HAPPENING NOW: West Seattle Summer Fest 2017, day 1, report #1

(DIRECT INFOLINKS: Today’s lineups are here … Bus reroutes: C Line here, Route 22 here, Route 37 here, Route 50 here, Route 55 here, Route 57 here, Route 128 here, Route 773 here, )

(“Live” image of festival zone, courtesy of SDOT info-map camera – refresh page for newest image)

11:08 AM: At the bottom of the image above, that’s the Info Booth/Community Tent at California/Alaska, where we’re stationed, covering West Seattle Summer Fest again this year. The festival’s in its second hour – shopping, noshing, riding, all under way already. The weather’s perfect. Music (here’s the lineup) starts at 3:30 pm. We’ll be showing the sights and the highlights as the day goes by – more to come.

11:41 AM: One trick of maximizing your festival visit is knowing where to look for everything. This year the Sustainable West Seattle GreenLife Expo is in Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska) – a bit obscured by food booths, so don’t pass it by! Behind the solar panels, in our photo:

Here’s the schedule of demonstrations and events – you’ll find many cool community groups there too. Meantime, at one of the food booths on that side of SW Alaska, the most unusual offering we’ve spotted so far:

Another place you’ll want to look past the main Summer Fest routes on California and Alaska – the Kids Zone (presented by longtime WSB sponsor, the West Seattle YMCA). Activities and inflatables are under the Wells Fargo drive-thru and in the lot beyond, as well as some on Alaska by 44th .

You’ll find the ride-ticket booth on the south side of Alaska by the entrance to the parking lot behind KeyBank – and note that the rides are open a little longer than other vendors on Friday and Saturday night; prices are here.

Back to the food – many year-round Junction eateries do something special at Summer Fest. Like Husky Deli, whose Jack Miller was all smiles already, first thing this morning:

Lots of outdoor seating, too, throughout The Junction, special for Summer Fest. Meantime, between year-round merchants and festival-only booths, about 200 places to shop and visit – including this one that caught our (admittedly geeky) eye:

By the way, if you’re here or in The Junction in general, that’s just a TV helicopter buzzing the festival right now.

12:32 PM: A few government agencies are here too. Including WSDOT, on the west side of California south of Alaska, answering questions about the tunnel – with an exhibit featuring this:

Meantime, festival activities are starting to intensify. Coming up at 1 pm on the stage at GreenLife in Junction Plaza Park – an opening ceremony with the Duwamish Tribe.

1:35 PM: Here’s a short clip of Ken Workman, Chief Si’ahl’s great-great-great-great grandson, welcoming the festival:

On that same stage, Orca Dance: Illuminatos is scheduled at 4 pm. The ongoing displays at GreenLife include these guys:

The crowd is getting bigger as the afternoon goes on – and a lot of people are stopping by to ask about the band schedule – we do have the Summer Fest programs here, free, while they last, along with various other informational items you might want to pick up, such as the cards with the West Seattle Outdoor Movies schedule (first movie “Rogue One,” one week from tomorrow, at the Y “festival street,” 36th/Snoqualmie in The Triangle).

3 PM: We’ll be launching report #2 once the mainstage music gets going later this hour – we’re taking a break to publish a few non-festival news stories in the meantime. By the way, the stage/music isn’t the only reason to head north of Oregon (where you have to wait for a crossing signal, since it remains open to east-west travel):

Art is happening just north of Oregon – at and around the Art Dive. Our photo shows what’s happening just outside Red Cup Espresso – where there’s not only an artist at work, but also DJing, and a food truck. More Summer Fest coverage to come! Vendors are open until at least 6, food and rides until 8-ish, beer garden and music until 11 – come see and hear what’s happening.

12 Replies to "HAPPENING NOW: West Seattle Summer Fest 2017, day 1, report #1"

  • Foodie July 14, 2017 (12:43 pm)

    I bought my lunch at the Summer Fest. The Trinidad flatbread was tasty.

    • Kate July 14, 2017 (7:02 pm)

      Double Up is the name of the Trinidad flatbread truck. I know the owner, this is her dream, stop by and try some!!!!!

  • summerfestcaloriesdontcount July 14, 2017 (2:11 pm)

    I bought my lunch at Summer Fest too! I had the beef and lamb gyro from Deano’s Deep Fried Sweets. It was pretty good! I can’t WAIT to eat my way through this weekend!!!!

    • WSB July 14, 2017 (2:18 pm)

      Ha, re: the calories. I am waiting for someone to offer a review of the (pictured above) Pho Burrito. Or maybe the (not pictured yet but it’s nearby) Fish Ice Cream. Not made with fish – in pastry shaped like a fish. So far, co-publisher has had Pecos Pit and we’ve shared takeout sushi from Azuma.

      • Tsurly July 16, 2017 (12:54 pm)

        The Phởritto was legit. I should have gotten two of them, as my one year old did some work on mine.

  • cashmere July 14, 2017 (2:26 pm)

    I had falafel salam for lunch, they weren’t too busy which was nice. seemed a little disorganized, but i think i overheard they are still training some staff. food was as awesome as the truck so I’m happy

  • Eddie July 14, 2017 (2:30 pm)

    Noticed that the Great American Diner is open for Summer Fest.  $3.50 Mannys.

    • WSB July 14, 2017 (2:37 pm)

      When we published almost two weeks ago that they were in “soft open” mode, they told us they would announce a “grand opening” a few days later – but it seems they just proceeded from “soft open” to “officially open” without stopping. We haven’t been yet since it’s our rule to give a new place at least a few weeks, but the menu’s up in their windows and looks fairly extensive – TR

  • Sasha P July 14, 2017 (2:37 pm)

    What time does it go until? Does it run through Sunday?

    • WSB July 14, 2017 (3:17 pm)

      The basic festival hours – vendors – are until 6 pm tonight, 10-6 tomorrow, 11-5 Sunday.
      Food usually runs a few hours past that.
      Mainstage music, until 11 tonight and tomorrow, beer garden too; until 5 Sunday.
      Follow the first link above the top photo for all the schedules and links (including rides, GreenLife, more).

  • BK July 14, 2017 (4:41 pm)

    Is the farmers market still open this weekend? 

    • WSB July 14, 2017 (5:09 pm)

      Yes! It will be in its old spot, the lot behind KeyBank, usual hours (10-2 Sunday).

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