One of the Ballard neighborhood’s biggest summer celebrations is back.
The Ballard Music and Seafood Fest is scheduled to bring more than 75,000 attendees to downtown Ballard. The three-day event, which boasts a more than 50-year history, will now take place July 10 to the 12th.
“The Ballard Music and Seafood Fest is a three-day celebration in Ballard that celebrates everything that Ballard is, so seafood, craft cocktails, craft beer and of course live music,” Ballard Alliance Executive Director Mike Stewart said.
The festival started as a salmon barbeque more than 50 years ago, initially raising funds for the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. Stewart explained that the fest now has a new name, which was a deliberate choice to highlight the musical aspect.
“We did that because we wanted to recognize and honor what an important role music plays in this festival,” Stewart said. “This is an opportunity to bring free to the community an amazing lineup.”
The event kicks off on Friday, July 10, with a pre-event block party featuring a performance by Nite Wave and an open beer garden. The full festival begins on Saturday, July 11, and will include dozens of art and craft vendors, food vendors, and a salmon barbeque. The barbeque will serve 2,300 pounds of Alaskan sockeye salmon.
Beyond entertainment, the festival functions as a fundraiser for the Ballard Alliance.
“By coming to Seafood Fest and buying a beer or a salmon dinner, you’re actually helping to support the organization, which helps support making Ballard a great place to be,” Stewart said.
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