JULY 2026
Madison Park Times Serving East-Central Seattle since 1983
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The Blue Angels Are Back: Where Madison Park Can Watch the Roar Over Lake Washington DIXIN YAN, OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF SEATTLE SEAFAIR
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or one long summer weekend, Madison Park becomes a front-row neighborhood to one of Seattle’s loudest traditions. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels return to the Boeing Seafair Air Show July 31 through Aug. 2, with practice runs scheduled Thursday, July 30. The jets are expected to perform over Lake Washington at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, following a full slate of air show demonstrations and hydroplane racing centered around Genesee Park. For Madison Park, that means the show is not just something happening “over there.” It is overhead, across the water, around the corner and impossible to ignore once the first jet cuts across the lake. The official Seafair Weekend Festival viewing area is at Genesee Park, where ticketed guests can watch the air show and hydroplanes from the center of the action. But Madison Park residents do not have to cross the lake, fight festival crowds or pretend parking near Genesee is a personality test they wish to take. The neighborhood’s own shoreline offers several practical
ways to watch, depending on how much crowd, walking and noise one is willing to tolerate. Madison Park Beach is the obvious local choice. The beach and dock give viewers open sky, direct lake access and a neighborhood gathering place close to restaurants, coffee and home for many readers. It is also likely to be crowded, so families should treat it like a summer beach day: arrive early, bring water, pack snacks and do not expect a quiet corner at showtime. The Madison Park shoreline is best for people who want the communal version of the show. Kids can play before the jets arrive, neighbors can compare how loud last year felt, and everyone can collectively pretend they are not checking whether the clouds are cooperating. For a slightly different angle, Denny Blaine Park offers a smaller, lower-key lakeside view south of Madison Park. Its size is both the appeal and the problem. It can feel quieter than the main beach, but it does not have room for unlimited late arrivals. Go early, travel light and be respectful of nearby residents and park users.
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Japanese Garden Closed Through July 27 for Historic Wall Project Staff Report
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isitors hoping for a summer walk through the Seattle Japanese Garden should make other plans, at least for now. The Garden, located within the Washington Park Arboretum, closed June 22 and is scheduled to remain closed through July 27 while crews begin demolition and site preparation for the Ishigaki Wall and Accessible Pathway project. The closure is temporary, but for the next several weeks the practical update is simple: the Japanese Garden is not open for visits. The $2.8 million project will replace the Garden’s deteriorating north stone wall and add an accessible looped walkway along the shoreline. Once complete, the new path is intended to make that area of the Garden safer and more usable for visitors using wheelchairs, walkers or strollers. The work is occurring at the same time as another major Arboretum access project that Madison Park Times reported on last month. Construction is also underway on Phase 1 of the Washington Park Arboretum Waterfront Trail restoration, focused on the Foster Island section of the floating walkway. Portions of that trail are closed to public
access and are expected to remain closed through early 2027. At the Japanese Garden, the full closure through July 27 covers the first phase of work, including removal of the old, crumbling wall and preparation for the arrival of Suminori Awata, a 15th-generation master stone mason from Japan. After the Garden partially reopens July 28, Awata is expected to lead a team of artisans from Japan and the United States in rebuilding the wall stone by stone. Visitors should not expect the Garden to feel fully normal when it reopens. According to the Garden, about 80 percent of the site is expected to be available after July 28, with construction closures continuing at the north end through midOctober. The Garden has also warned that construction noise may affect the experience for visitors seeking a quiet, contemplative visit. The wall, known as an ishigaki, will be rebuilt using traditional dry-stone methods, without mortar. The project also includes regrading nearby walkways to improve accessibility around the north end of the pond. For regular Arboretum visitors, the overlapping projects mean access will be different this summer. The Japanese Garden
is closed entirely until July 28, and the Foster Island portion of the Waterfront Trail remains under construction. Both projects are intended to preserve heavily used public spaces while improving access for future visitors.
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