Travel Guide: Getting around Seattle for Torchlight Parade, Seafair Weekend Festival

A crowd watches the Blue Angels perform at Seafair in 2015. Photo: Seattle Parks and Recreation

Over the next two weekends, Seattle will fill with Seafair festivities. Big events mean big crowds. To skip traffic and parking stress, consider the easier option:

Take transit and make your Seafair adventure smooth, affordable, and stress-free.

Whether you’re heading to the waterfront for Torchlight Parade this weekend, or Genesee Park for next weekend’s Seafair Weekend Festival — transit gets you there without the headache.

Here’s how to make your trip easy from anywhere in the region.

Getting to Torchlight Parade

The Torchlight Parade takes place along Seattle’s waterfront between Broad St and Yesler Way. Streets along the parade route will be busy, so we encourage you to plan your trip early. View a parade map here.

When: Saturday, July 25
Where: Seattle Waterfront (route map)
Time: 7:30–10:30 PM

Walking, biking, or taking transit is a great way to skip the traffic and find a good spot to watch.

Travel Alert: Expect temporary reroutes due to heavy crowds and street closures. For bus and streetcar updates visit King County Metro’s website, and for light rail updates visit Sound Transit’s website.

Ways to get there:

Waterfront Shuttle: Catch a FREE ride on the Waterfront Shuttle through 10 p.m. on Saturday. The shuttle’s usual route will be adjusted for the parade. For the latest information, visit King County Metro’s service advisories page.
Link light rail: Westlake, Symphony, and Pioneer Square stations are all a short walk from the parade route. Visit Sound Transit’s website for more information.
Monorail: Connects to Seattle Center and Westlake Center. Learn more.
Streetcar: There are two streetcar lines in Seattle. The First Hill Line stops near Westlake Center.
Bus: Seattle’s busiest transit corridor is 3rd Ave, just a few blocks from the festivities. King County Metro has a Trip Planner to help you find the best route.
Bike paths: Here’s a simplified bike map of the downtown area, and you can find an interactive bike map of the city here.
Water Taxi: Coming from West Seattle? Consider taking the King County Water Taxi for direct service to Pier 50. Local buses connect the West Seattle Water Taxi terminal with West Seattle’s Alki, Admiral District, and Alaska Junction.

If you drive, please give yourself extra time and expect some road closures near the route.

Travel Tip: Consider using one of the many FREE regional park-and-rides located near Link light rail stations to save time and money.

Getting to Seafair Weekend Festival

The celebration continues with the Seafair Weekend Festival at Genesee Park in South Seattle. This is a full weekend of activities, entertainment and things to see for all ages.

When: Friday through Sunday, July 31–August 2, 2026
Where: Genesee Park (event map)
- Main Entrance: Genesee Park & Playfield, corner of 43rd Ave S & S Genesee S
- North Entrance: Lake Washington Blvd S and Lake Park Dr S
- South Entrance: 49th Ave S and Lake Washington Blvd S
Time: 8:30 AM to 6 PM each day

Getting there:

The Link light rail drops you close to the action and from there, getting to Genesee Park is a breeze.

From Columbia City Station
- You’re just minutes away from the festivities. When you hop off the train, you can:
  - Ride Seafair’s FREE shuttle straight to the park. (event map)
    - The shuttle runs Friday–Sunday, 9 AM–6 PM.
    - It has three stops:
      - ADA parking lot on 43rd and Genesee (near Main Gate)
      - 43rd and Lake Washington Boulevard
      - Captains Club (near North Entrance)
  - Take King County Metro Route 50 Direct service to Genesee Park. It’s quick, simple, and reliable.
From Othello Station
- Route 50 also serves Othello, giving you another easy connection to the park.
Prefer Rainier Ave S?
- Route 7 runs frequently between Downtown Seattle and Rainier Beach.
- It stops just 0.5 miles (a 10–15-minute walk) from the south entrance of Genesee Park.

Coming from north or south of Seattle

Skip Seattle traffic entirely. Park for FREE at several Sound Transit stations, hop on a Sounder Train or the Link 1 Line, and glide right into the celebration.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Sounder Train.

North of Seafair

Lynnwood City Center — 1,896 spaces
Mountlake Terrace — 668 spaces
Shoreline North/185th — 494 spaces
Shoreline South/148th — 500 spaces
Northgate — 443 spaces
Roosevelt — 411 spaces (Green Lake Park & Ride)

South of Seafair

Tukwila Intl Blvd — 600 spaces
Angle Lake — 1,160 spaces
Kent Des Moines — 500 spaces
Star Lake — 1,100 spaces
Federal Way Downtown — 1,592 spaces

Coming from the Eastside

This will be the first Seafair in Seattle since Sound Transit’s Crosslink Connection grand opening!

Take the Link light rail’s 2 Line to Seattle and:

Exit the train at International District/Chinatown Station
Take the 1 Line moving southbound towards Federal Way
Exit at Columbia City or Othello Station
- From Columbia City Station you can:
  - Ride Seafair’s FREE shuttle straight to the park. The shuttle runs Friday–Sunday, 9 AM–6 PM.
  - Take King County Metro Route 50 Direct service to Genesee Park. It’s quick, simple, and reliable.
- From Othello Station
  - Ride the Route 50 bus to the park.

You can find FREE parking at several Eastside Sound Transit stations too.

Eastside locations:

Mercer Island — 447 spaces
South Bellevue — 1,524 spaces
BelRed — 300 spaces
Redmond Technology — 323 spaces
Marymoor Village — 1,403 spaces

Save money while you celebrate

Transit isn’t just easier, it’s cheaper.

Kids ride free! All youth 18 and under ride free on public transit statewide.
Get an ORCA Day Pass for $6 unlimited rides on buses, Link, and the Seattle Streetcar. Since a single ride is $3.00, the day pass pays for itself after two trips.
No ORCA card? No problem.
- Buy one at any Link station
- Or download the myORCA app on Apple or Android

Trip-planning tools

Seafair is one of Seattle’s biggest summer weekends and a little planning goes a long way.

Use these tools before you head out:

Transit App: real-time arrivals and trip planning
King County Metro Trip Planner: build your bus + rail route
Sound Transit Trip Planner: find the schedule, plan your trip, find your stop or station
FlipYourTrip.org: explore all your travel choices and tips

If you need to drive

ADA parking is available at the 43rd & Genesee lot, but it fills quickly. Arrive early if you need this space.

Stay connected

We regularly share updates, tips, and travel information across SDOT channels so you can stay informed and plan your routes with confidence.

If you like this story, you may also like:

Our travel guide to get you to the game with tips for Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, and Climate Pledge Arena,
Bike paths to explore this summer, and newer bike paths in the downtown area.
Every two weeks we share Travel Tips with a roundup of local events and construction updates.

More ways to follow along:

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