Seafair signature events and community festivals

Many people think that Seattle’s Seafair summer festival is Seafair Weekend in August with hydroplane races on Lake Washington and the Blue Angels flying overhead. Far from it. Seafair is a summer-long festival with several signature events as well as many community-driven celebrations throughout the Puget sound region. 

In fact, some Seafair-sanctioned community events existed prior to the first Seafair Festival in 1950, while others are quite new. Find out more in our article about Seafair history and events.

Seafair Signature Events

In addition to Seafair Weekend, Seattle hosts several family-friendly activities each year including the Pirates landing on Alki, July 4th Fireworks over Lake Union, Torchlight Parade, and Fleet Week on the Seattle Waterfront. Each of these is summarized below. Scroll down for a calendar list of all Seafair event throughout summer.

Seattle Seafair Pirates | Facebook. Sometime in June or July, the pirates land on Alki Beach and then travel to festivals all summer.  More info: Destinations – Seafair Pirates

Amazon Seafair Summer Fourth over Lake Union. Watch from Gas Works Park or South Lake Union Park or other vantage points or via Live Broadcast 7/4 from 9 to 11 p.m. on KONG. More info: Where to see fireworks in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area – Greater Seattle on the Cheap

Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade Takes place the weekend before the Seafair Festival. Thousands of devoted spectators line Seattle’s 4th Avenue for the Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade. Celebrating the cultural diversity and traditions of the Pacific Northwest with 100+ luminous entries, from dragon dancers to precision drill teams and marching bands to prancing horses. It’s free to watch the parade, but to guarantee the best views, reserved seating is available for purchase. Arrive early and check out pre-parade activities like the iHeart Radio Block Parties, the Running of the Queens, and the Seafair Torchlight Run. The 2026 parade is 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25.

Seafair Fleet Week. Takes place during the week leading up to Seafair Weekend. A Seafair tradition since 1950, Seafair Fleet Week celebrates the men and women who serve our country at sea. Ninety percent of the consumer products you use every day arrive in the U.S. by way of the ocean. With 70 percent of the earth’s surface covered in water, it takes state-of-the-art technology to protect the world’s waterways. It is all powered by the best and brightest young men and women from across the United States. Come say hello – you will be impressed! Come to the Seattle waterfront to see vessels and personnel from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Royal Canadian Navy. The celebration starts with the Parade of Ships through Elliot Bay, followed by a week of events where the public is invited to meet the sailors and guardsmen, enjoy free music, and take ship tours. All events are free and open to the public. In 2026, Fleet Week is July 22-23.

Seafair Weekend Festival from Genesee Park in south Seattle featuring US Navy’s Blue Angels headlining the Boeing Seafair Airshow and the world’s fastest racing boats competing for the HomeStreet Bank Cup. Takes place the first weekend in August. The 2026 Seafair Weekend Festival is July 31 through August 2.

More info:

• Tickets and information for Seafair Weekend
• Where to see the Blue Angels for free Seafair Weekend – Greater Seattle on the Cheap

Seafair Community Events

Seafair Event Calendar 2026 (seafair.org) Seafair Community Events the very soul of Seattle’s summer-long festival. These fun-filled events take place in neighborhoods throughout Seattle and around the Puget Sound region. These grassroots events demonstrate civic pride as they celebrate the traditions and diversity of the residents.

These community-led festivals and neighborhood parades are volunteer-run from conception and promotion to implementation and cleanup. The Seafair organization offers participating events resources and support that include event management training and event promotion, as well as operational and administrative assistance.

Seafair community events in Seattle

These events are scheduled in 2026:

Des Moines Waterland Festival and Parade, Saturday, July 18, 6 to 8 p.m., in the Des Moines Marina District, 22506 Marine View Dr. S, Des Moines. This parade features marching bands, dancers, the Seafair pirates and more. It will be followed by the first ever Waterland Block Party, after the parade.

Seattle Chinatown Seafair Parade, Sunday, July 19, 7 to 8 p.m., in the Chinatown Internatonal District, 409 Maynard Ave., Seattle. The parade features a 100-foot dragon, Asian performance groups, float and drill teams.

Pista sa Nayon, Sunday, July 26, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Seward Park, 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S., Seattle. the ultimate Filipino summer party, with lots of food, music and more. 

Magnolia Summerfest & Parade, Friday, July 31, through Sunday, August 2, at Magnolia Playfield, 2518 34th Ave., Seattle. This annual festival includes arts and crafts, live music, food, a parade on Saturday and kids’ activities. The festival runs 1 to 9 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Champions of Change Celebrity Pickleball Tournament, Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at SideOut Tsunami Pickleball Center, 2300 26th Ave. S, Seattle

Lake City Summer Festival and Parade, Saturday, August 1, 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., on 125th Street NE and long Lake City Way NE and at Albert Davis Park. Artisans, food trucks, Family Fun zone, car show, touch-a-truck, live music and more.

Umoja Fest, Saturday, August 1, from noon to 7 p.m. at Judkins Park, 2150 S Norman St., Seattle. The event celebrates the best of the Black community and African Diaspora with music, food, culture and family fun. The Africatown Heritage Parade starts at 1 p.m.at 23rd and Cherry and ends at the park.

Cajun & Creole Fest, Saturday, August 15, from 1 to 7 p.m., at Kent, 2nd & Harrison Streets, Kent. This festival transforms downtown Kent into a bayou celebration, with music, food and family fun. There will be a beer garden and a kids’ corner, as well as Zydeco music, vendors, artists and food.

More Seafair Events: Seafair Event Calendar 2026 — Seafair

Seafair community events in the Puget Sound region

(Listed alphabetically by city.)

• Burien 4th of July Parade
• Covington Days Festival 
• Des Moines Waterland Festival 
• Getaway: Lake Chelan Pirate Fest
• Issaquah Salmon Days
• Kent Cornucopia Days 
• Kirkland Summerfest (explorekirkland.com) 
• North Bend Downtown Block Party
• Renton River Days 
• Shoreline ‘Celebrate Shoreline’ Festival
• Snohomish Kla Ha Ya Days Festival 

Seafair events and festivals

Event calendar of free and affordable things to do

Listed below are all types of free and affordable things to do in the next week.

Featured Events are listed first each day, highlighted by a photo. These are unique, popular, or annual events that we or our advertisers don’t want you to overlook.

Find more events and ideas for affordable living at Greater Seattle on the Cheap – Free things to do, cheap fun, discounts and deals in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area