The region’s biggest and best-loved Opening Day event will return to the waters of Portage Bay and the Montlake Cut on May 2, 2026, for Seattle Yacht Club’s 50th annual presentation of crew races and the parade—this year with international flair, a nod to this summer’s World Cup.
Seattle will host the nation’s largest celebration of boating culture on Saturday, May 2, as Seattle Yacht Club’s (SYC) Opening Day ushers in spring and the start of boating season. A beloved tradition dating back to 1920, Opening Day this year will bring together mariners and spectators from around the world for a full day of racing, pageantry, and community on the water.
SYC’s Opening Day team calls it the “city’s best party” and they’ve got a strong case! It starts with the log boom on Lake Washington, now in its 50th year, where hundreds of vessels raft for several days, hoping for the best views of the international crew races and boat parade. Rain or shine, the enthusiasm is always high on the docks of Seattle Yacht Club and the log boom alike, where mariners from all over the globe gather—and most of the festivities are open to the public.
On May 2, spectators will line the Lake Washington Ship Canal to cheer on the crews competing in the 40th Windermere Cup, featuring University of Washington Rowing, Great Britain’s National Team, Canada’s National Team, and Northeastern University. The races will be followed by the boat parade, with vessels decorated to this year’s theme, “World Regatta.” Leading the procession will be a fleet of classic wooden boats, each marking its 100th anniversary in 2026. The parade will include boats from Canada, a sailing catamaran from Estonia, and other countries, displaying their unique cultures as well as ties to the Salish Sea.
Seattle is ready to welcome the world this year, as international crews for Opening Day descend on the city only a few weeks before the FIFA World Cup comes to the West Coast. The international theme is in the air around Puget Sound this year: Tacoma Yacht Club’s Daffodil theme is “Bloom Where the World Takes You” and Olympia Yacht Club’s Opening Day (the weekend following SYC’s big event) is “Olympia – Portal to the World.”
Free rides in classic vessels are available, as are opportunities to enter the boat parade and participate.
Explore more detailed information about the day’s events and schedule. Don’t miss the always-great event to kick-off another fabulous boating season in the Pacific Northwest.
