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Southwest Artist Showcase time! Bring your art to the library starting Tuesday
September 29, 2023 9:30 am
|    Comments Off on Southwest Artist Showcase time! Bring your art to the library starting Tuesday
 |   West Seattle libraries | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB file photo – an entry from 2018 showcase, on display at SW Library)

A fall tradition is returning, and the Southwest Library invites you to participate. Here’s the announcement:

In 2023, the Southwest Artist Showcase is back for its 31st year! This free, month-long event at the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library features artists from all over Southwest Seattle. We welcome submissions from people of all ages and experience levels.

The showcase is a non-juried, non-profit art exhibit. All artists who identify as West and Southwest Seattle residents are invited to submit up to 2 pieces of art. Artwork will be accepted Tuesday, October 3 through Thursday, October 5 only and will be on display at the Southwest Branch from Saturday, October 7 through Saturday, November 4. Artwork will not be offered for sale at the Library. All works must be picked up by 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 11.

To view the Showcase, visit the Southwest Branch during open hours from Saturday, October 7 – Saturday, November 4 to view the art displayed throughout the branch.

Please note that some works may not be included if their size or construction prevents their effective display in the library. Library staff will determine the placement and display of each piece, and artwork will not be moved once it has been placed.

For more information about the Southwest Artist Showcase, please visit spl.org/southwestartistshowcase or call the Southwest Branch at 206-684-7455.

Branch hours, for dropping off and/or viewing art, can be found here.

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No, that was NOT the West Seattle troll on a truck!
September 15, 2023 10:05 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Shannon for the photo – and to John for the first word via a comment with a screengrab of the ferry-dock camera! That was NOT “our” troll being trucked out of West Seattle this morning – it was the future Ballard troll, after arriving via ferry from Vashon Island. It will be placed at the National Nordic Museum for an unveiling on Monday – the last of the six trolls that artist Thomas Dambo is placing around the Northwest.

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Signups open for West Seattle writer’s free youth program ‘Write YOUR Story’
September 7, 2023 9:10 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   South Park | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Back-to-school time is also afterschool-activity time. Here’s an opportunity: West Seattle writer Julia Douthwaite Viglione is organizing another free “Write YOUR Story” series. She asked us to share this announcement:

Write YOUR Story now enrolling for Fall 2023!

Free writing workshop for people ages 8—12, on Tuesday evenings 6:30 pm —7:30 pm, in the Concord Elementary School cafeteria space! Concord International Elementary, 723 S. Concord St. (South Park).

A semester-long program of twelve (12) meetings from Tuesday September 26, 2023, to Tuesday December 12, 2023, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. By enrollment, limit: 12.

We will read two beautifully illustrated classics of world literature, vote on our favorite plot, then rewrite it and illustrate our story together. Every child receives a copy of our book at the end, in color and spiral bound!

Fall 2023 TRICKSTERS! Books we will read:

Gerald McDermott, Papagayo the Mischief Maker, about a parrot of the Amazon rain forest who helps the other jungle creatures learn to make noise without fear.

Charles Perrault, Puss in Boots, the story as it was originally told in the 1670s, in France, of a trickster cat and his lucky owner.

Write YOUR Story is a free program offered by West Seattle writers who love to share their passion for good stories and the creative process. Established in 2012 in South Bend, IN, “We read, we write, and we have a lot of fun.” jdouthwa.wixsite.com/writeyourstory1

To enroll, contact Ms. Julia, at juliawsea@gmail.com

Hope to see you this fall! — Julia Douthwaite Viglione, PhD, Shepherd Siegel, PhD, and the Write Your Story team

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THEATER: New ArtsWest season opens this week with ‘Matt & Ben’
September 4, 2023 11:56 am
|    Comments Off on THEATER: New ArtsWest season opens this week with ‘Matt & Ben’
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

On this Labor Day, we have news from West Seattle’s professional, non-profit theater ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), where more than 100 local artists are employed each year. The 2023-2024 season – themed “Sometimes I Dream …” – begins with “Matt & Ben,” written by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers, directed by Zenaida Rose Smith. ArtsWest’s announcement explains:

… Matt & Ben serves as a perfectly funny introduction to a season that explores how different people pursue their dreams and promises audiences a refreshing way to end their summer. … Matt & Ben is a witty and irreverent play that reimagines the lives of Hollywood’s beloved bro-buddies, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, in the 1990s, just before they skyrocketed to fame. In a hilarious twist, Kaling and Withers wrote the roles for female-presenting performers. Seattle actors Nabilah Ahmed and Jacquelyn Miedema will portray the two Oscar-winning actors as they navigate fame, friendship, and the fateful script that would eventually become “Good Will Hunting.”

