West Seattle Blog…

Happening now: West Seattle Hi-Yu Community Breakfast

They’ve had their crowns and sashes for less than 24 hours (here’s our coverage of Friday’s coronation), and it’s already time to get busy being royal and selling fundraising buttons for newly crowned West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court members Princess Elena, Queen Thea, and Princess Amanda. They don’t officially start their reign till fall, but you’ll find them joining all the Hi-Yu fun, along with the current courts:

From left, back row, the current Hi-Yu Junior Court – Queen Taylor, Princess Riley, Princess Kaitlin – front row, Queen Kelsey, Princess Victoria, and Princess Rosemarie. You can join them and other members of the Hi-Yu team for breakfast till noon (fundraiser, $6 adults/$3 kids) at Admiral Congregational Church Hall (California/Hill) – next event, Hi-Yu Concert in the Park at Hiawatha, Tuesday night at 7 with the West Seattle Big Band (free!), and you’ll see the Hi-Yu float in the West Seattle Grand Parade next Saturday, 11 am, California SW from Lander to Edmunds.

Video: West Seattle Hi-Yu crowns its next Junior Court

(Coronation video, added 3:56 pm)
Hiawatha Kids’ Fun Fest continues till 3 pm – but a big event that’s always part of it wrapped up about an hour ago: The West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival Junior Court Coronation. Congratulations to Queen Thea Pulido, Princess Amanda Elder, and Princess Elena Kline. Click ahead for photos! Click to read the rest of Video: West Seattle Hi-Yu crowns its next Junior Court…

West Seattle Hi-Yu’s big events almost here – and a deadline today!

Prime time for West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival activities is just about here. First – today’s the deadline for girls to apply for the Hi-Yu Junior Court, whose new queen and princesses will be chosen this Friday, and coronated as part of Friday’s Hiawatha Fun Fest activities. Here’s the form (which explains the requirements and expectations, too). The Fun Fest, by the way, is noon-3 pm this Friday at Hiawatha Community Center (usually out on the east lawn), with lots of activities.

Then on Saturday, it’s the Hi-Yu Community Breakfast – 9 am to noon at Admiral Congregational Church Hall, California/Hill, $6 adults/$3 kids, proceeds benefit the Hi-Yu Scholarship Program. (Donations also will be accepted for WestSide Baby and West Seattle Food Bank.) And on Tuesday, July 19th, it’s the Hi-Yu Concert in the Park with West Seattle Big Band on the east lawn at Hiawatha, 7-8:30 pm. (Plus you’ll see the Hi-Yu float, royalty, and volunteers in the West Seattle Grand Parade at 11 am July 23rd, along California SW from Lander to Edmunds! Our photo, by WSB contributor Stephanie Chacharon, shows the Sparkling Seattle Hi-Yu float at West Seattle Summer Fest last weekend.)

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival: Application time for Junior Court

(June 28th photo by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Last week, the 2010-2011 West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court – from left, Princess Riley, Queen Taylor, and Princess Kaitlin – reigned royally at the White Rose Reception (WSB coverage here). Next week, they will crown their successors – and interested candidates need to apply *now*. The coronation will happen during the Hiawatha Fun Fest, 1 pm on Friday, July 15th, just nine days away. The deadline for applications to be received is next Tuesday, July 12th; the application packet is here, including a full explanation of the rules (including that girls must be no younger than 7 nor older than 11 as of this September 1st).

And be on the lookout for Hi-Yu royalty and volunteers during West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (with the Sparkling Seattle float), at Alki for the Seafair Pirates’ Landing on Saturday, as well as in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade on July 23rd, and the Seafair Torchlight Parade a week later (among other parades during this busy summer season).

West Seattle Hi-Yu celebrates the 2011 White Rose reception

(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
A celebration of tradition and history last night at Fauntleroy Church, as West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival royalty present and past gathered for the White Rose Reception. The highlights included a candle-lighting ceremony; above, Danette Carufel from the 1984 court, with 2010 Senior Court Queen Georgia Mitchell. More of WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen‘s photos ahead: Click to read the rest of West Seattle Hi-Yu celebrates the 2011 White Rose reception…

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival: Another 2011 float award!

