West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
The Duwamish River represents much of West Seattle’s eastern border – and while it was in and around South Park, today’s Duwamish River Festival was for everyone in the region to celebrate the river, and each other. Above, Alki Kayak Tours (WSB sponsor) guide Jimmy Pasch on one of AKT’s free river kayak tours. Back on shore, the Duwamish Tribe‘s T’ilibshudub (Singing Feet), with Ashley Shelafoe in the forefront:
Also from the Duwamish:
The festival celebrated many cultures as well as the life in and around the river itself. The Rainier Vista Khmer Dance Group also performed:
So did Mexican folkloric dancers Flokórico Guelaguetza:
Children played games – Brian Coyotecatl reached for a disc during a fishing game:
Catherine Harris turned heads in her crab costume:
Back on the river, signs of the many cleanup and restoration projects under way:
And the tours continued:
They educated all ages – including, in the next photo, 7-year-old Rea Williams – about the river’s status as both habitat and industrial zone:
The festival featured lots of education onshore too, especially from the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, which presented the festival. DRCC’s James Rasmussen spoke with Mayor McGinn:
The mayor will be back in this area next Tuesday (August 27) for a Town Hall at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle).
(Click image to see larger size)
Photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand
Seattle Lutheran High School‘s football season starts one week from tonight.
This afternoon, the players, coaches, and cheerleaders took to the West Seattle Stadium field for a “Media Day” full of photo sessions and drills, under a perfect blue sky – SLHS blue, of course.
The invitation came from the Saints’ new head football coach, Jeff Scott, who posed with his staff:
(Screenshot from the City Light outage map)
5:43 PM: Thanks to Helen for the tip: There’s a small power outage around Fairmount Ravine – 21 homes, according to the Seattle City Light outage tracker – with a downed tree/wires reported to be to blame. (Bev says, via Facebook, Fairmount is blocked between Harbor and Forest.)
9:51 PM UPDATE: City Light has updated the marker to 13 homes, with power expected back for them around 1 am. We also have added a photo shared by Helen, showing the problem.
You are invited to the Camp Long Dessert Auction & Coffeehouse Concert Fundraiser, 6:30 to 9 pm on Saturday, September 22nd. (The entrance to the 68-acre park is at 5200 35th SW.)
This event will also celebrate completion of the new “Hub and Spoke” element, phase 2 of Camp Long’s Ropes Challenge Course installation. Attendees can explore the Hub and Spoke on the Challenge Course from the ground, and purchase raffle tickets for a chance to be the first to explore the Hub and Spoke element in the air. Here’s how Camp Long describes it:
The Hub and Spoke element is both physically and mentally challenging, consisting of high platforms, interconnected activities, routes on slim beams, wobbly steps, and swings and ropes to clutch or walk on. Trained facilitators lead participants, always harnessed in safety equipment, through the course … A hub and spoke course is built like a wheel; activities radiate from a center hub with a large platform to the outside poles, which are then connected together by other activities.
Phase 1 of the Challenge Course was officially dedicated and opened with a celebration in September of last year. The Sept. 22 event is $10; raffle tickets will be on sale the entire evening, while homemade and local-business-made desserts are auctioned and local musicians play.
Last year, racing individually in The Great Cross-Sound Race round-trip from Alki, Evan Jacobs and Tyler Peterson placed third and sixth respectively; today, rowing together, they finished first. Their announced time of 59:03 was 9-plus minutes over the course record they set together in 2006, but today, wind and waves factored into Sound Rowers‘ annual race, which drew more than 30 participants:
They headed out to Blakely Rock, off Bainbridge Island, and back, starting just after 9 this morning. Don Kiesling was second to finish:
Finishing third, Christian Roth and Josh Proctor. Among the sights at sea before the rowers started crossing the finish line, the U.S. Coast Guard was even out keeping an eye on things:
On shore, Peterson and Jacobs (who also are past North American Open Water Rowing champions) had a welcoming party:
And then some help getting everything back on shore:
You can watch later for full race results on the Sound Rowers website.
We’re an hour away from this year’s Duwamish River Festival – and this group of festivalgoers is paddling there. The Blue Heron Canoe left West Seattle’s Don Armeni Boat Ramp just after 9 am to head toward and down the river to Duwamish Waterway Park, where the festival (free!) is happening noon-4 pm – entertainment, education, boat rides, bouncy house, more. Shortly after leaving the dock, the canoe moved into sunlight sparkling off the water – that photo’s on the WSB Facebook page. Beautiful morning!
(Sign of imminent fall? Get out and enjoy the rest of summer! Photo by Machel Spence)
Happy weekend! From the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar (where you will find the full list of what’s happening today/tonight in and around West Seattle – these are just a few notes and highlights):
CITYWIDE TRAFFIC ALERTS: Here’s the SDOT roundup of what’s happening where this weekend.
ROWING RACE FROM ALKI: Sound Rowers‘ Great Cross-Sound Race is scheduled to start off Alki at 9 am, headed west to Blakely Rock and back – details here.
MEGA-RUMMAGE SALE: The Westside Unitarian Universalists are having another big rummage sale, 9 am-3 pm at 7141 California in Gatewood – details in the calendar listing.
SHREDDING FUNDRAISER: 9 am-noon at 3720 California SW, benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – details here.
DUWAMISH RIVER FESTIVAL: First come the 9 am-noon Walk/Bike/Paddle events to get there; then noon-4 pm at 7900 10th Avenue South in South Park, the festival! Entertainment schedule and event highlights are in our preview from Friday.
LOG HOUSE TO LONGHOUSE BIKE TOUR: A history lesson on two wheels! Meet at the Log House Museum on Alki (61st/Stevens) – ride scheduled to start at 10 am.
REC TECH TEENS SHOW THEIR WORK: Teens from Delridge Community Center and Southwest Teen Life Center invite you to a screening of their creations downtown, 11 am today – find out more here.
SEATTLE LUTHERAN FOOTBALL: New Seattle Lutheran High School football coach Jeffrey Scott says “Media Day” today is actually open to everyone:
As a way to show our appreciation to our fans and the community, the Seattle Lutheran football team will be doing a Media Appreciation Day at 1 pm at West Seattle Stadium. It is free to get in!! Please come out and meet the players and staff. We have invited special guests from the Seahawks, UW,WSU and a host of media outlets. We are inviting the West Seattle community to come out and enjoy media day with the Seattle Lutheran High School Football team.
‘TOP GUN’ WRAPS UP OUTDOOR-MOVIE SERIES: “Top Gun” screens at dusk in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard at 4410 California SW, as the final West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of the season. It’s more than a movie – there’s preshow entertainment, free pizza, benefit concessions and raffle … detailed in our preview from last night with full details.
LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT: Several venues – see the listings on the calendar.
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