Port Orchard’s Seagull Calling Contest may be the only event at
which bribery of local officials is not only tolerated but openly
encouraged.
All rules and decorum are deep-sixed at the annual spectacle on the
Port Orchard waterfront, in which mayors, fire chiefs and county
commissioners have in past years stood in judgement of the most
authentic call, best costume and most seagulls landed. The contest,
now in its 24th year, will be part of this year’s Kitsap Harbor
Festival, Saturday through Monday on both sides of Sinclair
Inlet.
The seagull calling takes place at 1 p.m. Sunday, preceded at 11
a.m. by a “Seagull” Wings Cook-off. The birdbrained events are one
small slice of a Memorial Day weekend crammed with nautical-themed
fun. The Harbor Festival is sponsored by the Port of Bremerton with
help from merchants, booster groups and city officials in Bremerton
and Port Orchard, both with marinas operated by the port. The two
towns are linked by the Kitsap Transit Foot Ferry, which operates
seven days a week throughout the summer.
Steve Slaton, the port’s director of marine facilities, describes
the Harbor Festival as the first of two “bookends” for the summer
boating season, with the second bookend being Bremerton’s
Blackberry Festival over Labor Day. As with the Blackberry Festival
the Bremerton Boardwalk will be brimming with activity, including
vendors, food booths and a beer garden with live entertainment.
Over in Port Orchard, the Farmers Market will operate on both
Saturday and Sunday for this weekend only. The Port Orchard Bay
Street Association is sponsoring its own beer garden, with a
separate root beer garden for kids and teetotalers.
Back this year are the Kitsap Car Cruz (Saturday on Pacific Avenue
in Bremerton), an arts and antique show (Saturday on the newly
repaved Fourth Street in Bremerton), and the Kitsap Harbor Regatta
sailing races, both days on Sinclair Inlet. New this year is a
Motorcycle Cruz (Sunday on Pacific Avenue).
Port Orchard’s Murder Mystery Weekend, hosted this year by Fathoms
‘O Fun, will spill over to Bremerton, with pirates and other
characters from the interactive game roaming both towns.
Contestants gather clues to solve the crime. Winners are announced
at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Port Orchard.
Also new this year, the Seafair Pirates will invade both towns,
drumming up excitement for Seattle’s Seafair Aug. 1 through 5.
In recognition of Kitsap County’s military heritage — and the true
meaning of Memorial Day — there will be a historic military vehicle
display in Bremerton on Saturday. And on Sunday an ensemble of the
Navy Band Northwest will play traditional music from 4 p.m. to 6
p.m. on the Bremerton waterfront.
On Monday, the local chapter of the Navy League will host a
Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. aboard the USS Turner Joy, on the
Bremerton waterfront.
For a complete schedule of events, visit
kitsapharborfestival.com.
Tag Archives: Kitsap Harbor Festival
Friday Afternoon Club: Art in Port Orchard & start of festival season
Port Orchard kicks off its First Friday Art Walk tonight (the art walk is held on first Fridays through the warm weather season). Can summer be far behind?
Also on Friday is the kick-off of Viking Fest, Poulsbo’s celebration of its Norwegian Heritage. Events are scheduled through Sunday.
Festival season kicks off as well. The Armed Forces Day parade is set for Saturday in Bremerton. This year’s event will focus on the community’s healing from two shootings that took place in February. The parade will include a tribute to Trooper Tony Radulescu, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop Feb. 23. Amina Kocer-Bowman, 9, will be the civilian grand marshal. Amina suffered critical gunshot wounds Feb. 22 when a gun a fellow student brought to school went off. She is healing slowly.
And mark you calendars. Kitsap Harbor Festival runs May 26 and 27 (Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend), with multiple events on both the Bremerton and Port Orchard waterfronts.
Kitsap Harbor Festival promises fun on both sides of Sinclair Inlet
Proving that we really can all get along, the Port of Bremerton, city of Port Orchard and city of Bremerton will team up over Memorial Day weekend for Kitsap Harbor Festival.
The port is hosting the festival to showcase its marinas on either side of Sinclair Inlet. City governments, chambers of commerce and community groups all have their oars in the water to offer up a boatload of fun.
At the heart of the festivities will be boats: big, small, vintage, military and famous. Scheduled events include a visit from tall ships, boat shows and races, food and entertainment.
Port Orchard is using the festival to roll all its wacky maritime festivities into one weekend, including turning the town over to pirates, a murder mystery contest, a Dingy Derby Race, a seagull wing cooking contest and … the ever lovin’ reason we are Port Orchard, while other, more sane towns are not … the Seagull calling contest on Sunday.
Bremerton’s waterfront will be alive with action, including a Bridge-2-Bridge Run, arts and antique show, Kitsap Car Cruz with live entertainment, scuba demos, tours of an historic Coast Guard vessel and more.
