The crowds turned out on an unusually hot Fourth of July weekend to tour classic wooden schooners, make toy boats, listen to live music and get out on the water for some welcome breezes during the 33rd annual Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival Saturday and Sunday.

Up to 20,000 people were expected to attend the event, put on by The Center for Wooden Boats. The festival dates back to 1977, when Dick Wagner and his wife Colleen had a vision for starting a nonprofit that would create and run a hands-on museum where people could touch, learn about and work on classic wooden boats.

Since then, the festival has grown to become one of the largest and most popular maritime events in the region, drawing generations of families for what has become a July 4th tradition. The festival coincides with the annual Independence Day fireworks display on Lake Union. This year is the first that boats have been allowed to anchor on the lake for the show, and on Saturday, the well-used waterway was crowded with vessels of all shapes and sizes.

About Deborah Bach

Deborah Bach is the editor and co-founder of Three Sheets Northwest. She is an avid sailor and long-time professional journalist. You can find Deborah aboard Three Sheets, an Island Packet 38, with her husband Marty and their cat Lily.

• View all posts by Deborah Bach →
• Blog
• Facebook