PORT ANGELES – The new operators of the Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival hope a new structure will help move the festival in a new direction, while reengaging with the community.
The festival has transitioned from being operated by longtime organizer Scott Nagel, to a new 501-c3 organization. The new organization is led by a group of Port Angeles business operators. It’s executive director is Rose Thompson.
“We have a really wonderful group of like local business owners that are involved. We are just really excited about the opportunities that we have. We really want to bring back some vibrancy to this festival. We really want to kind of reintegrate ourselves into the community and work with those stakeholders, community partners and if there’s some pressure points, we want to work on those too. We’re really open to feedback from the community. We’d like to correct things if we can.” Thompson told Newsradio KONP.
Michael McQuay, owner of Kokopelli Grill and Hook and Line Pub, is also a board member. He says they hope to continue efforts to work with the local tribes to secure better availability and prices for crab. He also says they’re looking for ways to bring back some of the parts of the festival that have gone away such as the crab derby.
Ultimately, the group wants to make a festival that celebrates the community with a big event and also gives back.
“We realized how important that was for our community. None of us did what we did or are doing what we’re doing for self-enrichment. It will be a 501 c3, totally nonprofit and we’ll give back to the community in spades. I’m just totally excited that we have this opportunity to kind of fix some things that have gone stale and the team that we have is incredible,” said McQuay.
The festival will also be staying put for now. There were plans to move the festival from the parking lot of the Red Lion downtown. But the big tent and festivities will stay there at least for one more year.
The festival has also secured Black Ball Ferry to become a title sponsor, that’s a first for the festival.