Windermere Summer Splash with free water sports, games, entertainment, arts and crafts and more in Green Lake - Saturday, August 15th 2015 from 9am-4pm

" Bring the kids to a fun fair with food tents, arts & crafts, carnival games, entertainment, music and more! Try free kayaking, canoeing, rowing and stand up paddle boarding at the Green Lake Small Craft Center open house. Watch your local businesses compete in the Corporate Cup Regatta to see who takes home the coveted Corporate Cup trophy. "

For more info. go here.

PCC NATURAL MARKETS/SEAFAIR 45th Annual MILK CARTON DERBY at Green Lake in Seattle - SATURDAY, JULY 11th 2015 from 9am-3pm

" Seafair Derby Day includes the PCC Natural Markets Seafair Milk Carton Derby and the ZICO Seafair Stand Up Paddleboard, an Urban Surf Competition! The 45th annual PCC Natural Markets Seafair Milk Carton Derby is bigger and better than ever. Nearly 100 colorful milk carton boats of all shapes and design will compete on the waters of Green Lake for fantastic prizes and bragging rights. The Derby is highlighted by a full day of "competition" as children, adults, families and businesses build milk carton watercraft for show and racing. "

For more info. go here.

Georgetown Carnival with art, music, power tool races and tons more in Seattle - Saturday, June 13th 2015 from 12-10pm

For more info. go here.

SEATTLE BOT BATTLES AT THE ARMORY/CENTER HOUSE AT SEATTLE CENTER - TODAY, SUNDAY, MAY 31ST 2015 FROM 12-5:30PM

Check out the battling robots at Seattle Center! 

" One, three and twelve pound bots battle it out for mechtronic supremacy! "

For more info. go here and here.

                                     To see video and pics of the battling robots go here and here. 

Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival Family Fun Day at Lake Union Park in Seattle - Saturday, May 9th 2015 from 11am-5pm

Highly recommend this one!

" Don’t miss the boat at Seattle’s largest maritime industry celebration! It’s the Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival, sponsored by the Seattle Propeller Club with the Port of Seattle.

Free family fun includes WorkBoat Parade, Lake Union/Ship Canal Tours presented by the Port of Seattle, Workboat World Invitational Boat Building Competition, Fireboat Display, Tugboat Demonstration and Ballet, Abandon Ship Demonstration, Coast Guard Sea-Air Rescue Demonstration, historic, government and workboat tours, Survival Suit Races, free kids boating building by The Center for Wooden Boats, fun bounces, face painting, displays, music and food!

Please note that due to significant construction on the Seawall and Tunnel projects, all Family Fun Day activities will shift to South Lake Union. The move forces the cancellation of this year’s tugboat race and chowder cook-off. However, a spectacular WorkBoat Parade and our usual popular maritime activities should attract thousands to South Lake Union. "

For more info. here.

Edible Book Festival and Competition and Yes! Free Cake ;-) at Lake Forest Park Town Center - Saturday, March 28th 2015 from 11am - 2pm

Images courtesy of Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council

This might be a good one to check out if you like puns and sugar when they go together!

" A consumable art exhibition! Bibliophiles, book artists and food lovers will unite to create edible books that are exhibited, document and then consumed! Edible books are made of food and inspired by a book or pun on a book title. This event is free and open to the public, so come out and enjoy these mouthwatering manuscripts, or brave your aprons to create your own succulent storybook. Located in the commons at the Lake Forest Park Town Center.

What is the Edible Book Festival?

Firstly, an “edible book” is a dessert, main dish, side dish, or appetizer, that is in-spired by a book. It can look like a book, scroll or tablet, or NOT. It can be inspired by the book title, a scene or a character. The idea is to have fun, and create some thing good to eat, and share. "

For more info. go here.

Tet Festival 2015 with lion dances, a cooking competition, health fair, and tons more at Seattle Center - Saturday and Sunday, February 21st and 22nd 2015 from 11am-7pm both days!

" Explore and experience the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Vietnam through live performances, hands-on activities, foods, crafts, games, martial arts and a lively marketplace. "

For more info. here.

Alpaca Amore Affaire Auction and Expo at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe - Saturday and Sunday, February 14th and 15th 2015 from 8am-6pm both days!

Go and check out all things alpaca with live animals, alpaca products, exhibits and more!

 Free admission.

For more info. go here.

Pacific NW Regional Yo-Yo Championships AT SEATTLE CENTER - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH 2015 - VIEWING AVAILABLE FROM 11AM-5PM WITH AWARDS AT 5:30PM!

Take the kids and watch as the top yo-yo players compete for the Pacific NW Regional Champ title! Kids will see things they never thought possible to do with a Yo-Yo!

For more info. go here and here.

Washington FIRST Robotics State Championships at the ShoWare Center in Kent - Saturday, January 31st 2015 from 11am-5:30pm - Spectators recommended to arrive for the Opening Ceremonies at 12:45pm

ShoWare Center and Washington FIRST Robotics Team Up to Host FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge State Championships

Event is FREE to the public

" Do you enjoy seeing robots battle? Are you interested in engaging your child in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)? Save the date! On Saturday, January 31, 2015, Washington FIRSTRobotics will hold its state championships for FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge at ShoWare Center in Kent, WA. Over 1,200 kids grades 4th-12th from across Washington State will be competing in teams. This will be the first time that FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge teams will be competing under the same roof. "

 If interested in learning more about Washington FIRST Robotics, please visit firstwa.org.

For more info. go here and here.

Northwest Indoor Rowing Championships in Magnuson Park in Seattle - Saturday, January 31st 2015 from 8am-4pm

For more info. go here.

22nd Annual Gingerbread Village "Jingle All The Way" at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel - Now through January 5th 2015 - 24/7!

This is a family favorite event of ours!

"Jingle All the Way to one of Seattle’s most beloved holiday traditions, the Sheraton Seattle Hotel Gingerbread Village. Let the holiday music surround you as you take in scenes from Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, I’ll Be Home For Christmas and Santa Claus is Coming to Town made entirely out of your favorite candies and treats. Each year the Sheraton’s culinary team partners with top local architecture firms to design, bake and delight you with larger-than-life Gingerbread creations. The event is free to the public, with donations benefitting the JDRF Northwest Chapter. "

For more info. go here.

West Seattle Harvest Festival - Sunday, October 26th 2014 from 10am-2pm

" Over 40 farmers will be sharing their goods at the peak of harvest, while families can come in their Halloween costumes and do a little trick-or-treat. Halloween doesn’t have to be just candy, we can also enjoy the bounty the earth has to offer.

There will be fun activities for the kids which will include Kids Costume Parade, Trick-or-Treat, and Harvest Crafts and Games brought by the community! All for free!

THE DAY’S SCHEDULE:

10am – 2pm: Farmers Market

10am – 2pm: Harvest Activities

11am-1pm: Chili Competition

11:30: Costume Parade, Junction Plaza Park

12pm: Trick-or-Treating

You’ll also find:

Haunted House – Join RE/MAX for a spine-tingling tour through an eerie haunted estate; home to zombies, ghouls and supernatural surprises for the more daring souls… Or, for the very young and faint of heart, try the fun, glittery, pumpkin room, sprinkled with fairy dust and adorned with whimsical delight! RE/MAX Junction 4727 44th Avenue SW 11am-1pm "

For more info. go here and here.

Robothon 2014 with all things robotics including competitions and demos at Seattle Center - Saturday, September 20th 2014 from 9:30am-5:30pm

" Robothon is a national event that showcases the capabilities and technological developments in robotics from the amateur robotics community. At this event, people from around the world come together to present new robotic technologies, share ideas, meet fellow robotic enthusiasts, show off their robotic creations, and compete in many robotic competitions and activities. "

 Robothon is open to the public, admission is free and events will include

Robo-Magellan, Line Following, Line Maze, Minisumo, 3kg Sumo and more demos and contests!

For more info. go here and here.

Board Bash 7 Skateboard Competition with prizes, giveaways and more for kids ages 6 and up in Mill Creek - Saturday, August 23rd 2014 from 11am-3pm

FREE Board Bash Skateboard Event

" This community event highlights local skateboard talent in our beautiful 10,000 square foot skateboard park. Children ages 6 and up and adults are encouraged to participate in multiple forms of competition to receive prizes and handouts from the sponsors. Competition includes multiple best trick features and timed heats of participants by age group. This event is very family friendly and celebrates skating and scooter sports in our area. "

For more info. go here.

First Annual Beach to Bluff Bust Your Buns Run and Sandcastle Contest with music and more - Sunday, August 17th 2014 - 7am Free Registration, 8am Run/Walk Begins, 10am Health Talk, 11am Sandcastle Contest Begins!

For more info. go here.

Pioneer Square Fire Festival with antique firetrucks, firefighter challenge, giveaways and more in Seattle - Saturday and Sunday, August 16th and 17th 2014 from 11am-8pm ('til 5:30pm on Sunday!)

This is a cool event to check out with antique firetrucks and more!

" This annual festival commemorates the re-birth of the Pioneer Square neighborhood following the Great Seattle Fire of June 6, 1889 that engulfed most of Seattle’s original commercial district. "

This is the 125th Anniversary of the Great Fire.

For more info. go here.

