Summer is in full swing, and for the Olympic Peninsula that means glorious long days, clear starry nights, and refreshing offshore breezes. This month we celebrate the wonder and benefits of getting outdoors, an opportunity that is accessible and available to everyone.
Whether your tastes run to hot bands or cool car shows, bike rides or festivals, you’ll find endless outdoor adventures here in August. There’s still plenty of sunshine for you to make summer memories on the Olympic Peninsula!
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Photo submitted by Mia Kebelac, The Most Northwest Sweepstakes 2022 |
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• Olympic Peninsula Insights – How Accessible is the Olympic Peninsula ?
• Meet the People Who Make a Difference – Ian Mackay, Founder of Ian’s Ride
• County Fairs Around the Olympic Peninsula
• Upcoming Summer Events
• Plan Ahead for September
• Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
• Olympic National Park
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OLYMPIC PENINSULA INSIGHTS |
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How Accessible is the Olympic Peninsula?
An RVing amputee family finds out
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We were delighted to welcome the St. Clair family (Connor, Anthony, Aster, Jodie), influencers from Learners and Makers, to the Olympic Peninsula recently. Their story of exploring our area with mobility impairments was enlightening, entertaining, and engaging. Read their fresh perspective about family travel with a unique twist. LEARN MORE
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MEET THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE |
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Ian Mackay, Founder of Ian’s Ride |
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Ian Mackay is a remarkable man. His life took a dramatic turn 15 years ago when he was in a devastating bike accident leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. As a quadriplegic, he felt his life had stopped short at the young age of 26. But with loving support from his family and friends, he began the journey to accepting that he was paralyzed. Four years after his injury, he rekindled his passion for being outdoors, riding his wheelchair on the Olympic Discovery Trail. He’d found his happy place.
In 2018, he coordinated a ride from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to Port Angeles, Washington. But these rides were resource-heavy, and he realized he needed to create an event that people could experience with full support, such as frequent stops at aid stations for battery recharging, water, etc. Friends around the Port Angeles area have helped support this vision and August 25 - 27, 2023, will mark the fifth anniversary of Sea to Sound, a 74-mile, three-day, multi-modal group ride on the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Ian loves to invite people with disabilities to join him on the trail, talking with them and inspiring outdoor accessibility. In Ian's words, “People just can’t experience this elsewhere. They need the backup team and support we have, to be sure everyone can make it to the next spot. Resource sharing encourages them to push their limits a bit more when they get home.”
“It’s so gratifying to open the door for people and their families with disabilities to be able to embrace outdoor accessibility.”
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COUNTY FAIRS AROUND
THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA
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Take time to enjoy a slice of Americana at its best—come to a county fair! Watch the kids show their animals, from sheep and horses to cows and cats, check out the quilts and art made by local artisans, or see the largest vegetables grown by farmers in the area. Snag an elephant ear, snow cone or hot dog and enjoy the lineup of entertainment. Whatever you do, don’t miss the fair! |
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August 2 - 5
Join for the “Red, White and Moo,” with local agricultural exhibits, vendors, a carnival, and classic fair food.
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August 11 - 13
Share the bounty of the region and “Come together at the
Jefferson County Fair.”
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August 17 - 20
Check out “Country Nights and Carnival Lights.”
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Music in the Park
Sequim
Tuesday evenings through August
Join a family friendly, free concert series Tuesday evenings throughout the summer. Pack a picnic, bring a chair or blanket and enjoy a diverse line up of local musicians. LEARN MORE
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Tour de Lavender
Sequim
August 5
Sequim welcomes bicycle riders to the annual Tour de Lavender. Riders pass through the pastoral Sequim-Dungeness Valley with epic views of the Olympic Mountains and stops at seven of Sequim’s gorgeous lavender farms. LEARN MORE
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40th Annual Joyce Daze Wild Blackberry Festival
Joyce
August 5
For a genuine taste of small-town Americana, and scrumptious native wild blackberry pie, Joyce is the place to be. This day-long festival includes a pancake breakfast, craft fair, parade, salmon bake, entertainment, and did we mention pie? Come join the locals. LEARN MORE
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Hood Canal Summer Fest
and Car Show
Belfair State Park
August 12
10 am - 5 pm
Formerly known as The Taste of Hood Canal, enjoy live music and entertainment, food trucks, an art show, vendors and a beer/wine garden plus a classic car show! LEARN MORE
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Annual Uptown Street Fair
Port Townsend
August 19
Come to the Uptown Street Fair with a great music line up, kids’ arts and crafts activities, the Farmers Market, the incredibly colorful, yet brief Uptown Parade, the Uptown Beer Garden and food vendors. LEARN MORE
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Hot Thunder Nite by
West End Thunder
Forks
August 19
Hot Thunder Nite will be in downtown Forks. Enter your car, truck, big rig, or motorcycle in the free car show. There will be a People’s Choice award. Live music by the Richwine Road Band, plus a Beer Garden. LEARN MORE
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Music on the Strait
Port Angeles
August 19, 26, 27
This world-class music festival celebrates classical music in the singularly beautiful environment of Olympic National Park and the Salish Sea. Experience these uplifting concerts in Port Angeles’ newly opened performing arts venue.
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Makah Days Celebration
Neah Bay
August 25 - 27
The 99th annual celebration of the Makah spans three days with canoe races, bone games, kids’ races, royalty, a salmon bake, traditional dancing, talent show, vendors and a fireworks show. The celebration includes many activities which honor the tribe’s ancient culture and traditions while commemorating tribal history. LEARN MORE
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Sea to Sound Ride
Port Angeles
August 25 - 27
Bring your wheels for the 74-mile, three-day, multi-modal group ride where wheelchair users are encouraged to participate. The course will take you through some of the Olympic Peninsula’s most beautiful scenery. This event showcases the accessibility of the entire Olympic Discovery Trail.
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Northwest Colonial Festival
Port Angeles
August 31 through September 3
It’s 1775 again and this year’s event brings that time back to life with a colonial village encampment and daily reenactments of iconic skirmishes, hosted at the George Washington Inn & Estate, sponsored by the George Washington Society.
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OLYMPIC COAST NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY
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Olympic Coast Guided Tidepool Exploration
Kalaloch Beach 4 Trailhead
August 5
Meet at 8:30 am
Tidepooling is exciting for all ages. When the tide goes out, a world of wonder awaits—from sea stars and anemones to hermit crabs and chitons. Learn more about the intertidal creatures and celebrate the beauty of national marine sanctuaries. LEARN MORE
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In early July, the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center opened a special exhibition called Terminus, honoring Olympic National Park and its vanishing glaciers. The Terminus project began in 2022 with Olympic National Park’s Artist-In-Parks program. Forty-three volunteer artists from around the world created artworks to memorialize the 40 major or named glaciers in Olympic National Park. The resulting collection is a diverse range of artworks including poems, paintings, quilts, comics, animations, music, and more that capture the essence of the Olympic Mountains.
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Plan your next trip to the Olympic Peninsula this summer
and for year-round activities by requesting your
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Photos submitted by Sela Parr, The Most Northwest Sweepstakes 2022 |
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When the delights of summer beckon you to travel and to see some place new or return to a favorite spot, we invite you to come and explore everything the peninsula offers. Come and hike our trails, camp in our spectacular parks and discover the magnificence of Olympic National Park. While you’re here, be sure to #RecreateResponsibly.
If we can assist you with your travel planning, please contact us directly. We look forward to seeing you on the Olympic Peninsula this season!
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