Olympic Music Festival Updates
March 2, 2025
Dear Friends,
The Olympic Music Festival shares welcome news: our reservation of The Wheeler Theater at Fort Worden State Park will move forward for our upcoming summer season, August 9–31, 2025.
Due to the closure of Fort Worden Hospitality on January 16, 2025, there are ongoing efforts to honor reservations—such as our summer season—of Fort Worden facilities. And, like other groups, we are still working out all the details.
Meanwhile, young artists have applied for the 2025 Olympic Chamber Music Fellowship. OMF Volunteers attended the March Jefferson County Connectivity Summit to connect with our local high school students. OMF Artistic Director Julio Elizalde reaches his tenth anniversary as artistic director while the OMF plans our tenth season in Port Townsend, WA.
While we are sure of our destination—summer concerts at the Wheeler Theater—your gift in March keeps the wind in our sails as we move forward amidst new challenges. We ask you to join our Save the Dates Donor Drive as we navigate a year of new and renewed partnerships at Fort Worden.
2025 will be a year to celebrate. And your dedication to the Olympic Music Festival will keep the music alive for all to enjoy in 2025!
With gratitude,
Emilie Baker | Managing Director
January 16, 2025
Earlier this week, it was announced that Fort Worden Hospitality (FWH) would be ceasing operations by January 16, 2025. No immediate successor for their roles and responsibilities as venue and housing operators at Fort Worden has been named.
The Olympic Music Festival awaits more information from Washington State Parks on moving forward with our 2025 venue rental of the Wheeler Theater. We anticipate knowing more by the end of January, well before our season announcement in the Spring.
Since 2016, the Olympic Music Festival has partnered with FWH and its predecessors to secure our seasonal reservation at the Wheeler Theater. Fort Worden State Park remains open for recreational use as a state park. The loss of FWH will affect many in our community; those who worked for FWH, and nonprofits, groups, and individuals who rented venues and used additional services provided by FWH.
Centrum, an essential arts presenter known for incredible music, writing, and arts programming presented at Fort Worden year-round, has also released a statement on their hopeful continuation of services in 2025. In addition to their own extensive programming, the arts nonprofit also provides professional support and services to OMF and other event groups throughout the region, including use and operation of theater lighting and technical operations at the Wheeler Theater during our concerts.
As we are awaiting the outcome of these changes, we thank you for your patience and continued support for our highly anticipated forty-second summer season.