Weekend Racing and Tasting
This weekend Silverdale will host the Silverdale Thunder Hydroplane Races on August 8-10th.
Racing begins Saturday morning with qualifying runs. Preliminary heats will follow the qualifying runs and will determine which teams will be “seeded” into the final heat, eligible to win the Silverdale Thunder Trophy.
Even though the racing doesn’t start until Saturday, visitors are welcome to come Friday evening to join the festivities, because there’s more than just racing going on. There will also be a carnival, live music, a beer garden, and local groups performing on a “Family Stage” (Saturday afternoon). You can get more information, including a schedule of events, at the Silverdale Thunder Hydroplane Races website.
And if you’re curious about what the view from the cockpit is like during one of these races, check out this video on YouTube:
If hydroplane racing isn’t your cup of tea, you might enjoy stopping by the 7th annual “Taste of Hood Canal” in downtown Belfair (on Clifton Lane) on Saturday, August 9th, instead. The day kicks off with the Mason County Fire District 2 Pancake Breakfast, served from 8-11:30 a.m., with the rest of the events beginning at 10 a.m. (The pancake breakfast will be served at Station 21, 460 NE Old Belfair Highway.)
The Taste of Hood Canal, sponsored by the North Mason Rotary Club, features a custom and classic car show, microbreweries, wine tasting, specialties from local restaurants, family entertainment and live music all day, arts and crafts, antique fire engines, local artists, and food booths featuring local delicacies like grilled oysters.
You can park on the Old Belfair Highway, just 500 feet from the event, or take the free shuttle from Sandhill Elementary School.
Of course, if you can’t make up your mind, you could always spend Saturday at the “Taste of Hood Canal” and Friday night and Sunday at the races!
