With a new drone show, Olympia Harbor Days takes to water and skies for its 50th anniversary

Joanna Hou
·2 min read

Olympia Harbor Days is turning 50 this year — but the award-winning maritime festival has some new tricks up its sleeve.

The two-and-a-half day festival will take place this Labor Day weekend. Hours are 5-9:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

In a first for Harbor Days, Executive Director Carol Riley said 75 drones will create a maritime light show in place of classic fireworks. The show on Friday, and a test run on Thursday, will both take place at 9:30 p.m. over West Bay Park, projecting marine and maritime images into the sky for about 8 minutes.

“We wanted to do something special for Harbor Days, for our 50th anniversary,” Riley said. “Although fireworks are widely accepted, we were out over the bay, we didn’t want to cause pollution and we found a non-polluting quiet solution to light up the night sky.”

Recommended viewing areas are along the boardwalk from Percival Landing to the Port Plaza, including Percival Landing Park, or the north end of West Bay Park on the west side of Budd Inlet. The show becomes more distorted if viewers watch from further north or south, officials say.

Festival-goers also can expect many of the same classic features from previous years, including tugboat races, kid friendly activities, tribal activities, live entertainment and excursions on historic watercraft, including the Lady Washington, Washington state’s tall ship, and the historic Mosquito Fleet steamship Virginia V. Registered tugboats will race at noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday, starting near West Bay Marina and finishing north of the Olympia Shoal.

The Tug Chippewa, a 1943 Navy tug originally used in World War II, is on the logo of this year’s festival. Chippewa was one of the last wooden tugs built on the Puget Sound, and last appeared at Harbor Days in the 1980s. Formerly known as the Roland Foss, the 85-foot tug underwent a full restoration by owner Jeff Mincheff of Tacoma.

The tug Chippewa rests moored at Percival Landing on race day for the 2022 Olympia Harbor Days festival. Formerly known as the Roland Foss and built in 1943 for use in World War II, the 85-foot vessel is currently owned by Jeff Mincheff of Tacoma.
The tug Chippewa rests moored at Percival Landing on race day for the 2022 Olympia Harbor Days festival. Formerly known as the Roland Foss and built in 1943 for use in World War II, the 85-foot vessel is currently owned by Jeff Mincheff of Tacoma.

A Friday night market will provide food and commercial goods alongside arts and crafts. Those interested in a full lineup can find more information on the Harbor Days’ website.

The City of Olympia, the Port of Olympia, the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts all provide support to Harbor Days. Both the festival and drone show are free to the public, but attendee donations are welcome.

Riley, who is in her eighth year as director, said she keeps coming back because it blends fun with giving back to the community.

“I’m looking forward to good weather and seeing the community come out for this event,” she said. “We have a lot of ships and tugboats coming in, and we have lots and lots of great music and great food.”