June
Maritime Gig Festival. Kids’ activities aplenty along with entertainment on a children’s stage, a parade, a regatta, and more in downtown Gig Harbor.
Edmonds Waterfront Festival. Visit the Port of Edmonds Marina for kids’ entertainment, classic yachts on display and other waterfront-themed activities.
Marysville Strawberry Festival. The long-running celebration includes a two-hour parade down State Avenue and fireworks.
Old Belleuve Strawberry Festival. Heritage displays, entertainment, a family fun area and (of course) strawberry shortcake.
Summerfest. Lakewood’s summer festival features live music, activities for the kiddos and outdoor movies. Held at Fort Steilacoom Park.
Edmonds Arts Festival. Held over Father’s Day weekend, the festival includes fine art for the adults to look over, a juried children’s art show, and art activities and entertainment in the Children’s Corner.
Greenway Days. Geocaching and scavenger hunts, hiking, farm festivals — your outdoorsy family can stay close or travel far. Events are held in towns and cities along I-90 from Mercer Island to Thorp.
Taste of Tacoma. It’s all about the food, but there’s entertainment and kid fun, too.
July
Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival. Held on Lake Union over the Fourth of July weekend, the festival is a boat bonanza for kids. Take a spin around the lake, build a toy boat and listen to sea chanteys. 206-382-2628.
Tacoma Tall Ships Festival. These graceful sailing vessels are back at the Tacoma waterfront and Thea Foss Waterway. Take a tour or go sailing, and don’t miss the ships on parade.
Wildlife Festival. Live music, kids’ activities, conservation info and a howling contest at Wolf Haven in Tenino.
Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival. Learn all about the fungus among us at this two-day festival in Lacey; enjoy cooking demos and tons of kids’ activities.
King County Fair. The Enumclaw fair is inexpensive and old-fashioned, with free entertainment, rides and farm animals on view.
Bite of Seattle. Three late-July days of crowds at the Seattle Center, noshes from local restaurants and plenty to do for kids in the Family Fun Zone. Admission is free.
Capital Lakefair. Music and entertainment, a bed race, sports activities, Kids’ Day and a finale of fireworks at Olympia’s summer festival, which turned 50 last year.
Sequim Lavender Festival. Enjoy the glorious sight of lavender in peak bloom by taking a lavender farm tour, or comb the street fair for crafty treasures.
Seafair. Seattle’s old-timey maritime festival has grown to encompass most Seattle neighborhoods — and many neighboring towns. Parades and street fairs, the kick-off Milk Carton Derby, the Torchlight Parade and the Blue Angels — activities spill from early July into August. The incredibly packed schedule is at the website.
Bellevue Arts Museum Artsfair. Browse fine crafts stalls and visit Kidsfair, where children can go crafty-wild. Held in the Bellevue Square parking lot.
Ethnic Fest. Crafts, performances and food from cultures around the world, plus events just for kids. Held in Tacoma’s Wright Park.
August
Pierce County Fair. Entertainment and a kids’ zone, a carnival and 4-H displays, located in Frontier Park in Graham.
Thurston County Fair. Tons of entertainment, exhibitions, kids’ activities and much more in Lacey.
Festival at Mt. Si. The North Bend festival features a parade, entertainment, helicopter rides, fireworks and food events.
Southwest Washington Fair. Head to Chehalis for the 101st anniversary of the fair, which includes exhibitions, rides and fab fair food.
Evergreen State Fair. In late August and early September, the fair in Monroe revs into action with animals on display, midway rides and the rodeo.
Sand in the City. Downtown Olympia turns into a beach for a weekend to benefit the Hands On Children’s Museum.
Harbor Days. Tour tugboats moored at Olympia’s Percival Landing — and watch ’em race.
Kris Collingridge is ParentMap’s Out & About and Calendar editor.
