May 4, 2023
The first Saturday in May opens the boating season here in the Pacific Northwest. Shores will be lined with spectators, boats will be decorated and parading through the Montlake Cut, and friends and families will gather onshore and aboard their vessels to celebrate the beginning of the best season for boaters.
Seattle Yacht Club’s (SYC) century-old Opening Day celebration, known as the nation’s largest regional celebration of water, starts with a cannon blast, the iconic Windermere Cup Crew Races, followed by a boat parade beginning at noon. Every year, thousands of boaters head to Lake Union and Lake Washington to take part in the festivities.
Small boats, motorboats, rowing and paddle boats, sailboats, antique boats, and mega-yachts will all be featured in the annual parade. Participating yachts will decorate their boats with this year's theme: Game On! — sporting their favorite collegiate and professional sports team’s colors and logos.
The boating season never officially ends in the Puget Sound area. There may be less extended cruising during the blustery, wet days of winter, but the faithful keep sailing. Opening Day, however, kicks off the happy spring and summer days of boating for many avid boaters in this area.
The Port of Seattle welcomes guest cruisers throughout the boating season and accommodates over 2,000 recreational monthly moorage customers at our Port marinas: Bell Harbor Marina, Shilshole Bay Marina, Harbor Island Marina, Salmon Bay Marina, and Fishermen’s Terminal.
If you can’t make Opening Day festivities, the Port hosts other events throughout the year that are open to the public to enjoy Port facilities and experience the Seattle waterfront:
- Shilshole Boatfest — June 3: Shilshole Bay Marina invites the public to the marina to get out on a boat; learn how to get into boating, learn about boating safety and environmental practices; and celebrate the Ballard community. Enjoy boat rides, kids’ activities, maritime exhibitors, food trucks, and more
- Bell Harbor Rendezvous — June 17-18: The Pacific Northwest Fleet of the Classic Yacht Association in conjunction with the Port of Seattle will once again host the Bell Harbor Marina Rendezvous. Over 30 classic motor yachts, many of them built prior to World War II, will welcome visitors throughout Father's Day weekend. The public is invited to the Bell Harbor Marina docks to view the classic yachts between 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
- Fishermen’s Fall Festival —The Festival celebrates the return of the North Pacific Fishing Fleet to the terminal, works to increase the public’s knowledge of the importance of the fishing industry, and helps raise money for the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial Foundation. The Festival provides families with a fun and educational outing on the waterfront as well as an opportunity to learn more about seafood
