2020 — All Events Canceled
The Year Everything was Canceled
It was only temporary — canceled flights, canceled events, canceled sports. And no matter how hard some try to bring life back to normal, COVID-19 reminds us — LIFE IS NOT NORMAL.
It is so surreal to have no events occurring. Normally this time of year is filled with one event after the other. What we once took for granted is canceled. You don’t really realize how much these events are part of the community or how important they are in our lives until they are gone.
In a small town, on an island in the Pacific Northwest, weekend after weekend are usually filled with events from Spring to Fall. After a long winter of months filled with rain and heavy clouds, we long to celebrate the outdoors and sun. Starting in May until October, before the rains set in again, we are cramming our season with as many events as possible.
With all of the events gone this summer it has changed the dynamic of our community to some degree. Our summer events bring us all together to socialize, catch up, and be involved.
We usually kick-off summer with the Anacortes Waterfront Festival. Games, vendor booths, kid’s center, music, and food, this event brings out so many for a weekend of fun. It’s a favorite for locals and starts off the tourist season with a weekend packed with fun. On Saturday many come to cheer on their number one team in the Quick and Dirty boat race. The teams have to build a boat in one day and then race it at Cap Sante marina. It’s a crowd favorite when someone sinks.
Like all American towns, the 4th of July is a BIG deal in Anacortes. It starts with Parade that is one of the largest in the county and amasses a large patriotic gathering. We are often joined by our Sister City, Sidney in British Columbia. Our Canadian neighbors spend the day celebrating and rejoicing with us. A crowd favorite during the parade is the Twisted Pixies. They dance their way down the street and into our hearts in colorful costumes. The day ends with fireworks on a barge as the community watches from shore, oohing and aahing collectively.
Mid-July is set aside for the collectors of stuff and rare finds with Shipwreck Days. The downtown street is closed off and hundreds of vendors line the street peddling their wares. Thousands come from all over looking for that one special thing they must have for their collection. It is a Utopia for bargain hunters and collectors of just about anything.
Thirty-nine years ago, our commercial fishermen sold their used gear as yard art on Commercial Ave. “Shipwreck” has evolved into a massive community garage sale including flea market and antique vendors.
One of the largest summer Art Festivals in Washington State happens right here in Anacortes. Thousands of visitors come from all over for a weekend of fine art, amazing music and entertainment, to sample the food vendors, and become the next art collector. For locals, this is a summer favorite. We wait all year for the Anacortes Arts Festival. It is an important and integrated part of the community and its culture.
Today, over 150 volunteers still act as local ambassadors and contribute their sweat to this large community event. Thirty-seven regional organizations now partner as Festival sponsors, enabling us to expand our activities and keep the entire weekend free of charge to the public. Ever cognizant of these important connections, we are the largest supporter of arts funding in our community, yearly giving back over $30,000 through our grant and award programs.
We end our summer season with Oyster Run on the the third Sunday of September. The last hurrah before the rain starts. Leather and Chrome descend upon our streets. The downtown street is closed and lined with over 20,000 motorcycles in all shapes, sizes, and colors. This spectator extravaganza brings people from all over and locals venture bravely into town to check out the magnificent machines humming in for this one-day event.
The year was 1981.
Limp Lee had just returned from months of working in Alaska. He talked with a few guys and they all met at was then The California Tavern in Marysville.
They decided to ride up hwy 9 and stop at a few places along the way, and ended up in Edison to have oyster cocktails.
The next year a few more people joined in, the next even more and by the fourth year there were close to 200 motorcycles!
Read more about the history of Oyster Run.
