Photo courtesy of Seatte Propeller Club
Seattle's 2010 Maritime Festival includes world's biggest tugboat races, a workboat parade, chowder cook-off and a lot more free family fun.
The Festival is sponsored by the Seattle Propeller Club, in cooperation with the Port of Seattle.
The highlight of the Festival is the annual tug races set for Saturday, May 8, during the Family Fun Day. This year, over 40 tugs and workboats are expected to participate in the 26th Annual Seattle Tugboat Race Championships, which are sponsored by U.S. Oil and Refining.
Family Fun Day features three heats of tug races, workboat parade, Chowder Cook-Off, boat building
competition, survival suit races, harbor tours, kids’ activities, displays and lots of other free fun.
Family Fun Day activities will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pier 66/Bell Harbor Marina on the Downtown Seattle Waterfront. There is no admission charge. More than 400,000 people annually enjoy Festival activities, which are unique blend of industry and public events. Industry events include a Maritime Career Day, Working Waterfront Workshop, Maritime Festival Luncheon and others.
This year’s Festival celebrates “The Year of the Seafarer,” as declared by the Council of the International Maritime Organization. The theme pays tribute to the world's 1.5 million seafarers for their unique contribution to society and helps recognize the risks seafarers shoulder in the execution of their duties in an often hostile environment. It also recognizes our region’s mariners who have helped keep Puget Sound waters the safest and most risk-adverse in the country and amongst the safest in the world.
Schedule of Key Events:
Tuesday, May 4 - Celebrity Judging for the Seattle Waterfront Neighborhood’s Waterfront Chowder Cook-Off, The Edgewater Inn, Pier 67
Wednesday, May 5 - Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society Dinner; For further information: www.pugetmaritime.org
Thursday, May 6 - 12th Annual Maritime Career Day, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. - Maritime Event Center, Pier 66 - for further information: www.MaritimeEducationInitiative.org
National Fisherman’s “Tenth Annual Stories of the Sea” Fisher Poetry Competition - Connor Byrne Pub in Ballard, 8 p.m.
Friday, May 7 - Working Waterfront Workshop: Environmental Leadership, Stewardship and Collaboration 7: 30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Maritime Event Center, Pier 66
Saturday, May 8 - Family Fun Day
- U.S. Oil Seattle Tugboat Race Championships
- Fire Boat Display Noon
- Tugboat Ballet 12:10 p.m.
- Abandon Ship Demonstration 12:20 p.m.
- Coast Guard Rescue 12:50 p.m.
- WorkBoat Magazine Workboat Parade 1:15 p.m.
- Class C Limited Tug Race 2:00 p.m.
- Class B Harbor Tug Race 2:30 p.m.
- Fireboat Firefighting Demonstration 2:45 p.m.
- Class A Unlimited Race 3:00 p.m.
- Fourteenth Annual Seattle Waterfront Neighborhood Waterfront Chowder Cook-Off. Event will be held at participating restaurants. Proceeds benefit maritime community and youth organizations. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Pacific Maritime Magazine Quick & Dirty Boatbuilding Competition, presented with Jensen Maritime Consultants and TOTE - Industry teams compete in building a boat from standard materials. Boatbuilding starts at 8 a.m. at Pier 66, with judging at 3 p.m. Racing in the Bell Harbor Marina is scheduled for 4 p.m.
- World Invitational Survival Suit Races, 11 a.m. - Noon, Bell Harbor Marina, Pier 66
- Free Harbor Tours presented by the Port of Seattle – 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Thanks to the Port of Seattle and Argosy Cruises, you can discover the working waterfront during three free, one-hour, public tours. Board at Bell Harbor Marina/Pier 66 one-half hour prior to each departure. There is a limit of 400 guests for each tour. Stop by the Festival Information Booth at Pier 66 to pick up your ticket. There is a limit of four tickets per adult, 18 years or older.
Other Family Fun Events:
Vessel Tours, Remote Control Boat Demonstrations, Free Admission to the Maritime Event Center, Display Booths, Free Wooden Boat Building for Kids, and Kid’s Activities Center.
Tuesday, May 11 - 59th Annual Maritime Day Luncheon - Aboard Carnival’s Spirit at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, Pier 91, for the 59th annual Maritime Festival. Luncheon celebrating the contributions the maritime industry has made to the greater Seattle community. During the luncheon, the Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award, the Elected Official of the Year Award and Marine Environmental Business of the Year Award will be presented. The luncheon is co-sponsored by the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Seattle Propeller Club, with support from the Port of Seattle.
Thursday, May 20 - National Maritime Day - Labor/Management Luncheon, Catholic Seamen’s Club
Presented by the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, this annual luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Club, 2330 First Avenue. Call (206) 441-4773 for further information.
All events subject to change.
For more info: Call (206) 728-3163 or visit www.SeattlePropellerClub.org
Contact Carlanne via email: travelindustryexaminer@gmail.com
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Comments
If I were there I would be in line (several times) for the chowder.
Now that is a race I have never heard of - tugboats!!
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