Pier 86 On Seattle Waterfront Will Be Closed During Hempfest

OLYMPIA - A popular fishing pier owned by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on the Seattle waterfront will be closed during the city's annual Hempfest event this weekend.

Pier 86 in Centennial Park will close at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 13, and will reopen to the public Monday, Aug. 17 at 9 a.m.

Russell Link, regional WDFW wildlife manager, said the department will temporarily close Pier 86 on the recommendation of the event's producer, who expressed concerns about public safety and the possibility of litter blowing into Puget Sound if the pier remained open.

The production company, Seattle Events, expects 100,000 people to attend the three-day Hempfest event this year.

"After discussing the issue with the producer and our maintenance staff, we agreed that it would be best to close the pier during the event," said Link, noting that the Port of Seattle has agreed to help monitor the closure.