The Shilshole Liveaboard Association is firing up the grill on Saturday, Aug. 29, and that cookout kicks off six waterfront events stretching into Halloween that give Ballard and Magnolia neighbors a reason to get down to the docks this fall.
Saturday, Aug. 29 — Shilshole Liveaboard Association annual meeting and BBQ
The liveaboard community gathers on the Shilshole plaza for its yearly cookout and meeting. This is a liveaboard community event; check shilsholecommunity.org for details on public access.
Sept. 11–13 — Wooden Boat Festival, Port Townsend
Not local, but a favorite trip for Shilshole boaters. Billed as the largest wooden boat festival in North America, it features more than 250 vessels at the Northwest Maritime Center and Point Hudson Marina, 431 Water St., Port Townsend. Hours are 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Friday and Saturday (music and dancing until 11:30 p.m.) and 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday. Adult single-day tickets run $33; a three-day pass is $59. Kids 12 and under get in free with a ticket-paying adult. Details at greaterseattleonthecheap.com.
Saturday, Sept. 19 — Fisheries Supply Swap Meet
A maritime flea market where boaters buy, sell and trade gear. According to the Shilshole Community calendar, the event fills the Fisheries Supply parking lot north of Lake Union.
Sunday, Sept. 20 — Race Your House
The Sloop Tavern Yacht Club, based at Shilshole Bay, hosts this liveaboard fun race around the buoys. The name says it all: participants race the boats they live on. Check styc.org for registration and start time.
Saturday, Oct. 3 — Fishermen's Fall Festival, Fishermen's Terminal
The big one for Magnolia families. This free, family-friendly festival at Fishermen's Terminal celebrates Seattle's commercial fishing heritage with boat tours along the Lake Washington Ship Canal, hands-on art projects, wooden boat building for kids and a "Fishing for Fun" pond. The festival's Facebook page lists 15-plus educational booths, 10 ocean presentations and five live music performances. Proceeds benefit the Seattle Fishermen's Memorial.
Saturday, Oct. 31 — Halloween Marina Kids Trick or Treat
Kids trick-or-treat the docks at Shilshole marina on Halloween. No additional details have been released; watch shilsholecommunity.org for times and logistics.
The Fishermen's Fall Festival is the standout for non-boaters: free admission, no registration required, and Fishermen's Terminal sits at the edge of Magnolia where the Ship Canal meets the locks. For Ballard residents, the Shilshole events are a short walk or bike ride from the Ballard Locks along the Burke-Gilman Trail.
