Opening Day of Seattle’s boating season, always the first Saturday in May, includes many water activities. The boat parade takes place on the Montlake Cut National Waterside Trail, the easternmost section of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, which passes through the city of Seattle, linking Lake Washington to Puget Sound. Participants decorate their boats for the festivities and parades. Spectators line the shoreline to watch the parade while enjoying a picnic. Onlookers dream of the boats they will own someday. There’s nothing like it in the U.S. and possibly in the world. The only comparable event is the annual parade of commercial vessels in Venice, Italy. The Boat Parade starts at NOON with the blast of a cannon and the raising of the Montlake Bridge. Seattle Yacht Club’s Opening Day has become the nation’s largest regional celebration of water in Seattle. More info: Opening Day – Seattle Yacht Club
Seattle Opening Day of boating season map (WSDOT)
