We're Back! Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival Celebrates Olympic Coast Cuisine

PORT ANGELES, Wash., Sept. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival, one of the country's most acclaimed seafood events, served-up a record nine tons of fresh-caught Dungeness crab in 2019 before taking an unanticipated mandatory hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic. Now, this signature Pacific Northwest culinary event is back and preparing for another "crabtastic" year. CrabFest will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8-10, at the Port Angeles City Pier, the Gateway Center, and Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor parking lot. Admission is free.

"We've made changes and accommodations for COVID-19," says CrabFest Executive Director Scott Nagel. "Our plans have been approved by the county health department and we will be prepared to handle whatever protocols may be in place at the time of the festival. Our staff and volunteers are committed to producing a safe event that is outdoors or under tents."

The Food!

While there are concerns nationally about seafood's disappearance from restaurant menus due to soaring wholesale costs attributed to COVID-related port congestion, a lack of fishermen and other shortages, CrabFest is positioned to avoid these challenges. The festival is connected directly to local fishermen and suppliers with their own dedicated crab boats. There will be fresh whole Dungeness crab from High Tide Seafoods, Alaska Weathervane Scallops, sourced using their own boats, raw and BBQ oysters from Taylor Shellfish, which has been growing Northwest oysters since the 1890's, and halibut, cod, salmon and shrimp.

Advance discounted tickets for our featured Dungeness crab dinners are now available online at www.crabfestival.org. Crab dinner tickets purchased at the festival will be at market price. Visitors can also pickup "crabs-to-go" at our new curbside pickup location.

Throughout the grounds, 14 local and regional restaurants will serve-up everything from crab bisque to seafood paella – more than 50 dishes! Meat and vegetarian dishes are also on the menu plus great local desserts, beer and wine.

More Fun!
In addition to great food, there will be more than 70 juried craftspeople, nonprofit and sponsor booths on the pier, the Grab-a-Crab Derby where families can catch live crabs in giant tanks, and live music every evening. Saturday activities will include a Welcoming Ceremony with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, an Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association demonstration and a Peninsula College 5kFun Run.

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.

Contact: 
Scott Nagel, Executive Director 
360-808-3940                       
[email protected] 

SOURCE Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival