SandSations Sand Sculpture Competition
FRI-SAT  Teams from around the country compete to build the most creative and intricate sand sculpture.  At Long Beach, WA. directions

NASCAR Camping World Washington 500
SAT  Watch 800HP stock cars battle for 500 laps on a 5/8 mile oval. This is the once per year national level NASCAR race in our area. At Evergreen Speedway in Monroe. directions

NW Fuchsia Society Flower Show
SAT-SUN  Judged display of fuchsias at the beautiful Hiram Chittenden Locks in Ballard. directions

Ballard SeafoodFest
SAT-SUN  Food, entertainment, beer & wine, kids' activities, arts & crafts and more in Ballard. directions

Model Family Kite Fest
SAT  Family funFly, stunt kite demonstrations, kids kite building, music, prizes.  At Magnuson Park in Seattle. directions

Seafair Torchlight Parade
SAT  "Amazing Adventures" is the theme this year with marching bands, floats, drill teams, the Seafair Clowns & Pirates and more starting at 7:30PM from the Seattle Center.  (www.seafair.com).

Capitol Hill Block Party
FRI-SAT  Music from local and national bands with food and vendors along 10th Ave & East Pike. directions

6th Street Art Fair
FRI-SUN  Artwork by more than 120 artists, music, food and more in downtown Bellevue. (www.bellevuedowntown.com).

Bellevue Arts Museum ArtsFair
FRI-SUN  More than 300 arts and crafts vendors, entertainment, art demos and more at Bellevue Arts Museum. directions (www.bellevuearts.org).

Alki Beach Art Fair
SAT-SUN  Juried art fair, music, food, children's art and more at Alki Beach Promenade. directions

SOUTH

Pacific Northwest Nationals Auto Show
FRI-SUN  Display of more than 2000 hot rods, customs, classics at Puyallup Fair and Events Center and drag races at Pacific Raceways in Kent.  directions

Lake Stevens Aquafest
THURS-SUN  Arts & crafts, horse-drawn carriage rides, parade & Bite of Lake Stevens. directions

Westfield Southcenter Grand Opening
FRI-SUN  Grand opening of newly remodeled shopping center.

Renton River Days
WED-SUN  Crafts, games, entertainment, pony rides, parade and more at Liberty Park and other downtown Renton locations. 

Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games & Clan Gathering
SAT-SUN  Bagpipes, drums, Celtic arts, folk music, food, beer, parade and games at Enumclaw Expo Center.

Enumclaw Street Fair
FRI-SAT  Entertainment, food, farmers market, arts & crafts and more.

Bite of Seattle
FRI-SUN  This is one of the biggest festivals of the year. Food from more than 50 restaurants as well as cooking demos and entertainment on 5 stages at Seattle Center. directions (www.biteofseattle.com).

NHRA Nationals
FRI-SUN Our one chance this year to experience ground pounding 6000hp dragsters. You won’t need to be a gearhead to be awed by the raw power of these beasts. At Pacific Raceways in Kent. directions

Chinatown Seafair Parade
SUN  Dragons & lions and marching bands along South Jackson & South King starting at 7pm. directions (www.chinesechamber.net).

Kirkland Uncorked
FRI-SAT  Wine tasting, food, grilling competition, wine and food pairing and more at Marina Park. directions (www.kirklanduncorked.com).

Sequim Lavender Festival
FRI-SUN  Street fair in Sequim with arts & crafts, music, food and farms open for lavender picking. directions (www.lavenderfestival.com).

Darrington Bluegrass Festival
FRI-SUN  Annual bluegrass music festival at Darrington Music Park. directions (www.glacierview/bluegrass).

Art by the Bay: Camano Island Arts Festival
SAT-SUN  Fine arts and crafts festival with more than 140 artists as well as music and food at Utsalady Elementary School.  directions (www.artbythebay.com).

Vashon Island Strawberry Festival
SAT-SUN  Grand Parade, the Classic Car parade, music throughout the day, both Saturday and Sunday, Saturday night street dances, food & vendor booths. A short ferry ride from West Seattle to this picturesque island community. One of my family’s favorites.  (http://vashonchamber.com/strawberry_fest.htm ).

