On the first Saturday of May for almost a century, hundreds of recreational boats have paraded from Portage Bay through the Montlake Cut for Seattle Yacht Club's Opening Day to celebrate the official opening of Seattle's boating season. Watch from the shore as adorned vessels boast live bands and giant floats—this year's theme is "Boating Through the Decades." It's also a tradition for people on board to throw water balloons at shore-dwellers, so practice your reflexes. Come early to check out the Windermere Cup, a regatta featuring the University of Washington and other college crew teams from across the country (and Germany!). To make those international guests feel welcome, and to appeal to Seattle’s beer-loving public, the weekend will kick off with Friday's German-style Party on the Cut, complete with booze, lederhosen, lawn games, and live music.