Congratulations to the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival team, whose 2011 float “Sparkling Seattle” has won another award! The first one came last month during its season debut, in Sequim; here’s the latest:

West Seattle Hi-Yu traveled to Shelton for another community festival parade this past Saturday. The Mason County Forest Festival – Paul Bunyan parade was held Saturday at 11:00 am. Under gorgeous blue skies and wonderful warm weather the WS Hi-Yu float brought home their 2nd award for the season – Mayor’s Award. The photos show the parental and community members helping out, and the gorgeous Junior court (Queen Taylor, Princess Kaitlin, Princess Riley) and Senior court (Queen Kelsey, Princess Victoria, and standin Princess Veronica) practicing their waves for the community.

Remember to attend some wonderful upcoming Hi-Yu events: For the ladies – moms, aunts, grandmas, sisters, young ladies, interested Junior Court Candidates, past candidates and royalty — The White Rose Reception, 7 pm, WS Fauntleroy Church hall, Tuesday, June 28th, $5 donation. Past royalty are encouraged to wear their tiaras!

For everyone – Pirates Landing, Saturday, July 9th, Alki Beach; Concert in the Park, Tuesday, July 19th, 7 pm; American Legion Parade, Saturday, July 23rd, California Ave., 11 am.

Special emphasis on the Junior Court candidates mention – while the timeline for choosing a new Hi-Yu Senior Court has changed this year, as first reported here in early May, there WILL be a Junior Court Coronation this summer as always, and Hi-Yu leadership tells WSB that applications will be available soon (including at the White Rose Reception event mentioned above).

Season’s 2nd parade for West Seattle Hi-Yu float ‘Sparkling Seattle’

This year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival float, themed “Sparkling Seattle,” has now been to two parades (the last Seattle-neighborhood float on the parade circuit). Hi-Yu shares these photos from their trip to the 76th annual Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival parade. Hi-Yu president Tim Winston tells WSB, “The morning rain stopped in time for the parade. We didn’t win any awards this week, but the crowd loved the float.” Last week, “Sparkling Seattle” got the Mayor’s Award at the Sequim Irrigation Festival parade.

Tim says the float will make its next appearance at the Mason County Forest Festival parade in Shelton on June 4th. Its details include the Space Needle and Mount Rainier:

P.S. Hi-Yu just launched a new page on Facebook, where it just had a “group” previously. You can “like” the page here.

West Seattle Hi-Yu updates, including one big change

With summer roaring toward us – really! – West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival leaders and members met last night at St. John the Baptist, and we have updates including one big change.

SENIOR COURT SELECTION CALENDAR CHANGE: Coinciding with a change in leadership for the committee that oversees the Scholarship Program – including the summertime coronation of the Senior Court and Queen – Hi-Yu evaluated other festivals’ schedules and has decided to move the Senior Court selection to a fall/spring schedule. Currently, the court that’s selected in summer doesn’t preside over the festival season till the FOLLOWING summer, and then represents Hi-Yu in the Seafair Scholarship Program the year after that, and this among other things will consolidate all that. No exact dates are set yet; new committee members will meet starting May 10th to decide on a timetable – most likely they will start accepting applications in fall, and will coronate royalty in spring. Again, that means NO Senior Court coronation this summer.

JUNIOR COURT TIMETABLE STAYS THE SAME: That said, Hi-Yu has decided to keep the Junior Court timetable the same – chosen during the Hiawatha Fun Festival that’s part of the summertime celebration.

(Float sketch, first published on WSB in February)
FLOAT’S FIRST APPEARANCE: Hi-Yu is continuing to work frenetically on the Sparkling Seattle-themed float, aiming for a debut in the Sequim parade on May 14th. They are still looking for someplace to store it – if you have a suggestion or offer, please contact Hi-Yu.

BUTTONS, SOUVENIR BOOK: They’re planning to make 3,500 buttons this year, since that’s how many they sold last year (see the winning design here). Hi-Yu is also still seeking sponsors before finalizing the souvenir book (which has its prototype cover ready, designed by Elaine Durham).

