It's just a bit over two weeks until the Fourth of July fireworks show brings thousands of people to Eastlake, Gas Works and Lake Union for the day. 

Officers from the Seattle Police Department say their plans for traffic control and pedestrian access in Eastlake remain essentially unchanged from last year. As SPD Officer Chris Kelley told a public meeting last year, their goal is to limit vehicle traffic west of Eastlake Avenue to the water to try to control the number of people in that area.

Kelley told the Eastlake meeting last year that the best time for Eastlake residents to have guests arrive was 6 to 7 p.m. and the best time to leave was after 11 p.m. That advice hasn't changed. The fireworks show begins about 10 p.m. and will last for 21 minutes, according to the show’s producers.

I'll write in more detail about traffic plans closer to the Fourth. For now, refer to last year's post for details. The attached PDF shows all the closures and no parking zones at a glance and can be printed or forwarded to your guests.

According to a press release from One Reel (also attached), producer of the Family 4th, new events this year will encourage "revelers to enjoy attractions around the entirety of Lake Union on the 4th of July." 

In addition to the fireworks and activities at Gas Works Park (music, food, kids events), the Wooden Boat Festival will be ending its five-day run at Lake Union Park at the south end of the lake. You'll be able to tour historic boats, build toy boats, take free boat rides and see a 24-hour boat-building challenge. There will also be live music. Get all the details at the Wooden Boat Festival's website.

New this year will be an interactive history tour of lake Union built around the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop. Participants will walk the loop with special game maps highlighting 15 History Trivia stops. Read the clues at each stop, write down your answers and turn in your map at either Gas Works or Lake Union parks to be entered to win two three-day Gold Passes to Bumbershoot.

Game maps will be available at the MOHAI booth in Lake Union Park, at the information booth at Gas Works and at Starbucks in Eastlake, Wallingford, Fremont and on Westlake Avenue. They'll also be available online closer to the event. (I'll post links when they go live.)

Starbucks, the presenting sponsor of the Family 4th, will be helping to clean up on Thursday, July 5. Volunteers will gather at Gas Work and Lake Union parks starting at 9 a.m. on July 5. There will be coffee, pastries and t-shirts. Theyll have all the supplies you need to help with the cleanup. Space is limited so register in advance at Starbucks' website.

I'll be posting a list of Eastlake merchants who will be open on the Fourth later in June as well as more detail on traffic plans. If your Eastlake business will be open, please let me know at curtmilton@comcast.net.

It’s going to be a busy weekend with several events scheduled that will impact traffic in Eastlake and the University District:

University District Street Fair: The Ave will be closed for the 42nd time for the annual street fair that is expected to attract 25,000 people. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Street closures will be from 2:30 a.m. Saturday to 2:30 a.m. Monday. Closed streets are: University Way from NE 50th to Campus Parkway, and NE 47th, NE 43rd, NE 42nd and NE 41st streets between 15th NE and Brooklyn NE. More information is available at the Street Fair’s website at udistrictstreetfair.org.

Seattle’s Best 15K: This foot race starts at Gas Works at 7 a.m. on Saturday and goes counter-clockwise around Lake Union. In Eastlake, runners will follow Fairview Ave. N and Fairview Ave. E., then go up Edgar to Yale Terrace, then up Hamlin and then back on to Eastlake. You can find a map here. More information can... (more)

Time to shake off the winter blahs and get out! There are two social events in Eastlake this week that will give you a chance to get out of the house, meet your neighbors and have a good time:

Spring Celebration, 7-10 p.m., Tuesday, March 22: This is the latest in a series of neighborhood gatherings sponsored by the Eastlake Community Council and a local restaurant. The fall event at Louisa's drew a big crowd and was lots of fun. This latest gathering will be at Pazzo's on Eastlake, 2307 Eastlake Ave. E. They'll be offering beer for $2.50 a pint, wine for $5 a glass and Pazzo's will provide various appetizers and slices. Or, if you'd like, you can order off their full menu (at your own expensive, of course). These events are always lots of fun. Come celebrate spring and the new blooms that are sprouting along Eastlake Avenue!

Eastlake Merchants Association gathering, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 24: The Eastlake Merchants Association invites local business owners and those who work for local businesses to an after-... (more)

Expect some traffic snarls this weekend if you're heading to Fremont, the University District or University Village. These probably won't affect Eastlake but you never know:

• Fremont Solstice Fair and Parade: You have to hope it's dry on Saturday so the body paint won't run all over the streets of Fremont. The Solstice Fair will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The parade, with its famous naked bike riders, is at noon on Saturday. Street closures are within the following boundaries: 1st Avenue N.W. on the west; N. 36th Street on the north; Fremont Avenue N. on the east; N. 34th Street and N. Canal Street on the south. Streets will be closed starting at 1 p.m. today (Friday) and won't be open until midnight on Sunday.
• N.E. 45th Street viaduct closure: The western end of the N.E. 45th Street viaduct is closed so it can be replaced. It won't reopen until September. Be aware of the closure if you're trying to get to University Village or Sand Point. Click here to see a photo...

Two weekend events will cause busy streets and a closed bridge near Eastlake:

• The 41st University District Street Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. SDOT says that the following streets will be closed from 12:10 a.m. Saturday morning to midnight Sunday: University Way NE between NE 50^th Street and NE Campus Parkway; NE 47^th Street, NE 43^rd Street, NE 42^nd Street, and NE 41^st Street between 15^th Avenue NE and Brooklyn Avenue NE.
• Nordstrom Beat the Bridge run is Sunday starting at 8:30 a.m. Montlake Boulevard NE between NE 44^th Street and NE Pacific St. will be closed at 7:30 a.m. to stage the runners. The University Bridge goes up at 9 a.m. and stays up for approximately 5 minutes. Be ready for traffic congestion in he University District area due to the race.

UPDATE: This post has been changed since it was first published. There's a new name for the ECC event at Louisa's and the details and food and wine have changed.

Mark down Thursday, Oct. 22, for two Eastlake events that look like they'll be fun and worth attending:

• Book signing: Eastlake resident and Grand Central Bakery founder Gwenyth Bassetti will be signing copies of "The Grand Central Baking Book: Breakfast Pastries, Cookies, Pies and Satisfying Savories from the Pacific Northwest’s Celebrated Bakery" by Grand Central co-owner Piper Davis and Portland food writer Ellen Jackson. Davis is Bassetti's daughter and the pair will be signing books at the Eastlake Grand Central today from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  
  Bassetti and two friends opened their first cafe, known as The Bakery, in Pioneer Square 35 years ago. Now, Grand Central has two locations in Seattle and six in Portland. The cookbook includes recipes for many of the bakery's favorite goodies.
  
  
• Our Eastlake Fall Gathering: The Eastlake Community Council...