Calling All Crab Lovers!
The 21st Annual Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival is Back in Full
October 7-9, 2022
Port Angeles, Wash., August 16, 2022 – For the first time since 2019, one of the country’s most acclaimed seafood festivals is back in full in 2022 and ready for another signature “Crabtastic event!” The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival in Port Angeles, Washington served up nine tons of fresh crab in 2019! The event celebrates not only the food, aquaculture, agriculture and maritime traditions of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, but Native American culture, art, music, and children’s activities in one spectacular three-day celebration.
The festival will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 7-9, at the Port Angeles City Pier, the Gateway Center and Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor parking lot. Admission is free.
The Freshest Dungeness Crab
The freshest Dungeness crab available, pulled from the Strait of Juan de Fuca by a dedicated CrabFest fleet of 5-7 boats, will be delivered to the plates of festival-goers under the 15,000 square foot First Fed Crab Central Tent. Crabs are brought in starting Monday and kept alive in salt water oxygenated holding tanks, then brought to the Festival alive each day where they are cleaned and cooked on site. Whole crabs average two pounds so there’s plenty of crab meat along with fresh locally-grown corn, cole slaw—and a bib! The Dungeness crab dinners are sponsored by High Tide Seafoods and Platypus Marine, Inc.
But that’s not all! Festival organizers are hurdling the volatile seafood market and guaranteeing the 2021 Dungeness crab dinner price of $40.00 to advance ticketholders.
“We’re encouraging festival-goers to purchase their crab dinner tickets online at crabfestival.org for the guaranteed price of $40.00, $21.00 for a half crab dinner,” says CrabFest Executive Director Scott Nagel. “Advance tickets aren’t required, and we will be offering crab dinners for on-site purchase at market price. But the high cost of seafood has caused changes to our planning, and there’s a chance we won’t have enough crab available for on-site purchases throughout the Festival weekend. Advance tickets guarantee your crab! They’re good for any day of the Festival and are refundable up to 15 days prior to the start of the event.”
Curbside Pick-Up Friday and Saturday – Advance Online Purchase Only
Those unable to enjoy the Festival in person can savor the most important part at home with Curbside Pickup ordered online by Thursday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. Purchase a chilled Dungeness crab dinner for warming at home for $40.00 or just a cleaned, cooked, chilled and wrapped Dungeness crab for $35.00. Curbside pickup is available on Friday and Saturday from Noon – 6 p.m. There is no curbside service on Sunday.
Food & Beverages
Throughout the grounds, 15 local and regional restaurants will serve-up everything from fresh Dungeness crab shooters to Pan-Seared Alaska Weathervane Scallops over Rice Pilaf to Caribbean Seafood Stew – more than 60 dishes! Meat and vegetarian dishes are also on the menu plus great local desserts. Enjoy wine, hard cider, beer, and cocktails including selections from our award-winning local wineries and Northwest micro-breweries.
Live Music & More
In addition to great food, there will be three live music stages this year, one situated in “The Claw” – First Fed Gateway Open-Air Bistro which also features a wine and beer garden. A second stage is on City Pier, and the third stage is in the First Fed Crab Central Tent with wine, beer, and cocktails. The Grab-A-Crab Derby, a family favorite, is back on City Pier Friday and Saturday. Additional Saturday activities include a Welcoming Ceremony sponsored by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, a United States Coast Guard Air and Sea Rescue Demonstration and a Peninsula College 5K Fun Run. On Sunday morning the Crab Gospel Revival is back. More than 70 juried craftspeople, nonprofit and sponsor booths will exhibit on the pier throughout the Festival.
Maritime Education
Port Angeles is home to two important resources, the Feiro Marine Science Center located on City Pier and the NOAA Olympic Coast Discovery Center located next to the Festival at The Wharf. Everyone who loves seafood and the environment should plan time to explore both centers.
Thanks to Our Sponsors and Volunteers
A free community celebration like CrabFest would not be possible without our sponsors:
Platinum – First Fed – Port Angeles Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor
Presenting – Black Ball Ferry Line M.V Coho – Peninsula Daily News – Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce.