ArtsWests artistic director Mathew Wright calls it a “biting and brilliant comedy about celebrity and the Hollywood dream.” After a preview performance at 7:30 pm Wednesday (September 6th), “Matt & Ben” will continue at 7:30 pm Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 3 pm Sundays, through October 1st. You can get tickets online by going here.

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WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Children’s Moonlight Festival shines at Vietnamese Cultural Center
September 3, 2023 8:12 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center was brightly decorated this afternoon for one of the most festive occasions of fall, Tết Nhi Đồng, the Children’s Moonlight Festival. It drew a sizable crowd of all ages:

While a lion dance and martial-arts demonstration were part of the afternoon, kids’ activities were the centerpiece:

Young participants got lanterns for a parade around the center’s North Delridge grounds before the festival wrapped up. Never been to the Cultural Center? In addition to special occasions like this, it’s open most Saturdays for the general public to visit.

ADDED: Thanks to Lynda Bui with the Cultural Center for video of the lion dance:

Vovinam Martial Arts from Burien performed the lion dance as well as the martial-arts demonstration, while artist Rick Klu did face-painting.

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RETURNING: Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park
September 2, 2023 8:57 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   South Park | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo from 2019 Fiestas Patrias parade)

Before summer officially ends, another tradition will return for the first time in four years – the Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park. Sea-Mar Community Health Centers present the parade, and a weekend-long festival at Seattle Center, as a celebration of Latin American culture, and two weeks from today will bring the first parade since 2019. You can watch along 14th Avenue South (Henderson north to Cloverdale) or South Cloverdale Street (14th west to 8th, where the parade ends at the community center) starting at 11 am Saturday, September 16th.

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SINGERS: Join the Boeing Employees Choir – no matter who you work for – and travel to Greece!
September 1, 2023 8:01 pm
|    Comments Off on SINGERS: Join the Boeing Employees Choir – no matter who you work for – and travel to Greece!
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

The Boeing Employees Choir, which rehearses in West Seattle, is inviting potential new members to come to their rehearsals starting later this month. Thie choir has a big trip planned, too. Here’s the announcement sent to us to share with you:

We are planning a 2-week concert tour of Greece in late September 2024 and are recruiting new members from the West Seattle area. Come to an open rehearsal at the American Legion Hall on 3618 SW Alaska Street on Tuesday evenings (6:30 – 9:00 pm) to see if you’d like to join and schedule an easy audition. Open rehearsals run Tuesday 9/12/23 through 10/10/23. Historically made up of Boeing employees and their families, we have opened membership to the public, sharing our love of music and cheer in numerous concerts throughout the year, especially during the Christmas holidays. Suggested dues are $150/semester. Sign up in September to ensure your spot on our tour! For questions, email president@boeingchoir.org.

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FOLLOWUP: Bruun Idun, the West Seattle troll, now online too
August 30, 2023 2:18 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, Sunday evening)

We went back to visit Bruun Idun, the giant troll newly installed at Lincoln Park by artist Thomas Dambo with private funding and volunteer help, and have been watching for her to turn up on the Northwest Trolls website. Today, she’s there, along with the full poem that Dambo debuted at the troll-“unveiling” event Friday (WSB coverage here). She’s now also on the worldwide map of Dambo’s trolls. Bruun Idun (Idun, pronounced like Eden, in short) is the third of six he’s installing around the Northwest; the first two are in Portland and on Bainbridge Island, and the next three will be introduced in Issaquah this weekend and on Vashon Island and in Ballard in mid-September. (If you haven’t been to see Bruun Idun yet, she’s right behind Colman Pool.)

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MEET WEST SEATTLE’S TROLL: Bruun Idun unveiled at Lincoln Park
August 25, 2023 4:17 pm
|      35 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

4:17 PM: At an invitation-only (but crowded) event under way right now, West Seattle’s troll Bruun Idun has just been “unveiled.”

