Outdoor Spaces & Events
The Waterfront 
Host your private event just a few steps away from the Montlake Cut, complete with views of the Cascade Mountains and unobstructed access to 350 feet of pristine waterfront. Enjoy a relaxing ambiance with twinkling outdoor lights overhead, reflections of city lights on the water, and the occasional sound of a sailboat’s horn signaling to the Montlake Bridge – all from the comfort of your exclusive event. The possibilities are limitless, and we invite you to experience all The Waterfront has to offer.
Events at The Waterfront
Corporate Events
Commitment, teamwork, working together to achieve the ultimate goal. Have you ever read The Boys in the Boat? Now you and your team can experience an unforgettable event at the same Shell House The Boys rowed out of and achieved international fame in 1936.
For event inquiries and availability, please email resmith3@uw.edu
Celebrations
Birthday? Anniversary? Recent engagement? Exciting new life event? There is no better place to host the celebration of a lifetime than The Waterfront!
For event inquiries and availability, please email resmith3@uw.edu
Boys in the Boat Tours
Fans of Daniel James Brown’s New York Times bestseller The Boys in the Boat, now have a unique opportunity to get an inside look at the legacy of The Boys. Join us for a tour through Washington Rowing’s Conibear Shellhouse and the 1918 World War I airplane hangar known to The Boys as the ASUW Shell House in 1936.
The tour will include chances to see the lettermen’s jackets of Joe Rantz and Don Hume, the IRA and Berlin Olympics medals of Joe Rantz, the famed Husky Clipper shell, and a peek into the original training facility of The Boys – the ASUW Shell House.
To reserve, please click here.
Waterfront Event Venues
Indoor
Waterfront Activities Center Great Room
A beautiful indoor banquet room with an private outdoor sundeck overlooking Lake Washington, the Montlake Cut, and Union Bay (view pictured here). Event capacity: 100 people
Outdoor
ASUW Shell House West Lawn*
An outdoor terrace with 350’ of unobstructed waterfront, just feet away from the Montlake Cut. Event capacity: 300 people
* Please note: this is NOT Conibear Shellhouse. The “ASUW Shell House West Lawn” refers to the surrounding grounds of 1918 WWI Navy Seaplane Hangar that graces the shores of the Montlake Cut (labeled “ASUW Shell House” on campus maps). To see a map of the venue locations, please click here
Private Event Reservations
- For Waterfront venue availability please call (206) 685-7518 or email Waterfront Manager, Rod Smith, to inquire about reservations.
- Once a Reservation Request Form has been submitted and approved, you will receive an estimate along with our rental contract. Please reference the forms below for more details.
Forms
- University Banquet & Alcohol Service Form
- WA State Banquet Permit
- University Barbecue and Grill Regulations
- University Use of Facilities (UUF) Request Form
Alcohol
It is the responsibility of the renter to obtain and post a Washington State Banquet permit if alcohol is present. NO EXCEPTIONS!
- Complete the “University of Washington Authorization to Apply for a Banquet Permit to Serve Alcoholic Beverages”
- After you have completed the form in full and submitted it online, it will be electronically forwarded for two additional approvals: Waterfront Manager – Rod Smith and a representative from the Office of Special Programs
- Purchase a state-issued banquet permit online using a credit card.
- Post both the approved UW application and the purchased WA State Liquor Control Board Banquet Permit the day of your event.
- Failure to post both permits means NO alcohol will be allowed at venue.
Parking
On non-football game days, parking is available for a fee (Pay by Space) adjacent to the WAC at $3.00/hour or $15.00 for all day. The availability of parking cannot be guaranteed. Parking is free on Saturdays after 12:00p and free all day Sundays and holidays. Citations may be issued to vehicles who fail to pay at the pay station. For transportation and parking information on football game days, please see here.
If you plan on parking on campus while attending an event at the WAC, please pay at the pay station located directly in front of the WAC or contact the Parking Services Special Events Office at (206) 616-8710 for information.
Contact Us
Waterfront Manager, Rod Smith
(206) 685-7518
resmith3@uw.edu