The biggest party of the year, the Ballard SeafoodFest, is this weekend and thousands of people are expected to come enjoy the entertainment, children's events, booths and the famous salmon barbecue.

Warren Aakervik, president of Ballard Oil has been the master griller behind the salmon meals for the last 33 years.

"It's great. All the old friends come by. It's a great community and family event," said Aakervik.

A few weeks ago, Aakervik and his grandson went to Granite Falls to cut alder wood for the two day cookout.

"He likes it (wood) green and smoky. He even drives the forklifts and big rigs," said Beth Williamson Miller, executive director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

Miller credits Aakervik for his years of community service and says no one else can put together a barbecue like him. "People like Warren have been doing it forever. He believes in the community and supports the chamber. He is the fiber and foundation of Ballard," said Miller.

Trident Seafood donates about 2,000 pounds of salmon each year.

The wood Aakervik chopped up will be used to bake, not grill, the salmon in a 250-degree oven he said. The salmon fillets take 30 to 45 minutes before they are done.

"The real secret is to monitor it closely," said Aakervik, who will be assisted by his friends from Pacific Fisherman.

The Great Harvest Bread Company provides 400 loaves of country French bread with garlic butter. The store started with 250 loaves in 1999 and the sales at the festival have grown.

"The barbecue has gotten bigger. It's the chamber's main money making venture of the year," said Bob Carleson, who owns Great Harvest Bread Company with his wife Crystal.

The meal, along with cole slaw, is $8, $7 for seniors. All proceeds from salmon sales benefit the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

This year's poster and program features the Leif Erikson statue at Shilshole Marina with a cardboard sign "Will Pillage for Seafood." Jay Dotson took the photo.

Twenty-three food vendors will give visitors plenty of other choices when they get hungry. The food ranges from shrimp and crab melts, fruit smoothies, east Indian, Hawaiian shaved ice, gyros and more.

Main Stage musical acts on Saturday include: HB Radke and the Jet City Swingers, noon; the Weavils, 1:30 p.m.; Chuck Prophet and Mission Express, 3:15 p.m.; Joey Kline Band, 5:15 p.m.; and Big World Breaks, 6:45 p.m.

Sunday groups include: Etouffee, noon; The Buckaroosters, 1:15 p.m.; Juan Barco y Su Conjunto, 2:45 p.m.; Carrie Akre, 4:15 p.m.; and Laura Love with Harper's Ferry 5:30 p.m.

A Ballard institution performs on the Community Stage on Saturday, 11 a.m. and Sunday, noon, when Stan Boreson, the "King of Scandinavian Humor" appears.

Volunteers from the Nordic Heritage Museum are the emcees for the Community Stage this year and all but one of the acts is Scandinavian.

"We're trying to hold onto the Scandinavian past and what we still have of it. We want to keep that tradition alive in our community," said Miller.

Other Community Stage entertainment include: Nordiska Folkdancers, noon; the always fun Lutefisk Eating Contest, 1:20 p.m.; Watermelon Eating Contest, 2 p.m.; Whateverly Brothers, 3 p.m.; The Pickled Herring Band, 4 p.m.; and Peter and Viki, 5 p.m.

Sunday features: Svea Trio, 1 p.m.; the eighth Annual Slotky Memorial Couture Coverall Contest sponsored by the Ballard News-Tribune, 2 p.m.; Mad Fiddlu, 3 p.m.; Seattle Spielsmanslag, 4 p.m.; and SUS, 5 p.m.

The Ballard Commons Park will be the site of the Family Stage. The Saturday lineup includes: Welcome Marionettes, 11 and 1 p.m.; Deano the Clown, noon and 3 p.m.; Clay Martin's Puppets, 2 and 4 p.m.; Alleyoops Maritime Show 5 p.m.; and Seth Franco, former Harlem Globetrotter basketball great, 6 p.m.

Sunday's family entertainment continues with: Mario the Funny Man, 11 and 1 p.m.; Clay Martin's Puppets, noon and 2 p.m.; Alleyoops Musical Games, 3 p.m.; Mary Shavers Marionettes, 4 p.m. Alleyoops Maritime Show 5 p.m.

For the adults, there's the La Senioritas Beer Garden and the Ballard Rotary Wine Garden. Money from the wine garden goes towards the Ballard Food Bank.

Learn how to live a greener life to save the environment at this year's festival.

The Sustainable Living Lounge offers demonstrations and information by experts, along with "mocktail" samplings from local restaurants.

UnDriving Ballard is signing up people to get out of their cars to explore alternative transportation.

Ann Scheerer, Green Scene and Standard Biodiesel are holding the Seafood Fest Recycling Challenge to try and recycle more than half of all festival waste products.

A Solar Stage at Ballard Commons is going to be powered entirely by the sun.

The Ballard Lions are bringing the Lions Health Screening van for two days of vision, hearing, blood pressure, glaucoma and diabetes tests. People are being asked to bring their unused eyeglasses for recycling.

"It's well attended always. We provide services free of charge to everyone," said Bill Damon, Lions Club member.

Swedish Hospital's Ballard Campus is offering free health screens in their own van.

He public is encouraged to support the event. Look for the donation fishes, where volunteers will be collecting money for the festival.

The festival depends on their volunteers to make the SeafoodFest happen. "It's really a big collaboration that is making the event successful. The community is embracing it," said Miller.

The Ballard SeafoodFest hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, July 26 and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, July 27.

Starting on July 24 through July 27, area businesses are holding the annual Sidewalk Sale. The hours are: Thursday Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Over at the St. Alphonsus School parking lot, Michael Johnson's Hoopaholics organization and the Olympic Athletic Club are holding a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Team registration is $90. Visit http://www.hoopaholics.com. Johnson can be reached at 235-5195 or michael23johnson@hoopaholics.com. Other tournament sponsors include Anchor Environmental and Home Realty.

The highlight sponsor for the Ballard SeafoodFest is Ballard Market. Other main sponsors include: Swedish Medical Center; American Family Insurance; Boeing Employees Credit Union; Chen's Accupuncture; Crown Hill Chiropractic; Maritime Pacific; PEMCO Mutual Insurance. Starbucks; and Sterling Savings Bank.