11:11 AM: The West Seattle Bee Festival is on! And this year it’s indoors AND outdoors – inside Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW), at the West Seattle Bee Garden on the north side of High Point Commons Park, along the street on the west side of the park between those two points … live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, just come wander! We’re reporting “live” from the Vendor/Info Fair, which continues until 2 pm, while the festival runs until 3.

11:29 AM: Added video from the Bee Festival parade, which just went by. Many of the young participants had their faces painted inside HP Center:

Just west of HP Center is where you will find the food!

And if you were/are a fan of a certain Northwest-set TV series that’s about to make a comeback, this menu will be of interest:

12:01 PM: Excellent soundtrack so far – DJ Ron (below center) is the man to thank:

We also just talked with Bee Garden founder Lauren Englund (here’s our original story about her dream, back in 2012), who mentions that while it’s a little damp today (the rain has stopped, though) she’s had 20 field trips at the garden so far this year and the weather’s been spectacular.

12:27 PM: Festival organizer Karen Berge stopped by to tell us that Lauren is giving a demonstration over at the Bee Garden – which is home to hives – right now!

1 PM: Still two more hours of festival to enjoy! Live music (bluegrass with Ricky Gene Powell and band) is happening, activities in HP Center – Sherry Lankston from Woodland Park Zoo and “Up Close: Ninja Pollinators” program until 1:30 – (added: That’s Juliette the Jungle Nymph:)

Plus, food, the plant/seed/tool swap at the north end of the Vendor/Info Fair (until 2 pm) row … Put on a jacket and come say hi!

1:50 PM: The Vendor/Info Fair is wrapping up – just, of course as the sun starts to show signs of breaking through. Still a beautiful day at High Point Commons Park – where the Bee Garden alone is worth the visit! We’ll be adding more festival photos later. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hi (or in one case, we got high-fives)! And remember … respect the bees … where would we “bee” without them?

ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: A few more photos as promised. Here are Scouts from Troop #42553:

And more young festivalgoers – this photo’s from Tamsen Spengler, who leads the West Seattle Timebank, part of the Vendor/Info Fair at the festival: