COUNTDOWN: One week until Seafair Pirates Landing at Alki Beach

(2024 photo by David Hutchinson)

So far, next Saturday (June 28) looks to be a lot more like beach weather than today – good thing since Alki is likely to be thronged by hundreds more people than usual, with this year’s Seafair Pirates Landing set for early afternoon. If you haven’t been before, it’s a relatively compact event these days, with cannon fire sounding offshore as the Pirates approach on a borrowed barge that brings them close enough to wade ashore and mingle menacingly with their fans. There’s usually a bit of bluster as they seize the key to the city or county from a politician and/or Seafair royalty, and eventually they board their motorized landlubbing vessel Moby Duck to roll away. The current estimate for the landing is around 1:30 pm, but don’t procrastinate if you want to see them, because it could be earlier. (You can expect to see the Pirates back here three weeks after that, for the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 19!)

Thomas June 21, 2025 (8:48 pm)

I love West Seattle but this is our worst tradition.

Brent June 22, 2025 (8:11 am)

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It’s mostly for the kids…also what other traditions does WS have? Genuinely curious. There’s the tree lighting and holiday decorations but having trouble thinking of more.
- Kristina June 22, 2025 (6:28 pm)
  
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  Brent, traditions my daughter enjoyed included egg hunts, Fourth of July parade(she decorated her bike to join in), the kids dance section at Hiawatha (now other parks) summer concerts, the bouncy house kid zone at Summerfest, Santa in the Junction along with the choirs and booths, trick or treat in the Junction, naturalists on beaches at low tide, various parades, and so much more. There were outdoor movies, 5ks suitable for kids, Alki Art Fair with food and music, riding the rented pedal bike cars at Alki in summer…The year I took my (then young) daughter to Alki to see the pirates, the men dressed as pirates were clearly drunk, and came through the crowd on the beach pawing at women. Not my favorite memory, nor my daughter’s.
  - KinesthesiaAmnesia June 23, 2025 (1:26 pm)
    
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    I’m with ya, Kristina! When I lived in Lower Queen Anne at the start of summers, the Seafair Pirates would park the Moby Duck in front of what was then The Coliseum or Key Arena. They’d have flasks on them while visiting every single bar surrounding the arena, all the adult children in the neighborhood would buy them drinks, then they’d slap women in the streets and bars on the butts and pretend to kidnap them. The Pirates would grab women around their waist and haul them away over their shoulders to their parade float of a boat. The women who acted like good sports about being hauled off to the Moby Duck would get a circular little black & white sticker that said something kind of weird like “I’ve been had by the Seafair Pirates!” Then the Pirates would fire their cannon and sail away in search of the next harbor full of booze and unsuspecting wenches.I love Seafair. My family is full of seamen, Navy people and Seafair princesses. The civic and military traditions like parades and Blue Angels rock my world. But after so many memories of pretend abductions accompanied by the smell of whiskey and cannon fire… and no matter how many women the Pirates recruit now, or how family friendly they try to make their modern events… I’m just like “no thanks!”I feel somewhat ironic saying this as a devoted Patches Kid lol, but just because someone dresses up in a silly costume and entertains kids at childrens hospitals, that doesn’t mean they get a free pass to be a publicly drunk scalywag all over town.
Derp June 22, 2025 (8:58 am)

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This is a Seattle tradition, not just West Seattle. Everybody loves the Seafair Pirates. Whats your problem.
Lucy June 22, 2025 (12:29 pm)

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This would be an excellent weekend for you to plan to be out of town!!!
Another Kyle June 23, 2025 (12:05 pm)

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Seems fun for the kids, but I feel you. Last year we were caught unaware on the beach when the cannons started and the loud noises upset my autistic friend pretty bad. Steering clear this next weekend!