As we first reported back in June, with a followup when troll-building began last week, this is one of six trolls that Danish artist Thomas Dambo is making from recycled materials and installing around the Northwest – first one was in Portland, then Bainbridge Island, now West Seattle (still to come are Issaquah, Vashon Island, and Ballard). Now that it’s been completed, its location at Lincoln Park has been revealed – right behind Colman Pool, where volunteers were still working to complete it this morning:

We took that photo after hiking in for a scheduled chance to talk briefly with the artist:

We also met John “Coyote” Halliday, a Muckleshoot Tribe artist who is contributing decorations to the troll, made primarily from bark and shells.

More photos and info to come – including the troll’s story (Dambo told us it’s meant to be “singing to the orcas”) – when we’re back from the event!

7:06 PM: Turns out Bruun Idun (“Idun” for short – pronounced like “Eden”) is playing a flute with a song for the orcas. Each troll has a poem, and Dambo read part of this one at the podium, including the line, “She played for them the orca song, to ask them where they all had gone.” Artist Coyote, meantime, explained that his creations are adorning Bruun Idun’s flute. He and Dambo had an “artist exchange” as part of this, including a visit by Coyote to Denmark, where he painted a killer whale on Dambo’s house. He and Dambo also exchanged gifts today.

This is all shown in our video of the program, which was emceed by Visit Seattle‘s Tracey Wickersham – a West Seattleite.
Guest speakers included Mayor Bruce Harrell, who talked with the artist before everyone moved to the portable podium:

The program began with a song by the Muckleshoot canoe family.

As underscored by the listing of partnerships at the end, this was a privately funded project. More information about Bruun Idun should appear soon on the nwtrolls.org website, as it has for the Portland troll Ole Bolle and the Bainbridge troll Pia. Dambo said this all was intended to happen a few years ago, but the pandemic interrupted the timeline. He has installed 121 “environmental sculptures” around the world and has more on the drawing board – even as this one was being built, he flew briefly to Austin, Texas, for meetings about a series planned next year.

P.S. As explained in our earlier interview with the artist – video above – no, they are NOT left to decompose; at some point the site host (Seattle Parks for this one) will decide when to dismantle it and recycle its components.

(Editor’s note: Troll’s name corrected post-publication to reflect that Bruun Idun is two words, not one as originally reported)

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Founder of West Seattle’s Stage Struck youth-theater program soon to take ‘Final Bow’
August 20, 2023 11:11 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The end of the summer will be the end of an era for youth theater in West Seattle.

After one last round of summer theater camps, Laura Drake is retiring, and turning over her Stage Struck program to a new owner (who’s expected to give it a new name).

She’s hoping to catch up with former Stage Struck families for a “final bow” party at 8 pm September 1st, after the last summer-show performance.

It’s been a monumental run. She’s produced 180 shows between 2001 and 2023, both after-school and summer-camp productions. She started Stage Struck in the basement of Admiral Church, and currently works in the fellowship hall at Fauntleroy Church, where the walls are currently decorated with photo montages from all those shows over all those years.

Drake – who has an extensive performing background – says she launched Stage Struck, with partners, as a “49-year-old single mom” hoping to bring in some extra income; she became interested in classroom teaching, too, and went back to school for a certificate. She subsequently taught at both Highland Park Elementary and Arbor Heights Elementary until retiring from Seattle Public Schools five years ago. But even while teaching, “summers were always full” with eight or nine 2-week Stage Struck camps.

Fauntleroy Church has been the ideal home for the program, she says, not just because of the stage – to which lighting and other features have been added over the years – but because of other rooms in the building where instruction and practice can go on. Drake explains that Stage Struck production have rotating casts, so each production has multiple students per role. Another unique facet of her program has been learning and exploration adjunct to the production – performing “The Lion King” was an opportunity to explore African music and dance, for example. And the productions have always featured live musicians. This year, they’ve been doing two longtime favorites – “Annie” and “Grease” – and two “Best Of” shows.

Over the years, Drake says, she’s worked with so many students that “I run into ‘Stage Struck’ kids everywhere!” Many of the teachers who’ve worked in the program “came up as alums, she adds. The new owner, a member of her staff, plans to rebrand it, likely as Lights Up! But in the meantime, for Drake, it’ll be curtain down at summer’s end: “It’s been great.”

P.S. If you’re a Stage Struck alum interested in the “Final Bow” party on September 1st, or reconnecting before then, you can reach Drake via stagestruckseattle@gmail.com.