More than 40 sponsors and community organization make the Festival happen every year. Volunteers are the backbone of any festival, and we have many volunteer opportunities! Information at www.crabfestival.org.
A Perfect Getaway
CrabFest is a seasonal highlight for Port Angeles, located at the Gateway to Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Center. The region is long known as an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with a growing reputation for culinary adventure. During the fall, travelers can visit artisan wineries, take a county farm tour and savor local cuisine at a waterfront resort. The area’s diverse geography features glacially sculpted peaks and towering old growth forest, wild ocean beaches and lush estuaries enhanced by living tribal cultures, historic seaport towns, and rolling agricultural land.
Tickets and information at www.crabfestival.org. E-mail your questions to info@crabfestival.org, or phone 360-452-6300.
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PREVIOUS PRESS RELEASES
We’re back! The 20th Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival celebrates Olympic Coast Cuisine, Friday-Sunday October 8-10 on the Port Angeles waterfront. Fresh whole Dungeness Crab dinners, 14 restaurants, live music, beverages, 70 vendors, Grab-A-Crab Derby, and more. All outside or in tents. Advanced Discounted Crab Dinner tickets on sale now. Admission is free. www.crabfestival.org.
18th Annual Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival
Celebrating Olympic Coast Cuisine
October 11-13, 2019
Port Angeles, Wash., August 28, 2019 – After serving-up a record eight tons of fresh-caught Dungeness crab in 2018, one of the country’s most acclaimed seafood festivals is preparing for another “Crab Feastival!” The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival in Port Angeles, Washington celebrates not only the food, aquaculture, agriculture and maritime traditions of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, but Native American culture, art, music, and children’s activities in one spectacular three-day celebration.
The festival will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 11-13, at the Port Angeles City Pier and Red Lion Hotel in downtown Port Angeles. Most of the festival is under cover, so we welcome the fall on the Olympic Peninsula.
“CrabFest” has been named the Best Food Festival in Washington State by the Daily Meal, and one of the Top 100 Events by the American Bus Association. It has also been recognized by Coastal Living Magazine, GQ Magazine, Saveur and others as one of the top seafood festivals in North America.
The Freshest Dungeness Crab
More than eight tons of Dungeness crab pulled from local waters will be delivered to the plates of festival-goers. The only way to get it fresher is to go crabbing yourself! Whole Dungeness crab dinners will be served in the 17,000 square foot Crab Central tent along with fresh corn and cole slaw. Our crabs average two pounds so we make sure you get plenty of crab (along with your bib). Inside Crab Central you’ll find eight restaurant booths, adult beverages and live music! On the pier, you can buy cooked and cleaned Dungeness crab to go. We offer a “crab kit” so you can eat your crab on the pier or take home.
Food & Beverages
Throughout the grounds, 15 local and regional restaurants will serve an amazing array of seafood including crab cakes, Alaska scallops, halibut, paella, Taylor Shellfish and Jamestown oysters, seafood gumbo, clam chowder, fish and chips, fish tacos, calamari, crab Rangoon, crab mac & cheese, crab quiche, Uli’s sausages and non-seafood and vegetarian dishes, as well as local apple, blackberry and pumpkin pie for dessert.
New this year, you have to try the geoduck, a major seafood product of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, presented by Jamestown Seafood including geoduck ceviche, sashimi and chowder. Not to be outdone, Kokopelli Grill will be offering their new lobster corn dogs.
Olympic Peninsula Wineries will feature wines from nine regional wineries. Local and regional beers, hard ciders and other beverages will also be available.
The Fun!
In addition to great food, there will be two live music stages, two live oyster bars, local beer and wine, a Chef Demonstration Stage featuring local and regional culinary talent, and our unique Grab-a-Crab Crab Derby for the entire family. Saturday activities will include a Welcoming Ceremony with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, a United States Coast Guard Air and Sea Rescue Demonstration, and a Peninsula College 5K Fun Run. A non-denominational “Crab Revival” musical service and the Captain Joseph House Foundation Chowder Cook-Off will take place on Sunday.
