Welcome to Seattle...Come Join the Fun!
January
Seattle is filled with events and attractions. Watch for the big fireworks show, next year, from the Space Needle on New Year's Eve. Chinese New Year is celebrated in late January or early February where you can see parades and colorful displays in the International District. The Seattle Boat Show will host over 1,500 exhibits this year during its 61st annual show. The Boat Show will be held at 2 locations this year - Qwest Field Event Center on the 23rd of January to February 1st, 2009, and South Lake Union. The 10 day event features more than 1,000 recreational watercraft, seminars and the latest innovations in accessories.
March
St. Patrick’s Day is a week long festival for Seattle’s Irish Heritage Club. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will start at 12:30pm, Saturday, March 14th, 2009 @ 4th and Jefferson in downtown Seattle and will end at Seattle Center. for closing ceremonies. Join the fun and be sure to wear green. There will be lots of Irish and Celtic vendors, food, music, workshops and lectures on display and activities for kids and adults. F or the hardcore, walk the route the night before and help lay the green stripe for the following day. If you’re really energetic, run the St. Patty’s Day Dash, a 3 ½ mile run where many paint their faces and wear costumes in honor of the Irish spirit.
 Watch for the tulips throughout the month of March in Mount Vernon and the surrounding area. The official kickoff date for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival will be April 1st - Bloom dates according to Mother Naure - with music, mingling and a short program. After the program will be a catered dinner and a silent auction. Contact the festival office for tickets, 360-428-5959 or Click Here for a full calendar of events.
Also check out the Woodland Park Zoo's Annual Bunny Bounce, Saturday March 22 from 9:30 am - 2:00 pm 15th, free with admission for ages 1 to 8. Featured will be an amazing egg hunt, craft activities for kids & bunny photos.
April
 In honor of 1,000 cherry trees given to Seattle by the late Prime Minister of Japan, Takeo Miki and the Japanese Government in 1976, Seattle residents celebrated quietly in Seward Park. Now, this gathering has grown to over 30,000 visitors and the Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival will be held at The Seattle Center House, Fischer Pavilion this year, beginning April 17th running thru till the 19th, 2009. Watch for three days of performances including dancers, puppeteers, sword makers and other performers in a grand display of Japanese culture.
If all that 'hopping' around last month didn't wear you out, how about trying swinging - Seattle's Annual Easter Swing Convention, April 9 - 12th, $105 for the adults weekend event pass. Swing dancers are certainly less scary than a hoard of square dancers - they got that whole retro cool thing going on.
May
One event you won’t want to miss is Opening Day of Boating Season. The first Saturday of May, Lake Washington will come alive with a big parade of boats and the Windermere Cup Races. Visit for the Official Race Schedule. Top rowing teams will visit from around the world to compete in the Montlake Cut.. On the third weekend of May, visit the University District Street Fair and take part in the many food and craft booths. More than 6,000 musicians, dancers, and craftspeople display their talents while enormous amounts of food are consumed at the Northwest Folklife Festival held at Seattle Center on Memorial Day weekend. This is one of the largest fold festivals in the world! In late May, May 31st through to June 1st. 2009 the Pike Place Market Street Festival has free entertainment and music, a beer garden, and some fun for the kids too. Sunday, May 17th, 2009 Nordstrom Beat the Bridge to Beat Diabetes event features an 8k run, 4 mile fun run starting at Husky Stadium in Seattle. For more details call (206) 838-5153 or 1-800-925-5533.
June
 On June 20th & 21st, 2009, the “funky” Republic of Fremont holds the Summer Solstice Parade and Fair. The fair offers many retail booths, live music, ethnic food & drink, and assorted street performers. Come prepared for unusual visual and performances. You never know what to expect from the often bizarre, funny and definitely entertaining troops. Cover your kids eyes, you may even see a handful of nude participants that add a bit of color to this artsy fair. Also in June AT&T will sponsor the Summer Nights at the Pier, offering 20 nights of concerts from nationally renowned artists and all genres. The Washington Brewers Guild will be hosting another festival on Father's Day Weekend featuring three days of fun, food and beer. For the kids there is a root beer garden and plenty of games and activities. Also patrons can enjoy live music and festival activities while traveling between hand-crafted beer tasting and craft and import booths.
