Ring in 2018 with fun, art, history, champagne toasts and strange brews in January! 

As the holiday season winds down, celebrate the end of 2017 and the promise of 2018 at festivities around Port Townsend on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Launch your year with fun, frivolity and art! Hear and see the incredible array of creativity, not only with music, and art in the galleries in town, but also in our eateries, shops and accommodations. Port Townsend is known as an arts community and you’ll find the creative spirit is alive and well here.

The Jefferson County Historical Society presents the 11th Annual First Night, Port Townsend’s alcohol-free, family-friendly New Year’s Eve community celebration focusing on arts and heritage. All activities take place in and around Port Townsend’s historic City Hall between 6 and 9 pm on December 31.

There will be musical performances, a hands-on history hunt, film shorts presented by the Port Townsend Film Institute, children’s games conducted by the Port Townsend High School Interact Club, storytelling and theatrical presentations by Key City Public Theatre, call dancing in the Pope Marine Building, a hands-on art project at the Jefferson Community School, music at Elevated Ice Cream and at the Boiler Room.

At 9 pm (midnight in New York) Port Townsend will get a head start on the rest of the West Coast and usher in 2018 by raising of an illuminated anchor created by sculptor Thaddeus Jurczynski amid an explosion of brilliant fireworks provided by Dr. David Chuljian launched from Memorial Field.

Admission is by donation, suggested $5 per person or $10 per family. Proceeds benefit Historical Society programs. For a schedule of events, go to http://www.jchsmuseum.org/Programs/FirstNight.html.

Admission passes are now available at the Jefferson Museum of Art & History in historic city hall, 540 Water Street. All pass holders receive a raffle ticket for gift certificates from the Museum Shop and passes to Key City Public Theatre.

Keep the party going and dance into 2018 at Fort Worden’s historic USO Hallfrom 8 pm to 12:30 am. With the clock ticking away, it’s time to slip into your dancing shoes for the high-energy, groovin’ sound of one of Port Townsend’s favorite dance bands—Uncle Funk and the Dope Six.

The ultimate party band, this tightly knit, six-member ensemble rocks an unforgettable set that has the crowd on their feet from the first note to the last chord!

Doors open at 8 pm, music starts at 9 pm and goes until 12:30ish. $12 at the door. Full no-host bar available with snacks available for purchase. Call 360.344.4400 ext. 304 for more information or to purchase tickets in advance. www.fortworden.org.

And consider enjoying a scrumptious New Year’s Day Brunch on January 1 at Reveille at the Commons. Biscuits and Gravy, Crab Cake Benedict and Blueberry Waffles are just a few favorites. Reservations are recommended by calling 360.344.4400 ext. 318.

January 1 is also a State Parks Free Day, so no Discover Pass is necessary to park at trail heads. Hit the trails at Fort Worden after brunch to start the new year with a hike or cycling.

photo by Steve Mullensky

Art Walk is January 6 from 5:30-8 pm where you can indulge your senses with creations from our local artists. PT Shorts is January 6, a free monthly program, featuring dramatic readings of contemporary literature, read by critically acclaimed authors. Readings are produced by Key City Public Theatre, presented in partnership with Northwind Arts Center’s Reading Series. They are held the first Saturday of every month at 7:30 pm, to coincide with the downtown Art Walk.

Celebrate the 200^th birthday of James Swan, one of Port Townsend’s most colorful and influential early settlers, at the Jefferson County Historical Society on January 11, from 11 am to 4 pm. The new James Swan exhibit will open in the Women’s Jail Cell Gallery at the Jefferson Museum of Art & History, and the publication of Recipes and Recollections of James G. Swan by Steve and Gloria Ricketts will be featured. This includes an assortment of recipes which Swan collected, some from well-known early Port Townsend matrons.

Swan arrived in Port Townsend in 1859, not long after its founding in 1851. Port Townsend was his base, and Swan collected more than recipes. One of his many jobs and interests was compiling the ethnology and collecting artifacts of the Northwest natives for the Smithsonian Institution. In the process, he acquired his own collection of native art. Some of this collection, as well as other possessions of Swan’s, will be part of this new exhibit.

From January through June, play the Port Townsend “Believe or Knot!” Game—a fun excuse to come downtown, pique your interest in unbelievable facts (or fiction!) about the salty seaport of Port Townsend. Complete the game and be entered in prize drawings. For more info, go to www.ptmainstreet.org/i-love-port-townsend/

photo by Kevin Mason

There’s no time for winter blues—bring on the strange brews and plan to attend the 14^th Annual Strange Brewfest, Jan. 26-27, boasting wildly inventive, palate-challenging craft brews featuring over 30 breweries and cideries, along with over 60 brews on tap.

Strange Brewfest 14, is the Mount Olympus of beer festivals, as the 14^th version of Port Townsend’s ode to Northwest brewers and their imaginations lets you party like Greek Gods and Goddesses!

This iconic festival is an indoor-outdoor event based in downtown Port Townsend at the American Legion Hall in our National Historic Landmark District.

photo by Kevin Mason

Taste is not the only sense that Strange Brewfest 14 will tempt. Be dazzled by the sights and sounds of the weekend with a continuous lineup of rockin’ music. Indulge in the carnival-like atmosphere that this festival is known for and enjoy its tasty food, too.

Admission to Strange Brewfest 14 is $30/person (21+) which gives you a souvenir tasting glass, four tasting tokens and a wristband for both days. Additional tasting tokens are $1.50 each. Make reservations for accommodations soon as Port Townsend gets sold out quickly for this event!

For event details visit www.strangebrewfestpt.com.

Save the date for upcoming events in February and March:

February 10-11 and February 17-19
Red Wine, Cider & Chocolate
11 am to 5 pm, www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org

February 24
27^th Annual Shipwrights’ Regatta
www.nwmaritime.org/shiipwrights/

March 8-11
Key City Public Theatre’s 22^nd Annual PT PlayFest
www.keycitypublictheatre.org

We look forward to welcoming you to Port Townsend in 2018! Wishing you a bright and beautiful Happy New Year!

The happiest time of the year is here and Port Townsend is all a-twinkle and a-jingle, ready for you to make joyful memories and delight in this season’s festivities. We look forward to welcoming you as you make holiday wishes and dreams come true.

Hear children laughing when Santa rides into town. Breathe in the enticing scent of fresh baked cookies and pastries. Feel the warmth as you’re greeted in our shops, and smile as families and friends gather to wish one another joy and peace. Unwind at the end of the day with a libation and enjoy our inspired eateries. Tuck in for a comfortable stay in one of our charming accommodations…everything you want for some well-deserved R&R.

We’ve listed many of the upcoming fun-filled seasonal events to help you plan your holiday escape to Port Townsend!

December 1-23, Thursday through Sunday
7:30 pm Key City Public Theatre presents Spirit of the Yule 
Celebrate the holiday season with Key City Public Theatre as they bring back 2016;s award-winning holiday musical, Spirit of the Yule, directed by KCPT’s Artistic Director, Denise Winter, with music and lyrics by acclaimed local composer, Linda Dowdell. Spirit of the Yule, a new take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, is set in Port Townsend when the lumber boomtown was eagerly awaiting the railroad connection that would make it the preeminent port city in the Pacific Northwest. This musical is steeped in the history and cultural legacy that defined Port Townsend as “the city of dreams.” Tickets and info about matinees at www.keycitypublictheatre.org

Saturday, December 2
4:30 pm Treelighting and Santa Visit at Haller Fountain
There’s caroling in the streets with the Wild Rose Chorale from 1-3 pm, in-store treats, and many shops will be open later. Come to Haller Fountain for the annual community treelighting and visit from Santa, who will be arriving via the Kiwanis Choo-Choo to light the tree. After the treelighting, Santa will visit with children to hear their Christmas wishes at the Pope Marine Building, 100 Madison Street. Coordinated by the Port Townsend Main Street Program. www.ptmainstreet.org

5:30-8 pm First Saturday Art Walk
Tour the town’s many galleries and stores, showcasing work from local artists. Enjoy refreshments and shop for artistic gifts you won’t find anywhere else.

