Seattle’s Seafair kicks off with a parade in Mountlake Terrace

If you think Seafair kicks off with Saturday’s Torchlight Parade in Seattle, you might be hearing from friends and family in Mountlake Terrace.

The city’s annual Friday evening parade, featuring the Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team, the Seafair pirates, floats, clowns, and even Edmonds School District drivers piloting school buses, begins at 7 p.m. July 27.

It’s a Seafair-sanctioned event. “Seafair uses our parade like a practice run for their parade Saturday night,” said Rick Ryan, a city councilman and volunteer coordinator of the parade for the past 10 years.

The parade route runs along 56th Avenue W. near 236th Street SW and ends near 220th Street.

Plan on getting there early if you want a prime viewing spot. “As early as Thursday, people reserve their spot on the sidewalk for Friday,” Ryan said.

The parade’s grand marshal is Bob White, who served as city manager from 1967 to 1992.

The parade is the first of a weekend of activities known as Tour de Terrace, that includes pancake breakfasts, a 5K run and walk, a car, truck and motorcycle show, three days of free music, a carnival and a fireworks show on Saturday night.

About 70,000 people came to the event last year, said Mayor Jerry Smith, who helped launch the annual event in 1993.

“The community looks forward to it,” Smith said. “Everybody is so proud of it.”

Judi Smith, the mayor’s wife, said the Saturday car show is eagerly anticipated each year. “You hear them talking about it as it approaches,” she said. “It’s the talk of the town.”

Jerry Smith said he anticipates there could be several hundred entries in this year’s show.

Entries are expected to include everything from classics to modern muscle cars.

Three days of live bands begin at 8:30 Friday night with the rhythm and blues band Brohamm.

A full day of music is scheduled Saturday with performances by five groups, including the Marlin James Band, a country group.

Sunday’s live music wraps up with the Stacy Jones Band, which plays award-winning blues, scheduled to perform at 4 p.m.

The events bring people out like a big block party, Ryan said.

Even people who have moved out of the city come back every year for the parade, he said. “We have a lot of fun.”

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.

If you go

What: Tour de Terrace

When: July 27-29

Where: Evergreen Playfield, 22289 56th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace