2011 Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival

Thanks to everyone for a great 2011 Festival!

See a gallery of photos and read some visitor comments on our blog, Bearings.

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Dates: Sat., July 2nd through Mon., July 4th, 2011
Time: 10 am – 6 pm daily (Some activities open late for the Fireworks!)
Free! Donations Accepted!

Do you love wooden boats? Visit the 35th annual Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival for an old-fashioned, down-home waterfront festival where everything is fun, almost everything is free and nothing much is fancy. It's as authentically grassroots American as you can get.

See gorgeous wooden vessels, go on a free boat ride, join a scavenger hunt, or see craft and skill demonstrations by regional boatbuilders. Food vendors, live music, exhibits and a pub all add to the excitement throughout the weekend.

On Monday, July 4th, limited Festival activities will run until the evening Fireworks show. Join us in the NEW Lake Union Park for terrific fireworks viewing.

THE WAIT LIST FOR FESTIVAL EXHIBITORS IS NOW FULL AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED. Applications for the 2012 Festival will be available in January. We generally accept boats into the Festival in the order they applied.

Please email festival@cwb.org for additional information.

The 2011 Festival will include:

Visiting Vessels: Proud owners from all over the area come to show off their classic wooden vessels.

Public Rides: Take a trip on Lake Union by sail, row, paddle, steam, electric or power boat. Sign ups are taken in-person, the day of the ride only. Boats fill up fast; sign up early!

Activities for Kids: Toy boat building, treasure hunt, coloring contest, sidewalk chalk art and more!

Demonstrations: Onshore demonstrations such as Rope Fender Making, Tool Sharpening, Celestial Navigation and more!

Quick and Daring: Are they amazing, or just crazy? Watch teams build a boat in 24 hours and cheer them on as they launch and race in an exciting and hilarious regatta on Sunday. The contest is a stretching exercise for the boatbuilder’s creativity, planning, and construction skills, but its special purpose is to provide an exciting and enjoyable experience for contestants and spectators.

Live Music: There will be a variety of musicians performing all weekend long.

DOWNLOAD A SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITES FOR THE WEEKEND!

Directions to the 2011 Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival

Parking in South Lake Union can be difficult and expensive. Please plan to use public transportation, ride a bike, or carpool with a friend! We also have a kayak rack available (first come, first served).

Find Parking near Lake Union Park

Take the South Lake Union Streetcar

Plan your trip on a King County Bus

Seattle Bike Trails and Maps

Commercial Paid Parking Lots in SLU and Rates

Parking Lots Near SLU - PDF Map

Restaurants and Attractions in SLU

Want to get involved?

Be a Volunteer! If you have never volunteered at CWB before, you might want to take a look at our volunteer page for more info.

Participate in our Quick and Daring boat-building race! Create a boat design out of plant-based materials, and then race against other boats! Participants in the race only have one day to build the boat and cash prizes will be awarded. Email your submission to dick@cwb.org or learn more.

Thanks to our generous sponsors!