Rachel Storck, community engagement director for the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, sits on the art installation “Sky Gazer” by Port Angeles artist Steve Belz, one of several new artworks in the Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park, the site of this weekend’s Summertide Solstice Arts Festival. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Rachel Storck, community engagement director for the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, sits on the art installation “Sky Gazer” by Port Angeles artist Steve Belz, one of several new artworks in the Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park, the site of this weekend’s Summertide Solstice Arts Festival. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Art festival to kick off summer at fine arts center

New works, poetry at Webster’s Woods

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center will host the Summertide Solstice Art Festival, a free, family friendly event from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The celebration at the center, at 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd., marks the longest day of the year and welcomes new artwork and poetry to Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park.

Admission is free with donations appreciated.

The outdoor festival will include live music, lawn games, nature art stations, poetry readings, and local food and drink vendors.

This event marks the yearly changeover of sculptures for the open air exhibition.

Six new artwork installations have been added to Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park as a part of “Under the Canopy.”

These new arrivals will be on display for one year and join more than 100 existing works of art nestled into 5 acres of rugged second-growth forest. This year’s artists include Steve Belz, Carlos Inclán Oseguera, Anthony May, Greg Neal, Tracy Beals, Jessica Bruning and Nathan Shields.

Poetry in the Park, a collaboration with the Olympic Peninsula Authors group, contains a robust selection of 20 new original poems this year.

The poems also will be displayed on signs throughout the woods for one year.

Participating authors include John Victor Anderson, Les Carnahan, Judith Rayl, Stephanie Nead, Alice Derry, Charlotte Warren, Don Haggerty, Judy Rosen, Bruno Rescigna, Laura Garrard, Dianne Knox, Eva McGinnis, Angela Terry, Joan Enoch, M.D., Diane Walker, Eva Epstein, Carmen Germain, Risa Denenberg, Linda B. Myers and Gary Bullock.

Visitors will be able to meet the authors and enjoy live readings in the gallery courtyard or enjoy a self-guided poetry walk through the park.

Clallam County Poet Laureate Jaiden Dokken will give a short introduction to start the poetry reading at 1 p.m.

Funding to support the Poetry in the Park program has been provided by the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

“We are very excited to be going into our fifth year of Summertide,” said Rachel Storck, Community Engagement Director.

“This festival is such a joyous event. It’s always fun to hear laughter in the woods, see everyone’s solstice crowns, and watch as people discover new ways to experience art.

“It’s a great way to start off the summer season, and we love hosting this event for our community,” Storck said.

Activities to explore throughout the afternoon range from viewing the “Blooming Artists” exhibition in the gallery to hands-on nature art stations like printmaking or felting with Cabled Fiber & Yarn.

Attendees also can enjoy live music from the meadow stage throughout the event.

Songslinger and third-time Summertide performer Jack Dwyer will kick off the event from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Deadwood Revival will bring “a tasty soup of new old-time and folk rock spiced with a bit of classic country” to the meadow from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

And finally, underground garage surf band AntBath will close out the festival from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair and listen to the performances down in the meadow, or enjoy the melodies throughout the park as they explore the new artwork or make art at one of the hands-on stations.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase from local vendors Pacific Pantry, Angeles Brewing, Buena Luz and Welly’s Ice Cream.

Summertide is sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission, National Endowment of the Arts, Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau, Cabled Fiber & Yarn, Country Aire and Safeway; and in-kind sponsors KONP, Wildling Farm, Cherry Hill Florist & Gifts, Tampopo Farm and Angeles Millwork & Hartnagel Building Supply.

For more information, see www.pafac.org.

More in Entertainment

The One Horse Ranch Garden will be part of the Clallam County Master Gardeners’ 2025 Petals and Pathways tour on June 28. (Master Gardeners of Clallam County)
Petals and Pathways garden tour set June 28

Self-guided event includes eight Sequim locations

Free music series begin next week

Free concert series will be conducted this summer in Sequim, Port Angeles… Continue reading

Brinnon ShrimpFest set for this weekend

A stage presentation to benefit food banks, a history exhibit and the… Continue reading

Brinnon Fire Association to host ShrimpFest on Saturday

The Brinnon Fire Association will host the 33rd Brinnon ShrimpFest… Continue reading

Alternative prom set for Port Angeles church

Social Norm’s will host its third Gayla from 6… Continue reading

One of the secret gardens on the Jefferson County Master Gardeners tour. (J. Touger)
Jefferson County secret garden tour set for Saturday

The Jefferson County Master Gardeners Foundation will sponsor the… Continue reading

A protest photo included in the traveling exhibit “Patient No More: People with Disabilities Securing Civil Rights,” on display at the Jefferson County Historical Society on Thursday.
Jefferson County Historical Society to open exhibit Thursday

The Jefferson County Historical Society will open “Patient No… Continue reading

Cancan dancers such as these will perform at Hog Wild Goes to Moulin Rouge on June 28 at Field Arts & Events Hall in Port Angeles. (EnJoy)
Hog Wild event to feature dancers, acrobats

Tickets available for purchase through this weekend

Theatre group to host play to benefit food banks

The Wacky Wednesday Theatre Group will present “The Absolutely… Continue reading

A camping scene, circa 1895, with the McClinton brothers as the photographers. (North Olympic History Center)
History center to host reception for library exhibit

The North Olympic History Center and the North Olympic… Continue reading

Singer-songwriter to perform at Rainshadow Concerts

Dan Navarro will perform for Rainshadow Concerts at 7:30… Continue reading

Collage workshop set for Port Ludlow Art League meeting

Carol Nielsen and Pamela Raine will host a hands-on… Continue reading