Warm holiday weekend perfect for beach bonfires, markets, boating

Get your s’more supplies ready because beach bonfires are permitted to resume on Saturday, May 29, and with sunny weather expected, it may just feel like summer is on the way.

Fires at Alki Beach and Golden Gardens are only allowed in designated fire rings. The pits at Golden Gardens will be unlocked at 4 p.m. daily. Fire rings are first come, first served, and all fires must be completely extinguished (using water, not sand) by 9:30 p.m.

Reservations for campsites in Washington starting to fill up for summer

This year, Memorial Day weekend might actually be a good one for camping and barbequing in the Puget Sound region, and across Washington state.

“It should be a nice, warm, but not hot holiday weekend,” said Kirby Cook with the National Weather Service.

Cook told KIRO Radio that Saturday and Sunday should see temperatures in the 70s, and then climb into the low 80s Monday and be even warmer on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Drier conditions and warmer temperatures through the holiday weekend, into the middle part of next week even,” Cook said.

The 50th Annual Folklife Festival, typically held at Seattle Center over Memorial Day weekend, is again all virtual in 2021. There will be six program channels and a virtual marketplace on the “From Home to Home” platform at the festival’s website here.

If you’re looking for more ways to get outside this weekend that don’t involve a potentially crowded beach, farmers’ markets across Seattle are starting to reopen in the coming weeks. The year-round markets in the University District on Saturday, and in West Seattle and Capitol Hill on Sunday will all be open this weekend. The Columbia City market starts up next Wednesday, followed by the Magnolia market opening next weekend on June 5, and the Lake City market on July 1.

As always, recreating on a boat is a great way to get outdoors, enjoy Washington’s natural splendor, and — at least if there’s no motor — get some exercise. But any time you are on the water, it’s critical to make sure you are having fun safely, including by wearing a lifejacket.

Water safety tips from Washington State Parks for pandemic boating boom

“Almost 80% of all fatalities — all victims in recreational boating accidents — are not wearing life vests,” said Rob Sendak, Boating Programs manager at Washington State Parks.

Lifejackets should be worn by anyone on any type of vessel, Sendak said. If you’re using a paddleboard, you should use a leash to tie yourself to the board, so the paddleboard can be your means of floating.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a 40-foot yacht or a 16-foot fishing boat with a 15 horsepower [engine],” Sendak said. “Wear that life vest, it’s going to save your life.”

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