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Community Corner

Sailing into Summer Celebration

MI's Summer Celebration goes retro, offering boat rides on a 1921 steamship.

Mercer Island’s much-anticipated Summer Celebration event just got a bit more celebratory. A new addition to the program this year: boat rides on an historic steam engine passenger ship. The Virginia V Steamship, built in 1921, is one of just two operating steam-powered, wooden hull ships remaining in the country.

The ship will depart three times during the day on Saturday, July 9. The boat route will be new this year, as the Virginia V is larger than past charter boats and can’t clear the bridge between the Island and Seattle.

The ship will head south along the eastern side of the Island, up the west side and then turn back -- an hour and a half long trip. Andrea Sanborn, a long-time MI resident, will narrate the tour, sharing facts and figures about Mercer Island’s history and pointing out a few memorable waterfront homes along the way. A few highlights include the site of a sunken warship, the spot where a gunnery was once located and Paul Allen’s spectacular estate.

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The nighttime firework cruise will be a slightly different event. A fundraiser for the Chamber of Commerce and the Sister City Association, the 8 pm sail will also offer desserts and a no-host bar in addition to the front row seats for the firework display.

(The firework show, which was in jeopardy earlier this year due to a lack of funds, is back on. Organizers needed to raise $22,850 and have gotten close to their target thanks to a few local businesses and large donors. Firework donations are still welcome.)

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“The boat ride event is pretty popular,” said Amber Britton, Mercer Island arts and events coordinator. “The Virginia V is supposed to be the crème de la crème of boats. We can’t wait to see it.”

 

Tickets are on sale now:

Daytime Cruise, Saturday July 9th

Tickets can be purchased in person at the Mercer Island Community and Events Center or by calling 206-275-7609.

Departure times:
11:00 am (boarding at approx. 10:30 am)

1:00 pm (boarding at approx. 12:30 pm)
3:00 pm (boarding at approx 2:30 pm)
Location: Luther Burbank Docks in Luther Burbank Park
Price:  $15 for adults, $10 kids ages 17 & under

Evening Fireworks Cruise, Sat. July 9
For tickets call the Chamber office, 232-3404; or go to www.brownpapertickets/event/175519
Departure time:

8 pm (boarding at approx. 7:30 pm) returning by 10:30 pm.

Ticket includes desserts and a no-host bar while watching Summer Celebration fireworks.
Location: Luther Burbank Docks in Luther Burbank Park
Price: $50 if purchased before July 6; $55 afterwards. 

For more information about the ship, check out www.virginiav.org

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