Seattle in the summer is like a little slice of heaven on earth. You hear about the obnoxious heat waves oppressing other parts of the country, but hardly ever have to deal with them yourself. The temperature rarely rises too high or falls too low. For somewhere between 60 and 90 days, the skies part. No matter what plans you make, the weather almost always cooperates.
If you’re an active Seattle apartment resident who loves the outdoors, you’ll want to do some hiking and camping before the summer is through. But whenever you just want to soak up the beauty of the outdoors near home, turn to Seattle’s expansive repertoire of fun events. There are dozens of Seattle summer festivals worth checking out.
Seattle Seafair
Small, neighborhood gatherings and major citywide traditions make up Seattle Seafair, the biggest summer festival in the Emerald City. Between kickoff on June 10, 2015 and the last event on August 16, 2015, dozens of Seattle Seafair events are held. There are events like Seafair Summer Fourth. For the competitive, there’s Derby Day and the Seafair triathlon. For everyone, there’s Seafair Weekend which is July 31 to August 2, 2015 and includes the Albert Lee Appliance Seafair Cup hydroplane racing event and the Boeing Seafair Air Show. This year’s Seafair Torchlight Parade, a Seattle summer festival highlight for many, takes place on July 25, 2015.
Fourth of July at Lake Union
Can you think of a better way to celebrate Independence Day than watching the dazzling fireworks over Lake Union? How about watching the Seafair Seattle Summer Fourth fireworks from your own apartment? If you live in AMLI South Lake Union or AMLI 535, you should have spectacular views of the show from the comfort of your rooftop lounge. If your rooftop doesn’t offer unobstructed views, you can try to find some space at Lake Union Park, Gas Works Park, Bhy Kracke Park, or on the Fremont Bridge.
Seattle International Beerfest
Ranked by Travel + Leisure as one of the best craft beer cities in the U.S., Seattle is a place where good beer is never more than a few steps away. For three days in July, the organizers of the Seattle International Beerfest bring hundreds of the best beers in Washington together to compare and enjoy. Tickets to this year’s Beerfest, taking place at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion on July 10 through 12, 2015, are available online.
Bite of Seattle
This annual Seattle summer event has a long history of pleasing palates. While the event has grown tremendously since it started in 1982, the core purpose of the Bite of Seattle remains the same: To celebrate the culinary arts.
All activities revolve around food. There are samples of new culinary creations and long-standing favorites from local restaurants as well as cook-offs and taste tests, eating competitions, traveling food industry professionals, and more. Join some five dozen restaurants, more than 30 food product companies, and hundreds of thousands of other foodies at the Seattle Center from July 17 to July 19, 2015.
BAM ARTSfair
The Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) is unique in that its foundation was inspired by a popular annual art fair. Long after the museum was founded and a space designated for the collection of art, craft, and design, the museum continues to host the BAM ARTSfair each summer.
The 69th annual BAM ARTSfair will be held at Bellevue Square and on the Bellevue Arts Museum grounds July 24 through 26, 2015. That’s just a half-mile walk from AMLI at Bellevue Park. In addition to an array of family-friendly entertainment, the fair will feature fine art and handmade crafts from more than 300 professional artists. Entrance to the all-day event is free.
Bumbershoot
Even with the entire summer stretched out before you, it can feel good to make plans to wrap up the season right. And if you love live music, stand-up comedy, performance arts, and community, then there is no better way to end your summer than with a weekend spent rocking out at Bumbershoot. For updates on performers, food vendors, family-friendly activities, and more, visit their website. This year’s festival takes place at the Seattle Center, just a mile from AMLI South Lake Union and AMLI 535, September 5 through 7, 2015.
To enjoy Seattle’s beautiful summers to the fullest, you have to get outside from time to time. Regardless of how appealing you find summer festivals, we’re confident the Emerald City has plenty to offer in the long, sunny days coming up.
What are your favorite Seattle summer festivals and events? Start a conversation in the comments!
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst