This weekend is not only the 4th of July weekend, although that’s exciting enough–holidays that involve barbecues, drinking, and fireworks are fine by me. It is also the weekend of the Wooden Boat Festival.

This 31 year old festival should be even better than usual this year, now that South Lake Union Park is open. There will be ship models of every size and type–maybe some in bottles!–and demonstrations for how to make a ship model. (I’m hoping to learn how to take my ship in a bottle making to the next level, a level I hope involves stabbing myself in the hands less.) The kid’s play area will have a couple of kid-sized cargo ship models with a working crane. On top of that, there are free public boat rides, a treasure hunt, and a Quick and Daring boat building-and-then-racing party. And! You can visit the ailing Wawona, which still sits softly disintegrating in the water until it can be made into part of the park.

On Saturday night at 9:45, they’ll be showing The African Queen, with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn.

The festival is going on from 10 - 6 Friday through Sunday, with a $5 suggested donation or $10 per family. It’s one of the friendliest festivals we have.