This year’s Ballard SeafoodFest will have a new attraction for the youngsters: The KidsZone. Beth Williamson Miller, Executive Director Ballard Chamber of Commerce, tells us that the KidsZone will have a number of carnival-like games including a rock wall, a Velcro wall, spinner art, a troll toss, a clown striker, a ring toss and popcorn. Tickets will be $1, although some of the activities will require more than one ticket.
The Center for Wooden Boats will also be on hand with a booth for kids to build their own wooden boat. This activity is free, although donations to the Center will be accepted.
The crowd at the 2009 SeafoodFest.
With the addition of the new kiddo activities, SeafoodFest organizers need more volunteers than in the past. “Every year, we need somewhere around 150 volunteers to keep the event running smoothly. In 2010, with the addition of a new KidsZone, we need to recruit an additional 100 helpers,” Williamson Miller says. Volunteers are needed to set-up and tear-down, sell raffle tickets, “green team” members for recycling and trash, ice wranglers, music stage volunteers, wine garden servers and volunteering with kids in the KidsZone. New “Team Shifts” for the Information Booth and Salmon BBQ are also available because of the expanded hours on Saturday evening.
If you are interested in volunteering, e-mail seafoodfestvolunteer@hotmail.com or click here to fill out the volunteer questionnaire. This year’s SeafoodFest is changing weekends. It will now be held the weekend of July 10th and 11th.
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Why would anyone volunteer for the Ballard Chamber of commerce when the chamber has worked so hard against the interests of the community that wants the missing link completed now. The Chamber has wasted our tax dollars and delayed a safe trail. I will not volunteer and I am proud to be a part of the boycott of all members of the Ballard Chamber.
Do we know where this will be located? At the east end beyond the food booths, like it has been for the last few years?
The layout for SeafoodFest is different this year. The bouncies (Donated by Philadelphia Church) will still be where they were in previous years (East Side of Market) but the Kids Zone will be between Bartells and the Library on 22nd. The food will not be on Market this year. It will be a combinaiton of Leary and 22nd.
TimV, Good question, I would volunteer for the chamber because they’ve worked so hard in numerous ways to support our business community over the past 80 years and have been an advocate for completing the trail in the safest manner possible.
I’m sad to hear you’re not a fan of supporting our local business community, albeit a bit happy you won’t be patronizing so many of our excellent neighborhood restaurants (especially those with outdoor seating this summer), which leaves that much more room for the rest of us!
I did not say I would not be patronizing all Ballard businesses just because I am boycotting Ballard Chamber members. There are many many businesses in Ballard that are NOT members of the Chamber, in fact the majority are not. I can always find an alternative business in Ballard and support the local economy. The only thing I found I cannot do locally is go out to the movies, but that’s ok, I am not much of a movie guy.
Poor Tim, confusing his hobby with a group that actually helps the economy. You know, gives people jobs and lets them feed their kids, send them to college.
There are others in the community that agree with TimV. Those that think the Chamber actually helps the economy, you are very naive.
Motorrad – I would guess that the many members of the Chamber feel differently.
Events like Seafood Fest, the Jazz Festival and the monthly Art Walk bring people to Ballard who patronize all merchants not just Chamber members. I don’t even work in Ballard but I can understand that an organization dedicated to bringing people who spend money into the our neighborhood helps the neighborhod economy.
And it’s the smaller mom and pop businesses that most benefit. No one comes to Seafood Fest to buy heating oil or pick up a load of gravel yet the employees and owners of those companies continue to support and volunteer at these events.
Can you really be anti-bouncy castles? Really?