The new year is here and Port Townsend is the perfect place to kick it off right! Always a great place to visit, Port Townsend has outdone itself with great events all January long. There is art, wellness, outdoor activities and strange beverages!

Start the month off with First Day Hikes at Fort Worden. There will be four separate hikes sponsored by the Washington State Parks on January 1. The hikes will each start at 1 p.m. near the guardhouse at the Park’s main entrance. You can choose between three guided hikes or a self-guided hike. The guided hikes will either cover Fort Worden history, habitat in urban areas, or the best viewpoints at Fort Worden. Better yet, free drinks and snacks will be provided at the start of the hike by Friends of Fort Worden and the State Parks!

Art galleries play a huge role in Port Townsend’s culture. Check out some great local artist at the Port Townsend Art Walk on January 4. Not only will you see great artwork, but you can also explore all that the historic downtown area has to offer.

If you’re looking for a healthy response to the Holiday season’s excess, consider the Madrona MindBody Institute’s New Year Yoga Retreat. Running from January 2-5, the retreat includes yoga, meditation, mindfulness, ceremony and creativity. The retreat is available for all levels of yoga experience.

January’s main event is the 16^th Annual Strange Brewfest. 2020’s theme is inspired by the cult classic film, Strange Brew, so come as your favorite character, or dress in hockey, flannel or ski parkas. The event has 40 breweries, 80 brews on tap and as always, features a fantastic lineup of bands. Tickets are $40 per person and include a souvenir tasting glass designed with the Strange Brew theme.

Don’t miss these upcoming events in Port Townsend:

February 9-10 & 16-18
Red Wine and Chocolate Tour
Olympicpeninsulawineries.org

March 13-15
Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby
Gardinersalmonderby.org

March 20-22
Victorian Heritage Festival
Vicfest.org

The spirits stay bright in Port Townsend all December long! Take a break from Holiday shopping and see what Port Townsend has to offer. There are holiday-themed events, plays, good food and great atmosphere. It’s the perfect destination to get out of the chill, join the festivities and treat yourself early.

Kicking off the season is the big man himself. The Main Street community Tree Lighting and Santa visit is on December 7 at Haller Fountain in historic downtown Port Townsend. The Wild Rose Chorale will be caroling in the streets from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and the Santa visit and tree lighting happens at 4:30 p.m.

Keeping up with tradition, the Key City Public Theatre starts performances of “Spirit of the Yule” on December 12. Port Townsend’s musical holiday tradition is returning with fresh updates sure to entertain theatre goers of all ages. Pay What You Wish at the Door dates are December 19 & 29. Arrive 30 minutes prior to curtain and pay what you want for available seats!

The Holiday spirit is strong in Port Townsend! The Main Street Kiwanis Choo Choo rides for kids steams through town on December 14 & 21 at 1 p.m. both days.

Taste the season with Port Townsend Vineyards! On December 14 the Vineyards is hosting an open house event with tastes, music, and shopping! Sip on traditional German Glühwein, enjoy live music from Vinyl Tap and warm yourself by the fire.

If you’re looking for more adventurous fare this Holiday season, consider the Big Brass Yule Ball. Presented by Olympic Peninsula Steam and the Brass Screw Confederacy, the Big Brass Yule Ball promises to be a raucous, absinthe-infused night of swing dancing, bowler hats and goggles. The event kicks of at 7 p.m. on December 14 at the American Legion Hall, 209 Monroe St. Buy your tickets here.

Upcoming events in Port Townsend:

• Port Townsend Gallery: Annual All Members Gallery Show on Jan 1
• Strange Brewfest on Jan 24

The good times never seem to let up in Port Townsend. Even when the air gets chillier and the days grow darker, Port Townsend remains a bright spot on the Olympic Peninsula, a true year- round destination. Following closely on the heels of October’s haunted explorations of the city’s past and culture, November in Port Townsend means ramping up for the holiday season. There is shopping for sure, but as always, Port Townsend offers so much more.

Running from November 2-3 is the Jefferson County Holiday Craft Fair. Why wait until the last minute? Get a running start on the busy holiday season. Open from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Port Townsend on both days, the Holiday Craft Fair is a one-stop shop for all your holiday needs. There will be stocking stuffers, gifts, arts, crafts and the always popular pictures with Santa. It’s also a great opportunity to sell your art, crafts or gift items. For more information, please visit the Fair’s page.

Interested in seeing master craftsmen display their work? Then visit the 14^th annual Port Townsend Woodworker’s show. Held at the American Legion hall in downtown Port Townsend on November 2-3, master woodworker’s from around the region put their best work forward. Furniture makers, boat builders, carvers and sculptors all come together to show the community the unique perspective Port Townsend and its surrounding areas has to offer.

What better way to fight off the impending chill of winter than with a nice glass of wine or cider? The Olympic Peninsula Harvest Wine and Cider tour takes place on November 9-10. Not only will visitors get to taste delicious wine and cider made from locally sourced ingredients, but they will get to take in the beauty that is Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula in the fall. Tickets for the self-guided tour are $40 in advance, or $45 at the door. Included with purchase is a souvenir wine glass, wine and cider tastings at each winery and harvest-inspired food pairings. Visitors who get stamped at all nine locations will be entered into a drawing for a harvest-themed basket. Please visit the site for more information.

If you’re looking for a more unique shopping experience this Black Friday, visit the Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair in Port Townsend on November 29-30. The event is home to locally made arts and crafts and features artist from around the Northwest. Not only can you finish your Christmas shopping early, you can support local artists in the process. Please visit the site for more information.

One last moment of quiet reprieve, before the headlong holiday sprint that is December, can be found at the world premier of play Mercy Falls at the Key City Public Theatre in Port Townsend. The play runs from November 29-December 28. From Key City Public Theatre: “Marcy Wuggelson is a jinx, she’s always known it, so when she decides to visit her favorite self-help author, Wanda Moore, in the hospital on Christmas Eve, the scene is ripe for disaster. But maybe, just maybe, with the help of Wanda, Santa’s Reindeer, the Ghost of Christmas Future, a Nun, and deceased phenomenologist Martin Heidegger, Marcy can turn her luck around; that’d be a real Christmas miracle!” To book tickets for the event, please click here.

Save the date for these upcoming events in December:

December 6
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
www.ptuptowntheatre.com

December 7
Main Street’s Community Tree Lighting and Santa Visit
www.Ptmainstreet.org

December 11-29
Key City Public Theatre’s Spirit of the Yule
www.keycitypublictheatre.org