July
 Be sure to take part in the Seafair festivities this year. Seafair is one of the larger boating events that will start in June 29 and run through August with 25 fun-filled days. Activities on the water will include the annual milk-carton boat race, ship tours and look for the Navy’s Blue Angels overhead on Lake Washington in early August. The kickoff for these events will be on the 4th of July with two notable fireworks displays. One will be on Lake Union and the other on Elliott Bay, the 4th of Jul-Ivar’s, sponsored by the well known Ivar’s Acre of Clams. This show is said to be one of the largest in America and the hub of this wonderful display will be in Myrtle Edwards Park on Elliott Bay. Also featured will be food, entertainment and an airplane show. On Lake Union, Washington Mutual will host the fireworks at the WaMu Family Fourth at GasWorks Park. Watch for additional Seafair events through August. Watch for parades, triathlons, festivals, music and the largest Pan-Asian American Street Fair in the Northwest in Chinatown. The International District Summer Festival will run as a part of Seafair with boxing, fencing and martial arts demonstrations, a sumo-wrestling match, music, dancing, a drum band and more.
Many events surround Seattle in July. July 10& 11th, 2009 the Pioneer Square Fire Festival celebrates Seattle's Great Fire of 1889 with free activities in the park, a parade of classic fire-fighting equipment, contests, and entertainment.In the spirit of boating, the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, will appear in July at the south end of the lake, where you'll see some of the most beautiful boats on the Puget Sound. July 17th, 18th &19th, 2009 the Bite of Seattle, food carnival will return to Seattle Center, offering over 60 fine restaurants the chance to sell their wonderful food to nearly a half-million participants in three days! Look to Ballard in the begining on July 2nd - 5th, 2009 for Seafoodfest, where you’ll find a street festival, salmon barbecue, food and crafts booths. Seattle Chamber Music Society will be hosting their annual Summer Festival July 7th through to August 15th, with twelve concerts each Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 8pm. For tickets, call the Festival box office at (206) 283-8808. For your health, join the July 11th and 12th, 2009 Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic, sponsored by Group Health.
August
 Taste Washington’s array of local wines at the Stars of Washington: Wines of Distinction - replacing this years Northwest Wine & Food Festival. Watch for the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe August 21st through September 1st. It’s “more than a dog and pony show!” For tickets, call their 24 Hour Event Line at (425) 388-3200. Preserve the uniqueness and culture of Tibet by joining the Tibetan Association of Washington in TibetFest, a free Tibetan style bazaar in August at the Seattle Center. Handmade crafts, prayer flags and food will be available.
September
 Bumbershoot is another local arts and crafts favorite that will come around on Labor Day weekend - September 5th to Sept. 7th, 2009. Bumbershoot brings together more than 2,500 writers, musicians, and craftspeople for a huge end-of-summer blowout at the Seattle Center, attracting more than a quarter-million people annually. For the full schedule, visit bumbershoot.org.
Washington’s most famous fair is the Puyallup Fair. Filled with Rodeos, exhibits, concerts and rides, kids love to visit The Puyallup Fair before starting the school year. Beginning September 5th this year, the fair will run for 16 days. You can get to Puyallup off Interstate 5 just outside Tacoma.
One of the larger ethnic festivals of Seattle will be the Italian Festival Seattle. The free festival will run on September 26th - 28th at the Seattle Center and is the second largest ethnic festival in Seattle. Celebrating Italian culture, Festa Italiana will present authentic art, food and live entertainment. Be sure to take part in the Bolla Grape Stomp, Kid’s Pizza Toss and the Bocce Tournament. Travel to Whidbey Island Center for the Arts and you will find an equally out-of-the-ordinary festival.
Fremont Oktoberfest - in September - is an annual social gathering with craft booths, classic carnival rides and 75 microbrews on tap! Watch for the 3 mile Bre Ha-Ha Run on the last of this 3 day event – to run, must be over 160 lbs for women and 200 lbs for men. Towards the end of September be sure to check out DjangoFest Northwest- it runs from September 24-28th this year and features the music of Django Reinhardt and Gypsy Jazz. Take part in workshops and even a few jam sessions.
