Quilcene is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, Washington, United States.

The community is located on the Olympic Peninsula at the head of Quilcene Bay, an arm of the seawater-filled glacial valley of Hood Canal.

[3] Each year many visitors enjoy the panoramic views of Mount Rainier, Puget Sound and Seattle from the 2,804-foot (855 m) summit of nearby Mount Walker, the only peak facing Puget Sound that has a road to its summit.

[3] The Olympic National Forest lands in Quilcene hold Douglas fir, spring-blooming Pacific rhododendrons, Oregon grape, and salal.

Hampden Cottle, a logger from Maine, and several other families settled there in 1860 and eventually established a town.

[10] The town was originally situated on the banks of the Quilcene River, before being moved to higher ground.

[10] The Tubal Cain Mining Company in 1902 claimed that Quilcene would become the center for the smelting of iron, copper, gold, and manganese that was expected to be found in the Olympic Mountains; however, little ore was ever discovered.

The music festival was founded in 1984 by Alan Iglitzin, originally intending it to be a summer home for the Philadelphia String Quartet.