Updates on this year’s West Seattle Bee Festival – one of spring’s first big events, now just nine days away, on Saturday, May 21st:

*A live band will lead the Kids and Pets Costume Parade, starting at 11 am, and will play until 12:30 pm, after which, festival organizers say, a “mix of world music” will take over.

*Woodland Park Zoo is bringing its “Up Close” pollinator program exhibit: “It will include a slideshow of unusual pollinators and illustrate ‘the sneaky ways (ninja!) plants attract their preferred pollinators. There’s a fascinating science to it!’ That quote is from Sherry Lankston, one of the Zoo staff, who will be there. The Zoo program will be held inside Neighborhood House’s High Point Center from 11:30 to 1:30. They are also bringing two of their live ‘Animal Ambassadors’ to the festival: A Jungle Nymph and a Leopard Gecko! These are pollinators from other countries.”

*Full Tilt Ice Cream has recently joined the “enclave” of food trucks, along with Patty Pan Grill and Wicked Pies. Lanham will be blocked off between SW Graham St and Sylvan Way SW for the Vendor and Information Fair. Food trucks will be on the south end of the block.

(WSB will be at the Vendor/Information Fair, covering the festival live.)

Now, here’s how YOU can help this ever-bigger festival:

*More volunteers are needed – several to help with the Honey Run at 10 am, to “make sure the runners stay on the course and hand out water. We can also use more help with set-up, tear-down, and clean-up. And, we can use some awesome friendly West Seattle people to help staff our information tables and perhaps help out in other ways. Those who’d like to help can email us at westseattlebeefestival@gmail.com.” A meeting for prospective volunteers is planned next Tuesday night near the festival site.