Voted into the “Top Ten American Art Towns” by America the Beautiful, Friday Harbor is an art-lover’s paradise, where you can visit galleries, hear great music and see a play all within a few blocks. Or, take a scenic drive to stroll through the unique San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, just 20 minutes from Friday Harbor, where you’ll get a dose of art and nature simultaneously. More than 100 sculptures are set in 19 stunning acres, dotted beneath trees, atop rises and even in the water.
Visual Arts
A great selection of art from around the San Juan Islands can be found at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art and numerous galleries dotted around Friday Harbor, such as Island Studios and WaterWorks Gallery features sculptors, jewelers and painters from the islands and the greater Pacific Northwest. Arctic Raven Gallery features art by Coast Salish carvers and painters. You can also visit studios around San Juan Island such as Paula West Pottery and Yvonne Mancuso-Buijs Glassworks and buy art directly from the artists. On Friday nights in the summertime, a selection of artists and crafts people sell their work at the Friday Art Market in the Brickworks Plaza. See a map of public art in Friday Harbor here!
Performing Arts
Several theater companies perform throughout the year in Friday Harbor. Island Stage Left’s Shakespeare Under the Stars visits all three islands, and their other indoor performances on San Juan Island are always popular. In addition to their excellent productions, San Juan Community Theatre also shows live, high-definition broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera and National Theater.
All year round, but especially in the summer, numerous festivals are an additional reason to plan a trip to Friday Harbor. Enjoy Music in the Park on the waterfront, the Night Music Concert Series at the San Juan Community Theatre’s Steele Memorial Garden, and many other jazz, folk and rock performances at local venues.
