Seattle Press on Line - Ballard SeafoodFest--Ya, Sure, Come on Down

Ballard SeafoodFest--Ya, Sure, Come on Down

Elvis, spotted in the coverall fashion show at Ballard's 2001 SeafoodFest. Photo courtesy of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

Jul 18, 2002 -- For 28 years, Ballard has celebrated its maritime heritage with a community festival centered around seafood. This year's SeafoodFest will take place July 27 and 28 on Market Street and Ballard Avenue.

This is a special sort of street fair. Yes, it has craft vendors, food and music. But Ballard always has a few distinctly local touches. Take, for example, the lutefisk-eating contest, hosted this year by Julie Cascioppo. Lutefisk is a Scandinavian preserved fish that is definitely an acquired taste. Conventional wisdom says the best way to enjoy this contest is from the audience.

A girl and her pet Tigger in the Coverall show. Courtesy of the Ballard Chamber.

Other Ballard attractions include the Chamber of Commerce's Alder Smoked Barbecue Salmon booth, where the best salmon is cooked up by chamber members, the Couture Coverall Contest, a fashion show involving altered work clothes from periods throughout history, and music by the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band, polka musicians the Smilin' Scandinavians and Stan Boreson.

Of course, there's plenty of fun for young and old, with a family stage and a main music stage going strong all weekend. Other musical notables include the Laura Love Band, !YerbaBuena!, the Total Experience Gospel Choir and Jo Miller and her Burly Roughnecks. At the Family Stage kids can enjoy puppets, clowns and storytellers.

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