About the food

Where does that much crab come from?

• We purchase all of our crab - almost 15,000 pounds in 2024! - from local, Washington crab boats.  Our Dungeness crab is caught just before the festival and kept in large saltwater tanks, with the temperature and oxygen providing their ideal environment, until they are brought to the festival for cooking. They are delivered daily throughout the weekend.  They are cleaned and cooked on-site in big crab cookers. This is the freshest crab you can find!

Why should I prepurchase my crab dinner?

• We make our best guess on how many pounds of crab we need to order - and prepurchased dinners help us order the correct amount! It also guarantees your purchase - no matter what time you come to the festival, we'll have your plate ready! We do sell dinners at the event, but they are often at a higher price than the presale dinners and we may run out.

What's the difference between the two dinner options?

• We sell a whole crab dinner and a half-crab dinner. Our Dungeness crab average about 2 pounds each. The half-crab dinner plate will average about a pound.  All whole or half-crab dinners include fresh Dungeness crab, farm-fresh corn on the cob, coleslaw, and softened butter.

Can I take my fresh cooked crab home with me/back to Canada?

• Yes! You can take cooked crab and other seafood into Canada! We offer a few different choices for taking food to go: we offer a cooked, cleaned, and wrapped whole or half-crab "a la carte" from the Crab Counter located on City Pier, or we can wrap the full dinner plate to go in Crab Central. Online purchases are generally sold to be consumed on site - please let the Crab Crew know if you would like the plate wrapped in foil for travel.

About the festival

When is the festival?

• CrabFest is always scheduled on the same weekend as Canadian Thanksgiving, which is the 2nd Monday of October.  This allows our Canadian friends to spend the long weekend with us - almost 4,000 travel for the event each year!
  
  2025 Dates: October 11-12
  2026 Dates: October 9-11

Where is the festival?

• The Dungeness Crab Festival is located along the waterfront of Port Angeles, Washington, including City Pier and the parking lot of the Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor. The GPS address is 221 N Lincoln St., Port Angeles, WA 98362.

Where can I park?

• Park for free in downtown Port Angeles among more than 2,000 parking spaces, paid lots, and curbside. Please note some lots are pay-to-park. There is also a parking map at www.crabfestival.org/parkingmap

What is the festival like?

• The festival is a local favorite, showcasing some of our best local restaurants, musicians, vendors, and community organizations. Most of the activities at the festival are outdoors, and will take place rain or shine - come prepared for all weather possibilities! Our main dining area, Crab Central, is a 14,000 square foot enclosed tent.

Do you allow street performers or buskers?

• The Dungeness Crab Festival appreciates street performers, but due to the limited size of the event site, the festival reserves the right to regulate and position street performers so that they do not interfere with event programs or lines. Those interested in performing/busking should inquire at the festival information booth for updates based on crowd and location.