The 67th annual Seafair festival kicked off June 15 at Westlake Park, and culminates this weekend with the return of the popular U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

Many community events, including Mercer Island’s Summer Celebration and last weekend’s Torchlight Parade, are celebrated during the 10-week event.

Seafair Weekend is Aug. 5-7, and the main event is hosted at Genesee Park. Mercer Island is also an excellent viewing point for the festivities, which include powerboat races on Lake Washington and the new Bolt on the Blue water ski race.

Kids activities, food vendors and interactive booths sprawl across Genesee Park and live bands play all weekend long on the Live Entertainment Stage.

For more, see www.seafair.com.

I-90 to close for Blue Angels shows

The biggest event of the Seafair summer festival occurs this weekend, as the Blue Angels aerobatic team is back once again to perform its usual airshow.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will close all lanes of Interstate 90 across Lake Washington to accommodate air show practices and performances. I-90 will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, eastbound and westbound, both mainline and express lanes, between Interstate 5 in Seattle to Island Crest Way on Mercer Island on the following dates:

• Thursday, Aug. 4 from 9:45 a.m.-noon and 1:15-2:40 p.m. (practice)

• Friday, Aug. 5 from 1:15-2:40 p.m. (practice)

•Saturday, Aug. 6 from 1:15-2:40 p.m. (full show)

• Sunday, Aug. 7 from 1:15-2:40 p.m. (full show)

I-90 east of Mercer Island will not be closed during the performance, but drivers should note that heavy congestion during these closures often restricts access to the exits. For more information about the bridge closures, visit www.mercergov.org/seafair.

Boating safety

For those enjoying Seafair from the water, Sgt. Brian Noel of the Mercer Island Police Department shared boating safety tips with the Reporter earlier this summer.

• Be sure your vessel is in good running condition, and all equipment on board is working properly.

• Be sure your vessel is equipped with all the other USCG required equipment (Type 4 throwable life ring, fire extinguisher, sound making device/horn).

• It is required in Washington state that if you were born after 1955, you must have a boater education card. Information on how to get this can be found at www.boat-ed.com/washington/?gclid=CPm1lOr2w8wCFVKDfgodGgcI4A.

• Be sure that you have enough USCG certified life preservers for everyone on board, and they are in good condition and of proper size. Kids under the age of 12 are required to wear life preservers at all time on vessels 19 feet or less.

• Though the weather is warm outside, the water can be shockingly cold. If you go swimming don’t swim alone, and better would be having a designated lookout or “lifeguard.”

• Have someone fill the role of “designated skipper,” and don’t consume alcoholic beverages while boating.

• Be aware of what is going on around you.

• If you or someone else needs assistance, call 911.

And most important, have a safe, fun time, Noel said.