WHAT:  Seattle’s annual food festival featuring delicious food from some of the Northwest’s best restaurants as well as entertainment for the whole family!

WHEN:  July 17-19, 2009

WHERE:  Seattle Center

ADMISSION:  Free

HOURS:  Fri-Sat 11-9, Sun 11-8

NEW this year:  Participating restaurants will offer ‘JUST A BITE’ menu items giving patrons the opportunity to sample smaller portions at a lower price, just $3.75!  Now you can treat yourself to several tasty samplings without over-endulging and breaking the bank!

YOUR chance to be a STAR!:  Comcast Town Sing Along Challenge

WHEN:  September 5-7 (Labor Day weekend)

WHERE:  Seattle Center

HOURS:  11AM to 11PM

Purchase TICKETS

View LINE-UP

In 1971, the city of Seattle funded the first ‘Seattle Arts Festival’ which became an annual event that is now one of the largest music and arts festivals in the world now known as Bumbershoot.  In 1980, One Reel, a non-profit arts and entertainment production organization began producing the festival and by ticketing the event they were able to attract big name artists as well as provide a platform for Northwest artists and a variety of other artists to be seen.

Address: 2251 3rd Ave.
Hours: 6 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Acreage: 0.3
One of Seattle’s smallest off-leash areas, Regrade Park provides our four legged friends of Belltown a place to run around and play while their owners relax and socialize!  The space is enclosed by a 5′ high fence relieving dog owners of traffic safety worries.  There is also a play area, a basketball hoop, picnic tables and benches.

When traveling from Seattle to the eastside via the Evergreen Point floating bridge you will first come to Evergreen Point, Hunts Point and then Yarrow Point all on your left-hand side. 

Once a favorite campsite offering plentiful fishing and hunting to the Sammamish Indian tribe, Hunts Point is now a serenely exquisite residential neigborhood of upscale homes.  The town of Hunts Point was incorporated in 1955 and has earned the Tree City USA designation from the National Arbor Foundation since 1991.  Hunts Point was named after Leigh S. J. Hunt in the late 1800’s who lived on Yarrow Point and aquired the land on the northern tip of Hunts Point so that he could cut down the trees that obstructed his view of Seattle.  At the turn of the century, Hunt lost the land to a bank and a group of Seattle men bought it and used it as a weekend and summer family retreat.  Eventually building homes, they would spend the entire summers and commute back to Seattle via a small ferry for business.  In the early 1900’s the point acquired modern day conveniences such as electricity and telephones.  Docks were built for ferry commuting ease and postal service was offered.  With all of these conveniences, the families began elaborating their summer homes into year round dwellings with heat and plumbing.  In 1913, the residents built a clubhouse which became the epicenter of activities and social events for the Hunts Point residents.  The group was close-knit, active and involved in contributing to the growth and quality of living in the small community.  Soon after the clubhouse came the tennis court addition and the Hunts Point Tennis Club was formed.  In 1920, the Hunts Point residents organized a neighborhood clean-up day and the tradition has remained that a Sunday in May is dedicated to beautifying the neighborhood including the park and the Hunts Point entrance.  The day includes fun activities for the kids and a Rest and Relaxation party to celebrate all of the hard work.

The town of Hunts Point has worked hard and has a comprehensive plan which outlines building guidelines etc. to ensure the preservation of its serenity and original charm.  While on Hunts Point you may see one of the Eagles that nests in one of the remarkable old trees!  This neighborhood is booming with pride! 

Wetherill Nature Preserve is a 16-acre preserve shared by Hunts Point and Yarrow Point.  It was given to these 2 towns by the Wetherill sisters and dedicated by them in memory of their mother and father on July 4, 1988 with the requirement that the towns ‘protect the land in perpetuity from development and preserve the native wildlife and plants existing on it’.  As described on both the Hunts Point and the Yarrow Point websites:  ‘What surprises new visitors are the Preserve’s number of trails and its size, and also the variety of bird life.  Waterfront vistas across Cozy Cove sparkle in the sunshine.  A kingfisher sometimes chatters from the water’s edge or an eagle will land in the lilly pads, dipping its wings for a bath.  The Preserve offers surprises at any rime of the year, but bird life prevails especially in the springtime.  Song sparrows and chickadees sing and flit above in the trees.  The quiet observer will find mother robins sitting on their nests in low shrubs and trees behind a cozy screen of leaves’.  The preserve is maintained through volunteer efforts.  There are two entrances to the park, one is at the Hunts Point Town Hall and Fairweather Park and the other entrance is on the Yarrow Point side at 33rd Street.