HI-YU FISHING DERBY DATE: The West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club-sponsored event at Seacrest Pier is the first Hi-Yu event on the calendar, and it’s set for May 21st this year.

(SIDE NOTE P.S. Remember, it’s not the Hi-Yu Parade, it’s the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade, but since so many think of it as the “Hi-Yu Parade,” these updates might leave you wondering about the date – it’s July 23rd. We expect an update soon on Post 160′s fundraising efforts to cover the street-closure cost.)

West Seattle Hi-Yu’s tea thank-yous – plus, what’s a Bieber worth?

That’s one of our photos from last weekend, when West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival packed The Hall at Fauntleroy for its annual spring tea (WSB coverage here). Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn tells WSB that the life-size Justin Bieber cutout netted $135 as a live auction item! But that wasn’t the main point of Deena’s note – she wanted to publicly thank everyone who helped with the fundraiser. The acknowledgments, and total take, after the jump: Click to read the rest of West Seattle Hi-Yu’s tea thank-yous – plus, what’s a Bieber worth?…

West Seattle Hi-Yu Spring Tea, featuring pirate and “pop star”

Seafair Pirate Chuck Marcoullier and “Justin Bieber” (the cardboard version) were among the star attractions at this afternoon’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Spring Tea and Auction at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Before the day was out, “Bieber” was to be bid on – but not before Hi-Yu royalty got to share the stage as well:

There were many other things for the crowd to bid on, too:

Hi-Yu’s theme this year is “Sparkling Seattle,” as decided at the Hi-Yu holiday-season meeting (WSB coverage here) – and we’re told they’re still looking for a home for this year’s float, with parade season fast approaching: Got an idea? An offer? Hi-Yu contact information is online.

West Seattle Hi-Yu updates: Float sketch; button-design winner

Seems summer begins in February. In the past week, we’ve been looking ahead to all sorts of big West Seattle summer events – and tonight, we have three previews from the latest West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival meeting. In the top photo, that’s the official design for this year’s Hi-Yu float, based on the “Sparkling Seattle” theme chosen from Junior Court Princess Riley Fredericks‘s idea in December (WSB coverage here). Once again this year, West Seattle Hi-Yu needs someplace to build the float – please contact the festival through their website if you have a site to suggest.

Next, tonight’s meeting resulted in the choice of a winning design for this year’s fundraising button:

The winning design was created by Marianne Unite, sister of Senior Court Princess Rosemarie Unite. You’ll see it on sale as Hi-Yu gets closer. Meantime, Princess Rosemarie and her court-mate Princess Victoria Ferrulli showed off this year’s princess gown:

Fashion expert Angela Nichols of Funky Jane’s Consignment – who’s also mom of reigning Junior Court Queen Taylor Nichols – calls the color “raspberry/salmon.” The queen’s gown will be the same design, but made in blue.

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival: Button-design contest begins

From West Seattle Hi-Yu tonight via Facebook: Two months after “Sparkling Seattle” was chosen as this year’s theme, it’s time for a button design to go along with the float design (the prototype above is from the December Hi-Yu meeting, when the theme was chosen):

Looking for an easy and creative way to show your community pride? West Seattle Hi-Yu is kicking off their annual button design contest. These buttons will be sold at events throughout Western Washington this summer!

This year’s theme is “Sparkling Seattle.” This year’s float design will depict all that makes Seattle sparkle! Think Ferry Boats, Seattle Skyline etc. The winning button will be chosen at the general membership meeting by popular vote on February 7th, 6:30 p.m. at St John the Baptist Church Hall.

All button designs should be in final size, which is 2 ½”. Hi-Yu welcomes entries from all ages! The winner receives a $25.00 check and will ride in the West Seattle American Legion Parade in July. Please send entries by email to wshiyu@yahoo.com or bring it to the meeting !THANK YOU for supporting your community festival.

You can see last year’s button design here.

