Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival
At this festival, wooden boat enthusiasts flock to Lake Union to enjoy a day on the water. There are public rides on the lake, via sail, row, steam or row. Classic boat owners bring their own boats for display. Visitors can brush up on their boating abilities in workshops on topics, such as celestial navigation and tool sharpening. The culmination of this festival is a competition where teams build a boat within 24 hours and then compete in a regatta the next day.
South Lake Union
1010 Valley Street
Seattle, WA 98109
206-382-2628
cwb.org
Seafair
This celebration lasts throughout the summer in Seattle, and has a number of great outdoor activities. There is a triathalon, where competitors move through a grueling half-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run. Then there's the Torchlight Run, which is a 5K and 8K run that finishes with a post-race beer garden. The final weekend of the celebration includes an air show and a hydroplane race, where some of the world's fastest boats jockey for position on Lake Washington.
Seafair
2200 Sixth Ave.
Suite 400
Seattle, WA
206-728-0123
seafair.com
Maritime Festival
Seattlites celebrate life on the seas during the annual Maritime Festival every May, which takes place on the downtown Seattle waterfront. The biggest attraction is the annual tugboat race, where dozens of tugboats battle. Beyond that, there's a chowder cookoff for a nice snack. There are also survival suit races. For festival attendees who would like to pursue a career on the water, there is Maritime Career Day.
Seattle Propeller Club
100 W. Harrison, Suite S560
Seattle, WA 98119
206-448-7660
seattlepropellerclub.org
