PORT HADLOCK— The community festival that looked like it was off the rails just about a month ago is back on track with a vengeance.
“I’m excited. It’s going to be great,” said Dana Petrick of this weekend’s Hadlock Days. “I wasn’t sure how well things would go, but everything has come together in the last few days.”
“Everything” includes performances by Brian “Buck” Ellard, a Port Townsend musician with an emerging national reputation.
Hadlock Days takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Port Hadlock.
The Buck Ellard Band will perform at street dances planned from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
“Buck Ellard is a rising star,” Petrick said.
“We are really lucky to have him here for the whole time.”
The festival, which is in its 24th year, had for the past five years held lawn mower races, which had become increasingly popular.
The Hadlock Days committee dissolved because of a lack of funds and leadership.
The festival rebooted, with Petrick at the helm.
It wasn’t enough to save the lawn mower races — the festival’s biggest draw since 2006 — but organizers and Lloyd Crouse, who built the Port Hadlock Mower Speedway, hope they will resume next year.
The void left by the lawn mower races’ cancellation is being filled with music.
Music emphasized
Mike Lundgren will perform from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The Grand Parade, which has 59 entries, will follow at 1 p.m.
Naval Magazine Indian Island Cmdr. Gary Martin is this year’s parade grand marshal.
The Alumni Band will perform music with a country flavor at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, to be followed by Ellard.
In what has become an annual Hadlock Days appearance, the Dukes of Dabob will perform at the Valley Tavern at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
On Sunday, Lundgren will perform from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by Jack Reid and Mike Mullin from noon to 2:30 p.m. and Ellard at 3 p.m.
Petrick said she’d like to see 800 or 1,000 people attend — which is less than the 3,000 that had been drawn to the lawn mower races but enough to have a robust community celebration.
“This is an old-time family event,” Petrick said. “It’s always been a lot of fun, with everyone laughing and kids coming out and having a good time.
“It’s a time to celebrate, where you can put your phone away for a few hours, disconnect from your computer and enjoy our town.”
A fundraising raffle will benefit the Big Blue Boosters and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, as well as help defray the festival’s expenses.
The raffle’s grand prize will be a steel-fabricated fire pit designed and constructed by Eli Petrick, Dana Petrick’s son and a recent Chimacum High School graduate.
Throughout the weekend, children’s games and events sponsored by Hadlock Building Supply and the Friends of Chimacum Schools will take place.
Additional special events this weekend are:
■ The VFW Pancake Breakfast at Matheson VFW Hall from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.
■ The Kivley Center Vendor Fair from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. both days, sponsored by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce.
■ Keg Toss preliminaries at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Valley Tavern.
■ A U.S. Navy K-9 team demonstration at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Kivley Center.
■ Keg Toss finals at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Valley Tavern.
■ Pies on the Run from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Valley Tavern.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