West Seattle Hi-Yu chooses its 2011 theme: Sparkling Seattle

Big competition tonight at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival‘s combined monthly membership meeting and holiday party. Main order of business: Pitches and voting for next year’s float theme. Junior Court Princess Riley Fredericks had the winning idea, and even made a model for her pitch: Sparkling Seattle, celebrating some of the best and brightest in our city.

That was one of six proposed themes, and the competition was so close, three rounds of voting were needed to come up with a winner (and even then, it was close). The others included a space concept, a flight theme, a space-aliens-signifying-everyone’s-welcome-in-WS theme, a circus motif, and the “wild, wild Northwest.” Next step: Sketches by float designer Steve Fisher, who was among the two dozen or so people at the meeting inside the St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church Hall. Also tonight, a Hi-Yu tradition: The plaques and trophies from the previous parade season are given to individual royalty members for caretaking; this year, the “Dreams Do Come True” float won five awards, at the

West Seattle holidays: Junction Shop Late Thursdays; Kiwanis; Hi-Yu

FIRST: Yet more holiday news from The Junction – they’ve officially announced Shop Late Thursdays, with 11 merchants participating so far (including 3 from the WSB Holiday Shopping/Business Guide). That means they’ll be open for special evening shopping 6-9 pm Thursdays till Christmas, starting tomorrow and continuing through December 23rd. On Thursday next week, this will coincide with West Seattle Art Walk.

SECOND: Looking ahead to next Saturday, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is issuing daily reminders about its annual Pancake Breakfast – coming up this Saturday morning, 7 am-11 am, at the Alki Masonic Hall, which is in The Junction, not Alki, 40th/Edmunds, just east of Jefferson Square, plenty of parking. In addition to Santa Claus, you’ll get to mingle with West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival royalty, according to Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn, who also just sent this thanks regarding the fundraising ornament sale:

West Seattle Hi-Yu would like to thank the West Seattle Community, Hi-Yu members and friends for their support in out Annual Holiday Ornament Sale! It was a huge success and all ornaments have been sold — we wish you all Happy Holidays!

Just hours after the pancake breakfast, it’ll be time for the West Seattle Junction Community Tree Lighting at 5 pm Saturday in Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) – new location this year, now that the long-awaited park is finally open. More holiday events/giving opportunities/info (like Christmas-tree lots and church services) on the WSB West Seattle Holidays page (and thanks to everyone who’s sent new info today – we’ll be adding it tonight!).

West Seattle holidays: Trim the tree, and help Hi-Yu

Once again this holiday season – yes, it’s the holiday season, with Thanksgiving just three weeks from today! – the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival is raising money by selling special ornaments. You can place an order by phone or look for them at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market starting this Sunday, says Hi-Yu Vice President Deena Mahn:

It’s time for West Seattle Hi-Yu’s Annual Ornament Sale!!! This year we have 3 beautiful handmade ornaments to choose from. Each ornament is approximately 7-8 inches long and was designed and created for Hi-Yu by glass artist Zeus Rudner. We met him at this year’s Issaquah Salmon Days parade! The cost of each ornament is $15.00, and will help support this year’s Senior Court Scholarship program, float building and our festival events! They make great gifts for family, friends, neighbors, teachers, coworkers, clients and yourself!! Pre-orders are being taken now with our first shipment coming in mid-November; please call (206) 935-6517 to place your order. Ornaments are also available for purchase from any Hi-Yu member and will also be sold at the Farmers’ Market in November. Thanks for your support!

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival: New fundraiser; float @ Fauntleroy

(WSB video of the Hi-Yu volunteers and float in the July 2009 Seafair Torchlight Parade downtown)
Another award-winning parade season ended recently for West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival leaders, volunteers, and royalty, with their trip to the Issaquah Salmon Days Parade. But the end of summer never means the end of their work – it’s time to start looking ahead to next year – and renewing community support. Here’s one way you can be part of it:

West Seattle Hi-Yu is starting off the Fall season with a fundraiser through PartyLite. Hi-Yu will receive 50% of sales to go toward the expenses of the Summer Festival, including building/transporting/upkeep of the float, and scholarships for young women in our community.

