The Fire Festival will return to Pioneer Square this summer on July 11-12, 2008!

The Fire Festival began over thirty years ago and has long been regarded as one of Seattle’s premier neighborhood festivals. This year, neighborhood volunteers organizing through the Pioneer Square Community Association are once again joining together to create an exciting and endearing community event.

Check back often for schedule updates, but activities planned for the 2008 Fire Festival include:

Firefighter Combat Challenge: The Toughest 2 Minutes in Sports
Firefighters from across the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia show off their skills and compete for personal glory in what is called “the toughest 2 minutes in sports.” Competitors must climb a 5-story tower, hoist, chop, drag hoses and rescue a life-sized, 175 lb. "victim" as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock. Visit the Fire Fighter combat challenge website for more information or to register for the challenge.

Kids Challenge
Children of all ages can safely experience the thrills and excitement of the big challenge on our inflatable ground-level kids’ course.

Five Alarm Chili Cook-Off
For the first time, the Fire Festival will feature a chili cook-off, with prizes awarded in categories like green chili, red chili, vegetarian, and many more! Both amateurs and professionals are encouraged to enter. A select panel of judges will award the winners and the public will select an “eater’s choice” winner!

Mascot Challenge
Mascots from your favorite professional and college teams face off on the Kids’ Challenge course.

Music and Entertainment
Enjoy contemporary & turn-of-the-century musical performances on the main stage in Occidental Park.

Antique Fire Trucks
Antique fire trucks from the Last Resort Fire Department will be on display along Occidental Mall and Main Street.

Klondike Gold Rush Adventure
Travel back to 1897 to pan for gold and mount their own expeditions with sled dogs into the Yukon goldfields.