Seattle's Chinatown-International District Summer Festival
SAT-SUN  Pan-Asian street festival with lion and dragon dances, taiko drumming, drill teams, karaoke, arts & crafts and food at Hing Hay Park.  (www.cidbia.org).

Pioneer Square Fire Festival
FRI-SAT  Firefighters from across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia show off their skills and compete for personal glory in what is called “the toughest 2 minutes in sports.”.  (http://www.pioneersquare.org/fire.html ).

Mercer Island Summer Celebration
SAT-SUN  Pirates, arts & crafts, live music & theater, parade, fireworks, classic car show and more at Luther Burbank Park & Mercerdale Park.  (www.misummercelebration.com).

Wallingford seafair Kiddies Parade & Street Fair
SAT  Street fair with food, vendors and entertainment plus parade at 11am along Wallingford Avenue North.  (www.wallingford.org).

West Seattle Summer Fest
FRI-SUN  Street fair with music, arts, food, beer garden and street dance at West Seattle Junction.  (www.westseattlefestival.com).

Kent Cornucopia Days
THURS-SUN  Festival, street fair, food, carnival, parade and more in Kent.  (www.kcdays.com).

Redmond Derby Days
SAT  Bike race, kids' parade, music, food and more at Redmond City Hall campus.  (www.redmond.gov).

Bastille Day
SAT-SUN  French food, wine, music, art and more at Seattle Center.  (www.seattle-bastille.org).

Tivoli/Viking Days
FRI-SUN  Scandinavian food, crafts, music, dancing and more at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard.  (www.nordicmuseum.org).

Model Airplane Show
SUN  Marymoor R/C Club open house with flying demos and displays at the Model Airplane Field at Marymoor Park.  (425.747.2039).

Arlington Fly-in
WED-SUN  Airshow, flight demonstrations, bands, military vehicles, hot air balloons, fireworks and music at Arlington Airport.  (www.arlingtonflyin.org).

There will be many 4^th of July fireworks displays on Friday the 4th of July. Take your pick:

· Demolition Derby and Fireworks Evergreen Speedway in Monroe <– my kids favorite!

· 4^th of Jul-Ivars Seattle waterfront – Elliot Bay

· Wamu Family 4^th Gas Works Park – Lake Union

· Bellevue Family 4th

· Kirkland 4^th of July Festivities

· Fourth on the Plateau

· 4th of July Fireworks on Lake Sammamish

· More community Fourth of July events

Other events this weekend:

Milk Carton Derby
SAT  Nearly 100 hand built milk-carton crafts along with shore activities and food at Green Lake Park.  (www.seafair.com).

Seafair Pirates Landing
SAT  Annual landing of the Pirates with kids' activities, entertainment and more at Alki Beach Park.  (www.seafair.com).

Vintage Races
FRI-SUN  Miss the unmistakable sound of the big block V8? Get your horsepower fix watching vintage stock cars racing on the road course at Pacific Raceways.  (www.sovren.org).

Bluesfest
FRI  Crafts, games, food vendors, music at Wilmot Gateway Park, Woodinville.  (www.ci.woodinville.wa.us).

Carnation Celebration
FRI  Pancake breakfast, 5K run, kiddie parade, grand parade, car show, fireworks at Tolt-MacDonald Park.  (www.carnation4th.org).

Seattle International Beerfest
FRI-SUN  More than 130 beers from 15 countries plus live music at Mural Amphitheater at Seattle Center.  (www.seattlebeerfest.com).

Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival
FRI-SUN  Celebration of local maritime heritage with boat display, toy-boat building, sailing model boats, boat rides & races, food and live music at Lake Union Park and Center for Wooden Boats.  (www.cwb.org/BoatFest2008.htm).

Tall Ships Tacoma
THURS-MON  Tours and adventures on 32 sailing vessels as well as entertainment along Foss Waterway.  (www.tallshipstacoma.com).