Linking the two fair cities over the weekend will be the Bremerton to Port Orchard foot ferry, operating every 30 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Saturday through Monday. The fare is $2 each way. The port and both cities contract for the service, which is no longer provided on Sundays by Kitsap Transit.
Events are on the Bremerton Boardwalk (B) or Port Orchard waterfront (P), unless otherwise specified. For a complete listing of events, visit the Port of Bremerton’s Kitsap Harbor Festival page.
Saturday, May 28
7 to 10 a.m.: Bremerton Lions Club Pancake Breakfast (B)
8 a.m.: Registration, 4.4-mile Bridge-2-Bridge Run/Walk (run
starts
at 9 a.m.) (B)
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Kitsap Arts & Antique Show/4th Street Market (B)
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Farmers Market and Pirate Marketfaire (P)
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Bremerton Boardwalk Festivities, crafts, merchants, food, scuba demos; remote underwater vehicle demos at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.; beer garden, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Kitsap Library story time, 10:30 to 11 a.m., Carrie Kay, 1 to 1:30 p.m., Northwest Navy Band, 5 to 7 p.m. (B)
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Kitsap Harbor Regatta (both)
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Kitsap Car Cruz (B)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Murder Mystery Weekend Registration & Clue Gathering (P)
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Bay Street Merchants’ Beer Garden; separate kids’ root beer garden (P)
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Historic military vehicle display (B)
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Tours of Comanche 202 – Historic U.S Coast Guard Vessel (B)
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Tall Ship Tours and Cruises – exact times to be scheduled by ship captain (B)
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: B.O.O.M Pirates at the Marina Park (P)
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Pirate Costume Contest (adults, kids, pets) (P)
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Kids’ Pirate Zone (Mermaid Cove) (P)
1 p.m.: Kids’ Pirate Story Time (kids ages 2-5) at the Port Orchard Library (P)
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Land Lubbers Pirate Dingy Derby Race (P)
4 p.m.: Free movie (Blackbeard’s Cove) at Port Orchard Library (P)
6:30 p.m.: Pirate Ball at Moon Dogs Too, music by Soulstice, (kids welcome until 8 p.m.)
Sunday, May 29
8 a.m. to 10. a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Amy’s On The Bay
benefiting the South Kitsap Helpline (P)
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Farmers Market and Pirate Marketfaire (P)
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Kitsap Harbor Regatta (both)
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Tall Ship Tours and Cruises – exact times to be scheduled by ship captain (P)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Historic Military Vehicle Display (B)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Tours of Comanche 202 (B)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Bremerton Boardwalk Festivities (see above); beer garden 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Kitsap Library Storytime 10:30 to 11 a.m.; Freckles Brown Band, noon to 2 p.m.; freestyle 3 to 5 p.m. (B)
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Bay Street Merchants’ Beer Garden/separate kids’ root beer garden (P)
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Murder Mystery Weekend continues (P)
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: B.O.O.M Pirates at the Marina Park (P)
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Kids’ Pirate Zone (Mermaid Cove) (P)
11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.: Coroner’s report: Hear the gritty details surroundin’ the murder and piece the mystery together. (P)
Noon to 2 p.m.: 23rd Annual Seagull Calling Contest Contest (P)
Noon to 2 p.m.: “Seagull” Wings Cook-Off (amateur setup at 9 a.m.) (P)
4:30 p.m.: Murder Mystery reveal and cannon show (P)
Monday, May 30
Note: Monday events are held in Bremerton only.
10 a.m. to noon: Memorial Day Service, USS Turner Joy (DD951)
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Bremerton Boardwalk Festivities; 10 to 10:50 a.m., Carrie Kay Patriotic Songs; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m,. Synergy Dance Company; 1 to 3 p.m., Joey Dean Band
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Tours of Comanche 202, historic Coast Guard vessel
Friday Afternoon Club: Kitsap Harbor Festival
The Port of Bremerton has joined up with the cities of Port Orchard and Bremerton for a weekend of fun on both sides of Sinclair Inlet. The event kicks off around noon Friday with the arrival of stately tall ships.
The two cities and the port have arranged for foot ferry service across the inlet all weekend, including Sunday and Monday (Memorial Day). Kitsap Transit passes will not be accepted, however.
I noticed the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce has moved its Seagull Calling festival, which is a real hoot, to coincide with the festival. It takes place on Saturday.
Here’s what’s going on at the Port Orchard and Bremerton Marinas
and in downtown Port Orchard and Bremerton:
Tall Ships, Virginia V, Vendor Booths, Concerts, Boats Afloat Show,
Beer Garden, Farmer’s Market, Seagull Calling Festival, Food
Booths, Kitsap Car Cruz, Kitsap Harbor Regatta, Kitsap Arts &
Antique Show, Pancake Breakfast,
Memorial Day Service. Whew!
Have a fun and safe three-day weekend. Chris Henry, reporter
