POULSBO — Little Norway will be trying a new spin on an old event when a familiar group of antique yachts grace Liberty Bay this weekend.
“It’s going to be so much fun,” commented Interim Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce Director Gary Hoskins. “It reminds me of the 1930s and 1940s where small communities got together.”
The 7th annual Classic Yacht Rendezvous will be taking place at the Poulsbo waterfront Sept. 19-21. Events are scheduled 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 and 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Sept. 22. This event is sponsored by The UPS Store, The Sun, the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association and Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce.
The event will feature about 25 classic pre-1940 yachts from the Classic Yacht Association Pacific Northwest Fleet. All boats must have either wood or steel hulls, no fiberglass is allowed. As is the case every year, most of these teak and brass beauties will be open for free public tours Saturday and Sunday.
Indianola resident John Jacobsen of the CYA said Poulsbo’s event is one organization members look forward to every year.
“A lot of people in Poulsbo and North Kitsap relate to boats and seagoing things, so we get a lot of interest,” he explained. “All our members like Poulsbo. It’s nice and friendly and the chamber has always welcomed us back. It’s a nice setting and we always have a good turn out.”
This will be the seventh year the boats have visited Little Norway and the fifth year the chamber has sponsored the event. Hoskins said he and outgoing Chamber Director Robert Ford came up with the idea to make this year’s rendezvous bigger and better than ever.
“Robert and I were talking and said, ‘Gee, why don’t we make this an event?’” Hoskins explained. “We knew Septemberfest wasn’t coming back and we really felt we should have an event at this time of year that doesn’t close off the parkway, doesn’t close off the street and doesn’t have a loud carnival that the merchants will complain about. We decided to make it something that will draw families down here — a really fun event.”
Besides the chance to tour antique yachts, which may include the Admiral Yacht from Bremerton’s Naval Shipyard, the event has added a number of activities.
First will be the 5 p.m. Friday welcoming event for the CYA members. Miss Poulsbo Danielle Deitch, as well as sponsor representatives will be on hand. Downtown business YES USA! has donated Classic Yacht Rendezvous hats that each boater will be given.
Saturday features two gastronomic events pitting neighbor against neighbor — a chili cook-off and a pie contest. Pies (cherry or apple) will be judged at 11 a.m. at the Pavilion, while chili will be taste-tested at 1 p.m. Each pie baker will bring one pie to be judged and the other to be cut and sold, so contest watchers can join in the fun.
The HDPA will also be getting into the act by offering its annual sidewalk sale Friday through Sunday. Participating merchants will have special sales and the Anderson Parkway will be open to allow shoppers and boat-lovers alike to access downtown easily. John Kuntz, HDPA president, said the downtown merchants jumped at the chance to be involved with the rendezvous.
“We thought it was a good match for us,” Kuntz said. “It’s one of those times when the Marina’s not really filled up. Anything to help tourism.”
Merchants from the HDPA and the Chamber also sponsored slips for the incoming yachts.
Saturday and Sunday will feature free and low-cost activities for kids, including face painting for a donation by North Kitsap High School cheerleaders and a dunk tank featuring school district “celebrities” by the NKHS band. One local church’s clowns group will also be roaming the crowds with free balloons and smiles for children.
A nautical art show and sale will also be taking place in Waterfront Park during the duration of the rendezvous.
When meal time comes around, festival-goers can choose from the variety of downtown restaurants or to support the Poulsbo Noon Lions. Hoskins said he didn’t want the rendezvous to compete with downtown business, so he purposefully scheduled only the Lions to cook hot dogs and hamburgers at the event. Half of the proceeds from the food booth will support the Lions’ philanthropic projects.
For more information about the Antique Boat Rendezvous, call the Chamber at (360) 779-4848. To see photos of the boats that will be visiting this year, go to www.nwclassicyachts.org/events/poulsbo.htm.
Sidebar:
Schedule of Events
Friday, Sept. 19
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Sidewalk sale in downtown Poulsbo
5 p.m. – Boats arrive, Miss Poulsbo greets
Saturday, Sept. 20
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Visitors may board yachts
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Sidewalk sale in downtown Poulsbo
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Kids face painting by NKHS cheerleaders at Waterfront Park
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks sold by Poulsbo Noon Lions at Waterfront Park
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Dunk tank by NKHS band at Waterfront Park
11 a.m. – Pie baking competition judging at Kvelstad Pavilion
1 p.m. – chili cook-off judging at Kvelstad Pavilion
Sunday, Sept. 21
10 a.m. to noon – Visitors may board yachts
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks sold by Poulsbo Noon Lions at Waterfront Park
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Sidewalk sale in downtown Poulsbo
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Kids face painting by NKHS cheerleaders at Waterfront Park
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Dunk tank by NKHS band at Waterfront ParkBy CARRINA STANTON
Staff Writer
POULSBO — Little Norway will be trying a new spin on an old event when a familiar group of antique yachts grace Liberty Bay this weekend.
