08.03.2023

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Today’s Forecast

⛴️ What’s up, dock?

Seattle’s Colman Dock ferry terminal debuts new features

An aerial view of the Seattle ferry terminal at Colman Dock with a boat docking at the waterside

Colman Dock’s terminal provides a vital passageway to Bainbridge Island and beyond. | Photo via Washington State Ferries

Woah, whoa, whoa your boat — Seattle’s big ferry terminal revamp at Colman Dock is all done. Its shiny new entry building on Alaskan Way is set to open today, along with an elevated pedestrian connector that takes passengers to the terminal, among other amenities.

In late 2022, Washington State Ferries debuted a refreshed Seattle passenger facility for the station that runs ~9 million trips annually from Seattle to Kitsap County. These latest additions put the finishing touches on the six-year, $489 million construction project.

Let’s run through a few of the ferry fine details.

Out with the old

Those who remember the old terminal probably don’t miss it much. The space was a bit difficult to navigate and situated on a rickety pier. Now, pedestrians traverse a wide walkway on the dock that’s been reinforced by steel.

Passengers get to enjoy some sweet views of the Puget Sound as they enter (an instant Instagram photo op, of course). There are new ticket + info booths, and you can grab a snack at one of the kiosks on your way to the ferry. Keep an eye on the two, 1,400 sqft street level retail spaces formerly occupied by fast food restaurants — they’re ready to be leased.

Inside the Seattle ferry terminal at Colman Dock — There’s a little more room to spread out inside the terminal than there was before construction.
|
Photo via Washington State Ferries

Floating a few numbers

Overall, the new terminal has:

20,026 sqft of space and room for 1,900 riders
4,230 sqft of windows bringing in more natural light
362 seats — three times the previous building’s capacity
185 additional holding spaces for vehicles

While the facility itself is finished, work will continue on a few surrounding elements, including the new Marion Street Pedestrian Bridge that’s due to open this fall. It’s all part of the massive Waterfront overhaul — stay tuned.

Events

Thursday, Aug. 3

Summer Series at the Amphitheater | Thursday, Aug. 3 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Volunteer Park Amphitheater, 1139-1157 Volunteer Park Rd., Seattle | Free | Check out “Earth, Wind, and Fire” tribute band Kalimba along with PNW act LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends.
Authors Sarah Conover and Paul Lindholdt | Thursday, Aug. 3 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Third Place Books, 5041 Wilson Ave. S., Seattle | Free | These two Washington writers will discuss their recent nonfiction titles that touch upon themes of travel, family mysteries, and grief.

Friday, Aug. 4

Burien UFO Festival | Friday, Aug. 4 | 3:30-11 p.m. | Highline Heritage Museum, 819 SW 152nd St., Burien | Free | The truth is out there — there will be talks about flying saucers, an out-of-this-world costume contest, and music by 80s band Nite Wave.
Cat Video Fest | Friday, Aug. 4-Sunday, Aug. 6 | Times vary | SIFF Cinema Uptown, 511 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle | $14-$15 | It doesn’t get more purrrfect than this — enjoy adorable kitteh videos and help raise money for local cat charity PAWS.
WildBites | Friday, Aug. 4 | 6 p.m. | Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle | $95 | Explore the Woodland Park Zoo after-hours while enjoying small bites and cocktails inspired by the wildlife.

Saturday, Aug. 5

University District Farmers Market | Saturday, Aug. 5 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | University District Farmers Market, 5200 University Way NE, Seattle | Free | Pick up some produce for a late summer BBQ.
A Day in Punjab | Saturday, Aug. 5 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Seattle Center Armory, 305 Harrison St., Seattle | Free | Celebrate this region of India with art, magic, and fashion shows while exploring local vendors.
Umoja Fest | Saturday, Aug. 5-Sunday, Aug. 6 | Times vary | Judkins Park, 2150 S. Norman St., Seattle | Free | The annual festival honoring Seattle’s Black community includes a parade, basketball tournament, gospel music, and lots more.

Sunday, Aug. 6

Forest Bathing at Kubota Garden | Sunday, Aug. 6 | 9-11 a.m. | Kubota Garden, 9817 55th Ave. S., Seattle | $30 | Take a cleansing two-hour nature stroll led by a certified Forest Therapy Guide.
Make Your Own Chocolate Bar Workshop | Sunday, Aug. 6 | 1-3 p.m. | Barnard Griffin Winery, 17401 133rd Ave. NE, Woodinville | $60 | Channel your inner Wonka and customize three bars with a choice of toppings — you’ll also learn how to make French Mendiants.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Community

Business

The foundation helping our kids “grow up great”

Presented by a SEAtoday Partner

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PNC Bank employees, like Senior Vice President Antonio Mason, volunteer their time to read during storytime. | Photo provided by PNC Bank

Did you know early childhood education can contribute to lifelong health, future academic achievement, and more?

