The Top Things to See or Do in August

+3,000 Concertgoers

After three years of KeyArena scheduing conflicts, Bumbershoot headliners return to the open air of Memorial Stadium in 2014, increasing main-stage capacity from 12,000 to 15,000. Barring rain, that’s great news for all those wanting to check out Elvis Costello, Wu-Tang Clan, Foster the People, and the Head and the Heart.  Aug 30–Sept 1  Seattle Center, ­bumbershoot.org

You Sunk My Battleship!

Let your inner pirate out this summer at Carillon Point’s Battle Sails. Board The Lady Washington (i.e., the British HMS Interceptor from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series) or the Hawaiian Chieftain for a ride complete with booming cannon fire, pinpoint turns, and even some sea shanties. 
Aug 30–Sept 1  Carillon Point, carillon-point.com

Bullish Market

Maybe while Fox is covering the Seahawks’ preseason games, it can replace its cheesy B-roll footage of fish throwing at Pike Place Market with video of Sunset Supper, the market’s biggest annual charity bash, which features top regional chefs, spirits, and live music. Aug 15  Pike Place Market, ­pikeplacemarketfoundation.org
 

The Fat Lady Sings for Speight

After working more than three decades as Seattle Opera’s general director, Speight Jenkins deserves  a sendoff as grandiose as the hundreds of productions he’s overseen. He’ll receive his own curtain call at Speight Celebration, a one-night special featuring his most adored singers performing some of his favorite works from Wagner, Gershwin, Puccini, Verdi, and more.  Aug 9  McCaw Hall, seattleopera.org

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” —Aristotle  

The Seahawks continue their work in forming a habit of excellence and defending their Super Bowl title when they take the field in their first home preseason game, against the San Diego Chargers. 
Aug 15  CenturyLink Field, seahawks.com

Published in the The Everything Guide to the San Juan Islands issue of Seattle Met.