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MUSIC: Fall registration open for Endolyne Children’s Choir
August 17, 2023 9:09 am
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 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

As the start of school approaches, so does the start of fall activities, including music! Endolyne Children’s Choir asked us to share this announcement:

Calling all young voices in West Seattle! Embark on a musical journey with Endolyne Children’s Choir this Fall.

Unleash your inner star as we harmonize, uplift, and create unforgettable melodies together. Dive into the world of music theory and fine-tune your performance skills, all while immersing yourself in an atmosphere of fun and community.

We’re thrilled to introduce the latest additions to our esteemed teaching staff: the gifted Clara Dorst and the talented Dylan Petersen. Under the expert guidance of music director Megan Booth, this dynamic trio is set to orchestrate an unforgettable experience for our singers.

Mark your calendars – registration is open until August 28th. Secure your spot now and let your voice soar with Endolyne Children’s Choir!

The registration page has more details, including registration schedules.

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle will meet its troll soon
August 16, 2023 8:18 pm
|      73 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

That photo from Portland was shared by a WSB reader who was there last weekend as the first installation in the series “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King“ was unveiled. (The troll’s name is Olebolle.) As previewed here back in June, one of the other five trolls by Danish artist Thomas Dambo is being installed at West Seattle’s Lincoln Park. And work is under way, according to the readers who have deluged the WSB inbox with sightings. One of the volunteers working on the site sent this photo.

As explained in the original announcement, the trolls – like dozens Danbo has installed around the world – are being built with used/recycled materials – mostly wooden pallets. The West Seattle site is adorned with signs explaining what’s going on:

Despite this happening in a very public place, where hundreds if not thousands have seen it already, the privately funded project coordinated by the Scan Design Foundation is trying to keep a bit of mystery, so we’re not going to be the ones to spoil it for you – as the sign says, the “grand reveal” is just nine days away. As the construction continues, the volunteer who emailed us advises, “Follow the sound of power tools and hammers.” The other four, after ours and Portland’s, are planned for Ballard, Issaquah, and Vashon and Bainbridge Islands; the schedules are on the artist’s Instagram feed, including a peek at the one that’s almost complete on Bainbridge.

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BOOKS: Concert photographer Steve Schneider signing ‘First Three Songs’ at Easy Street on Thursday
August 15, 2023 8:12 pm
|    Comments Off on BOOKS: Concert photographer Steve Schneider signing ‘First Three Songs’ at Easy Street on Thursday
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

From the Grateful Dead to Neil Young to Nirvana and beyond, concert photographer Steve Schneider has photographed a half-century of music history. He’s turned much of it into a “coffee-table book” that he’ll be signing at Easy Street Records this Thursday night (August 17th). Here’s how the book is described in the announcement of its publication:

This $60 hardbound book has 220 pages of concert images with 350 photos from five decades of live music, and is printed on archival acid-free matte paper. The book features images of the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, the Rolling Stones, and many others. Ten of the concerts featured — including shows by David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Neil Young, and Willie Nelson — ones where Schneider was the only photographer with access.

The title comes from some acts’ directive that photographers only shoot the first three songs, but many of the best images in The First Three Songs are from when Schneider pushed around that. A shot of the Grateful Dead at the closing of the legendary San Francisco club Winterland in 1978 was taken at 5:30 in the morning. “This was back in the days of film, and I had saved just a few frames for when they would end,” Schneider recalled. “They started on at midnight, but I saved enough to capture their good-bye early in the morning.” The Grateful Dead liked the image enough that it was used on a CD and DVD of the event, and it ended the film of the event. The band signed a copy of a 1977 New Year’s photo from the same location in Winterland. They also gave Bill Walton a 20” x 30” signed copy of the same photo.

Schneider worked for multiple news services, and created images that the announcement says “have appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines,” adding that “the book also serves as a document of how concert photography is transformed with the development of digital photography, and when bands began to light their stage for video.” Thursday’s signing is set for 6 pm to 8 pm; if somehow you haven’t been to Easy Street, it’s on the northwest corner of California/Alaska in the heart of The Junction. (If you can’t get to the event but would like to buy the book, you can buy it directly from Schneider online.)

P.S. You can read more about Schneider, his book, and his work in this Seattle Now and Then installment by West Seattle journalist/historian/author Clay Eals.