There are 3 products to choose from, which you can view at smithwicks.net. Just click on “fundraisers” and then “fundraiser products.” (However, items need to be ordered through Carol Winston.) There are a variety of wonderful holiday scents and the items make perfect hostess gifts for parties coming up, teacher gifts and all-occasion gifts. Many in the community are already familiar with these candles and know the benefit of non-lead wicks (no black soot), long burn time, and no leftover wax.

Please help support our community festival! Items can be ordered through Carol Winston. Please send an email to winstonfamily@yahoo.com to communicate your interest. Questions about the product can be directed to Cecile Smith 206-730-1202. There is sales tax of 9.5%, but no shipping costs. Orders must be received by October 17th.

That’s this Sunday – the same day as the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, where you can get one more look at the much-honored 2010 Hi-Yu float, “Dreams Do Come True” (full festival schedule here).

West Seattle @ Torchlight Parade: Hi-Yu float award, princess

7 pm and time to start our coverage of the West Seattleites who are in the city’s biggest parade tonight, the Seafair Torchlight Parade. We’re along the parade route downtown. For starters, we just got word from West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston that the Hi-Yu “Dreams Do Come True” float has won the Princess Award – same one last year’s float won! Just got one addition to the list of West Seattleites to watch for – Michelle Edwards, former Hi-Yu Queen, is playing cymbals with the Seahawks’ Blue Thunder. 7:54 PM UPDATE: And again this year, the Hi-Yu rep in the Miss Seafair program has been chosen as a princess – Tim just sent word that Margo Femiano was chosen 1st Princess. (Just got a photo of Margo from tonight’s coronation, via text message – thanks! – added it at left.) ADDED 9:54 PM: The Hi-Yu float went by our spot (by City Hall) a short time ago – here’s video:

11:48 PM: Adding some more video, as promised. Here are the Pathfinder K-8 unicyclists flying by:

And here’s new Seafair First Princess Margo Femiano, riding in the parade:

Margo was Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu for 2008-2009; because Miss Seafair candidates have a busy schedule, as do members of Hi-Yu royalty, Miss Hi-Yu isn’t in the Miss Seafair competition until the summer after her reign ends (Margo was crowned in 2008; she crowned her Hi-Yu successor, Georgia Mitchell, in 2009; and Georgia in turn just crowned her successor, Kelsey Bills, last Monday – Georgia will be Hi-Yu’s contender for Miss Seafair next year).

West Seattle Hi-Yu: Miss Seafair rep’s awards; reception thanks

(Margo Femiano in last Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade; photo by Mark Hewitt)
Two West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival updates: First, tomorrow’s the big night for Margo Femiano, who represents Hi-Yu in the Miss Seafair competition, which ends with the coronation along the Torchlight Parade route tomorrow night downtown. (Margo was Miss Hi-Yu 2009; the queen represents the festival in Miss Seafair the summer after her reign, because that program has too many commitments/appearances for concurrent participation.) And even ahead of tomorrow night, she’s a winner, according to info from Tim and Carol Winston of Hi-Yu: Margo won four scholarships at this week’s Seafair Commodores Princess Awards Banquet at Salty’s on Alki: The Commodores/Seattle Kiwanis Interview Award, 25 percent of the Miss Seafair score, $900 scholarship; Commodores Public Speaking Award (10 percent of the score), $400; second place in the Banner Bank Academic Award (20 percent of the score), $900; and – this one doesn’t count toward the title – one of five recipients of $1,000 from the Seattle Jaycees Miss Community Service Awards. Tomorrow night’s coronation will be at the Westlake grandstand for the Torchlight Parade, 7:30 pm – if you don’t happen to be watching from there in person, you can see it on Channel 7 TV (or streamed at kirotv.com), and we’ll publish a quick update too.

