Opening day: Biggest boat parade in the western hemisphere

With the possible exceptions of Sydney and Venice, Italy, no city on earth puts on a bigger boat parade than Seattle. Held on the first Saturday in May, the seeds for opening day of boating season in Seattle grew from the city’s Independence Day celebrations of 1895.

Of course, the opening day of boating season isn’t as rigidly fixed as, say, the opening day of Major League Baseball season. As the Seattle Yacht Club’s website explains, “The boating season never officially ends in the Puget Sound area. There may be less extended cruising during the blustery, wet days of winter, but the faithful keep sailing. Opening day, however, kicks off the happy spring and summer days of boating for many avid boaters in this area.”

A colorful rite of spring, the opening -day boat parade is arguably Seattle’s signature festivity. Boats from dozens of yacht clubs from around the Northwest and Canada arrive for the event, which is equal parts ceremony and show, revelry and reverence. Squint your eyes a little and it could be the love child of the Macy’s Day Parade and the “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

The Seattle Yacht Club, which organizes opening day, describes the parade as a family affair in which thousands of people spread blankets on the shores of Portage Bay and the Montlake Cut to take in the show. Many of the vessels are festooned with decorations, some more outlandish than others.

According to the Seattle Yacht Club, “there are small boats, motorboats, rowing and paddle boats, sailboats, antique boats and megayachts. Seattle Fire Department boats move by in a cloud of spray, as well as sailboats with spinnakers flying.

Two small flotillas of yachts carrying members from the University of Washington Husky and Washington State University Cougar Marching Bands set the musical tempo for the day.”