Hoodsport events draw 'biggest turnout ever'

Kirk Boxleitner | Jun 29, 20230

Courtesy of George Stenberg count

The Fjordin Crossin festival and Paddle the Canal challenge June 17 in Hoodsport drew 300 attendees.

Courtesy of George Stenberg count

When the Hardware Distillery and Hood Canal Events teamed up to stage the fifth annual Fjordin Crossin festival on June 17 at the Port of Hoodsport dock and marina, the community responded.

Co-founder Jan Morris, who's also the co-founder of the Hardware Distillery with her husband, Chuck, said the festival drew 300 attendees, and more than 70 kayakers, paddleboarders and canoeists for the Paddle the Canal challenge, organized by Kerry Myers of Hood Canal Events.

"It was our biggest turnout ever, by far," Morris told the Journal. She noted that most previous Paddle the Canal challenges drew perhaps 30 competitors each year, "so that was a huge jump up."

Morris credited positive word-of-mouth through the community, "as people told their friends and families, and got onto social media to promote it independently," but also Myers' "great website, which made it so easy to sign up for the race."

Chance Horton, 41, finished first overall with a time of 18:11, edging out 21-year-old Lukas Hansen, who finished second overall in 18:12.

Third overall was 56-year-old Eric Oberg, with a time of 20:03.

In the women's division, Holly Erickson, 34, was first with a time of 21:24; 33-year-old Anya Rifkin was second in 21:51; and 34-year-old Eryn Smith finished third with a time of 23:18.

While a number of the race's contestants came from outside the area, Morris still saw a "preponderance" of locals dominating this year's race.

"The racers knew each other well enough that most of them wound up cheering for each other," Morris said.

This year marked the debut of a free shuttle service that ran roughly every half-hour, and Morris also cited the day's pleasant weather as helpful in drawing folks outdoors.

"It was definitely a good day for customer traffic at the Hardware Distillery," Morris said, adding that the Aquavit Grotto under the Port of Hoodsport dock did especially well. "They were super-busy the whole time, then rang in the last call for drinks right as the tide came in, and everything floated away."

The Skål Beer Hall of Seattle was forced to cancel its planned participation in the festival on short notice, but Morris expressed her gratitude to local chef Patchen Gallagher, of Nina's Lake Cushman Cafe, for stepping up to serve extra helpings, especially of his old-world roasted pig, whose estimated 90-pound mass was quickly converted into sandwiches.

"After the time we took off for COVID, we're just glad our quirky, charming little event is able to return and provide some family-friendly fun and entertainment," Morris said. "A lot of kids look forward to it each year, and even several adults spend quite a bit of time dressing up for the occasion, in their best approximations of Viking gear. The response we've received has been really remarkable."