For the next week-plus, the biggest events of Seafair are in the spotlight around our city. Here are a few notes of special West Seattle-and-environs interest:

TORCHLIGHT PARADE TONIGHT: You can get a sneak peek at the floats by going to Seattle Center 2-6 pm this afternoon for the “Taste of Torchlight.” Look for West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival‘s “Sparkling Seattle” float (seen above in last Saturday’s WS Grand Parade). Every year Hi-Yu comes up with a new theme for its float and button, builds it, and takes it to parades around the region – the last neighborhood-specific organization in Seattle to carry on the tradition. In the parade lineup (which you can see here), they’re scheduled to be #70 out of 106 entries. Other entries of local interest: King County Executive Dow Constantine (#10), South Park’s “Legacy of Innovation” float (#93), All-City Band directed by West Seattle’s Marcus Pimpleton (#95). Know a West Seattleite in one of tonight’s group entries? Let us know! Also, Veronica Pupava represents Hi-Yu in the Miss Seafair program – right before the parade, we’ll see if she’s chosen queen or princess. Meantime, some parade logistics: If you have to go downtown, here’s the road-closure plan; if you are staking out a spot, the parade officially starts from Seattle Center at 7:30 pm and proceeds along 4th Avenue southward to the International District, preceded by the Torchlight Run (which is what’s closing the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct at 5:30 pm) – go ASAP! The front line along the curb fills up fast along the entire route.

After tonight, the U.S. Navy takes centerstage in the air (here’s our earlier report about the Blue Angels’ arrival) and at sea:

(Seafair Fleet Week Parade of Ships 2010 photo by David Hutchinson – that’s the USS Port Royal)
FLEET WEEK AND PARADE OF SHIPS: We got our first look at the U.S. Navy Seafair lineup hereon the website of a participating ship. While the Parade of Ships in Elliott Bay – visible from most of West Seattle’s north- and northeast-facing shore – is scheduled for 1:45 pm Wednesday, most will arrive sooner. That Navy page says the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) will arrive Tuesday before 2 pm, mooring at Terminal 25 (just north of the West Seattle Bridge) and Pier 66, while guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) will arrive at Terminal 46 at 8 am Wednesday. Also participating, according to references here and here, US Coast Guard cutter Mellon (WHEC 717) and, from the Canadian Navy, HMCS Whitehorse (NCSM 705) and HMCS Nanaimo (NCSM 702). Public tours of ships participating in that part of the program are set for Thursday through Sunday; more on the Seafair site, here.