Tens of thousands in western Washington cheered on the Seafair Torchlight Parade along the Seattle Waterfront for the second straight year since moving from 4th Avenue.
Both the Seafair 5K Torch Run and famous parade packed the road and sidewalks at Alaskan Way on Saturday afternoon and evening, with Washingtonians looking to celebrate the annual summer tradition.
In 2025, event organizers say the parade drew in nearly 100,000 to spectate. This time around, similar crowds lined the sidewalks and filled the reserved seating by Elliot Bay.
The familiar faces and acts rolled, marched, danced, or walked down Alaskan Way — from the beloved pirates and their ship, to the inflatable Blue Angel jet, high school band performances, and the dancing horses — the spirit of what makes Seattle great was in the air.
“The floats, it’s better here because on 4th [Avenue] they were always having to pull them down, put them up, pull them down, put them up, and now there’s a lot more open space,” said Ed Moore, who has attended parades for decades.
The new waterfront location continued to be appreciated by those in attendance, citing how it exemplifies the nature of the event celebrating Seattle.
“I love it, I love the waterfront, it’s so amazing and all of the new stuff down here,” said Cecelia Phillips. “And just the way it’s set up, I really like; it feels like we’re really utilizing that space more,” the 21-year-old said, having gone to the parade her entire life.
The Phillips family has quite a unique tradition. While the parade ran along 4th Avenue, father Brian took over a section of the sidewalk with his friends in high school. That turned into carpets, couches, chairs, tables, lamps, a grill, and even a ceiling fan, making their way onto the sidewalk – practically a new living room. An effort that some locals appreciated for the second year in a row.
“There have been a ton of people this year who have walked by and been like ‘Hey neighbor!’” others, like Chris Cruis from Puyallup, wanted to continue a family tradition of his own by passing it on to his two young kids.
“My mom used to bring my sisters and me down here, and we used to watch the pirates and the clowns,” Cruis stated. “Hopefully the kids enjoy it, you know, and it’s something we can do every year,” he said with his wife and children sprawled on a blanket near Pier 66.
The parade was preceded by those who wanted to get their steps in before plopping down to soak in the festivities, via the Torch Run 5k race up Alaskan Way and then down Elliot Avenue.
“I love to run, so what better way to do it, what better way to participate right in the middle of it,” said Keyth Sokol, “There’s a ton of people supporting you and waving you on that didn’t even know there’s a run going on,” he said.
Signs of community are abundant during the Seafair summer staple. The pilots will roar across the Seattle skies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while the hydro races will also take to the waters those same days.
