Opening Day, the official opening of Seattle's boating season sponsored by Seattle Yacht Club, includes a celebration of many kinds of water activities. This year's festivities will include a morning of crew races, a sailboat race, and, of course, the grand Opening Day boat parade on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

As always, the Opening Day Parade starts at noon the first Saturday in May with the blast of a cannon and the raising of the Montlake Bridge. Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day has become the nation's largest regional celebration of water, spring and the opening of boating season.

Participating yachts will be decorated to illustrate this year's theme for Opening Day, "Back to the 80's".

And, if tradition is honored, there will be sunshine, breezes and, maybe, a few showers.

Opening Day in Seattle is a family affair; families decorate their boats for the festivities and parades; families spread blankets on the shoreline and spend hours watching and picnicking. Families dream of the boats they someday will own.

5 a.m. Commissioning Ceremony, SYC Lawn
9:20 a.m. VIP Boats Load - All guests must be on board by 9:30
9:30 a.m. Montlake Cut Closed to ALL Boat Traffic
10:15 a.m. Windermere Cup Crew Races start
12:00 p.m. Boat Parade begins
3:00 p.m. End of Boat Parade (approximately)
4:00 p.m. Montlake Cut open to marine traffic (approximately)
6:00 p.m. Trophy Presentations, SYC Lawn
6:30 p.m. Closing Ceremony and Lowering of Colors
8:00 p.m. AI Closing Party

More information: https://www.seattleyachtclub.org/opening-day