Our big list of boat shows & waterfront festivals (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Seattle is nearly surrounded by fresh and salt water. This city is inextricably linked to fishing and maritime industries, pleasure boating, and waterfront activities.

Residents in the Puget Sound region enjoy a wide variety of activities on the water, in motorboats, sailboats, and a wide variety of paddle boats, including kayaks, canoes, and standup paddleboards or SUPs.

Boat shows and waterfront festivals often have a theme or focus. All offer a fun day on the docks and on the water. Whether you own already own boat or want to get into water activities, shows and festivals are a great way to get more information about boating and water activities of all kinds.

Boat shows, waterfront festivals, and maritime events in the Puget Sound region

Listed below are briefs descriptions of some of the key annual boat shows and maritime festivals throughout the Puget Sound region. For more details, click on the link for each event and check our calendar below for upcoming shows and festivals.

Scroll down for a calendar of upcoming Boat Shows, as well as Waterfront Festivals and other Maritime Events.

(Listed alphabetically by city. Seattle festivals listed alphabetically by name.)

Anacortes Waterfront Festival celebrates the nautical heritage of Anacortes with a fun, family-friendly event, which runs the first Saturday and Sunday in June at the beautiful Cap Sante Marina. When: summer. Free admission.

Des Moines Waterland Festival is a Seafair sanctioned weekend festival on the waterfront with free activities and live music. Saturday there is a kid’s parade followed by a grand parade on Marine View Drive from south to north. Sunday there is a car show. Plus enjoy food trucks, beer/wine garden, Kids Carnival ($15-$20 for day pass), pony rides and petting zoo (priced separately–rates on site). Paid parking in the marina. When: summer. Free admission.

Olympia Harbor Days celebrates the region’s maritime heritage with arts, crafts, food, music, tugboats, tall ships, and plenty of family fun on the Olympia Waterfront. Lots of free activities as well as paid cruises and excursions. When: Labor Day weekend. Free admission.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival is the largest wooden boat festival in North America, Kids and adults alike can experience the beauty of wooden boats, the magic of getting on the water, and the richness of the Pacific Northwest maritime culture. Bring your family, learn from the experts, and swap stories with fellow wooden boat aficionados. When: September. Ticketed event.

Poulsbo Boat Rendezvous aka Liberty Bay Festival is a celebration of boats and boating featuring a boat parade, boat rides, and boat tours plus lots of festival fun: vendors, live entertainment, food, and family activities. When: August. Free admission.

San Juan Islands Wooden Boat Society Wooden Boat Rendezvous at Deer Harbor on Orcas Island features boat races and a salmon dinner. Most boats moor at the Deer Harbor Marina and are available for public viewing at no charge. It is held the first weekend of September and takes place between two of the West’s biggest wooden boat gatherings, Victoria’s Wooden Boat Classic, and Port Townsend’s Wooden Boat Festival. When: September. Free admission.

Seattle Boats Afloat show presented by the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA) is recognized as the largest floating boat show on the West Coast. The floating boat show dates back to 1978 and showcases a world-class fleet of power and sailing yachts. The Boats Afloat Show takes place on the water at South Lake Union. When: fall and spring. Ticketed event.

Seattle Boat Show is the West Coast’s Largest Boat Show featuring more than 1,000 recreational watercraft, from stand-up paddleboards to superyachts and everything in between. The Boat Show also has acres of accessories, all the latest gear, and dozens of free boating and fishing seminars. When: winter. Ticketed event. Get info about Seattle boat show discounts.

Seattle Classic Workboat Show. Come down to Lake Union Park to the Historic Ships Wharf and see a collection of visiting working vessels: tugboats, fishing boats, and emergency response vessels. Activities for the whole the family, sea storytelling, and a beer garden. When: spring/summer. Free admission; donations gratefully accepted.

Seattle Fishermen’s Fall Festival is a day of celebration and free fishing-related fun. It celebrates the return of the North Pacific fishing fleet to the terminal and also works to increase the public’s knowledge of the fishing industry in our region, while raising money for the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial Foundation. Families will find it’s a fun and educational outing on the waterfront as well as an opportunity to learn more about seafood. Hands-on free children art projects include the popular toy boat building and “Fishing for Fun” fishpond. Other highlights include a Salmon BBQ (best deal on the waterfront!), The Reptile Man in a fantastic and educational performance, Salmon Fillet Contest, and Survival Suit Races. When: fall. Free admission.

Seattle Maritime Festival in Ballard is not your ordinary festival. It’s Seattle’s largest celebration featuring the maritime industry. Highlights include a tour of Seattle’s inland waterway–the ship canal, plus working boat tours, boat building for the kiddos, demonstrations and displays, and hands-on practice of several maritime skills. Want to pilot a tugboat or a ferry boat? Try your hand at welding? Fire an emergency flare? Or be in a Survival Suit Race? Toss a line? Practice with the U.S. Coast Guard? Learn the 7 steps of survival at sea? These are just some of the things you can do. It’s a Family Fun Day featuring more than 30 free activities. When: spring. Free admission.

Seattle Seafair is the Emerald City’s quintessential summer festival, a combination of community events including festivals and parades, culminating in Seafair Weekend with thundering hydroplane boats on the water and an air show overhead. One of Seattle’s favorite traditions at Genesee Park in south Seattle on Lake Washington, the day features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, hydroplane race competitions, and pro wake boarders performing incredible stunts. Mix in food vendors, beer gardens, live music, and activities for the whole family, and you have one spectacular weekend. General Admission gets you into the fair; bring a blanket, chairs, etc. to sit along the grassy (hard, bumpy) shoreline. If you want to sit in the bleachers, you need a more expensive ticket. When: summer. Ticketed event. Get more info about Seafair Weekend discount tickets.

Tacoma Foss Waterway Seaport The annual free, family-friendly Ocean Fest features art, science, and water fun featuring speakers, eco-booths, music, and more. When: summer. Included with museum admission.

But wait, there’s more!