By Liz Steen

The roar of cannons echoed across the shoreline today as the Seafair Pirates completed their annual landing at Alki Beach, signaling the official start of West Seattle’s iconic summer festival. Despite tide conditions that required the pirates to arrive in two separate groups this year, the event successfully transformed the beach into a pirate-themed block party.

Atmosphere and Highlights

The landing was met with a chorus of "Arghhhs" from the crowd as spectators embraced the spirit of the day. Local resident Nancy, who attends every year, remarked that she and others "talk like a pirate all day" to celebrate the occasion. Among the attendees were local children Connor, Ebby, William, and Clarke, who participated by "racing the pirates" to the beach.

However, the loud festivities weren't for everyone. A Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Lucy, a former bird-dog-in-training, had to be taken home after the booming pirate ship cannons sent her into hiding. In contrast, other four-legged fans like Mattie the dog appeared to love the extra attention from the crowd.

Royal Appearances and Ceremonies

The event featured high-profile appearances by this year's Seafair royalty. Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice serves as the 2026 Seafair King Neptune, having been officially crowned alongside Queen Alcyone, Bookda Gheisar, and Community Hero Abubakr Abdulkadir.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson was also in attendance for the festivities. A formal knighting ceremony for the pirates, conducted by the Seafair Royalty and Mayor Wilson, took place at 2:00 p.m. near the Alki Beach Bathhouse.

Attendance and Next Steps

While the event drew fewer than 500 people, the energy remained high as the celebration moved off the sand. According to this year’s Captain Kidd, the pirates moved their "raid" by moving down to local establishments Christo’s and El Chupacabra.