INNOSKATE with free skateboarding clinics, demos, kids fashion show, competition, skate deck decorating, admission to MOHAI Atrium Level and more in Lake Union Park in Seattle - Saturday, August 16, 2014 FROM 10am-5pm

Pretty cool for girls and boys of all ages! Innoskate is a free all-ages community celebration of skateboarding innovations—the people, places, and actions that put Seattle on the map! Innoskate takes place at MOHAI and Lake Union Park. 10 AM Learn to skate with Skate Like a Girl! These short clinics are great for beginners of all ages 11 AM Innovation Idea Lab: Social Change through Skateboarding, with Skate Like a Girl NOON Kids’ Fashion Show! All kids 12 and under are invited to participate in a fun fashion show  celebrating the future of Seattle’s skate community. Emceed by Marshall Reid 1 PM Innovation Idea Lab: Connecting Cultures--Salish Art Meets Skateboarding, with Louie Gong 2 PM Learn to skate with Skate Like a Girl! These short clinics are great for beginners of all ages 2:30 PM Skate Demo: Evolution of Seattle Skateboarding Seattle skaters Metal Mark, Tom Peha,  Ryan Aningalan and Kristin Ebeling demo skate tricks from the 1970s – today. Emceed by Marshall Reid 3:30 PM Innovation Idea Lab: Imagining a New Skating Landscape for Seattle, with Grindline Skateparks and Matthew Lee Johnston 4:30 PM Best Trick Competition! Winner takes home $100! Course opens at 4:15 pm. HAPPENING ALL DAY Skate special features in Lake Union Park -- for one day only! Designed by Grindline  Decorate a skate deck to take home with artists from Tulalip Tribes  Explore pop-up exhibits about historic Seattle skate spots and the anatomy of skatepark construction  Contribute to a bi-coastal work of skate deck art, coming to Seattle from the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, FL  Giveaways, food trucks, music and more! Innoskate is presented by MOHAI, The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, and the International Association of Skateboard Companies in partnership with Grindline Skateparks and  Skate Like a Girl, and is generously supported by The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and Nike. Cost: Free (includes Innoskate activities inside MOHAI's Grand Atrium and in Lake Union Park).  Admission is required to access upper floor galleries.

For more info. go here.

44th Annual Seafair Milk Carton Derby on Green Lake in Seattle - Saturday, July 12th 2014 from 10am-4pm

PCC Natural Markets Seafair Milk Carton Derby

" The 44th Annual Seafair Milk Carton Derby will take place on Saturday, July 12. Nearly 100 colorful milk carton boats of all shapes and design will compete on the waters of Green Lake for fantastic prizes and bragging rights. The Derby is highlighted by a full day of "competition" as children, adults, families and businesses build milk carton watercraft for show and racing. "

For more info. go here.

Vigor Maritime Festival Family Fun Day at South Lake Union Park in Seattle - Sunday, May 11th 2014 from 11am-5pm - Some activities free, some for a fee.

Family Fun Day is produced by Northwest Seaport

Highlights:

Quick and Dirty Boat Building

Survival Suit Races

Vessel Tours

Ship Canal Tours

Remote Control Boats

Kids Boat Building

South Lake Union Chowder Cook-off

Exhibits and Displays

Sea Chantey Concerts

and more!

