The Olympia Harbor Days Festival, a free event offered every Labor Day Weekend, is an award winning free and family friendly event that showcases many of the vintage tugboats of the Puget Sound with a walk aboard show at the docks and races in the bay.  Visitors to the event may also find tall ships, steamships, other historic vessels of twentieth century commerce, tribal canoes, and current recreational small watercraft.  Harbor crises and sailings on Budd Bay are also offered.

On land, festival attendees enjoy great food, great music, great artisans, plus nautical and marine themed attractions, and hands on activities, including Olympia’s tugboat heritage, tribal history and the working waterfront with Port of Olympia tours.  All in all, here are over 300 things to do and see.

Bring your kids to this family-friendly maritime celebration and fuel their dreams of working on the water and sailing the world when they grow up. Olympia Harbor Days Festival also includes locally hand built small watercraft, tribal cultural sharings, sand carving, a LEGO Harbor Build, and dancing pirates just to name a few. The location at Percival Landing is a well-known Pacific Northwest maritime landmark located in downtown Olympia, the WA state Capitol, and is the southern-most tip of the Puget Sound, a destination for many who travel by boat. Hotels, shops, gallery’s, a children’s museum, restaurants, and bars featuring locally brewed beers, wines and distillery products are all within walking distance of the event.

Percival Landing

At the Docks provided by City of Olympia
Tugboats & Workboats Walk Aboard Show (Sat 10am - 5pm)
Tugboats Leave for the Races in Budd Bay (Sun Noon)
Tarry Not II - 30 Minute Harbor Tours ($12 dockside)

All Along the Boardwalk, Prominade, Row Plaza & Columbia Street

4 Unique Makers Markets – 150+ Arts & Crafts Vendors (Boardwalk and Columbia Street)
Arbutus Folk School – scrimshaw (Sat 10am – 5pm)
Arts, Crafts & Commercial Business Booths
Dragon Boat Club and Experiences
Food G’Alley (see Food Offerings for menus)
Harbor House Information Center, Art Gallery & Book Store by Olympia Yacht Club
Lego Harbor Build by TrainBuilder
Night Market (Fri 8pm – 9:30pm)
Nonprofit Booths
Olympia Harbor Days Logo Merch – Hats, T’s, Hoodies by Promos Northwest
Olympia Highlanders Bagpipes and Drums (Sun Noon – 1pm)
Roaming Minstrels – Barbershop, Calypso, Sea Shanty Singing Pirates, and more
(See our Music Schedule for lineup & times)
Stone Etching by Tenino Sand Carvers (Columbia Street)
Squaxin Island Tribe Enterprises & Tribal Canoe
Tuggy the Little Play Tugboat by the Harbor House

Maritime Discovery Park sponsored by Washington’s Lottery

Illuminated Belly Dancing (Fri 8:30pm – 9:30pm)
LIVE MUSIC Percival Main Stage (See on Music Schedule for lineup & times)
Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel Information booth
Traditional Cedar Stick Smoked Salmon sponsored by Lucky Eagle Casino
Mini Tugs
Plein Air Painters and Sketchers – Art of the Festival
Sand Sculpture by Form Finders

Kids Activities sponsored by Capital Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric

Facepainting, Henna Tattoos, Balloon Artist (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Kids Zone Fun at Percival Park – Cornhole, Jenga, Hula Hoops and more (Sat & Sun)
Hands on Children’s Museum make, race and take tugboats at Port Plaza (Sat & Sun)
Lego Harbor Build under the Large Shelter Percival Landing (Fri, Sat & Sun)
Pirate Captain Patch High Seas Adventures Stories at Percival Landing (Sat & Sun)
Puget Sound Estuarium Marine Center at Percival Park (Sat & Sun)
Touch Tank (Sun 10am – 1pm)
Make a Pirate Hat with the Lakefair Ambassadors (Sun 11am – 2pm)

Midway Stage on the Boardwalk sponsored by the Nisqually Tribe

Chainsaw Carving (Fri 5pm – 8pm, Sat 10am -7pm)
Quick Carve Sand Contest by Form Finders (Sun 11am – 4pm)

Port Plaza

Salish Tribes Seaport and Maritime Discovery Park sponsored by Washington’s Lottery

At the Dock provided by Port of Olympia
Ships of the Harbor sponsored by Capital Heating, Cooling Plumbing & Electric
Click Harbor Excursion tab above for more information and to purchase tickets.
Lady Washington Harbor Sailings & Dockside Tours
Virginia V Harbor Cruises & Dockside Tours
Virginia V Tugboat Race Viewing (Sun Noon - 3)
Schooner Pterodactyl Charters

