Maritime Gig Fest Offers a Variety of Food Choices

Really? A Chum Burger? I’ve heard them mentioned before but was never completely sure that they were real. It sounds suspiciously like a joke that native Gig Harborites would play on us newbies. “Yeah, those Chum Burgers are the best. I CAN’T WAIT to get one at the next Gig Fest” followed by snickers and winks from those in on the joke. When we neophytes show up at the Maritime Gig Festival and confidently order a Chum Burger, cue the laughter at our expense.

Where I come from chum isn’t a word that has any appetizing connotations. I didn’t immediately think, “Yum!  Chum Burgers!” But now that I have seen some evidence that they do exist (unless this plot is really elaborate and diabolical) I am curious about them. What are they? It’s been on my mind for days now, and I’m ready to find out for myself.

But I had to wait until Sunday. First was the Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast held in front of the old QFC on Judson Street on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. They had grills set up and efficiently fed the large crowd that gathered with pancakes, sausages, orange juice and coffee. The breakfast was free with donations accepted. They were selling $10 raffle tickets for a beautiful 1966 classic Mustang that was on display there for the breakfast and later was moved downtown.

A lunchtime visit to the on Saturday was next. It was crazy busy downtown when we arrived at about 1 p.m. My daughter brought a friend, and we proceeded to cruise the booths lining Harborview Drive. 

It was so crowded that we felt like salmon swimming upstream (chum salmon, perhaps?) I started complaining about the heat. In my defense, Washingtonians need a little acclimatization time! The Gig Harbor Police Explorers Dunk Tank looked really inviting. I found myself standing close to catch some splashes when the girls took a turn throwing the baseballs.

We had choices of BBQ, Peruvian food, several Asian food booths and a variety of typical “fair fare.” We sampled hand dipped corn dogs, smoothies, lemonade, Italian sausage & Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches. Seating on hay bales set up in Skansie Brothers Park allowed us to enjoy entertainment from two stages while we ate.

To cool off after, we hit the truck for ice cream and sorbet. There was a booth for Hawaiian shaved ice in 27 flavors and was offering sorbet but we were completely full by then. Next year, I’m bringing a bigger, hungrier team with me.

The food offerings Saturday were simply average fair or carnival style food. We didn’t find anything outstanding about it. It was the type of food I loved as a kid but now it just doesn’t seem the same.

I had higher expectations for Sunday. The booths lining Harborview Drive were gone and the crowd was just a fraction of the size from the previous day. See my photos for pictures taken both days from the same spot at the same time of day for a comparison.

On Sunday, three local service clubs had food booths set up in . The Altrusa Club had a variety of snack foods, the Lions Club was selling grilled hot dogs with peppers & onions, and the Knights of Columbus featured clam chowder, grilled oysters and the aforementioned Chum Burgers. But their sign advertised them as “Salmon Burgers” and I had to ask if they were one and the same. I was assured that they were but didn’t get an explanation for the change of the name.

We chose the grilled hot dog, clam chowder and Chum Burger, which I finally discovered was a formed salmon patty with cocktail and tartar sauce offered on the side. The hay bale seating was still there and we watched The Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble while we ate. In the distance, we could hear a band playing classic rock hits for a more raucous crowd aboard the fishing fleet boats which were anchored and rafted together in the middle of the harbor. 

We found the food to be vastly preferable to the previous days offering. It had more character and didn’t feel as “commercial.” Plus the prices were about half, and the money went to excellent local causes. I’ll choose that any day.