Maritime Festival brings merriment to locals, visitors

Ellie Ruel
15 hours ago
4 min read

Shopping, tug-of-war, music, dancing and tours mark 16th annual event

Visitors and locals browse vendors during the 16th annual Maritime Festival at Elizabeth Peratrovich Plaza on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Ellie Ruel / Juneau Independent)

By Ellie Ruel

Juneau Independent

Hundreds of locals and tourists flooded the Seawalk and Elizabeth Peratrovich Plaza for a bright celebration of seafaring history under erratically raining skies on Saturday.

The yearly festival is organized by the Juneau Economic Development Council, and featured vendors, live entertainment and harbor cruises.

“The original purpose is the same today as it was when we started it in 2010: to celebrate Juneau's maritime commerce, culture and industry,” said Brian Holst, JEDC’s executive director. “This is a celebration and just recognition of how important all things maritime are to our community.”

This year, Holst said a record 127 vendors had booths at the festival, including informational tables and those selling goods.

"Lots of fun to see new businesses, small businesses, testing the market,” he said.

A canoe filled with U.S. Navy members approaches the dock where they're welcomed by the Yées Ḵu.oo multicultural dance group at the Intermediate Vessel Float during the 16th annual Maritime Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Ellie Ruel / Juneau Independent)

A performance and canoe-welcoming by the Yées Ḵu.oo multicultural dance group opened the festivities. Led by Nancy Barnes, the group welcomed a canoe filled with U.S. Navy members.

“We’re really happy to have them here,” Barnes said. “Especially with what the Navy did with the apology to Angoon for the bombardment.”

Barnes said the Yées Ḵu.oo group is like a family and one of her favorite parts about the performance is watching young performers grow up over the years.

The festival performance also helps prepare for Celebration, she said.

A member of the Yées Ḵu.oo multicultural dance group smiles during a performance at the 16th annual Maritime Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Ellie Ruel / Juneau Independent)

“We’ve been practicing for Celebration every weekend,” Barnes said. “We call this a practice performance.”

Usually, a U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue demonstration in Gastineau Channel follows the dance, but was cancelled this year after the helicopter from Air Station Sitka was diverted to a life-saving mission near Haines. Chief of Incident Management Vincent Jansen said the patient would be transported to Juneau.

The Coast Guard tug-of-war team defended its now six-year hold on the trophy, winning against Juneau Docks and Harbors and the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation.

People tour the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Reef Shark during the 16th annual Maritime Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Ellie Ruel / Juneau Independent)

Near the end of the festival, eight musicians from the U.S. Navy Band Northwest played an hour-long set including jazz renditions of popular music.

“We have everything from classic 70s and 80s music to current hits, New Orleans style music, really everything and anything that’s high energy and gets the crowd pumping,” said U.S. Navy Musician 2nd Class Wes Carroll. “It’s a wide variety of music.”

The U.S. Navy Band Northwest performs at the 16th annual Maritime Festival on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Ellie Ruel / Juneau Independent)

Carroll said he’s been to multiple Maritime Festivals, and looks forward to coming back each year.

“Getting connected with people is the best part of our job,” he said. “Everything we do is free and open to the public so we get to connect with people quite a lot.”

• Contact Ellie Ruel at ellie.ruel@juneauindependent.com.