Meantime, there’s a followup to the big day last Saturday – with not only Hi-Yu participation in the American Legion Post 160 West Seattle Grand Parade, but also a “visiting court” reception beforehand – read on for Hi-Yu’s public thanks to those who made it possible: Click to read the rest of West Seattle Hi-Yu: Miss Seafair rep’s awards; reception thanks…

Your new Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, just crowned: Kelsey Bills

(All photos by Cliff DesPeaux; here, Queen Kelsey is in red dress at center, Princess Victoria two to the left of her in blue, Princess Rosemarie two to the right of her in aqua)
ORIGINAL 9:32 PM REPORT: Just crowned onstage at the West Seattle High School Theater: Queen Kelsey Bills and Princesses Victoria Ferrulli and Rosemarie Unite. (added – video of the announcements)

(All video by Tracy Record)
The two-and-a-half-hour pageant was the culmination of several judging sessions – the performance and speaking rounds tonight counted for 25 percent of the score. But the program featured much more, including performances by the outgoing Senior Court and Junior Court members, greetings from visiting past Hi-Yu royalty (including Funky Jane’s owner Angela Nichols, whose daughter Taylor Nichols is the newly crowned Junior Court Queen, 20 years after Angela was on the Senior Court):

The audience also heard from the current Miss Seafair (‘for five more days!” she smiled) and Margo Femiano, the 2008-2009 Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu who’s representing WS in this year’s Miss Seafair program – we’ll find out next Saturday night, before the Torchlight Parade, how she does!

Special scholarship-award winners, revealed just before the Queen and Princesses: Academic Achievement, Community Service, Creative Expression, Miss Congeniality Awards, all went to Victoria Ferrulli; Entrepreneurial and Technology Awards, both to Rosemarie Unite; Director’s Award, Kelsey Porter; Spirit of Hi-Yu and Hi-Yu Alumni Awards, both to Kelsey Bills; Athletic Leadership Award, Melanie Frey.

ADDED: More video, photos and details from the coronation – see it all ahead: Click to read the rest of Your new Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, just crowned: Kelsey Bills…

Who will be the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu? Be there tonight!

(WS Grand Parade photo by Rhonda Porter; Senior Court candidates rode in convertibles)
If you’ve been to any of West Seattle’s big events this summer, you’ve seen them: The five young women vying to be the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, usually in their white-on-red Hi-Yu polo shirts. Since their introduction two and a half months ago, the have been appearing at events, helping raise money by selling Hi-Yu buttons and promoting the festival. Tonight, at the Hi-Yu Senior Court Coronation, we find out which of the five will become the next Queen and Princesses, not only representing Hi-Yu, but also representing West Seattle as the float travels to events around the region. You are invited to the coronation program tonight at West Seattle High School Theater, 7 pm. Click ahead for photos we took of the candidates as they prepared to ride in the West Seattle Grand Parade this past Saturday – and for a bit more info about tonight’s event:

Click to read the rest of Who will be the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu? Be there tonight!…

West Seattle Hi-Yu: Community brunch today, 9 am-noon

(West Seattle Grand Parade 2010 photo by Creighton Yost)
ORIGINAL 6:59 AM PREVIEW: At the height of Hi-Yu, the day after the West Seattle festival’s float, royalty and volunteers got to show their stuff for the hometown crowd, they’re inviting you to come have brunch with them today. The annual West Seattle Hi-Yu Community Brunch is 9 am-noon this morning, at a different location this year – Alki UCC Church (6112 SW Hinds; here’s a map) – particularly convenient if you’re going to Day 2 of the Alki Art Fair (10 am-6 pm; live-music schedule here). Brunch is $6 adults/$3 kids. Among other things, the community brunch is your last chance to wish the candidates luck before tomorrow night’s coronation (you’re invited to that too – 7 pm Monday, West Seattle High School Theater – and advance tickets should be on sale at today’s brunch).

10:30 PM UPDATE: We just dropped in to check on how the brunch is going. Hi-Yu’s Carol Winston told us that as of just after 10 am, they’d already served about 50 people!

Video: West Seattle Big Band @ Hi-Yu Concert in the Park 2010

ORIGINAL ‘HAPPENING NOW’ REPORT AT 7:49 PM: We’re at Hiawatha Community Center’s east lawn with a triple-digit crowd for the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park, in what one concertgoer just described as “perfect” weather – not hot, not cool. The West Seattle Big Band is still in the first half of its set, with selections from legendary composers including Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker, and vocalist Elizabeth Hott guesting on classics like “When I Fall in Love” and “Fever.” Shortly, the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards will be presented, and the audience will get to hear from West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty and candidates too, with more WSBB music after that. (Hi-Yu contingent photo added later – this was just steps away from West Seattle High School, where the new Senior Court will be coronated Monday night)

Still lots of time to wander over here if you have the chance, bring a blanket or chair, there’s lots of room on the lawn – and the show’s free. P.S. One Hi-Yu note – new location for the Community Brunch this Sunday morning, Alki UCC, 9 am-noon. More later on the concert and the awards presentation! ADDED 11:11 PM: One sample of tonight’s great music from the WS Big Band:

You can catch the WS Big Band playing Hiawatha again later this summer – they’re the sixth and final act in the Admiral Neighborhood Association Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (co-sponsored by WSB), which starts a week from Thursday (July 29) – the WSBB plays on Sept. 2. Meanwhile, photos of the volunteers honored tonight will be in a separate story.

Tomorrow: Celebrate volunteers during Hi-Yu Concert in the Park

That’s our photo from last year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park, featuring not only the fabulous West Seattle Big Band but also the official celebration of the first West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Award winners (WSB July 2009 coverage here). Another group was honored during the West Seattle Junction Tree Lighting last holiday season (WSB December 2009 coverage here), and now the third group of honorees will be celebrated tomorrow night, when it’s Hi-Yu Concert in the Park time again! BYO chairs/blankets to the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center for great WSBB music and a chance to cheer/applaud superstar volunteers who help keep our community humming. If you missed the announcement last Thursday night, here’s the latest honoree list again:

Community award – Dennis Ross, longtime activist/advocate in the Admiral neighborhood

Youth award – Arthea and Ronda Barber, volunteers at Highland Park Elementary School

Environment award – Scott Blackstock, volunteer caretaker for Roxhill Bog/Park

Group award – Furry Faces Foundation, animal advocates and providers of compassionate assistance for animals’ human companions

The West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards are sponsored by the Delridge and Southwest District Councils and WSB, with nominations by YOU; nominees are reviewed, and winners chosen, by a group of reps from the district councils. Join us all at Hiawatha tomorrow night, 7 pm (the concert, as always, is free).

2010-2011 West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court crowned at Hiawatha

From left, Princess Riley Fredricks, Queen Taylor Nichols, and Princess Kaitlin Lindell – your new West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Junior Court, coronated this afternoon during the Fun Fest at Hiawatha Community Center (which continues till 3 pm, by the way – pix of that, later). The new queen is the daughter of Angela Nichols, who runs Funky Jane’s in The Junction:

(With proud mom Angela, that’s Junior Court organizer Diane Szender at left, official Hi-Yu photographer Joanne Murray at right.) Queen Taylor and Princess Kaitlin are both 10-year-old Holy Rosary School students; Princess Riley is 11 and going into Madison Middle School. Today’s event included, as is traditional, greetings from the previous Junior Court – Princess Kaitlin Morgan, Queen Kailin Jo Alexander Spencer, and Princess Isabella Carufel – in the next photo with all eight of today’s candidates (the other contenders were Issabella Brown, Sadie Botuchis, Katie Taisey, Alina Guyon, and Madison Milojevich):

The 2009-2010 Junior Court also performed a short dance routine to the Hall & Oates oldie “You Make My Dreams Come True,” apropos to this year’s Hi-Yu theme, “Dreams Do Come True.” Three of this year’s Senior Court candidates appeared as well – from left, Victoria Ferrulli, Rosemarie Unite and Kelsey Porter:

And from the current Senior Court, from left, Princess Veronica Pupava and Queen Georgia Mitchell:

Afterward, photo op for everyone – today’s emcees, past Hi-Yu royalty, joined them – at left, Veronica Szender; at right, Danica Tongol:

The Senior Court coronation, an evening event, is coming up a week from Monday – 7 pm July 26 at West Seattle High School Theater. But before then, you’ll get to see the Hi-Yu contingent in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade (which many still call the Hi-Yu Parade), which rolls down California SW from SW Lander (Lafayette/Safeway) to Edmunds (south end of the main Junction business district) starting at 11 am Saturday, July 24, just one week from tomorrow – more about the parade in the next few days (we’re excited to be in it again this year too).

