This weekend is Ballard’s famed annual SeafoodFest, which brings thousands of hungry mouths to the neighborhood for music and fishy delicacies galore.
The event goes from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, and will take up most of downtown Ballard. (Here’s a map of the event.) The following Metro buses will be rerouted during the event: Route 17, Route 18, Route 44, Route 75, and Route 81. Surrounding streets will be closed from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 14 – 11:00 p.m. Sunday, July 15: NW Market Street from 20th to 24th avenues NW; 22nd Avenue NW from Ballard Avenue NW to NW 58th Street; Ballard Avenue NW from NW Market to NW Vernon Place; and Leary Avenue NW from NW Market to 20th Avenue NW.
As for notable attractions, there will be a lutefisk eating contest at Bergen Place Park on Saturday at 1 p.m. From the event’s website, contestents will, “gather and see just how much of this delicacy they can eat. (or stomach!) Cash prizes go to those who rise above the others. The winner consumes over 3-1/4 pounds of lutefisk. Sign-ups take place at the festival, beginning two hours prior.”
The barbecued salmon is always a huge attraction, with 2,000 pounds donated by Trident Seafoods the day before the event. An alder tree has been chopped down to keep the barbecue fired up all weekend, and “secret ingredients” from “secret sources” will flavor the fish. “Next, our EXPERT chefs, Warren Aakervik, Doug Dixon and Cam Hardy get to work with their men from Ballard Oil, Pacific Fishermen, Camco Electric and the Ballard High School Football team. They have a simple, but time-honored recipe, which of course, we are not able to divulge,” say the organizers.
As for entertainment, bands and DJs will be delivering tunes all weekend.
Saturday’s main stage line-up:
12 noon Pickled Herring
The perfect 2012 Accordion Mania kickoff, this group plays a rocking mix of Scandinavian and fishing tunes. FYI, Lori Hanson, the accordion and lead singer had her first music lessons right in Ballard by none other than Stan Boreson!1:30 pm The Legendary Oaks
Tuneful Americana, the raucous child of a multiple marriage between the Replacements, the Lovin Brothers, Merle Haggard, the Burrito Brothers and oh yeah, some REM too.3:00 pm Matt the Hoopla
Oh-so-local (as in across the street) Glam Rock complete with accordion. Really.4:45 pm Two Scoops Combo
Playing his own version of N’awlins style boogie woogie, Two Scoops is extra specially adored on Ballard Avenue for his trademark “SeafoodFest” song.6:00 pm Reneé de la Prade
All the way from the Bay area, Ms. de la Prade is, perhaps, the only punk accordion diva in the US!7:45 pm DJ Riz
Best loved KEXP DJ, this man about town helps kick off Ballard’s Second Saturday ArtWalk!
Sunday’s main stage line-up:
12 noon Orville Johnson Goes Gospel
A welcome reprise of last year’s incredibly inspirational hand-picked players. When Orville calls, you’ll listen.5:30 pm Wylie & The Wild West Show
He’s BACK! Yippee and Yahoo! Wylie’s a Cowboy-style homerun every time he graces this SeafoodFest Stage.1:15 pm Pearl D’Jango
First time ever at SeafoodFest, and also from Ballard, Pearl Django plays high energy gypsy jazz, with a smattering of bluegrass, folk and strings.2:45 pm Miles & Karina
Always a “Quirkish Delight”, this duo mixes (of course) accordion, banjo, guitar and more. Stylish, a bit avante and always FUN!4:15 pm Juan Barco
Award winning Tex-Mex songwriter Barco, comes complete with a crack band of seasoned performers.
Together they bring a touch of Texas to Ballard.
For a full list of entertainment, visit the entertainment page of the SeafoodFest website.
