(2007 West Seattle Summer Fest, photo courtesy Chas Redmond)
Third and final update from our recent chat with West Seattle Junction Association president Dave Montoure (of West 5) — some advance scoop on this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest, coming up July 11-13. Last year, you may recall, Summer Fest was retooled with the help of input requested from WSB readers (your input is popular, by the way, the Chamber of Commerce is reviewing everything you had to say on this recent development/business thread). This year, more new features are on the way:

The Junction Association is already working hard to get the popular street festival together. Its basic components, Montoure told us, will be the same — music, food, beer gardens. New promoters are working on some special events (the West Seattle Scene firm launched by Matthew Darling and Tracy Dart).

Now, here’s something new: On California SW, just north of Oregon, you’ll find the Art Dive. Artists will have tables under a tent, and people will be able to wander in and out of the space to see art on display and for sale.

Kids’ activities will be expanded too, with more hands-on offerings like crafts and face-painting, and Montoure says that West Seattle Scene is working on a “kids’ karaoke” event for the third day of the festival — with Easy Street providing a stage at the California/Alaska intersection, and Darling and Steve Wall co-emceeing (you may recall, he used to host a popular karaoke night at Skylark), with sound system by PJ the DJ.

The kids’ activities, by the way, could use more volunteers — call the Junction Association office and talk to executive director Susan Melrose.

On the north end of Summer Fest, you’ll find the Community Corner again this year — your community group is welcome to book a table; this year it’s being coordinated by Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, so get in touch with them if you’d like to be part of it. And the skateboarders will have a showcase at Summer Fest too, courtesy of sponsors Alki Bike and Board.

You can track more Summer Fest developments at the official website; we’ll keep you posted here too … again, that’s the big midsummer street festival in The Junction, Friday-Sunday, July 11-13. (P.S. Junction Association updates #1 and #2 from earlier this week were, respectively, beautification/recycling and this Pet Fest update.)