Music and Arts Festival To Step Away From Port Townsend In 2024

Seattle Theatre Group (STG), the nonprofit arts organization that produces THING, announced that the beloved music and arts festival that was established and has taken place at historic Fort Worden in Port Townsend, WA, since 2019, will not return to Fort Worden for a fourth year in 2024.

While artistic and community impact have been significant, STG recognizes revenue shortfall and some location accessibility factors as the primary reasons for pivoting away from Fort Worden. One of STG's core tenets is to take artistic risk with fiscal diligence. While leaving its exceptional beauty and the ease of producing THING at Fort Worden was a difficult decision to make, STG has determined that prioritizing long-term institutional health is necessary to allow for THING to continue in the future, regardless of location.

“We would be remiss to not acknowledge and thank Fort Worden and the entire Port Townsend community for shaping THING to be the incredible festival it has become since its inception,” said Adam Zacks, STG's Chief Programming Officer and creator of THING. “Port Townsend is at the heart of THING, and we intend to carry that spirit into future iterations. We're disappointed to not bring THING back to Port Townsend next year but are excited to build upon the special relationship we have with Fort Worden. We look forward to imagining together the best way STG can continue to serve the local community and make the most meaningful impact possible.”

“Fort Worden has benefited greatly from the ongoing relationship with Seattle Theatre Group. As a community we have grown from wary acceptance to enthusiasm in the span of a few short years,” added Matt Gurney, Fort Worden Hospitality CEO. “We will miss the energy, diversity, and spirit that has come to define THING. Fort Worden Hospitality looks forward to the continuing partnership with STG that will bring new creative opportunities to the Fort Worden campus.”

Though THING will have a new location in 2024, STG is not stepping away from Port Townsend. STG's Education and Community Engagement programming will continue at Fort Worden in summer 2024 along with other programming in the form of standalone events and concerts. Information about THING 2024 and upcoming STG programming at Fort Worden is forthcoming.