At the Plaza sponsored by Squaxin Island Tribe

Boat Building Demo with Dr. Lisa Parshley and wherry shells
Civil Air Patrol info booth
Facepainting
Fire & LED Light Dancing (Fri 8:30pm – 9:30pm)
Food G’Alley (see Food Offerings for menus)
Hands on Children’s Museum Kids make, race and take tugboats
LIVE MUSIC Tower Stage (See on Music Schedule for lineup & times)
Maritime Washington National Heritage Area info booth
Marlinspiking & maritime knot tying
Mini Tugs
NW Beerwerks Beer Garden – beer, wine & cider
Nonprofit booths
Olympia Area Rowing (Sat only) info booth and boat display
Olympia Community Sailing – info booth & on-water experiences
Olympia Parks Kayaking – info booth & on-water experiences (Sat only)
Port of Olympia info booth & tours (Sat only)
Remote Controlled tugboats demonstrations and displays by Vic’s RC Tugs
Remote Control sailboats regattas and teachings by Olympia Model Sailors
Samba Olywa Pirates (Sun 5 – 6)
Squaxin Island Tribe History, Museum and Cultural Sharings
Tribal beading, carving, weaving, drumming, dance of the Coast Salish Tribes
Washington State Archives info booth
Zumba Dance Party (Sat 1:30 to 3)

Live Music

Friday, August 30, 2024

Percival Landing Main Stage:

Squaxin Island Tribal Blessing / Opening - 5:00 - 5:15 p.m.
Michele D’Amour & the Love Dealers (Blues, funk, soul) -  5:15 – 6:45 p.m.
Mick Hart & the Classic Vinyl Band (Rock) - 7:15-8:30 p.m.
Amira’s Illuminated Belly Dancing – 8:45-9:30 p.m.

Port Plaza Tower Stage:

Humor & Heart (Acoustic rock) - 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
PumpHouse (Rock) – 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Vuelta La Luna Fire/LED Light Spinning – 8:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Percival Landing Main Stage:

Curlews Call (Celtic) – 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Mukana Marimba (Marimba) - 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Tone Roller (Rock) – 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Selassie Ites (Reggae) - 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Garage Majal (Rock) - 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Port Plaza Tower Stage:

Rainier Riff (Country folk) – 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Cool Breeze/Beluga (Calypso) – 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Zumba (Dance) - 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Coast Salish Tribal (Drumming & Dance) - 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Choro Tomorrow (Brazilian) - 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Percival Landing Main Stage:

Between The Lines (Sea Shanty) – 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
America’s First Corps Band (Rock) – 12:00 -1:30 p.m.
Cosmos Dream (Bluegrass) - 2:00 -3:30 p.m.
Cavort (Celtic) – 4:00 - 5:45 p.m.
Squaxin Island Tribal Blessing / Closing - 5:45 – 6:00 p.m.

Port Plaza Tower Stage:

Selah Korah (Emotional) – 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
FisherPoets (Poetry) – 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Danni Rose – 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
JT Underwood (Folk) - 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Samba Olywa Pirates (Brazilian) – 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Live Music Roaming

Two Town Tuners (Barbershop Chorus) - Fri 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Two Town Tuners (Barbershop Chorus)  - Sat 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Olympia Highlanders Bagpipe and Drum Corp (Bagpipes)– Sun 12:00 – 12:45 p.m.
Two Town Sound (Barbershop Quartet)  – Sun 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Sticks and Bones Aboard Tug Comanche (Jazz, Pop, Funk) – Sat 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Knot For Sail (Sea Shanty) – Sat & Sun Assorted Hours
CoolBreeze (Calypso) – Sat Assorted Hours

Drone Show

IT IS A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE, OH MY – IT’S A TUGBOAT!

Olympia Harbor Days Maritime Drone Show Over the Westbay of Budd Inlet

Thursday, August 29: pre-festival preview at 9:30 PM
Friday, August 30: drone show at 9:30PM

Viewing: Best drone show viewing is from the East or West and will appear distorted as you move North or South. The best viewing areas are at Percival Landing Boardwalk and the Port Plaza as that is where the show is aimed towards.  The show can also be viewed from the west side along West Bay Drive.  PLEASE NOTE: Westbay Park will be closed to all cars and has restricted access stating at 8:00PM both 8/29 and 8/30 in preparation for the show. The park road must always remain clear of all cars and people for emergency access if needed from.  Limited viewing at the park but PLEASE stay clear of the launch site.

Olympia Harbor Days Community Radio Partner KXXO MIXX 96.1 will broadcast compatible music which will be projected from both festival stages and aired live so folks at home can listen.

Who: The show is hosted by the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association, a local nonprofit and host of Olympia Harbor Days and sponsored by Squaxin Island Tribe, Capital, Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric, and Olympia and Thurston Count Lodging Tax Grants.

Cost: Free

Date: August 30-September 1, 2024

Festival Hours:

Friday, August 30: 5PM to 9:30PM
Saturday, August 31: 10AM to 7PM walk aboard touring from 10AM to 5PM
Sunday, September 1: 10AM to 6PM Tugboat races in Budd Inlet at noon

Location: Various Location in Olympia, WA

Click Here For More Information