Pirates on Alki Beach, milk cartons on Green Lake -- it's Seafair time

Tonight's fireworks should be spectacular, but summer really gets under way Saturday with the traditional start to the monthlong Seafair: the landing of the Seafair Pirates at Alki Beach.

The pirates will land at 11:30 a.m., and the first 500 kids to stop by (starting at 10:30 a.m.) will get a free toy pirate kit. Watch out, or you might just get "kissed" by a pirate.

"If you get a pin, you've been kissed by a pirate," Mark "Keelhaul" Jensen explained.

The Seafair Pirates also hand out stickers and special coins to people at every single Seafair event -- including more than 30 community events and parades, the Torchlight Parade, and, or course, the hydroplane races.

Each year's coin is different, with a design unique to that year's incoming captain. Capt. Walter "Tattoo" Taucher (who begins his captaincy Saturday) designed this year's coin with his kamon (Japanese family symbol) on the front. Jensen says Taucher -- with a Japanese mother and German father -- is the first Seafair Pirate captain of Asian descent.

So, how exactly does one get "kissed" by a pirate?

"Grabbing a pirate's attention is how you get a coin or sticker," Jensen says. "A great smile always helps."

And they do go through the coins -- 50,000 of them each year.

The Seafair Pirates aren't around just during Seafair; they make 240 scheduled appearances throughout the year -- at schools, community events and corporate functions. They have traveled to Taiwan, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Canada and Japan.

Most pirates have full-time jobs outside of pirating.

"We have CEOs of major companies all the way down to the guy who mows your lawn," Jensen says. "We have the most diverse group of guys anywhere."

The other traditional start to Seafair is the Milk Carton Derby at Green Lake from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

More than 100 "boats" will take to the water -- and, ideally, they will float.

Eleven-year-old Tess Pate and her 13-year-old brother, Colin, of Kirkland, are entering the derby for the first time. Their creation, "Insinkerator," sounds creative, but as of last weekend they hadn't even started building it.

"We plan to start building it really soon," Tess said, although she admitted being a bit wary of how it would all turn out. "But, my mom seems confident about it."

Tess says she and Colin are both on a swim team, which could come in handy.

IN LIFE & ARTS

Looking for Fourth of July events? Check out today's Going Out/Staying In page in Life and Arts for a guide to Independence Day celebrations and fireworks displays. C6

(SEA)FAIR WARNING

Here are some upcoming Seafair-related events. For a complete list, visit seafair.com:

Milk Carton Derby: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday at Green Lake.

Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, The Center for Wooden Boats at South Lake Union Park. More than 100 classic boats, live music and on-shore demonstrations. Children can build their own toy boats and sail them in the sailing pond.

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival & Grand Parade: The monthlong festival starts Saturday and includes the Hiawatha Kids Fun Fair, art festival, concert in the park, bowling tournament, kiddie parade, grand parade and Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu Coronation. Grand Parade

is 11 a.m., Saturday, July 19.

Hispanic Seafair Festival: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Latino/Hispanic music, food, arts and crafts, presentation of scholarship recipients, and Mexican consulate mobile consular site.

Kent Cornucopia Days: July 10-13. The "Festival of the Valley" includes the Cornucopia Cup International Soccer Tournament, carnival, four entertainment stages, street fair, skateboard and inline skate tournaments, farmers market, beer garden, bingo, square dance and the largest dragon boat races in Washington.

Redmond Derby Days: July 12 at Redmond City Hall campus. Festival includes the nation's longest-running bike race, kids parade, live music, free family activities, beer and wine garden.

Wallingford Seafair Kiddie Parade & Street Fair: July 12. All children can march in the parade -- no registration necessary,

and costumes are encouraged.

Mercer Island Summer Celebration: July 12-13 at Luther Burbank Park, downtown Mercer Island and Mercerdale Park. Uuried arts and crafts booths, live entertainment, community parade, fireworks, classic car show, children's rides, food booths, boat rides around Mercer Island, teen music celebration and a Western-themed hayride, pony ride and gold mining.

Seattle's Chinatown-International

District Summer Festival: July 12-13 at Hing Hay Park. The largest Pan-Asian festival in the Pacific Northwest with authentic international food, Asian-inspired arts and crafts, cultural entertainment, Karaoke Idol competition, children's corner, sports corner and

more than 130 vendor booths.

Ballard Seafood Fest: July 26-27. More lutefisk than you can shake a stick at, children's games, music by the great Stan Boreson, and every food vendor serves at least

one seafood entree.

Torchlight Run & Parade: July 26 through downtown Seattle. With Grand Marshal Sig Hansen from Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch," the crowning of Miss Seafair just before the parade, drill teams, bands, floats, giant balloons and hundreds of thousands

of spectators.

Chevrolet Cup Hydroplane Races:

Aug. 1-3 on Lake Washington.

You'll hear 'em even if you can't see 'em.

KeyBank Air Show: Aug. 1-3 over Lake Washington. The famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform over the water each day.

Yes, you'll hear them, too.

-- Doree Armstrong