Opening Day parade of events

OK, nobody puts a "closed" sign on Puget Sound every winter. But the fact is that much of the year it's pretty rainy and cold out there, and come May — with the promise of warming zephyrs and drier days — boaters have something to celebrate. Since 1920, Seattle Yacht Club has led the charge with an annual "official" Opening Day boat parade through Montlake Cut.

This year's parade, with more than 300 boats expected, starts at noon Saturday. The parade theme is "Three Ring Circus," with many boats to be decorated accordingly. It's a free event for spectators, with Windermere Cup crew races from east to west in the Cut preceding the boat parade.

If you go by car, bus, bike or foot, you may watch from the shores of the Cut. Parking is available at nearby University of Washington lots.

If you go by boat, volunteers for the Seattle Yacht Club (SYC) hope to have log booms for moorage in place on the east end of Montlake Cut today. Moorage is free — first come, first served. Reserving multiple spaces is discouraged; courtesy is encouraged.

If you'd rather be part of the parade, book passage on Argosy Cruises' Spirit of Seattle with KWJZ radio and jazzman Michael Powers and his band, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $69 with a barbecue lunch and wine tasting (21 and older only; www.argosycruises.com or 800-642-7816. Or join the crew aboard a boatload of history, the steamship Virginia V, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $85 with lunch, half-price for kids younger than 12 (www.virginiav.org or 206-624-9119).

This year's Windermere Cup pits University of Washington varsity rowers against men of the Polish Rowing Federation, women of Australia's University of Melbourne, and men and women of the U.S. Naval Academy. The regatta also features 17 more races between Northwest clubs, high schools and university teams. Crew races start at 10:20 a.m.

Saturday's schedule

8 a.m.: Parade boats assemble in Portage Bay.

8:45 a.m.: U.S. Navy Band concert on the lawn at Seattle Yacht Club, 1807 E. Hamlin St.

9 a.m.: Commissioning ceremony, SYC lawn.

9:40 a.m.: Parade course closed to all boat traffic; Montlake Bridge closed to street traffic.

9:50 a.m.: Official VIP boats parade to moorage.

10:05 a.m.: Dragon Boat exhibition race.

10:20 a.m.: First crew race begins.

11:30 a.m.: Last crew race begins.

11:45 a.m.: Crew competitors parade back through Montlake Cut.

Noon: Opening Day boat parade begins.

2:30 p.m. (approximate): Parade ends.

3 p.m. (approximate): Montlake Cut reopens to all boat traffic.

3:15 p.m.: Montlake Bridge reopens to street traffic.

4:30 p.m.: Army Drill Platoon, SYC lawn.

6 p.m.: Trophy presentations, SYC lawn.

6:30 p.m.: Opening Day closing ceremonies and lowering of colors.