Seattlest Recommends: South Lake Union Block Party

By now, you've finally recovered from your Capitol Hill Block Party-induced hangover, and you're finally ready to show your face in another crowd. But tonight, it's time to come down off the hill, and hang out lakeside for Seattle's second most popular (but equally awesome) block party at South Lake Union.

Tom Douglas may have spent the last year and a half building a small empire in the neighborhood, but the SLU Block Party beat him to it. This year marks their 7th year of music, food, film and--here's the kicker--charity! The party is free, but proceeds from the food andevents go to two of the city's most awesome, empowering organizations: FareStart and YouthCare.

Featuring a kids area, wine tastings, plenty of food vendors, the party goes pretty much all day--but we recommend you get there as soon as you can break away from whatever else you're doing.

Even if you can't get there until sundown, don't worry--at 9 p.m., as part of the "Cinema on the Lawn" series, there's will showing of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, which you won't want to miss.

The beer garden opens in about an hour, so we're pretty sure if you start faking sick now, you'll be more than clear to head down to the lake and start the weekend off right. Unless, of course, you work at Amazon, in which case you should probably just close down for the day.

South Lake Union Block Party // Today from noon until 11 p.m. // Denny Way & Westlake Ave // Free!