The 36th Annual SeafoodFest, moved a little earlier this year, attracted thousands of people to Central Ballard in beautiful weather.
The theme this year: “May the Norse be with you.”
Like every year, Stan Boreson, the King of Scandihoovian humor, kicked things off on Saturday morning. Stan and his wife own a tour company, and recently they stayed in a fancy hotel in New York City. Says Stan, “The pillows were so fluffy I could barely close my suitcase!” (Thanks, Silver for the photo!)
The big attraction, of course, is the seafood. Warren Aakervik, owner of Ballard Oil, oversaw the traditional salmon BBQ — his 34th year at SeaFood Fest. “The recipe is exactly the same it’s been for years,” he said. This year, members of the Ballard High Football Team helped at the cookers. “Maybe there will be a year in which I can just sit over there, shout orders, and watch,” Warren jokes.
With lutefisk sales on a steady decline, the lutefisk eating contest “may be the biggest simulus package lutefisk producers see all year,” says the SeafoodFest program. We covered the event right here.
On the main stage, musical acts like Portland-based Derby (above) and local favorite The Maldives entertained the crowd.
A brand new KidsZone featured a climbing wall, inflatable slides and a bouncy room, not to mention puppets and marionettes on the Family Stage.
SeafoodFest runs until 7 p.m. on Sunday. (Full disclosure: The Seafood Fest is run by the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, of which My Ballard is a member.)