2011 - 9th Annual celebration of the founding of Fairhaven

Saturday and Sunday, 2011, April 23 and 24, in Historic Fairhaven. Dirty Dan Days is Fairhaven's annual celebration of seafood and community founder Dirty Dan Harris. The festive event is free to attend and features food & games, live music, contests, toy boat building, friendliest catch, interactive salmon art, pro fish fillet contest, dress-up contests, cooking demos, chowder cook-off and the world's only piano race! All activities take place at the Village Green unless otherwise posted.

2011 information will begin being posted here - on this web page - in January 2011.


Below are sponsors and schedule for 2010 festival.

Sponsored by:
 Haggen Food & Pharmacy | Avenue Bread | Bornstein Seafoods | Vis Seafoods

Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse | Bellingham Cold Storage

For more information or to participate, contact either:
Doug Borneman at (360) 733-2682 or
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Stephanie Johnson
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Saturday - April 24, Food & Games 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Live Music by the Gallus Brothers and The Pennystinkers || All activities on the Village Green unless otherwise noted.

Toy Boat Building: Homeport Learning Center toy boat building booth where kids can make and keep their own boats!

Friendliest Catch Kids Derby: A fun game for the kids to catch a "creature of the sea" and win prizes. Also some "Old Fashioned Felting" for the kids.

Cooking Demos - by the Big Fat Fish Company

12:45 pm - A FISH STORY - 1 Tall Fish Tale, 1 Seafood Sound Off & 1 Sea Shanty
All performed by the live cooking crew of The BIG FAT FISH Co.

2:15 pm - FINS & SHELLS
The Pacific waters provide the Northwest a bounty of seafood. Despite the widespread availability of fresh seafood, many cooks remain timid about preparing seafood at home. Many cooks wonder: How do I know if the fish is fresh? Knowing whether it is undercooked or overcooked? How do I filet a whole fish? This class will arm you with skills you need to prepare seafood with confidence and flair. Go home with fresh insight and fabulous recipes presented by The BIG FAT FISH Co.

3:45 pm - WINE & VINE
The perfect pairings featuring the most savory seafood ideas & some seriously sensational wines..and oh ya, the information on where to procure them.

12:00 noon: Pro Fish Filleting Contest - Watch the pros fillet a bucket of fish in no time flat!

1:30 pm - Salmon Toss: Enter the salmon toss and see how far you and your partner can throw a salmon without dropping it!

3:00 pm - Dirty Dan & 1800's Dress Contest: Don your best 1800's clothing and compete in this historic contest for great prizes.

4:15 pm - Cup Cake Eating Contest sponsored by Katie's Cupcakes
- There will be a children's division (age 8-18) and an adult division (18+)
- Open to the public with one automatic bid going to the previous year's winner
- Entries available at the Katie's Cupcakes beginning April 1st as well as the day of the event on the Village Green
- Five participants for each division
- Each participant must eat seven cupcakes as fast as possible
- Winners receive a gift certificate, t-shirt, & adult winner gets name on the coveted cupcake trophy held year round in the shop

Sunday - April 25, 10 am to 4:15 pm

Dan Harris Challenge - 10 am: Rowing Race at Boulevard Park

Live Music from 12 noon to 4 pm

Chuckanut Chowder Cook-Off - 2 pm to 4 pm: Restaurant Competition - The region's best restaurants will be on hand to showcase their culinary talents in the Chuckanut Chowder Cook-Off. Tasting tickets are $10 and include a sample of all of the chowders and a bowl of your favorite. Avenue Bread will also throw in a tasty roll to mop it all up!

Piano Race - 4:15 pm: Tenth & Harris - The event finale happens at 4:15 pm on Sunday with the world's only piano race, a wacky uphill race inspired by the legend of Dirty Dan taking back his piano and rolling it into the bay after the new owner wouldn't pay.