To the east of Hunts Point is Yarrow Point.  Its mass is 231 acres and is bordered on 3 sides by Lake Washington providing waterfront living to 1/4 of the residences on this fabulous peninsula!  The tranquil, sylvan setting while so conveniently located makes this neighborhood a highly desirable place to live.

Medina is located on the Eastside of Lake Washington, across the Evergreen Pt. Floating bridge from Seattle.  It is bordered by Hunts Point to the north, Clyde Hill to the east and Lake Washington to the west and south.  After much debate, Medina was named in 1891 after the holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia by Flora Beloti.  T.L. Dabney built the first landing in Medina which was directly across from the Leschi Park landing and became the main crossing point between Seattle and the Eastside.  Dabney wanted the area to be called ‘Floridine’ and Beloti wanted it to be named ‘Medeena’ and they went back and forth until Dabney finally relented and so it became known as ‘Madeena’ or modernly ‘Medina’.  Constructed in 1963, the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, which happens to be the longest floating bridge in the world, connects Medina and the rest of the eastside to Seattle.

Nestled in this spectacular residential neighborhood is the Overlake Golf and Country Club.  The perfectly manicured 18 hole golf course, 30,000 square foot full service clubhouse, swimming pool and tennis courts are enjoyed by over 900 members.  Due to the limited membership no advance tee times are necessary.  The club is renowned for its outstanding Junior Golf, Swimming and Tennis programs.  
Medina is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the Seattle-Bellevue area.  With astounding lake and Seattle skyline views; this neighborhood is home to many wealthy area residents such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Seattle Mariner’s Ichiro Suzuki.

Address:  Aurora Ave. N and N 59th St.
Hours:  4 am to 11:30 pm
Acreage:  90.9
With a big hill, the Woodland Park off-leash dog area is a great place to let your dog burn some energy when you don’t want to!  The area gets extremely muddy in the winter/wet months so beware!  The fresh water feature in the middle offers thirst quenching relief for your dog except during the winter months and it turns on right before spring. 
To find the park follow Green Lake Way to the south end of the lake and head west towards the tennis courts past Pitch n Putt.  Turn left into Woodland Park.  Just to the east of the tennis courts you will find the off-leash dog park!

Address:  9000 8th Ave SW
Hours:  4 am to 11:30 pm
Acreage:  81.1
A large park with panoramic views of the city, Westcrest Park offers an off-leash dog area with a large meadow for ball chasing and a covered area perhaps to get out of the rain!

Address:  7400 Sand Point Way NE
Hours:  May 1 – Labor Day 4 am to 11:30 pm
 Labor Day – April 30 4 am to 10 pm
Acreage:  350
On the shores of Lake Washington sits Seattle’s second largest park, Magnusun Park.  Within the park is Seattle’s only off-leash dog area with beach access.  To find the dog area, turn into the guardhouse entrance to the park from Sand Point Way and follow straight back to the playground.  Parking for the dog area is located behind and to the left of the playground.  There is a one mile path that leads to the beach which is a great way for dog owners to get some exercise too!

Address:  1400 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S
Hours:  4 am to 11:30 pm
Acreage:  15.2
Blue Dog Pond is the off leash dog area marked by the big blue metal dog!  This park is more enjoyable during dry weather due to the drainage.

Address:  Boren Ave. and Pike St.
Hours:  6 am to 11:30 pm
Acreage:  .6
At the base of Capitol Hill, let your dog play while you enjoy the panoramic view of the city!