“It’s going to be so much fun,” commented Interim Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce Director Gary Hoskins. “It reminds me of the 1930s and 1940s where small communities got together.”
The 7th annual Classic Yacht Rendezvous will be taking place at the Poulsbo waterfront Sept. 19-21. Events are scheduled 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 and 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Sept. 22. This event is sponsored by The UPS Store, The Sun, the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association and Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce.
The event will feature about 25 classic pre-1940 yachts from the Classic Yacht Association Pacific Northwest Fleet. All boats must have either wood or steel hulls, no fiberglass is allowed. As is the case every year, most of these teak and brass beauties will be open for free public tours Saturday and Sunday.
Indianola resident John Jacobsen of the CYA said Poulsbo’s event is one organization members look forward to every year.
“A lot of people in Poulsbo and North Kitsap relate to boats and seagoing things, so we get a lot of interest,” he explained. “All our members like Poulsbo. It’s nice and friendly and the chamber has always welcomed us back. It’s a nice setting and we always have a good turn out.”
This will be the seventh year the boats have visited Little Norway and the fifth year the chamber has sponsored the event. Hoskins said he and outgoing Chamber Director Robert Ford came up with the idea to make this year’s rendezvous bigger and better than ever.
“Robert and I were talking and said, ‘Gee, why don’t we make this an event?’” Hoskins explained. “We knew Septemberfest wasn’t coming back and we really felt we should have an event at this time of year that doesn’t close off the parkway, doesn’t close off the street and doesn’t have a loud carnival that the merchants will complain about. We decided to make it something that will draw families down here — a really fun event.”
Besides the chance to tour antique yachts, which may include the Admiral Yacht from Bremerton’s Naval Shipyard, the event has added a number of activities.
First will be the 5 p.m. Friday welcoming event for the CYA members. Miss Poulsbo Danielle Deitch, as well as sponsor representatives will be on hand. Downtown business YES USA! has donated Classic Yacht Rendezvous hats that each boater will be given.
Saturday features two gastronomic events pitting neighbor against neighbor — a chili cook-off and a pie contest. Pies (cherry or apple) will be judged at 11 a.m. at the Pavilion, while chili will be taste-tested at 1 p.m. Each pie baker will bring one pie to be judged and the other to be cut and sold, so contest watchers can join in the fun.
The HDPA will also be getting into the act by offering its annual sidewalk sale Friday through Sunday. Participating merchants will have special sales and the Anderson Parkway will be open to allow shoppers and boat-lovers alike to access downtown easily. John Kuntz, HDPA president, said the downtown merchants jumped at the chance to be involved with the rendezvous.
“We thought it was a good match for us,” Kuntz said. “It’s one of those times when the Marina’s not really filled up. Anything to help tourism.”
Merchants from the HDPA and the Chamber also sponsored slips for the incoming yachts.
Saturday and Sunday will feature free and low-cost activities for kids, including face painting for a donation by North Kitsap High School cheerleaders and a dunk tank featuring school district “celebrities” by the NKHS band. One local church’s clowns group will also be roaming the crowds with free balloons and smiles for children.
A nautical art show and sale will also be taking place in Waterfront Park during the duration of the rendezvous.
When meal time comes around, festival-goers can choose from the variety of downtown restaurants or to support the Poulsbo Noon Lions. Hoskins said he didn’t want the rendezvous to compete with downtown business, so he purposefully scheduled only the Lions to cook hot dogs and hamburgers at the event. Half of the proceeds from the food booth will support the Lions’ philanthropic projects.
For more information about the Antique Boat Rendezvous, call the Chamber at (360) 779-4848. To see photos of the boats that will be visiting this year, go to www.nwclassicyachts.org/events/poulsbo.htm.
Sidebar:
Schedule of Events
Friday, Sept. 19
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Sidewalk sale in downtown Poulsbo
5 p.m. – Boats arrive, Miss Poulsbo greets
Saturday, Sept. 20
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Visitors may board yachts
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Sidewalk sale in downtown Poulsbo
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Kids face painting by NKHS cheerleaders at Waterfront Park
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks sold by Poulsbo Noon Lions at Waterfront Park
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Dunk tank by NKHS band at Waterfront Park
11 a.m. – Pie baking competition judging at Kvelstad Pavilion
1 p.m. – chili cook-off judging at Kvelstad Pavilion
Sunday, Sept. 21
10 a.m. to noon – Visitors may board yachts
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks sold by Poulsbo Noon Lions at Waterfront Park
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Sidewalk sale in downtown Poulsbo
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Kids face painting by NKHS cheerleaders at Waterfront Park
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Dunk tank by NKHS band at Waterfront Park
