Races for years to come.”
Limited-edition logo hats, face masks, collector buttons and Tugs at the Capital City Volume I are available for purchase. The online merchandise store closes Sept. 30. Proceeds from sales, combined with donations to the not-for-profit festival, will be used to for 2021 planning.
For a full list of event information, activities, videos and links, visit www.HarborDays.com and www.MaritimeOly.org.
