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| '''Seafair''' is a summer festival in ] that encompasses a wide variety of small neighborhood events leading up to several major city-wide celebrations. While many small neighborhood "]" and local ]s occur under the auspices of Seafair, most Seattle residents associate Seafair with the Torchlight Parade, ] races, and the ]. Seafair has been an annual event in Seattle since ]. | '''Seafair''' is a summer festival in ] that encompasses a wide variety of small neighborhood events leading up to several major city-wide celebrations. While many small neighborhood "]" and local ]s occur under the auspices of Seafair, most Seattle residents associate Seafair with the Torchlight Parade, ] races, and the ]. Seafair has been an annual event in Seattle since ]. | ||
| Seafair begins in |
Seafair begins in early-July: since the late 1970s, its arrival has been heralded by the Milk Carton Derby, a whimsical boat race on ] in which all the boats have been constructed out of empty ] cartons. Entries always range from those carefully shaped for speed and stability to those designed for maximum amusement. The Derby is usually associated with a variety of activities for children and families on the shores of Green Lake. | ||
| The festival added the Seafair Half-Marathon in 2002. Participants can run or walk the 13.1 mile course. If a shorter distance is more appealing, participants can run or walk the five kilometer course. The Seafair Half Marathon begins and ends at Bellevue Downtown Park in ]. After the race, participants enjoy live music and other activities. | |||
| ⚫ | The most attended event of Seafair is the hydroplane racing circuit's stop in |
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| The Seafair Triathlon is held on the shores of ] from Seward Park. The event involves a half mile swim, twelve mile bike and five kilometer mile run. Participants can compete individually or as a team. Typically, the Seafair Triathlon is held the third weekend of July. In 2003, the Seafair Triathlon was the second largest ] in the State of Washington. | |||
| ⚫ | Another controversial aspect of Seafair is the involvement of the Seafair Pirates—the Pirates are a organization who work year-round entertaining children in hospitals and performing other acts of community service. The Pirates also, however, usually perform loud and occasionally offensive antics at Seafair (in an attempt to live up to their "]" name) that cause perennial objection to their prominent involvement in the festivities. | ||
| The last weekend in July belongs to the Seafair Torchlight Parade and Torchlight Run. These events are held in the streets of downtown Seattle in which many local organizations participate: the parade is the event that announces the local woman who has been selected as "Miss Seafair" in the Seafair beauty pageant (prior to ], this award was named "Seafair Queen"). The parade is traditionally preceded by the Torchlight Run, a short (8km) race through the streets of Seattle in which many participants run in ]. | |||
| ⚫ | The most attended event of Seafair is the hydroplane racing circuit's stop in Lake Washington (which serves as Seattle's natural eastern border) for the Chevrolet Cup races, which occur at the end of ] or the beginning of ]—the race is always viewed by tens of thousands of spectators, both those standing on the shores of the lake in city parks, and those in boats anchored just outside the course in the lake itself. That same weekend, in a tradition begun in ], the ] are brought to Seattle to perform their aerial stunts (the Angels are a controversial part of Seafair, as some local residents fear an accident from the low-flying aircraft, and many more find the noise of the jet engines irritating - the Angels were barred from participation in Seafair from ] to ] as a result of some of these concerns). | ||
| ⚫ | Another controversial aspect of Seafair is the involvement of the Seafair Pirates—the Pirates are a organization who work year-round entertaining children in hospitals and performing other acts of community service. The Pirates also, however, usually perform loud and occasionally offensive antics at Seafair (in an attempt to live up to their "]" name) that cause perennial objection to their prominent involvement in the festivities. | ||
| ==External link== | ==External link== | ||
Revision as of 19:18, 20 May 2004
Seafair is a summer festival in Seattle, Washington that encompasses a wide variety of small neighborhood events leading up to several major city-wide celebrations. While many small neighborhood "block parties" and local parades occur under the auspices of Seafair, most Seattle residents associate Seafair with the Torchlight Parade, hydroplane races, and the Blue Angels. Seafair has been an annual event in Seattle since 1950.
Seafair begins in early-July: since the late 1970s, its arrival has been heralded by the Milk Carton Derby, a whimsical boat race on Green Lake in which all the boats have been constructed out of empty milk cartons. Entries always range from those carefully shaped for speed and stability to those designed for maximum amusement. The Derby is usually associated with a variety of activities for children and families on the shores of Green Lake.
The festival added the Seafair Half-Marathon in 2002. Participants can run or walk the 13.1 mile course. If a shorter distance is more appealing, participants can run or walk the five kilometer course. The Seafair Half Marathon begins and ends at Bellevue Downtown Park in Bellevue, Washington. After the race, participants enjoy live music and other activities.
The Seafair Triathlon is held on the shores of Lake Washington from Seward Park. The event involves a half mile swim, twelve mile bike and five kilometer mile run. Participants can compete individually or as a team. Typically, the Seafair Triathlon is held the third weekend of July. In 2003, the Seafair Triathlon was the second largest triathlon in the State of Washington.
The last weekend in July belongs to the Seafair Torchlight Parade and Torchlight Run. These events are held in the streets of downtown Seattle in which many local organizations participate: the parade is the event that announces the local woman who has been selected as "Miss Seafair" in the Seafair beauty pageant (prior to 1972, this award was named "Seafair Queen"). The parade is traditionally preceded by the Torchlight Run, a short (8km) race through the streets of Seattle in which many participants run in costume.
The most attended event of Seafair is the hydroplane racing circuit's stop in Lake Washington (which serves as Seattle's natural eastern border) for the Chevrolet Cup races, which occur at the end of July or the beginning of August—the race is always viewed by tens of thousands of spectators, both those standing on the shores of the lake in city parks, and those in boats anchored just outside the course in the lake itself. That same weekend, in a tradition begun in 1987, the Blue Angels are brought to Seattle to perform their aerial stunts (the Angels are a controversial part of Seafair, as some local residents fear an accident from the low-flying aircraft, and many more find the noise of the jet engines irritating - the Angels were barred from participation in Seafair from 1992 to 1994 as a result of some of these concerns).
Another controversial aspect of Seafair is the involvement of the Seafair Pirates—the Pirates are a organization who work year-round entertaining children in hospitals and performing other acts of community service. The Pirates also, however, usually perform loud and occasionally offensive antics at Seafair (in an attempt to live up to their "pirate" name) that cause perennial objection to their prominent involvement in the festivities.