We will hold the following social events:
The welcome reception will take place on Sunday night (6:30 – 8:30 pm) at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, located on the University of Washington campus.
On Wednesday afternoon, we are organizing a group excursion to Pike Place Market and Bremerton by ferry, as well as an alternate option to Seattle Center. If you are interested in one of these two options, then please note this on the registration form.
Explore Pike Place Market, the Seattle Waterfront, and take a ferry to Bremerton. The ferry is 1 hour each way and runs approximately every 70 – 90 minutes. From the ferry you can see the Seattle skyline, the Olympic Mountains, and the beautiful Puget Sound. Attractions in Bremerton include:
We will also have a scavenger hunt for interested participants. There are no limits on attendance, so family members are welcome to join.
Length: Expect to spend approximately 1 hour at Pike Place Market, 2 hours on the ferry, 1 – 2 hours in Bremerton, and additional time walking and transiting between locations.
Walking distances: It is a 0.3 mi walk (approximately 8 minutes) from the Westlake Center light rail stop to Pike Place Market. It is a 0.6 mi walk (approximately 13 minutes) from Pike Place to the ferry terminal along the Waterfront. There are stairs along the planned route. Elevators are available in most cases by taking a small detour. For the return trip, the closest light rail stop to the ferry terminal is Pioneer Square, a 0.3 mi walk (approximately 9 minutes).
Cost: Participants will pay for their own light rail tickets and ferry tickets. Light rail tickets are $3 each way and ferry tickets are approximately $12. To avoid a long line, please purchase your ferry tickets in advance. Any food purchases will be extra.
Take the monorail and visit the Seattle Center. The Seattle Center is the grounds of the 1962 World’s Fair and now houses many of Seattle’s most well-known sights and museums. Attractions at the Seattle Center include:
There are no limits on attendance, so family members are welcome to join.
Length: It will take approximately an hour to get from the university to the Seattle Center. From there this excursion is self-guided so you can decide your own timing.
Cost: Participants will pay for their own light rail and monorail tickets. Light rail tickets are $3 each way and monorail tickets are $4 each way. Any food purchases or museum tickets will be extra. For example, admission to the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass costs about $70.
The banquet will take place on Thursday evening outdoors on the lawn of the Seattle Yacht Club, approximately a 1 mi walk (20 min) from the conference venue. Parking on site is available. Please indicate choice of salmon or vegetarian entree when registering. For additional guest tickets past 1, please email fpsac2026@gmail.com.
Please note that the yacht club has a dress code policy of “yacht club casual”. Jeans and ripped trousers are not permitted; polo shirts are preferred. Phones are not allowed inside the club and must be turned off upon entry.