October
 October is filled with haunted houses and fall fairs. Check out the Hoot 'N ' Howl 2008! It's all treat and no trick at Northwest Trek's Hoot 'n' Howl. This is one of the very few times the park is open to the public at night and it is a great chance to see our animals' nocturnal behavior. Somethin un-scary - check out 16 showcase rooms, seminars and a huge marketplace, you will be sure to find great ideas for your home at the Seattle Home Show. Come see some of the world’s top designers and purchase a one-of-a-kind item you’ve been looking for at the Qwest Field Event Center. At the end of October, visit the Woodland Park Zoo to find their latest events. Last year the Pumpkin Prowl was a great alternative to trick or treating and the zoo had great entertainment, with hundreds of lighted pumpkins.
November
 The Seattle Kids Marathon is a run for kids. Kindergarten through eighth grade can participate at their own rate and the run encourages them to read 13 books and do 13 good deeds. The University of Washington Medical Center will host the run Saturday, November 29th. Welcome the holidays with the Macy’s Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting Celebration November 28, 2008. All roads lead to Macy’s as Santa Clause and hundreds of floats traverse the streets of Seattle welcoming the holidays. This holiday tradition is held in downtown Seattle every year, and features a full-day of holiday fun! You'll have the Downtown Holiday Parade begining at 8:45 am, then the official lighting of Westlake Center's Holiday Tree and Macy's Star at 5 pm. Winterfest at Seattle Center is a five-week holiday festival that begins November 28th. Throughout Winterfest, we’ll see decorations, lots of entertainment, choirs, an ice rink, a lighting ceremony, and a New Year's Eve celebration at Seattle Center. You won’t want to miss it.
December
 Seattle has lots to offer during the Christmas season. A favorite pastime for locals is The Pacific Northwest Ballet who will host their annual Nutcracker Suite at the McGraw Hall. Visit for more information.
Experience Christmas in a Victorian setting and travel through a Victorian village with period shops and shopkeepers, offering one-of-a-kind gifts for those special people on your Christmas list. Over 550 stores, food, entertainment and carriage rides, the Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup will have a complete makeover while you shop till you drop. Watch their website for this and other events happening at the famous Fairgrounds. Bring in the new year by watching fireworks from the air in Seattle’s famous Space Needle on December 31st. Most of Seattle will be watching from the surrounding areas as these fireworks will be like none other with more than 2,000 pyrotechnic effects. Argosy’s ship to shore holiday celebration will run through December. Their annual Christmas Ship will be decorated in Argosy fashion and will lead a parade of boats in the world’s largest holiday flotilla in the world.
It's our job to know EVERYTHING about Seattle, Redmond, Bellevue & the Puget Sound area! Ask us any question - or - request a FREE information package. There's no obligation, and we promise to get back to you quickly!
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Home Inspections >If It Is Broken Fix It
Most houses have a few "little" problems, like leaking faucets, a stove burner that won't light, or electrical outlets with too much "spark". These defects may not seem very important--unless your house is about to go on the market.
We rarely have difficulty getting sellers to agree to paint, replace worn carpets or plant a few flowers in the front yard. These kinds of repairs obviously increase the overall appeal of the property. However, if any of the major systems in your home need maintenance, it is also prudent to have the necessary repairs made. Have your furnace, central air-conditioning system, plumbing and wiring checked as part of your pre-marketing efforts. The best rule is--if it's broken, fix it!
The purchase agreement requires that a house be conveyed with all the systems in working order, and most buyers will bring in a home inspector to identify any potential problems. During the period of time between the "meeting of the minds" and the removal of the inspection contingencies, the buyers are the most vulnerable to an attack of buyer's remorse. This is also the time when anything that hasn't been repaired could become a major issue.
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What characteristics must a home have to be considered a prestigious property?
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| A |
Unique architectural design; Highly desirable location; celebrity status--owned by a well-known person. |
 See More Real Estate Trivia > |
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