For the past 20 years, PNC Bank has supported early childhood education programs in our community through its Grow Up Great initiative. Read: They’ve helped (and continue to help) children get a strong start in school + life through grant-funded programs, the development of resources for parents and caregivers, and volunteerism by PNC employees.

Community impact by the numbers:

1+ million volunteer hours logged by employees
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$150 million was recently invested by PNC to extend the program, which pushes the investment past $500 million
$207 million in grants distributed by PNC

See the different ways PNC is helping children from birth through age five develop a passion for learning that lasts a lifetime.

Learn more

_{These articles are for general information purposes only and are not intended to provide legal, tax, accounting, or financial advice. PNC urges its customers to do independent research and consult with financial and legal professionals before making any financial decisions. This site may provide reference to Internet sites as a convenience to our readers. While PNC endeavors to provide resources that are reputable and safe, we cannot be held responsible for the information, products or services obtained on such sites and will not be held liable for any damages arising from your access to such sites. The content, accuracy, opinions expressed, and links provided by these resources are not investigated, verified, monitored, or endorsed by PNC.}

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News Notes

Civic

The results of the King County primary election are coming in. Early returns show several Seattle City Council incumbents doing well, but ballots are still being tabulated. You can track the latest count online. (Seattle Times)

Transit

Uh, glad they caught this. Sound Transit will suspend Light Rail service from SoDo to Capitol Hill soon due to the ground sinking below the tracks. The suspension begins Saturday, Aug. 12 and will last two weeks for repairs — alternate shuttles will run in the meantime. (MyNorthwest)

Open

Food + shopping fans may want to check out Pioneer Square’s new Hometeam. The hybrid retail space at 300 Occidental Ave. recently opened with clothing items for sale, game-worn sneakers on the wall, and an Italian cafe from restaurateur Marcus Lalario. The aesthetic is described as “high school gym” chic. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Seattleite

One local hydroplane star is about to make a splash. If Seattleite Brent Hall completes just five laps in this weekend’s Seafair Festival, he’ll become the first-ever African American unlimited hydroplane racer — considered the sport’s peak. Hall is in the middle of his rookie season. (Seattle Medium)

Film

Pull up a blanket — outdoor movies are back at Ballard Commons Park. The film series starts tonight at 7 p.m. with the animated flick “Lightyear” and will continue each Thursday through August 24. Next are “The Iron Giant,” “Mars Attacks!,” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” (MyBallard)

Coming Soon

Bellevue’s soon-to-open luxury hotel the InterContinental is now accepting reservations for early 2024. Guests can book rooms on or after Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 for the hotel, which will feature a full-service spa, outdoor lounge, and three high-end restaurants. (Downtown Bellevue Network)

Eat

You don’t need to trek all the way to Vashon Island for Snapdragon’s goodies. The cafe known for its delicious pastries — including humongous cinnamon rolls — has a new pop-up at the Senior Center of West Seattle. It’ll be there through August and may stay longer if all goes well. (West Seattle Blog)

Announced

Looking for newsy laughs in a British accent? “Last Week Tonight” host and “Daily Show” alum John Oliver will bring his brand of topical humor to the Paramount Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 9. Tickets to the show go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Sports

Our hottest local sports team may be Ballard FC. The semi-pro soccer squad made the USL2 national finals that will take place at Tukwila’s Starfire Stadium this Saturday at 7 p.m. There, Ballard’s squad will go up against Virginia’s Lionsbridge FC for the title — tickets are on sale now. (MyBallard)

Read

📚 Books on pressing demand

Local vending machines dispense sci-fi and fantasy books

A woman stands next to a purple vending machine that gives the URL for SistahScifi

Sistah Scifi will soon have three vending machines in Seattle. | Photo via Sistah Scifi

What’s better than a vending machine full of soda + chips? One packed with summer reading material. Bingo.

You may have noticed these magical machines pop up at a couple of locations around Seattle — first at the Northwest African American Museum and most recently at Distant Worlds Coffeehouse. Another will go in Black Coffee Northwest‘s upcoming cafe in the Central District.

The book dispensers are part of a project from Oakland-based Sistah Scifi, an indie bookstore that celebrates genre lit written by Black and Indigenous women.

Just press a couple of buttons and you can buy a fantasy title like “The Deep” from Rivers Solomon, or even a selection from Sci-Fi icon Octavia E. Butler who used to live in Lake Forest Park.

We’re itching for a new book, so let us know if you tried the machine or have any local recs.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Gabe

From the editor

As someone who has two edgy pups, I know that the Blue Angels can be a source of stress this weekend. Local pet supply shops like A Dog’s Dream may have some chews or CBD treats to chill out your fur babies. Having the TV or stereo on a relaxing station to drown out noises could help, too.

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