Find recent press releases below. For previous years, please contact us. Members of the media and film industry may reach Communications Manager Amy Nesler at (888) 468-3701 ext. 6 or by emailing her at amy@visitsanjuans.com.
As Maya Angelou says, “No one comes from the earth like grass. We come like trees. We all have roots.” Come to the San Juan Islands for a chance to plant some new roots this April during National Volunteer Month.
Someone once said, “When we realize heart and earth are made with the same letters, it all starts to make sense.” In the San Juan Islands, guests can experience the true heart of Earth Month this April with cleanups, workshops, film screenings, and more.
Orca Month is a time to celebrate the presence of the Southern Resident orcas off our coast, and inspire action to address the many threats facing them. Celebrations will be hosted throughout British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. For the little ones, fun and learning combine at The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, the first museum on the West Coast dedicated to the stewardship of whales.
Why are trees so carefree and easygoing? Because every fall, they let loose! Join us in letting loose as the gourmet archipelago celebrates more than a decade of great food, local farms, and independent filmmaking. Savor the San Juans returns for its 16th year with film festivals, farm tours, harvest dinners and much more. Savor is a great way to ease into a slower time of year while basking in the food, spirits, music, and natural beauty of Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Islands.
Earlier this year, as part of our diversity and inclusion initiatives, the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau partnered with the nonprofit Disabled Hikers (www.disabledhikers.com) to conduct a trail assessment of the popular outdoor spaces on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands. The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to the San Juan Islands is now available on our website (www.visitsanjuans.com/accessible-san-juans-hiking-guide) and highlights available amenities, parking, and any trail features that could potentially be hazardous for users with mobility challenges.
From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, a festive lineup of Holiday Events and Specials offer plenty of ways to keep friends and families busy, from holiday plays and concerts to wine tastings and dinners, special restaurant and lodging packages, and more. Three tree lighting ceremonies in Eastsound Village Green, Lopez Village, and Friday Harbor will brighten up the chilly nights, with carolers, cookies, hot cider, and good cheer. Escape the mainland’s rush and discover island time.
Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard. If you’ve been curious about how the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau approaches destination marketing and management, here’s your chance to ask. Coming later this February and March, the Visitors Bureau will host three ‘Tourism Talk’ meetings via Zoom for residents to get to know the staff and board, learn more about what we do, and ask questions, make suggestions, and give constructive feedback.
The approaching holiday season is a perfect time to get away from traffic-jammed parking lots and monotonous big-box stores. This year, savor the holiday spirit in the beautiful San Juan Islands with winter forest hikes, festive drinks by the fire, a great meal with stunning views, and nostalgic small-town traditions.
FRIDAY HARBOR, WA… “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” -Martin Luther King, Jr. When we say “History Lives Here,” it is to bring attention to our island community’s often somewhat hidden, or at least not broadly remembered, rich local history. In typical years we celebrate with guided walking tours, history talks, displays and other events that bring the history of the islands to life. This year, however, we are adapting the way we tell our story to reflect social distancing made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic.
November 4, 2021 San Juan Islands, WA… “Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” -John Boswell. The approaching holiday season is a perfect time to get away from crowded parking lots and cookie-cutter chain stores. This year, celebrate with a winter forest hike or walk on a stormy beach, a great meal by the fire, and holiday spirit with friends old and new in the San Juan Islands.
July 6, 2021 FRIDAY HARBOR, WA… What do you call a pepper in late autumn? A little chili! Join us as the gourmet archipelago celebrates more than a decade of great food, local farms, and independent filmmaking. Savor the San Juans returns in person for its 14th year with film festivals, farm tours, harvest dinners and much more. Savor is a great way to ease into a slower time of year while basking in the food, spirits, music, and natural beauty of Orcas, Lopez and San Juan Islands
February 1, 2021 Friday Harbor, WA… “You always gain by giving love.” – Reese Witherspoon. This Valentine’s Day, give some love to our island communities and support your favorite shops, restaurants, and lodgings. This last year has been tough on business owners keeping up with changing restrictions.
October 28, 2021 FRIDAY HARBOR, WA… Galileo Galilei once said, “Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” In the San Juan Islands, local winemakers Marti McConnell and Chris Lawler have taken that sentiment to heart with their new label, new vintages, and new winery in Friday Harbor.
April 13, 2021 If COVID has created anything, it’s the opportunity to be tourists in our own backyards, all while helping Islands’ businesses stay afloat. What island adventure is on your bucket list? Because we live here, we take so much for granted and put off exploring our own stomping grounds for “someday.” Make someday happen this spring!
June 2, 2021 Kickstarter campaign raises $155,000 making it the most successful in Washington State history Orcas Island, WA. Roots Orcas Island, a new wine bar and café slated to open this summer, set a new record in restaurant crowd sourcing in Washington State while becoming the fourth most successful campaign in United States history when it raised $155,086 last month. The Kickstarter campaign ended on May 28th raising a total of $155,086 over the course of thirty days. The previous record of $91,626 was set last year by Musang, Melissa Miranda’s Beacon Hill, Seattle restaurant. Musang was named the Seattle Met Restaurant of the year in 2020.
November 10, 2020 FRIDAY HARBOR, WA… If you’re getting ready to turn that jack-o-lantern into a pie, then you’re probably thinking about holiday shopping. Make that list, perhaps check it twice, and find a San Juan Islands gift for both the naughty and nice…
September 30, 2020 FRIDAY HARBOR, WA…We’ve been inviting food, farm and film aficionados to “Savor the San Juans” every fall for the last 13 years. This year COVID has changed the way we do things, so we are bringing Savor the San Juans right into your home.
April 30, 2020 Friday Harbor, WA… National Travel and Tourism Week, May 3 -- 9, is the annual salute to the positive effects of travel in the U.S. Now, more than ever, is a time to reflect on what visitors bring to the vitality and resilience of the San Juan Islands.
Since government stimulus checks have started to arrive in bank accounts, many of our most vulnerable islanders have already spent their funds, need to hold onto their checks, or are not receiving any stimulus funds. We fully support everyone who needs to spend or hold on to their stimulus checks.
March 3, 2020 Friday Harbor, WA … How is it that a porcine provocateur pilfering potatoes could start a war between the U.S. and Great Britain? While this might sound like a political cartoon, it's a true story. The history of the San Juan Islands shaped the state of Washington – literally. Discover the saga of the "Pig War," and other colorful stories during History Lives Here – National Historic Preservation Month (www.visitsanjuans.com/history-lives-here) in the San Juan Islands.
February 13, 2020 Friday Harbor, WA … “Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.” – Walt Whitman. On this 50th anniversary of Earth Day, spend a day (or more!) working with locals to maintain trails in beautiful Moran State Park on Orcas Island, or clean up a beach on Lopez, Orcas, or San Juan Island. Ride your bike in the Tour de Lopez and then enjoy the Procession of the Species Parade in Lopez Village. After a trip to the Islands, you might just discover the best version of yourself.
January 14, 2020 Friday Harbor, WA… Searching for the secret to a better balanced New Year? Use your vacation time! Letting 768 million vacation days go unused is just absurd. 46% of Americans skip the one step that could help them vacation: planning. January 28th is National Plan for Vacation Day. Whether it’s a long weekend with your pals or spring break with the family, there’s no better place for a getaway than the San Juan Islands of Washington State. Whether by ferry or floatplane, getting here is half the fun.
