You will Witness a real live coast guard helicopter rescue; Listen to Highline fishermen explain all aspects of their fishery in front of actual fishing boats; and to Cheer on the men that risk their lives to bring us seafood as they compete in several fun and often grueling competitions.

The mission of the Commercial Fishermen's Festival is to offer fishermen and industry professionals an opportunity to bond and share information that will save lives, improve productivity, increase demand for seafood products, and promote job opportunities. The mission is also dedicated to educating the public about the fishing industry including the steps fishermen have taken to ensure a renewable resource for the future. The Festival will showcase American fisheries and the process of selecting, preparing and cooking seafood.

The Festival features fun activities for the whole family to enjoy including Dover Sole Relay Races, food, music, and displays of real commercial fishing gear making this commercial fishing extravaganza an event that can't be missed

Cheer on the men that risk their lives to bring us seafood as they compete in fun and often grueling competitions. See the "Maverick" made famous on the popular Discovery Channel television series The Deadliest Catch. Witness a thrilling Coast Guard helicopter rescue.

Come and meet the Captains and crews from boats featured on "Deadliest Catch," and cheer on the men that risk their lives to bring us seafood as they compete in the grueling Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition (see note and interview below) for the title of Highliner of the Year.

Check out modern and historic commercial fishing boats and equipment, including traditional Native American canoes. There will be demonstrations of fish filleting, oyster shucking, net mending, crab pot knitting and more.

Enjoy live entertainment, great food, craft vendors, and activities for kids. New this year is a Seafood Culinary Stage featuring celebrity chef's demonstrating the best way to select and prepare fresh seafood!

Chef Graham Kerr of Galloping Gourmet fame is coming to the Commercial Fishermen's Festival with his wife Treena. Chef Kerr will be presentiing a seminar that has earned him standing ovations, a seafood cooking demonstration and book signing.

This is fast becoming Oregon's most popular family fun festival making this an event you won't want to miss. In addition, Astoria Sunday Market takes places from 10 am to 3 pm in historic downtown Astoria on 12th Street. Trolley service and a shuttle bus allows for easy and fun access to both of these events.

NO WHINERS, ONLY HIGHLINERS!

Highliners – register at the competition info booth at the Festival to chance to win over $1,000 in cash and prizes for the Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition!

New this year are Crew Competitions!

Land Lubbers can also join in on the fun by entering the Dover Sole Relay races, Ice Cream Eating Contest, survival suit races.

Kid Highliners! There is a highliner competition designed just for kids! Sign up at the Competition Information Booth.

For complete list of Commercial Fishermen's Festival Events go to:  http://commercialfishermensfestival.com/

Survival Suit Races – 3 man teams, bring your own suits

Autographs with "Deadliest Catch" stars and other celebrities!

Dover sole Relay Races

Ice Cream Eating Contest

 Commercial Fishermen Memorial

3:00 pm Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition

Autographs with "Deadliest Catch" stars and other celebrities

Kids Highliner Competition

Competition Awards

Entertainment

Continental Western Coiling Competition

Ice Cream Eating Contest

Team Crab pot Stacking Competition

Oregon Ice Cream Tug-of-War: Loggers vs Fishermen!

SEAFOOD CULINARY STAGE SCHEDULE
ON BOARD THE C/V GALLEY CAT!

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The 2011 Commercial Fishermen's Festival is September 17 & 18

Tongue Point, Port of Astoria — Oregon
(just off of Highway 30!)

Commercial Fishermens Festival

COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN'S FESTIVAL RENAMES ITS SIGNATURE COMPETITION TO HONOR CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS

The board of the Commercial Fishermen's Festival unanimously approved renaming its signature competition to honor Captain Phil Harris who recently passed away February 9 following a stroke earlier this month.

Captain Harris is best known for skippering the F/V Cornelia Marie on Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" hit television series. "Phil was a close and personal friend who fished alongside me on the Bering Sea for over twenty years," says Festival Board President Rick Quashnick. "He had the bigger boat and I had the smallest – yet I could always count on him during the roughest of seas to be there if I needed him." Captain Harris developed a strong following who loved his salty humor. "He was the kind of man who evoked a sense of being your instant best friend," added Festival Director Ron Williams.

To honor his memory and his contribution to the commercial fishing industry the Festival is renaming its signature event to the Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition. The competition runs contestants through a grueling series of commercial fishing related tasks that include stacking seven 100 lb. crab pots, coiling crab line, net mending, a buddy rescue using a 175 lb firefighter dummy, and concluding with slugging down a brew (rootbeer). The clock stops when he finishes the brew and is slapped by a barmaid.

"Highliners are the top fishermen in the fleet and are known to fish the toughest weather, work the longest hours and push their boats and their equipment and crew to the limit," explains Williams.

INTERVIEW: FIVE BERING SEA CAPTAINS RECALLING GREAT FRIEND AND CRAB FISHING PARTNER CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS

Five "highliner" Captains – the top fishermen of the Bering Sea – came together at The Columbia River Pilot House Tuesday to talk about their great friend and crab fishing partner, Captain Phil Harris. Harris, who is best known for skippering the F/V Cornelia Maria on Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" hit series, passed away February 9. The interview will be available for sale as a special DVD tribute to Captain Phil as a fundraiser for the Commercial Fishermen's Festival, which recently renamed its signature event to the Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition.

Captains David Lethin, Rick Quashnick, Jim Wilson, Derrick Ray and Harry Lewis represent more than 175 years combined experience of commercial fishing. "Many of those years were with Phil," added Captain Lethin. Each man has at least 35 years at sea and many fond memories to share.

"He was a true highliner on land and sea," shared Captain Harry Lewis. "In our world, Highliner means that he is the top of the heap."

"Phil used to say, 'I don't wanna be no where else' when talking about the sea," added Captain Wilson.