History of Foofaraw – 50th Anniversary (for more foofaraw information)
John W. “Bill” Johnson worked for the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce back in the sixties. Some called him the “Executive Secretary”, others “Chamber Manager.” Although Bill has since passed away, when his spirit looks down on Olympia each September, he must smile with the satisfaction of knowing that Foofaraw, his idea 46 years ago, has become one of the Chamber’s most enjoyable annual events and is remembered warmly by military men and women stationed around the world.
Bill’s idea surfaced one morning in the coffee shop at the Olympia Hotel, where so many conversations over coffee were about Chamber members.
One day Johnson said “I have an idea on how the Chamber can make some good contacts with the military at Fort Lewis, Madigan Army Hospital, and McChord Air Force Base.”
So on a sunny Friday morning in September of 1962 a small fleet of about 15 boats headed north on Budd Inlet. One dictionary defines Foofaraw as “much ado about nothing” and, at one point in history the official “purpose” of the day said a “Foofarite has earned the right to say ‘Foo’ to all duties and responsibilities for one day each year.”
Foofarites gather at the Olympia Yacht Club the morning of the first Friday after Labor Day each year. Each skipper tells Foofaraw planners how many guests his or her boat can accommodate and they assign a mix of military and Chamber participants to their hosts’ boats. Each Chamber member pays a hosting fee to attend Foofaraw. Those fees assist in paying for the food and refreshments.
