August 1st and 2nd 

The 19th annual Door County Maritime Museum Classic & Wooden Boat Festival has a new theme in 2009 that will take it beyond the popular boat show for which it has become known. There will still be plenty of boats on the museum grounds in Sturgeon Bay the weekend of Aug. 1 & 2, but the new theme "Boats, Books & Brushes" reflects the expanded offerings.

An open-air painting event, "Paint the Bay," will encompass the entire Sturgeon Bay waterfront. Artists will have the morning to create their art before returning it for a silent auction inside the museum in the afternoon. A People's Choice vote will select the work which will grace the 2010 festival poster. The "books" portion of the title refers to a series of maritime author talk session both days with book signings to follow. Karl Bohnak, Richard Purinton and Norbert Blei will be in the museum's Bridge Room on Saturday with Chris Winters and Trygvie Jensen scheduled for Sunday.

 

The much-anticipated arrival of the restored 149-foot tug John Purves to its permanent berth in front of the museum highlighted last year's event and tours will again be part of the festival admission this year. The show committee has introduced a new single ticket entry structure this year that will permit all those attending to not only gain admission to the festival but also to the museum and tug at a discount off the regular daily fees. Also, ages for free children's admission have also been expanded to encourage more family attendance. Museum members will get a considerable discount.

A new attraction this year will be tug boat races, allowing kids of all ages to taste a little of the glory for which the Roen Steamship Company tugs became famous nearly a half-century ago . The toy tugs will race adjacent to the Purves' mooring. Also, the popular Kahlenberg Engine returns this year to delight festival attendees with the sights and sounds of one of most distinctive power plants on the Great Lakes. Last year's featured vessel Surf & Turf  will be on the grounds and will take to the water. Both car and boat, the 1963 Amphicar is always a big hit. It will be one of more than 40 vessels which will be on display both on land and in the water throughout the weekend. Visitors will again have the opportunity to vote for their favorite.

The show's most popular event, the Sikaflex Challenge boat building competition, will again get underway Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with up to 12 two-person teams required to build a boat with limited materials and just 4 hours to garner points to carry over into Sunday's in-water race. Always a big draw, the race will begin at 1 p.m. with the colorfully decorated vessels hitting the water and racing against the clock. Points are awarded and coupled with Saturday's to produce an overall winner.

Boat building again highlights the children's activities. The show's popular raffle is back with a boat load of prizes, the top prize being a stunning 11-foot Shellback dinghy, built by a team of builders in a museum class conducted by Clay Bonin. Built on classic lines, the vessels can be both easily rowed or is fast and responsive under sail. Drawings are scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

 
The popular singing group Bounding Main will provide maritime-themed musical entertainment while in full period costume Saturday. United States Coast Guard participation is again contingent on availability and weather. Of course, the concessions stand is back, featuring an expanded menu this year.

Schedule of Events
 
All Day, Both Days
Exhibitors' Boats on Display
Children's Boat Building
Tug Boat Races (Continuously held adjacent to Tug John Purves-All Ages)
Maritime Authors presentations
Tug John Purves Deck Tours
Amphicar exhibit and demonstrations
Coast Guard vessels (as available)
Raffle Tickets on Sale; Ship's Wheel Raffle (under big tent)
Museum Store with Boat Show Merchandise
Food & Beverage Booth
 
Saturday, August 1, 2009
9 a.m.                               Grounds Open
9 a.m.-Noon                    "Paint The Bay" (Artists painting on and off grounds)
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.                Kahlenberg Engine Demonstration
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.                People's Choice Voting - Exhibited Boats
9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.       Author Presentations (Bridge Room)-Karl Bohnak, John Asher/Bob Purves, Richard Purinton and Norb Blei.
10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.           Bounding Main (musical entertainment)
10 a.m.                             Sikaflex Challenge Building Begins
1-4 p.m.                           "Paint the Bay" silent auction and People's Choice voting (Museum 2nd floor)
3 p.m.                               Raffle Drawing
4 p.m.                               Grounds Close
 
Sunday, August 2, 2009
10 a.m.                             Grounds Open
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.           People's Choice Voting - Sikaflex Entries
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.             Kahlenberg Engine Demonstration
10 a.m.-1:45 p.m.           Author Presentations (Bridge Room)-Chris Winters, Jon Paul Van Harpen, Trygvie Jensen
12:15 p.m.                       USCG Search & Rescue Demonstration (Tentative)
1 p.m.                               Sikaflex Challenge Sea Trials
3 p.m.                               Raffle Drawing
3:30 p.m.                         Awards Ceremony
4 p.m.                               Grounds Close

 

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The vocal group, Bounding Main, back in the U.S. after last summer's first two European concert tours returns to Sturgeon Bay in force!

 

This group, famous for their richly harmonic arrangements, is entertaining all day Saturday August 1, 2009 at the Classic and Wooden Boat Show which runs from 9:00 AM through 4:00 PM at the Door County Maritime Museum.  Later, they are crossing the Michigan Street steel bridge for a late afternoon concert at the cornerstone music venue The Holiday Music Motel for a concert from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.

First bringing their energetic and musically thrilling shows to audiences in 2003, Bounding Main has entertained audiences at a variety of concerts, festivals, museums and music venues on both sides of the Atlantic.  Their three CDs, "Maiden Voyage," "Lost at Sea" and "Going Overboard" have enjoyed brisk sales all over the world.

Bounding Main is delighted to be back in Door County entertaining the maritime-loving residents and visitors of Sturgeon Bay.

 

 

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After an entertaining and exciting day at the Door County Maritime Museum Classic & Wooden Boat Festival, enjoy dinner and take in the Venetian Night Boat Parade and Fireworks at the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club.

 

The Yacht Club will be open to the public that day.

  For information, contact the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club at (920) 743-6934.