As Memorial Day Weekend approaches, you should be aware of a number of events, closures and reasons for major traffic backups.
The 39th annual Northwest Folklife Festival is Friday through Monday at the Seattle Center. Traffic on Aurora Avenue/Highway 99 will be congested, and parking will be difficult, so consider taking the bus or riding your bike. (And the Mariners play the Minnesota Twins at 7:10 p.m. Monday at Safeco Field, so getting downtown will be extra challenging.)
If you’re interested in catching a Phinney-Greenwood act at Folklife, you’ve got plenty to choose from. Our post earlier this week on two local acts elicited a bunch of comments, with dates and times that other local acts are performing.
Most Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities will be closed on Friday for a furlough day (and all facilities will be closed on Monday for the holiday). Parks administrative offices will also be closed on Tuesday.
These facilities and services are closed on Friday, May 28:
- Grounds maintenance
- Community centers (except child care and late night programs, which will still operate).
- Swimming pools
- Environmental Learning Centers
- Lifelong Recreation (except Food and Fitness programs, which will still operate)
- Business Service Center
In addition to recreation facilities being closed, there will be no trash pick-up on Friday, May 28, nor will the bathrooms be cleaned and maintained that day. Normal park maintenance will occur throughout the remainder of the weekend. On Memorial Day, limited park maintenance staff will be on duty to empty trash cans and clean restrooms.
“We’ve done everything we can to limit the impacts of the furlough on our patrons, customers and visitors; however, the public will experience parks with diminished maintenance on Friday, May 28,” said Christopher Williams, Acting Superintendent. “If park patrons encounter overflowing trash cans, we encourage you to pack out your own trash. We are asking the community to help us keep our parks clean on the few days this year that we are not able to clean them ourselves.”
On Sunday, the Fremont Criterium Bike Race starts at 10:20 a.m. More than 500 riders are expected to race the triangular closed course on North Canal Street, Phinney Avenue North, and North 35th Street. Those streets will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Childish Things, a children’s new and resale store at 10002 Holman Road NW, will be closed on Memorial Day for “a little store remodeling.” (If you know of other Greenwood-Phinney stores that will be closed for Memorial Day, please put a note in comments.)
Neighborhood Service Centers, including the Greenwood office, will be closed on Monday, as well as Tuesday for an unpaid furlough day.
