Port Angeles Dungeness Crab Festival

Dungeness Crab Festival celebrates the harvest, heritage, and community of the Dungeness region with three days of live music, seafood, family activities, maritime demos, and more along the Port Angeles waterfront. The festival attracts roughly 12,000 visitors each year and is timed to fall on the same weekend as Canadian Thanksgiving, making it a popular cross-border weekend trip.

What to expect

• Fresh-cooked Dungeness crab dinners served on-site, with live tanks and same-day cooking; advance purchase is strongly recommended because dinners sell out.
• Free live music on multiple stages, a vendor market of 75 plus artisans, kid-friendly activities, and public demonstrations such as Search and Rescue and Coast Guard boat tours (schedule permitting).
• Beer and wine garden, local restaurant pop-ups offering seafood specials, and plenty of photo-friendly waterfront views.

Tickets and dining tips

Festival entry is free. If you want the signature crab dinner, preorder online to guarantee your meal and to get the best price. Dinners are sold at market price at the event and are available while supplies last. The festival preorders thousands of crabs each year.

Visitor essentials

• Plan for wet weather and cool coastal breezes in October; bring a waterproof jacket and non-marking shoes for dock walk-throughs.
• Arrive early on busy days to secure a prime spot for music and demonstrations.
• If you want a closer look at Coast Guard displays or Search and Rescue demos, check the weekend schedule and arrive before the listed start time.
• Consider taking the Black Ball Ferry from Victoria for easy cross-border access; many visitors arrive that way.

Final checks before you go to Dungeness Crab Festival

Lineups, stage schedules, parking maps, and crab-dinner pickup instructions are published by the festival each year. For the latest schedule and to preorder crab dinners, check the official Dungeness Crab Festival site before you travel.