Friday, December 8
2-4 pm Christine Wallace Book Signing in the Chandlery at the NW Maritime Center
Christine Wallace will be signing her newly released book, Sea of a Thousand Words. She’s a Pacific Northwest author, having published The Pocket Doula and Prepare to Come About. Enjoy 20% off store-wide during the event at the NW Maritime Center. www.nwmaritime.org

Saturday, December 9
1-4 pm Kiwanis Choo-Choo Rides for Families
Meet across the street from the Jefferson Museum of Art and History at Pope Marine Park. $5 suggested donation with proceeds benefitting school arts education and music programs.

7-9 pm The New Old Time Chautauqua, American Legion Hall, 209 Monroe Street
The New Old Time Chautauqua (NOTC) presents its 3^rd annual Holiday Benefit Performance, “The Jugglers Ball” featuring many of the funniest, most skilled, show-stopping and famous jugglers in the Pacific Northwest, including the Flying Karamazov Brothers plus many more. Other disciplines, such as poetry, music and acrobatics will be on display. All proceeds for the show will go to support NOTC for their exciting upcoming 2018 Washington State Parks Tour and collaboration with the Confederate Tribes of the Colville Reservation. For tickets and info, go to www.chautauqua.org.

Friday, December 15
2-4 pm Jim Tolpin Book Signing and Tool Demo in the Chandlery at the NW Maritime Center
Jim Tolpin will be signing his newly released book, From Truths to Tools, as well as offering a tool demonstration. Using tools fashioned from little more than sticks and string, pre-industrial artisans unlocked the secrets of shape, form and space hidden right before their eyes. Jim explores how these tools, enabled craftspeople to create complex, precise layouts for all manner of structures. Enjoy 20% off Chandlery merchandise during the event at the NW Maritime Center. www.nwmaritime.org

Saturday, December 16
10 am – 2 pm Winter Holiday Farmers Market
Come inside the Port Townsend Community Center, where you’ll find local crafts, artisan food, farm-fresh products for your winter celebrations and more. For more info, go to www.jcfmarkets.org.

1-4 pm Kiwanis Choo-Choo Rides for Families
Meet across the street from the Jefferson Museum of Art and History at Pope Marine Park. $5 suggested donation with proceeds benefitting school arts education and music programs.

12-4 pm Open Parlor Tours of Historic Inns and Homes
Visit historic inns and homes of Port Townsend with their halls bedecked for the holidays in these self-guided tours. Put in a good word with Father Christmas. Savor tastey snacks and help deck the halls as performers sing, play and recite all your holiday favorites. Tickets are $15. Details at: www.op-s.net/yule

7-11 pm Yuletide Brass Ball at the American Legion Hall
Steam up the holidays with music in the dark of the year. Whether you rock gears and goggles, bustle or bowler, this is the holiday opportunity to come out and kick it old school. The Olympic Express Big Band brings sassy, brassy horns and rhythm for an absinth-infused evening of dancing.

The Brass Screw Confederacy and Olympic Peninsula Steam invite you to join the fun where the halls are decked, the hosts are jolly and the fruit cake will keep you toasty all night long. Come as you are—Victorian, Steampunk, fancy dress, blue jeans. It’s the spirit, the season and the swing that matter! $15 with ID (21+) at the door. For more info, www.op-s.net/yule Coordinated by Olympic Peninsula Steam.

Sunday, December 31
1-4 pm New Year’s Eve Wildlife Viewing Cruise with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. The trip leaves from Port Townsend’s Point Hudson Marina. Tickets are $55 per person. Book your reservation online at www.ptmsc.org or call 360.385.5582, ext. 104.

6-9 pm First Night Celebration
The Jefferson Museum of Art and History coordinates this all-ages, alcohol-free event featuring live music and children’s activities. www.jchsmuseum.org

8 pm New Year’s Eve Party at Fort Worden
Ring in the New Year with Uncle Funk & the Dope 6 in the USO Building at Fort Worden. Doors open at 8 pm, music starts at 9 pm. No host bar, 21 +. Tickets $12 at the door, pre-sale $10. Call 360.344.4400 ext. 304 for pre-sale. www.fortworden.org

Happy Holidays from all of us in Port Townsend to all of you!