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Ballard is a waterfront neighborhood in the northwestern area of Seattle. In 1971, the first Ballard SeafoodFest was held with the goal of promoting the fishing industry and the area’s Scandinavian heritage. It began as a two hour barbecue to raise money for a financially strapped Chamber of Commerce. The festival officially began in 1974.
Today, the SeafoodFest is a 3 day event that attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Over the decades, entertainment has been added along with other activities and food vendors cater to a much larger audience. However, the core of the festival is Ballard’s seafood offerings and celebrating the community’s cultural heritage.
SeafoodFest Hours
- Friday, July 10: 5 PM – 10 PM
- Saturday, July 11: 11 AM – 10 PM
- Sunday, July 12: 11 AM – 8 PM
Enjoy a three-day celebration of free outdoor live music on the MainStage courtesy of community sponsors.
Music Schedule
Friday, July 10
- 6 pm – 7:15 pm: DJ Dance Dance
- 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm: All 4 Doras
- 8 pm – 10 pm: Nite Wave
Saturday, July 11
- 1 pm – 2 pm: Joyla Reed
- 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: The Maya Experience
- 4 pm – 5 pm: Coral Grief
- 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: The Dusty 45s
- 7 pm – 8 pm: Low Cut Course
- 8:30 pm – 10 pm: Built To Spill
Sunday, July 12
- 10:30 am – 11:30 am: Zumba with Ballard Health Club
- 12 pm – 1 pm: Phinney Ridge Steel Band
- 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: School of Rock
- 3 pm – 4 pm: Beatleconcert
- 4:30 pm – 6 pm: Scottie’s Last Waltz
- 6:30 pm – 8 pm: Wild Rumors
On Saturday and Sunday, there will also be live music and family fun at Ballard Commons Park!
The heart of the festival is the Salmon BBQ and it’s located in the heart of the festival area at 22nd Avenue and Market Street. Trident Seafoods’ Applewood Smoked Salmon are prepared by festival workers and grilled to perfection. Accompanying the salmon is cole slaw and a roll. Your mouth will thank you!
All proceeds from the Salmon BBQ will go to Ballard Alliance, a non profit organization dedicated to the growth and vitality of the neighborhood.
The Ballard SeafoodFest will have a Beer + Cocktail Garden. It has an extensive selection of Ballard brewed beers, handcrafted cocktails, cider, hard seltzer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages.There’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The Kids Deck is the ultimate festival destination for children. It has the infamous purple slide, arts & crafts, storytelling and much more.
Enjoy a unique shopping experience at the SeafoodFest Vendor Market. There will be a large number of food vendors, arts & crafts vendors and non-profit organizations.
Lutefisk Eating Contest
This year the fest is bringing back Ozzie’s International Lutefisk Eating Contest. Do you have what it takes to gulp down two pounds of lutefisk?
Ballard
While you’re in Ballard, check out the National Nordic Museum and Woodland Park Zoo, Book your combined tickets here and you can save $2.35 on each ticket.
Seafood
If you enjoyed the seafood at the festival and would like to learn more about cooking seafood, try these cookbooks. And use our links to see how you can save on them.
- “For The Love Of Seafood, 100 Flawless, Flavorful Recipes That Anyone Can Cook” by Karista Bennett
- “The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook: Salmon, Crab, Oysters and More” by Naomi Tomky
- “Foolproof Fish: Modern Recipes” by America’s Test Kitchen
Or you can enjoy seafood at the 10 Best Seafood Restaurants in Seattle as chosen by the users of TripAdvisor.
- Rockcreek Seafood & Spirits
- Chinook’s
- Shucker’s Oyster Bar
- Market Grill
- Pike Place Chowder
- All Water Seafood & Oyster Bar
- Duke’s Seafood & Chowder
- Salty’s on Aiki Beach
- Ivar’s Fish Bar
- AQUA by El Gaucho
If you love seafood but can’t get to those restaurants one night, you can get seafood from Pike Place Chowder delivered by DoorDash. Check out their menu.
Visiting Seattle
If you’d like to visit Seattle for the SeafoodFest in Ballard, you should consider one of these hotels. They are offering discounted rates which will save you money on your stay.
If you are flying to Seattle, you can use a promo code to save money on your flight here.