Seattle’s summer weekend lineup: Torchlight Parade, Bite of Seattle and free fun for all ages

Can you believe we are already at the last weekend of July? There’s been so much summer fun happening that the time is flying by.

Seattle’s summer weekend events:

The Seattle SeaFair continues to ramp up and one of the hallmark events is this Saturday, the Torchlight Parade! According to the event’s website, the parade has returned to its roots with a nighttime start and a new parade route.

The new route goes along the Seattle Waterfront, starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be a pre-parade run while spectators can start lining up at 6 p.m. It’s free and open to the public.

Pier 58 reopens

Also, along the waterfront, Pier 58 is reopening, and there is a celebration today from 4 to 8 p.m. The pier adds around 50,000 square feet of park space with a family-friendly focus, including the new marine-themed playground and an elevated lawn space.

The opening celebration is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to dance, play, and come dressed in marine-themed attire. Local mascots will also be in attendance.

Local artists featured in Bellevue Arts Festival

The Bellevue Arts Festival weekend is here. Highlighting upwards of 350 artists using more than 20 different artistic mediums, including traditional painting, jewelry, and printmaking, but also newer forms like 3D mixed media. There will also be plenty of food vendors, family-friendly activities, live music, and special programming at the Bellevue Art Museum!

Grab a bite to eat in Seattle

If you want to see all the great food that Seattle has to offer, the Seattle Center is where you will want to be. Bite of Seattle is here, and I bet you can smell the food already! More than 300 food and retail vendors will take over the center, serving up tasty dishes from around the world.

While you enjoy your food, you can watch three days of live music. There will be beer and wine gardens, cider tasting, and they’ll have everything you can think of when it comes to the world of food. The Bite of Seattle event is free to attend, but vendors will be charging for their food.

Sunset film showings at Cal Anderson

There are a couple of free movies this weekend. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is being shown at Cal Anderson Park tonight as part of the Center City Cinema program. Ratatouille is being shown at the Mural Amphitheater, and for both movies, you are encouraged to bring your own chairs and blankets. The films will start once the sun begins to set.

The Northwest Film Forum is also hosting the Children’s Film Festival Seattle throughout the weekend. Day passes and weekend passes are available.

Renton’s annual River Days

Over in Renton, enjoy a weekend on the river for Renton River Days. There will be a drone show, a concert, a parade, and tons of summer fun for you and the family. There will also be an all-ages chalk art competition and a Rubber Ducky Derby on Sunday!

Free admission options

If you are looking for free fun to do with the family this weekend that involves getting outside, there will be a beach shore stroll along Olympic Sculpture Park today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the lowest tide at approximately 11:52 a.m. Naturalists will be there to answer questions and show you how much is happening along our shores.

Also, this weekend is a bicycle weekend here in Seattle. A portion of Lake Washington Boulevard will be closed to motor vehicles from 10 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday, giving you a perfect route for a weekend ride along the water.

How are you enjoying the summer? Remember to plan ahead for traffic and to let me know about the cool stuff going on in your neighborhood by emailing me at paulh@kiroradio.com.

Read more of Paul Holden’s stories here.