Extra time for girls to apply for West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court

A summer day in the life of a West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court queen or princess – On the 4th of July, we photographed Queen Kailin and Princesses Isabella and Kaitlin at the Admiral Kids’ Parade in the morning, and then again at the Burien Independence Day Parade in the afternoon. And that’s just part of the fun. Hi-Yu leaders tell WSB they’ve extended the deadline for girls to apply to be on the next Junior Court: You now have till July 13th – that’s next Tuesday. If you’re interested, you can e-mail Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn at dbmahn@comcast.net and she’ll reply with all the info you need (or if you’re interested in downloading the application right now, you can get it here. Plus, you’ll find application forms at the Hi-Yu booth at West Seattle Summer Fest this Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Qualifications, you ask? Ages 8-11 by September, and must live and/or attend school in West Seattle. Apply by Tuesday, and there won’t be too much suspense – coronation is the following Friday, July 16th.

West Seattleites in Burien parade – but wait! Santa Claus?

We’ve never covered the Burien 4th of July Parade before, but we heard about enough West Seattle participation that we headed down for a few photos. Before we get to the West Seattleites – we had to start this off with the guest appearance by Santa Claus. Who could be more appropriate on a rainy, chilly holiday, summer or not? Now, on with the West Seattleites. First, the much-acclaimed West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float and its entourage:

Then, the political participants – First, the 34th District Democrats (whose turf includes Burien, though the main monthly meetings are usually in WS):

Now, the candidates – in our candid shot from the staging area, that’s State Sen. Joe McDermott (who’s running for County Council) at left, a West Seattleite as is Marcee Stone (running for State House Pos. 2) next to him, and at right, Rep. Sharon Nelson (from Maury Island), who’s running unopposed for the Senate seat McDermott is leaving:

Also from the State House Position 2 race – West Seattleite Mike Heavey:

And Burien resident Joe Fitzgibbon:

We didn’t see the 4th candidate in the race, West Seattle entrepreneur Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy, there (if we missed him – our apologies!). We did see one of McDermott’s three County Council opponents, West Seattleite Diana Toledo — we had a photo of her marching, but her campaign just sent this one with Seafair Pirates right after the parade:

Toledo marched in the Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade earlier in the day. If we missed any of the other County Council candidates, Shawn McEvoy or Tim Fahey, again, forgive us. (P.S. With the August 17th election nearing, we start in-depth coverage Tuesday – we’ve sat down recently to talk with each of the four candidates in the House race, for starters, and you’ll see a story a day, Tuesday through Friday.) One more parade participant of West Seattle note:

That’s a RapidRide bus – of the variety we’ll supposedly see here in about two years. In case you want a better look, we’re checking to see if it’ll be part of the big West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade on July 24th. ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Thanks to Mark for sharing this photo of another West Seattleite in the parade:

Mark photographed West Seattleite Bruce Hart in wife Stacie’s new MINI Cooper, adding, “Bruce and Stacie are part of the Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club, which participated in the parade for the fourth straight year. The club annually escorts Burien Rotary Club dignitaries. Bruce also has a MINI, which was in the parade and being driven by a relative.”

White Rose night for West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty, hopefuls, alumnae

(From the WSB Flickr group: This year’s Hi-Yu Senior Court contenders, photographed by Rhonda)
A special night for the quintet of current West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court candidates, as well as Hi-Yu royalty past and present, as the Order of the White Rose reception filled Fauntleroy Church‘s fellowship hall. Beach Drive Blog was there. This year’s Senior Court coronation is coming up July 26; 10 days before then, the Junior Court is chosen, and there’s still time for interested girls to apply – July 12 is the application deadline, and the forms can be found here.