8 Towns In Washington With Unique Traditions

While some towns in the United States, including those in Washington, are known for their sleek, Victorian-era architecture, their funkiness and swagger, or their storybook appearance — others are known for their unique traditions and festivals. In Washington, such is the case with many small, slow-paced towns, including Carnation, which hosts what could be America's only medieval living history museum. Here, visitors experience everyday life in 14th-century England, speak the English of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and move at the pace of a horse-drawn wagon. Discover below eight towns in Washington with unique traditions.

Enumclaw

A wee bit o’ Scotland. For almost 80 years, the Seattle Scottish Highland Games Association, a non-profit formed by prominent Scots in the Seattle area, has been stimulating interest in Scottish culture through various forums and events. Scotland is known for its Highland Games, one-day events that take place in outdoor spaces across the country. They feature tug o' war, hummer throws, dancing, alongside other activities. The first Highland Games started taking place in the 11th century, during the reign of King Malcolm III, referred to as the founding father of modern Scotland. It was a royal contest meant to identify the fastest and strongest individuals who could serve as the king’s messengers. Today, Enumclaw hosts the Pacific NW Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering on the 4th weekend of July every year. It is the largest Scottish event in the state. Enjoy traditional Scottish food as skilled athletes battle it out in games such as stone put, caber toss, and hammer throw.

Carnation

Imagine you are in 14th-century England — in a village without cars or computers — where life moves slowly, almost like the speed of a cart. Time stands still amid the smell of wood, archers performing some required practice for Edward of Windsor, and freshly sheared sheep. Welcome to Camlann Medieval Village, arguably America's only medieval living history museum. Is it true that in 14th-century England, people never bathed? Maybe yes. Probably not. Whatever the case, Roger Shell, founder and proprietor of Camlann Medieval Village, believed there were so many myths about the Dark Ages. He decided to dispel the misconceptions by accurately depicting everyday life during that period. The village is open on weekends from May through to September. However, the Bors Hede Inne (notice the spelling), called “the Northwest’s most unique dining experience,” is open year-round and serves the cuisine of the period.

Union Gap

It is December 31st, 1862. African Americans, alongside many other White anti-slavery crusaders, have gathered in several spots across the country — and are waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Something historic is about to occur, and the air is filled with palpable anticipation. Abraham Lincoln, after a period of frustrating indecision, is about to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. The Civil War, meanwhile, is raging and about to take a decidedly moral trajectory. “This is scarcely a day for prose. It is a day for poetry and song,” were the ringing world of Fredrick Douglas. Come and experience the biggest Civil War reenactment in the state of Washington during the Old Town Days Festival, an event that takes place every Father's Day weekend. There is food, Civil War era dance, Civil War Battles, and other events calculated to capture the mood and culture of the period.

Chehalis

Since antiquity, garlic has been used as a spice and for its medicinal properties. It was found in Egyptian pyramids and ancient Greek temples. Hippocrates, the “father of modern medicine,” prescribed garlic for a variety of conditions. In Ancient Rome, China, and India, garlic was a frequent article of diet. Chehalis, loved for its handsomely preserved historic buildings, hosts the Washington State Garlic Festival on the last weekend of August every year. Expect garlic-inspired cuisine, chef demonstrations, and good music. Did you know you can use garlic to make glue — or that April 19th is National Garlic Day? For more about garlic, a trip to Chehalis will be tongue-tingling. Some have called this the state’s smelliest festival. Originally held at Sunshine Hills, this event showcases several varieties of garlic amid live music and a fun, playful ambiance.

Mount Vernon

Tulips are straight and bold — at the same time, delicate and graceful. In the Netherlands, during the Dutch Golden Age, the price of a tulip bulb was enough to buy a house in the most desirable district of Amsterdam. They loved the beautiful color patterns of tulips, especially those that feature flames of color. Today, however, we know that this color spectacle is the work of a virus. Years ago, people would troop to the Skagit Valley to admire tulips when in bloom. The Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce saw an opportunity and launched its first Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in 1984. People come from around the world every April to marvel at nature’s majestic display of color. It is the largest Tulip Festival in North America.

Friday Harbor

If you crave time for pleasure or play but cannot float down a stream, hit a trail, or people-watch in some quirky rooftop bar, a good documentary can easily save the day. Friday Harbor knows this and hosts a film festival every year in October when professional filmmakers educate and inspire San Juan Island residents and visitors in the art of filmmaking, especially documentaries. The first annual Friday Harbor Film Festival was held in 2013 and featured a series of award-winning documentaries, mainly focused on the diversity of the Pacific Rim. During this event, filmmakers mingle with the crowd and answer questions while introducing their works to the community. Well, Friday Harbor is an incredibly gorgeous island town that looks plucked straight out of a movie scene. Its association with movies, therefore, should not come as a surprise.

Pullman

It is lush and fertile, an endless stretch of rolling farmlands and hills. Here in the land of lentils, the earth is part desert-brown, part amber, while the sky is typically wide, open, and blue. It may strike one as prosaic, but it is in this region that up to 90% of America's lentils are grown. The story of lentils in the Palouse, French for “green lawn,” goes back more than a century. J. J. Wagner, a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, was gifted five pounds by a friend at his church in Farmington. The Seventh Day Adventist Church traditionally promotes a vegetarian lifestyle. Wagner decided to plant the legumes instead of cooking them. He did not know he was onto something special and was pioneering the successful growing of lentils in this part of the continent. Today, Pullman hosts the Lentil Festival every August, which celebrates the delicious legume and features the world's largest bowl of lentil chili.

Poulsbo

During the late 1800s, Nordic immigrants started flocking to the Seattle area lured by lumberjack work, fishing, and boat-building. A few years later in 1910, Scandinavians comprised the largest ethnic group in the state of Washington. During this time, Norwegian families established Poulsbo, a nice, laid-back town located just over an hour from Seattle across the Puget Sound. They named it after their hometown in Norway. If anything, the majestic mountains and woodlands in the area probably reminded them of Scandinavia. Today, Poulsbo hosts Viking Fest every third weekend of May, which coincides with the Norwegian Independence Celebration “Syttende Mai”. During the event, Vikings roam along designated routes — while rides and live music enliven the atmosphere.

The Takeaway

While you can love a town for a one-of-a-kind museum down the streets, a delicious Mexican restaurant, a white-sand beach, a heart-warming waterfront — or a historic downtown area — there is nothing that gives a town character than its traditions and festivals. Across the Atlantic, London has BBC Proms, which bills itself as the Worl’s Greatest Classic Music Festival. In the Evergreen State, Mount Vernon is known for its tulip festival; Poulsbo for its Viking tradition. Then there is Enumclaw, a wee bit o’ Scotland.