Presenting sponsors include Black Ball Ferry Line, Kitsap Bank, Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor. More than 40 sponsors and community organization make the Festival happen every year.
A Perfect Getaway
CrabFest is a seasonal highlight for Port Angeles, located at the Gateway to Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Center. The region is long known as an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with a growing reputation for culinary adventure. During the fall, travelers can visit artisan wineries, take a county farm tour and savor local cuisine at a waterfront resort. The area’s diverse geography features glacially sculpted peaks and towering old growth forest, wild ocean beaches and lush estuaries enhanced by living tribal cultures, historic seaport towns, and rolling agricultural land.
Admission to the festival is free. For crab dinner tickets and more information, visit www.crabfestival.org. E-mail your questions to info@crabfestival.org, or phone 360-452-6300.
Contact: Scott Nagel, Executive Director
360-808-3940
director@crabfestival.org
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Celebrating Olympic Coast Cuisine
October 5 – 7, 2018
Port Angeles, Wash., September 4, 2018, – After serving-up a record eight tons of fresh-caught Dungeness crab in 2017, one of the country’s most acclaimed seafood events is preparing for another “crabsational” year! The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival celebrates not only the aquaculture, agriculture and maritime traditions of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, but brings food, art, music, Native American culture and children’s activities into one spectacular three-day event for the whole family. Admission is free!This Pacific Northwest event will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 5 – 7, at the Port Angeles City Pier. Hours are: Friday 12pm-10pm, Saturday 10am-10pm, Sunday 10am-5pm. After the great crowds we experienced in 2017 we’ve expanded our crew, purchased additional equipment, and expanded the Kitsap Bank Crab Central Pavilion, so it now totals over 17,000 sq ft, with more seating so we can serve all of our visitors.“CrabFest” has been named one of the Top 100 Events by the American Bus Association and has been recognized by Coastal Living Magazine, GQ Magazine, Saveur, and others as one of the top seafood festivals in North America. And we were even a question on Jeopardy!
The Food!
More than 8 tons of Dungeness crab is pulled from local waters each year, enabling festival-goers to savor the freshest crab available. Whole crab dinners are served in the Kitsap Bank Crab Central Pavilion along with fresh corn and cole slaw, with discounted pricing for active military members and spouses. Throughout the grounds, 16 local and regional restaurants will serve up everything from crab bisque to seafood gumbo and much more! Non-seafood and vegetarian dishes will also be available. All day Friday is the Peninsula Daily News Community Crab Dinner special with reduced prices on our signature whole crab dinners.
The Fun!
In addition to great food, there will be two live music stages with more than 30 bands, two live oyster bars, local beer and wine, a Chef Demonstration Stage featuring local and regional culinary talent, and our unique Grab-a-Crab Derby for the entire family. Saturday activities will include a Welcoming Ceremony with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, a United States Coast Guard Air and Sea Rescue Demonstration, an Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association demonstration and a Peninsula College 5K Fun Run. A non-denominational “Crab Revival” and the Captain Joseph House Foundation Chowder Cook-Off will take place on Sunday.
The Art!
Don Dye is one of the many fine artists participating in the Festival with a booth on the pier. He also painted this year’s art, a great crab called “Louie.”
The Sponsors!
Presenting sponsors include Black Ball Ferry Line, Kitsap Bank, Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles. We have more than 40 sponsors throughout the community. For a complete list please go to our website.
A Perfect Getaway!
CrabFest is a seasonal highlight for Port Angeles, located at the Gateway to Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Center. The region is long known as an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with a growing reputation for culinary adventure. During the fall, travelers can visit artisan wineries, take a county farm tour and savor local cuisine at a waterfront resort. The area’s diverse geography features glacially sculpted peaks and towering old growth forest, wild ocean beaches and lush estuaries enhanced by living tribal cultures, historic seaport towns, and rolling agricultural land. For more information go to Visitportangeles.com, and Olympicpeninsula.org.
Tickets and information at www.crabfestival.org. Email your questions to info@operations.org, or phone 360-452-6300.
