Blue Angels encore
Assuming that the weather cooperates (a by-no-means certain proposition), the U.S Navy's Blue Angels will be doing their regular Seafair thing this year, which means practice sessions and performances over the Lake and, not incidentally, very-low-flying jets above Madison Park. For those of you who need some advance warning so you can brace yourselves (and your pets) for these noisy forays, here's the Blue Angels' flying schedule while they're in Seattle:
- Thursday, Aug. 4: 9:45 am - noon/1:15 - 2:30 pm (Practice)
- Friday, Aug. 5: 12:45 pm - 2:40 pm (Practice)
- Saturday, Aug. 6: 12:45 pm - 2:40 pm (Full show)
- Sunday, Aug. 7: 12:45 pm - 2:40 pm (Full show)
Of course we love those Blue Angels, loud as they may be. They always put on a spectacular show, one that brings a lot of people to Madison Park to watch from many vantage points, including the waterfront road ends. Expect traffic flow and parking to be impacted on the days of the shows.
Swim for Life
The Puget Sound Blood Center's Swim for Life Across Lake Washington will arrive at Madison Park Beach on Wednesday, August 17, with literally hundreds of swimmers (and escorting kayakers) scheduled to participate. Last year there were 80 teams involved, each with a maximum of four swimmers plus one kayaker. More than $50,000 was raised for the PSBC through their fund-raising efforts.
Though registration is still open for this year's event, there are only 30 swimming spots left; so you better move fast if you want to get in on the swimming or kayaking side of this charitable endeavor (more information is available here). And if you still need a reason for swimming, kayaking, or contributing money to the cause, a good synopsis of why this is a worthy event is provided by a two-time Swim for Life participant here.
The 2.2 mile Swim begins at Medina Beach at 7:30 am and should begin arriving at Madison Park Beach about an hour later. Since it's a staggered-start affair, teams will be arriving here throughout the early morning.
As was true last year, this year's event specifically benefits the national Be the Match bone-marrow donor program.
Music in the Park returns
It's now a tradition that in August there is a weekly musical celebration in the Park, open and free to all. This year is no exception, with a different group performing on each Thursday evening during the month, beginning at 6:30 pm. Three of the four groups slated as part of the Music in the Park series are popular performers from the past, and one (The Ben E Band, shown above) will be presenting their music here for the first time.
This is the weekly lineup:
- August 4 - Two Scoops Combo (blues, boogie woogie, swing)
- August 11 - The Ben E Band ("soulful" covers)
- August 18 - SuperSones (Cuban son)
- August 25 - Jonathan Kingham (folk, pop, country, and jazz)
Why do we celebrate Seattle with the Blue Angels? They are terribly loud, poluting and expensive. They represent the militarism and the military-industrial complex that has choked our country for decades, when the money could have been spent better on schools, roads, bridges, health, you name it. I'd love it, weather permitting, if the Blue Angel show is canceled. I say pray for thunder, rain and high winds!
ReplyDeleteThe other August venues in the Park, by contrast, are simply fantastic.
The Blue Angels are a symbol of what is right in this country. Men and women who are trained and ready to fight to defend our country and the countries of people who can't defend themselves.
ReplyDeleteIf you believe that your government would automatically spend money saved from stopping the Blue Angels from flying over Seattle in an efficient manner then I suggest you follow the actions of the Seattle School District, your local governments that continually raise your taxes and increase your fees and your national government that is trillions of dollars in debt.
When you see the Blue Angels flying overhead at least you have the comfort of knowing that when the bad guys see those noisy, polluting and expensive machines they will think twice about coming after us.
The men and women who teach our children, take care of the ill and elderly, the police and fire men and women who protect our cities and homes, THEY are the symbol of what is right in this country. The belief that the military is the most important group in this country, that the military budget of $800 billion/year (including CIA, NSA, etc) is sacrosanct, untouchable, is the number 1 reason we are falling behind other countries who know how to spend their tax dollars more wisely, on Life and not Death. A destructive drain!
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