Not Just for Boaters
Edmonds Yacht Club. By Beth Bond.
For decades, boats have graced the Edmonds harbor, capturing people’s attention as they gracefully glide through the water. When Edmonds was the center of the lumber industry, vessels pushed floating logs and hauled goods up and down the coast of the Puget Sound. Ferry service for cars and people began in 1923, but pleasure craft and sailboats weren't on the scene until much later.
With more and more pleasure craft coming to the Edmonds harbor, The Edmonds Yacht Club was founded in 1961 with the goal of providing boaters an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of other boaters. Since that time the harbor and Edmonds Yacht Club have come a long way.
The current location of Edmonds Yacht Club is 326 Admiral Way. The venue is a beautiful building with large glass panels that open outside to a dining and dancing patio area offering views of the ever-changing Edmonds harbor. The luxury crafts have slips right outside the patio and colorfully bob up and down with the changes in weather and tide. At night, dock lights twinkle and buoy bells jingle. Even on a rainy or foggy night, there is a certain romance to being able to dine, dance and socialize from the elegant function room of the Edmonds Yacht Club.
The main dining room is very popular for celebrations such as weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. It is also an attractive venue for business conferences and award banquets. In fact, just about any occasion where you want your guests to feel the ambiance of northwest hospitality, the Edmonds Yacht Club is ready for you.
And contrary to what you may think, one does not have to be a member to enjoy the benefit of hosting a gathering in this beautiful setting. The entire club, dining room, dance floor and patio areas can be rented. There is room for 220 guests, either at round tables of ten each or long buffet tables. There is a modern, commercial kitchen available for the catering service. Of course, there is a complete bar area, stocked with every type of stemware and 50 pounds of ice. There is even an intimate dressing room for the bride or special guest.
During my recent tour with Diane Toney, rental manager, she showed me the cupboards holding plates and utensils for a complete setting for more than two hundred guests. And don't worry about washing all those dishes and cleanup; simply rinse and stack dishes on the counter. The club is compliant with the American Disabilities Act and has a vigorous routine to wash and sanitize all plates, glasses and cups.
A staff member is always discretely available during any function to answer any questions and show your caterer where everything is and how it works. And, speaking of catering, you can bring in your own food, and there is no corkage fee for the wine. Edmonds has many great facilities that offer catering options. For instance, Arnies Restaurant is so close that they do not charge a transportation fee for their services.
When a group decides to rent the Edmonds Yacht Club, it is important to plan ahead. Rental fees vary depending upon which day of the week is desired. Saturday is the most popular and more expensive. The fee that is paid reserves the venue for the entire day from 8am to 12:30am. This enables the host to come in early to decorate or caterers to deliver and set-up. There is plenty of free parking for yacht club guests across the street, and as part of their service to your party guests, staff will set up signs and point out directions to the function rooms.
With members consisting of young families to retirees, the Edmonds Yacht Club has something for everyone. Nearly every month they conduct a cruise, with major cruises hosted over the holidays of Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. Destinations include Port Orchard, San Juan Islands and Port Ludlow.
As the sun was setting last week, after a day of sunshine and showers, I could visualize the beautiful club dining room, buzzing with guests enjoying each other, and the special ambiance of the Northwest's best kept secret - the Edmonds Yacht Club.
To schedule a tour, phone Diane Toney at 425.778.5499 or visit rentals@edmondsyachtclub.com. If you are interested in becoming a member, visit their webpage at edmondsyachtclub.com for more information.