" Vigor Seattle MARITIME FESTIVAL Family Fun Day in Lake Union Park, 11a.m. – 5p.m. Lake Union/Ship Canal Tours– 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Presented by the Port of Seattle Discover the working waterfront in South Lake Union and on the Ship Canal. Learn about the Centennial of Fishermen’s Terminal. Board at Lake Union one-half hour prior to each departure. There is a limit of 400 guests for each tour. There is a limit of four tickets per adult, 18 years or older. VESSEL TOURS – Scheduled to Participate: M/V Lady Mary, Argosy Cruises, 98 feet, North Seawall (Departing at 1p.m. and 3p.m.). Free M/V Fremont Avenue, Seattle Ferry Service LLC, Historic Ships Wharf (Departing hourly). $ M/V Propeller, Sea Scout Ship, 65 feet, West Seawall R/V Liberty, King County Dept. of Natural Resources & Parks, 48 feet, West Seawall F/V Loki, Loki Fish Company,  38 feet, West Seawall Vessel Assist Seattle, Lake Union,  22 feet, West Seawall Dragon Boat, Seattle Flying Dragons, 45 feet, Lake Union Park Lawn Calderdale, Ocean Rowboat of Erden Eruc, 23.4 feet (trailered), Historic Ships Wharf M/V Skillful, Private, Historic Ships Wharf M/V Fremont Avenue, Seattle Ferry Service LLC, Historic Ships Wharf Virginia V, The Virginia V Foundation, 125 feet, Historic Ships Wharf Arthur Foss, Northwest Seaport, 111.6 feet, Historic Ships Wharf Lightship No. 83 “Swiftsure,” Northwest Seaport, 129 feet, Historic Ships Wharf Duwamish, The Puget Sound Fireboat Foundation, 120 feet, Historic Ships Wharf R/V John N. Cobb, Seattle Maritime Academy, 95.5 feet, Historic Ships Wharf M/V Lotus, M.V. Lotus Heritage Foundation, 92 feet, Historic Ships Wharf KIDS ACTIVITIES Free kids boat building with The Center for Wooden Boats Five fun bounces from Clowns Unlimited – $5 ticket allows unlimited rides! Theodore Tugboat Sails Again with storyteller, Sue Kimpton, Hourly aboard tugboat Arthur Foss Genii Blue Face Painting croppedFace Painting with Genii Blue, Aboard tugboat Arthur Foss, $fee. Seafarer’s Activity Station, Lake Union Charters and Adventures Play Rain Gutter Regattas, What Floats and Tug-O-War–sailing style. Signal Flag Necklace Making Using One’s Name. Organized by Discovery Modelers Education Center. Aboard the Virginia V. FREE MUSIC (Historic Ships Wharf)*: 11:00 – 12:30, Watch the Sky has been a consistent maritime musical presence in Seattle bringing celtic verve and tight harmonies to traditional, contemporary and original sea songs. 12:45 – 2:00, The rollicking folk duo Spanaway Bay, also known as Carol and Kent Mesford, engage audiences with humorous songs and captivating sing-along choruses. 2:15 – 3:30, The Phinney Ridge Rum Runners perform exciting maritime music with Trapper Graves-Lalor’s lively soprano voice and the blues-tinted vocals and hot guitar playing of Steve Lalor. 3:45-5:00, Dan Roberts is a master shanty singer and balladeer with a musical presence that captivates as he sings maritime songs past and present. *NOTE: Maritime music orchestrated by Maritime Folknet FESTIVAL PROGRAMS Workboat World Invitational Boat Building Competition 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Survival Suit Races presented by Compass Courses Maritime Training 1 p.m. Seattle Flying Dragon BoatDragon Boat Exploration Day 11a.m. – 5p.m. Hourly Dragon Boat Rides & Paddling, Pebble Beach. 10 guests/boat ride with preregistration. PFDs provided. Lake Union Charters and Adventures Sail aboard 62ft Circe , a 1930 wooden sailboat, $25 preregistration. Mother’s Day Tea aboard M/V Lotus, Hourly Seating* $Fee “Women of the Salish Sea at the Turn of the Century” Susan Parish Presentation at 2:00 p.m.* *At Historic Ships Wharf. Preregistration encouraged, call 425.243.9641. ACTIVITIES IN MOHAI Documentary screening: Arthur Foss: Iconic Tugboat of the Northwest* Take a 125 year voyage aboard Northwest Seaport’s tug Arthur Foss. 1-4 p.m. in MOHAI 2nd Floor Theater. Maritime Seattle in MOHAIMaritime Seattle, Exhibit* In partnership with Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, this exhibit celebrates our community’s long relationship with water and illustrates how our aquatic and industrial activities have ultimately shaped what we’ve become. *Included with regular MOHAI admission ($14; $12 seniors/students/military; Free for children 14 and under). Activities at The Center for Wooden Boats New Exhibit & Kids’ Activities: View CWB’s newest exhibit HIGHLINERS: Boats of the Century. This exhibit presents the story of the historic power-schooners of Seattle’s longline fleet, many of which are 100 years old and still actively fishing. Many of these unique vessels were built here, on the shores of Puget Sound, as Seattle was coming into its own as a city. Although less than 20 remain from a fleet that numbered over 150 in its heyday, the vessels and fishermen are still a vital part of Seattle’s maritime economy. The Activity Cart (available all day) features paper boats and halibut stick puppets, and from 3-5pm there will also be a station for Mother’s Day card-making and sailboat origami. Free! Pond Boat Sailing in Lake Union Park: Rent a Pirate Pond Boat to sail on Lake Union Park’s Model Boat Pond. These 39-inch pond boats are scale models of the R-Boat Pirate, which is on exhibit on CWB’s docks at South Lake Union. Sailing these miniature racing yachts is a great way to learn the basic concepts of sailing while enjoying time at the park. CWB’s fleet of Pond Boats will be available 11am – 2pm.  $5 Suggested Donation DISPLAYS Check out industry displays by the Port of Seattle, NOAA, Northwest Seaport, the US Coast Guard and others. FOOD AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE Ballard Brothers Seafood and Burgers Hot Dog Stop " For more info. go here, here and especially here. :-)