A guide to the weird, offbeat, unusual in Seattle. Fun things to do. Free things to do in Seattle. Keep Seattle Weird. Goth Seattle, Tiki Seattle, place to visit and things to do in Seattle. Shopping, food, music, art, Seattle icons and hidden jewels.
Thursday
Ivar's Dancing Clams
On a muggy misty day at the beach, Ivar's Dancing Clams run wild and free.
Ivar Haglund was a true Seattle character and icon. He was known as an entertainer, folksinger, restaurateur and ultimately the "King," "Mayor," or "Patriarch" of the waterfront. The story of Ivar's Seafood Restaurants began in 1938 when 33-year old Seattle native Ivar Haglund opened his city's first aquarium on Seattle's Pier 54. Droves of people lined up and paid a nickel to view the sea life that Ivar had collected from the surrounding Puget Sound. Noticing that his patrons often came with an appetite, Haglund began to sell red clam chowder and fish n' chips from the site—an instant success that began his career as a restaurateur.
You can still visit Ivar's today, still helping to Keep Seattle Weird!