Let that sink in
Toledo’s Wooden Boat Show refuses to act its age at 20 years
You don’t need to own, or even care that much about, wooden boats to have a great time at the 20th Annual Wooden Boat Show, taking place at Toledo’s Waterfront Park this weekend.
Fans of boats will enjoy the variety of mostly hand-made vessels on display alongside boat-building demonstrations. The family-friendly festival celebrating Toledo’s boat-building heritage also features the Georgia Pacific Containerboard Boat Race, live music, kids’ activities, food, boat rides, a dog pageant and vendors.
This year’s music schedule features an exciting mix of genres, from jump blues and country to mariachi and Americana, performed live at the pavilion throughout the weekend.
Saturday’s performers are: Whole Lotta Louis, kicking off the festivities with jump blues and swing, The Ty Curtis Band bringing high-energy rock-n-blues, Mariachi Cuervo delivering vibrant Mexican folk music and local favorite MacKenzie Maxon, closing the day with soulful country vibes.
Sunday’s showcase of eclectic styles will be delivered by: Bogaard – Hegstrom, blending folk, blues and reggae, bluegrass from Use'ta Do and Americana and blues from Skybound Blue.
This year’s show poster features Bill Pettis and the last commercial fishing vessel built in “Bill’s Boat Shop” near Yaquina Bay. Pettis came out of retirement and together he and son Mike built the FV Challenge, which launched in 1980 and is still fishing to this day. Another of his boats, the FV Little J will also be on exhibit. During a career that spanned more than 25 years, it is estimated that Bill's Boat Shop, while almost entirely a one-man show, produced more than 200 boats.
The poster, copies of which will be available to purchase at the Port of Toledo’s booth, continues the show’s tradition of creating unique posters that are a favorite for collectors.
The music lineup comes to a powerful finish with a performance from by David Jacobs-Strain, an original troubadour of fine music. Jacobs-Strain is a slide guitar player and internationally touring songwriter from Eugene. He and his band draw from a deep well of blues, folk and roots-rock and roll to put on a soulful dance party with big grooves and harmonies.
At the Wooden Boat Show, the band will feature Philadelphia harmonica legend Bob Beach, who has shared the stage with Levon Helm and the Avett Brothers. The Crunk Mountain Boys form the drum and bass backbone of the band and Jean Pierre Garau will be joining in on Hammond B-3 organ. Jacobs-Strain has opened for Etta James and Boz Scaggs and played festivals from the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, when he was still a teenager, to the Telluride Blues fest, but his specialty is tying the feel of the blues to the spirit of the Pacific Northwest.
This dynamic schedule offers something for every music lover, set against the backdrop of classic wooden boats, family activities, local vendors and waterfront charm.
The festival runs from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday, Aug. 16, and 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, Aug. 17, at the Port of Toledo’s Marina and Waterfront Park, located at 127 NW A Street. For more information, go to portoftoledo.org or call 541-336-5207.