This weekend is packed with graduation ceremonies, races, festivals, and parades throughout Seattle, which could produce traffic congestion.

The Seattle Department of Transportation encourages motorists headed to any of the weekend events to help reduce traffic congestion by taking one of the many alternate modes of transportation available - Metro Transit, the West Seattle Water Taxi, the Sounder commuter train, Link light rail, car pool, bicycle or walk, if feasible.

List of traffic-congesting events:

Friday, June 10:

Juneteenth Festival: 12 noon - dusk
Pratt Park (1800 S Main Street)
300 attending
Expect heavier traffic on streets surrounding the park.

Fremont 5K and Briefcase Relay: 6 p.m. – relay; 7 p.m. – 5k
Adobe Plaza in the Fremont District
1,500 participants
Street closed for staging at 5:45 p.m.: N 34th Street between Fremont Avenue N and Stone Way N.
Relay and 5 K route: Starts at N 34th Street east of Fremont Avenue N; moves east on 34th to NE Pacific Street; east on Pacific to N 40th Street; at 40th, moves onto the Burke-Gilman Trail; heads west on the trail to Stone Way N and N 34th Street; then west on 34th back to finish at Fremont Avenue N.
Traffic will be diverted over one block to N 35th between Fremont Avenue N and Stone Way N until 8 p.m. The remainder of the course will open to traffic as soon as the 5K participants have moved onto the trail.

Graduation Ceremonies for three Issaquah High Schools: 2 – 8 p.m.
Safeco Field
9,000 attending (3,000 attending each ceremony)
Issaquah High at 2 p.m.; Liberty High at 5 p.m.; Skyline High at 8 p.m.
Traffic congestion will be considerable from 4 – 5 p.m. - during evening rush hour traffic when the audience will be leaving from the first ceremony as the audience attending the second ceremony will be arriving concurrently.
Seattle Police will set up traffic controls along Edgar Martinez Drive.

Saturday, June 11

2011 University of Washington Commencement: 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Husky Stadium
40,000 + expected
Doors open at 12:30 p.m. - expect heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic surrounding the stadium between noon and 6 p.m. Anticipate congestion on I-5 through the University District and on SR-520.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., Seattle Police will set up traffic controls closing Montlake Boulevard between NE Pacific and NE 45th streets to through traffic to help move cars parked in the stadium lots out of the area after the ceremonies. Traffic approaching the closure will be detoured around the area. This restriction, which is similar to traffic routing for Husky football games, will be in effect until approximately 5:30 p.m. Southbound traffic headed for the UW Hospital should take 15th Avenue NE to NE Pacific Street. Those traveling northbound to the hospital may travel across the Montlake Bridge and will turn left on NE Pacific Street. However, motorists are urged to avoid the Montlake Bridge if possible and take the University Bridge or I-5 (Ship Canal Bridge) instead.

Glazer’s Camera Annual Photo Festival: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Events taking place in several locations at and around main store site
1,000 expected
Streets closed: Eighth Avenue between Harrison and Republican streets from 4 p.m. on Friday, June 10, to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 12.

Juneteenth Festival: 12 noon - dusk
Pratt Park (1800 S Main Street),
300 attending
Expect heavier traffic on streets surrounding the park.

Juneteenth Festival Parade/Walk: 12 noon
Washington Middle High
100 participants
Participants will remain on the sidewalks
Route: Departs from Washington Middle School at 22nd Avenue S and S Jackson Street; heads west on S Lane Street to 20th Avenue South; north on 20th to S Washington Street and into Pratt Park.

A Night at the 5th Gala: 5:45 – 11:30 p.m.
5th Avenue Theatre
450 attending
Closed: two lanes on the east side of Fifth Avenue between Union and University streets during valet load and unload for auction event at the theatre
Seattle Police will assist.

Georgetown Carnival: 12 noon – 8 p.m.
Georgetown
4,100 expected
Streets closed 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.: 12th Avenue S between S Vale and S Bailey streets; S Nebraska Street from Airport Way S west to the railroad tracks.

Roosevelt Neighborhood Parade: 2 p.m.
Assemble at 68th Street and 15th Avenue NE
220 participants
Parade route: starts at NE 68th Street and 15th Avenue NE; west on 68th to Roosevelt Way NE; south on Roosevelt to NE 64th Street; east on 64th to 12th Avenue NE; north on 12th to NE 69th Street; east on 69th to 15th Avenue NE; north on 15th to NE 70th Street; east on 70th to 20th Avenue NE; south on 20th to NE 68th Street; west on 68th to 15th Avenue NE; south on 15th to NE 66th Street; west on 66th to 12th Avenue NE; north on 12th into Roosevelt High School parking lot; Seattle Police will escort.

Leaf Institute Celebration/Rally for Homeless Remembrance Project: 4 – 7 p.m.
Belltown
200 attending
Street closed: Bell Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue from 2 – 8 p.m.
Plan for traffic congestion in the surrounding area.

Seattle Sounders vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC: 7:30 p.m.
Qwest Field
36,000 attending
Expect congestion around the stadium before and after the match.

Sunday, June 12

Shore Run and Walk: 7– 11 a.m.
Madison Park and Leschi Marina
2,600 participants
Two races run north along the shore of Lake Washington, using Lake Washington Boulevard and Lakeside Avenue, finishing in Madison Park;
5K starts at 8:15 a.m. at Leschi Marina; 10K run starts at 9:00 a.m. at S. Ferdinand St; there is also a half-mile kids run in Madison Park that begins at 10:15 a.m.

Ballard Rotary 5K Run and Walk: 8:30 a.m.
Golden Gardens Park
500 participants
Run and walk begin at Golden Gardens Park overflow lot and finish at 32nd Avenue NW and NW 85th Street, using sidewalks and the Burke-Gilman Trail; Seattle Police will assist the runners across arterial intersections as needed.

Glazer’s Camera Annual Photo Festival: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Events taking place in several locations at and around main store site
1,000 expected
Streets closed: Eighth Avenue between Harrison and Republican streets from 4 p.m. on Friday, June 10, to 7p.m. on Sunday, June 12.

Juneteenth Festival: 12 noon - dusk
Pratt Park (1800 S. Main St.),
300 attending
Expect congestion on streets surrounding the park.

Seattle Pacific University Graduation: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Safeco Field
10,500 expected
Gates will open at 1 p.m.