11:56 AM: The sun’s out and so are hundreds of people, already here at West Seattle Summer Fest in hour 1 of day 3! Above, that’s the view from our side of the Information Booth in the center of the California/Alaska intersection, looking north. Here’s the map of the festival grounds, on California between Genesee and Edmunds (Oregon remains open to traffic, so please use the crosswalks and lights there), and on Alaska between 44th and 42nd:

Up by the stage, on the north end of the festival zone, east side of California north of Oregon, you’ll find the official Summer Fest Beer Garden – where it’s Happy Hour all day today, $1 off. Here’s the music lineup:

1 pm – The Solvents
2 pm – Memphis Radio Kings
3 pm – Stereo Embers
4 pm – Sick Sad World

Here’s who you’ll find in the Community Tent (along the south side of Easy Street, on Alaska west of California) today:

11 am – 2 pm
South Seattle College Parent Cooperative Preschools
See Dogs

2 pm – 5 pm
Seal Sitters
Empower Mentoring Program

Also a full slate at GreenLife today – next up, Chef Doug from Salty’s (WSB sponsor) is making desserts from fresh Farmers’ Market produce, 12:15 pm.

And here in the Info Booth – besides answering your questions – our boothmates today are from the Junction Association – buy your Summer Fest T-shirt! (east side of the booth) – browsers and shoppers are stopping by (tweeted photo added):

Also, from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society – guess how many Lincoln Logs are in their jar! (west side of the booth) – and from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, offering free copies of the new West Seattle business guide (west side of the booth). We also still have free buttons and schedule cards for West Seattle Outdoor Movies, the six-Saturday-night series that starts next weekend (“Zoolander,” July 18th, dusk, in the courtyard at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse [WSB sponsor]).

Hot question so far remains, “Where’s the Farmers’ Market?” Answer – where it used to be, 44th/Alaska:

It’s on until 2 pm as usual. And next week, it’s back here in the street, on California between Alaska and Oregon.

12:16 PM: Somebody just tried to steal a food vendor’s money bag – and didn’t get far:

Police are questioning the suspect right now in the breezeway north of 4730 California. Lt. Ron Smith says it’s the first incident of that type that he recalls at the festival in recent years. (Added: The suspect, a West Seattle man, was arrested and will be booked into King County Jail for investigation of felony theft robbery, according to Lt. Smith.)

12:55 PM: Music’s about to start up – see the schedule above. (added – Instagram clip of band #1, The Solvents):

Meantime, even if you’ve already been to the festival, you’ll likely find something new today, and deals too; for example, right across from where we are, north of the Info Booth, the QFC booth has discounted its coconuts – $3 today. A few storefronts north, on the east side of California, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) is continuing its sale – all kids’ goods are 30 percent off, including colorable placemats.

Along with shopping, all around the festival, you can spend a few dollars to help local nonprofits and get a chance at cool raffle prizes – from the Orca Network (booth #26), to the West Seattle Food Bank (booth #111) and the West Seattle Helpline next door (booth #109).

Visit HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) at booth #144 and enter to win a Seahawks piggy bank:

At HomeStreet’s Junction branch, 41st/Alaska, it’s WestSide Baby Stuff the Bus time one week from today (July 19th) – if you can’t stop by next Sunday to donate diapers, visit the branch any time this week and drop your donation off.

3:35 PM: This is the point where the rest of the festival roars by. An hour and a half of fun remains – last band, Sick Sad World, is up at 4 pm (as mentioned earlier, Happy Hour at the Beer Garden by the stage – $1 off). And with the sun finally out today, it’s been perfect for features such as the dog pools up at Pet Junction.

You might find just the perfect thing for your house/apartment/garden … a guy just walked by with metal yard art, a fish made from rusted horseshoes.

Earlier, we mentioned some of the raffles – this one, we previewed before the festival, and here’s one more reminder about your chance to try for this outside the Senior Center:

Or – no need to take a chance at the MaxMobile – just take a new friend home!

Still throngs of people, with and without pets, here. Sidewalk sales continue outside the year-round stores:

3:58 PM: Here is the vendor we’ve been asked about most often:

The airplants seem to have a lot of fans.

4:09 PM: Final hour! Things you can do right now –

-Come to the Info Booth and get a free West Seattle Community Resource Guide from Chamber reps
-Watch street performers
-Have an early dinner at the many Junction venues with festival-only outdoor seating, and people-watch until the end
-Last call for fair food – elephant ears, deep-fried PB&J, chocolate-dipped cheesecake…
-Shop! Easy Street has tons of music on sale
-Go see Seal Sitters in the Community Tent and find out about caring for local wildlife

Though an election is coming up – ballots go in the mail this Wednesday – we haven’t seen much campaigning today. We did get an Info Booth visit (our longstanding offer: We’ll photograph candidates who stop by) from School Board incumbent Marty McLaren:

And the folks from the Chamber, next to us in the Info Booth, will also be glad to tell you about the City Council District 1 candidates’ forum they’re presenting at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) this Wednesday night (5:30 pm July 15th)

4:45 PM: Quick Instagram clip from the final band, Sick Sad World:

Sure sign this is wrapping up: The QFC booth has run out of coconuts. Looks like a few fruit kabobs are left. Elsewhere, signs of cleanup and packing up – the festival breakdown takes several hours, so don’t expect the streets to reopen until relatively late tonight (we’ll publish an update when we find out). By our informal observation, Summer Fest has been VERY well-attended! Some who have stopped by the Info Booth have asked how to apply for a booth next year – the West Seattle Junction Association presents the festival, and usually puts out the call in winter, so watch wsjunction.org.

5:05 PM: It’s a wrap! Thanks so much to everyone who came to Summer Fest (which we co-sponsored again this year) to shop, browse, wander, explore, dine, drink, dance … and thanks to everyone who stopped by the Info Booth to say hi. Stay tuned to WSB for info on all the summer fun yet to come.

MIDNIGHT NOTE: Traffic cameras show Junction streets still closed as cleanup continues.