Friday, July 30, 2004

Yo ho, yo ho ... it's Seafair time for thee

By MEGAN "BLACKLUNGS" PATRICK
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Note: For best results, adopt a roguish growl ...

Aye, ye scurvy landlubbers, it's Seafair time again, and we Seafair Pirates be mighty busy pillaging and plundering our fine city in the name of fun this time o' year. Since we be part of this celebration fer more than 50 years, we be puttin' together a list o' Seafair's best bets for ya, so avast ye sea dogs and bring the grog! Now lock up your wenches and plug your scuppers and let the good times roll.

(Catch up with the Seafair Pirates at all of the Seafair events mentioned below and more. For details, visit Seafair.com or Seafairpirates.org.)

Torchlight Run

WHEN: Saturday evening, with the 8K -- almost five mile -- race kicking off at 6:30 p.m. and the 5K -- 3.1 mile -- race starting 10 minutes later.

WHERE: Starting at Qwest Field (formerly Seahawks Stadium)

DETAILS: Today is the last day to take advantage of the $20 registration fee for the 8K race and the $15 signup for the 5K race. Day-of-race fees are $25 and $20, respectively, starting at 4:30 p.m. at the West Field Plaza near the Seahawks Pro Shop. Racers also can register online at Seafair.com.

PIRATE PERSPECTIVE: These scallywags be runnin' along the Alaskan Way Viaduct faster than the time Diego the Dagger be chased outta port for gettin' a bit too friendly with the deacon's daughter ... eh ... Arrrr, there be nothin' better than runnin' through more than 300,000 landlubbin' parade watchers who be too lily-livered to run it themselves. And we hear the views of the sun goin' down over Elliott Bay be prettier'n a trunkful 'o doubloons.

Torchlight Parade

WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Saturday

WHERE: The route begins at Seattle Center and continues south on Fourth Avenue to Second Avenue and King Street.

DETAILS: The 55th annual Torchlight Parade celebrates the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll with an "Elvis" grand marshal, Beatles- and "Happy Days"-themed floats, giant helium balloons and 95 other entries, including the All-City Marching Band, the Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team and the Seafair Clowns. Although the event is free, paradegoers start staking their claims as early as 7 a.m. Reserved bleacher seating is available through Ticketmaster and costs $17 for a bleacher seat and $35 for a Westlake Center grandstand seat ;100 or more bleacher seats are $14 each. Seats also can be purchased at the box office at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Bell Street, starting at noon tomorrow.

PIRATE PERSPECTIVE: Eric Radovich, the ol' privateer at the Seafair office, says ye be right lucky to find a seat on the curb after noon, and by 6 p.m. thar be standin' room only. He says thar be nine men deep on both sides 'er Fourth Avenue a league (3 miles) down the parade route! But Mark Jenson, one o' our own mateys, says the best way to be watchin' us in the parade is to pay to park a flatbed truck in a parking lot along the parade route. That way, ye be higher up and can look right o'er the rest of the landlubbers. Don't go spreadin' our secrets, though, ar you might be walkin' the plank. Arrrr.

And we hear parkin' yer own ship is trickier'n huntin' down good booty, so we recommend takin' the bus downtown. Visit the Metro Web site for routes and times.

Seafair Fleet Arrival

WHEN: 1 p.m., Aug. 5

WHERE: Downtown Seattle waterfront

DETAILS: The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard fleet sails into the downtown waterfront, with thousands of sailors aboard the different ships. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will fly over the celebration between 10:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Navy Band Northwest will perform at Pier 66 as the fleet sails in.

Ship tours are available from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 6 and 7, and between noon and 4 p.m. on Aug. 8. Reservations are strongly suggested and can be made at Seafair.com.

The Navy band also will perform at 3 p.m. this Sunday in the sculpture garden at the base of the Space Needle and at 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 at the International Fountain in Seattle Center. The band will render a variety of musical styles, from traditional Dixieland and funk to Latin and rock 'n' roll.

PIRATE PERSPECTIVE: Arrrr. These sons of biscuit-eaters don't know the meaning of the word "seaman." We could eat these swabbies for breakfast (and probably already have -- yo ho ho), but we hear they have some mighty fine ships. We might look into aquirin' one fer our own fleet ... er ... who said that? And we suppose the Navy Band can toot horns well enough fer landlubbers, but there is no sweeter sound than an ol' chantey as the ship's rockin' ye to sleep.

Unlimited Hydroplane Races

WHERE: Stan Sayres Pits on south Lake Washington

DETAILS: Seafair culminates with three days of hydro races. Tickets are available at the gate or through Ticketmaster. Discount two-day tickets are available for $20 at participating 76 gas stations. Kids under 12 get in free. The Seafair Express shuttle runs from Northgate, Eastgate and Renton to the waterfront. Tickets are $3. For full details, see the Seafair Web site.

PIRATE PERSPECTIVE: Aye, nothing like bloodthirsty battles on the open sea to get a salty ol' pirate's salmagundi boilin'. The wind in yer hair, the seawater in yer face ... arrrr, it be downright emotional. And ye better bring yer sunblock, as it be mighty hot out thar this weekend. We don't want ye to be runnin' off to 'e first aid tent -- how else'll we loot yer bags?

Air Show

WHEN: Aug. 6-8, noon to 12:45 p.m., daily

WHERE: South Lake Washington

DETAILS: Performers include the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs parachuters, a team of Navy SEALs who will dive from an altitude of 12,500 feet at 180 mph, landing in Genesee Park. There also will be appearances by the Red Baron Pizza Squadron, flying four Stearman biplanes, the Team Oracle stunt plane, a variety of specialty Boeing planes and a simulation of an in-water helicopter rescue by the Coast Guard.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Discount weekend passes are $20 at area 76 gas stations. Kids under 12 get in free.

PIRATE PERSPECTIVE: We be a bit partial to shows involvin' cannonballs, burnin' ships and hangin' squiffys from the yardarm, but we can respect mates who leap outta planes an' risk their lives. And we know some fine blokes from the Coast Guard -- seems they're the ones to rescue poor waisters aft we gone and confiscated their ships and be loaded to the gunwales from their rum. Yo ho ho!