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RETURNING: Flutes in the Forest
August 10, 2023 9:36 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

(File photo, courtesy Flutes in the Forest)

Before we get to what’s up for today/tonight, here’s a “set your calendar” note – Flutes in the Forest is returning this year! Here’s the announcement we received to share with you:

FLUTES IN THE FOREST continues in 2023 with free outdoor classical music concerts. Enjoy the sounds of the JBC Rose Flute Trio on Saturday afternoon, August 19, from 2:00-3:00 pm in Schmitz Park. Jennie Goldberg, Barb Cotton, and Carolyn Hoppe-Denend will play classical music from various eras as well as arrangements of popular tunes.

Bring your own chair or blanket; stay as long as you’d like. Enter Schmitz Park off SW Admiral Way and SW Stevens Way. Walk the paved road 300 feet to the sound of flutes in the forest. Plenty of street parking along SW Stevens.

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THURSDAY TUNES: Three ‘Art of Music’ performances planned for August’s West Seattle Art Walk
August 8, 2023 3:55 pm
|    Comments Off on THURSDAY TUNES: Three ‘Art of Music’ performances planned for August’s West Seattle Art Walk
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

This Thursday brings the West Seattle Art Walk, accompanied again this month by The Art of Music, free performances at multiple local venues. Three this time — Epiphany of Time in The Junction in front of KeyBank (SW corner of California/Alaska), MoonGirl in the Admiral District at Soprano’s Antico Pizza and Pasta (2348 California SW), and Natalie Paige in Morgan Junction at Whisky West (6451 California SW). The performances are concurrent, all scheduled 6 pm to 7:45 pm. Find out more about the performers and shows by going here!

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FOLLOWUP: After Paddle to Muckleshoot landing on Alki, canoes departing
July 31, 2023 1:57 pm
|    Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: After Paddle to Muckleshoot landing on Alki, canoes departing
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

While the canoe families who arrived at Alki on the Journey to Muckleshoot have moved on to the host tribe’s community center for a week of around-the-clock protocol, most if not all of the canoes are heading home. Alki photographer David Hutchinson sent these three images, reporting, “When I checked around 11:30 AM today, there were still 34 tribal canoes on Alki Beach. They were in the process of leaving, with some being carried down the beach to the water and others being loaded onto boat trailers along Alki Ave.”

Some are/were paddled to Don Armeni Boat Ramp to be placed onto trailers there, as shown in one photo from our Sunday coverage.

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VIDEO, PHOTOS: Paddle to Muckleshoot canoe families arrive at Alki
July 30, 2023 11:31 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)

11:31 AM: The first canoe families are arriving at Alki Beach after leaving Suquamish following a two-night stay during the first Canoe Journey since before the pandemic, the Paddle to Muckleshoot. Up to 100 canoes are expected.

Lots of backstory in our preview published last night. Hundreds of people are here, lining the beach and seawall, as arriving canoe families ask and are granted permission to come ashore.

(4:14 pm note: The stream just concluded, but you should be able watch a recorded replay here)
1:04 PM: The live stream we mentioned last night continues, showing a member of each arriving canoe family making the request, and Muckleshoot members on shore welcoming them.

The speeches – given in both Native languages and English – have been poignant, as some have spoken of “so much loss these past few years,” primarily because of the pandemic. One said they had lost their skipper to COVID. But the exchanges also have been joyful as the hosts promise the visitors “We will sing, we will dance, we will feast together.”

That will happen at the Muckleshoot Community Center in Auburn, to which the visitors will be taken by shuttle bus.

First, canoes are carried out of the water, and are parked on the beach. Many also carry flags showing where they’re from.

The paddles tell stories too.

One skipper spoke with a bit of humor:

The list of participating canoe families is here. Some families have traveled in more than one canoe. Some canoes carried members of multiple Indigenous nations and cultures – we heard introductions mentioning Hawai’i, the Navajo Nation, even the Maori of New Zealand.

4 PM: The live stream is still going as a few last canoes arrive. Some also have asked for permission to send their canoes home – by trailer – once they land. (Added: Doug Eglington saw some departures from Don Armeni:)

Many remain on the Alki sand for now, as Jamie Kinney‘s photo shows:

One of the last arrivals carried people from Alaska and B.C. The woman who spoke for them to ask permission also said they had come to ask for help in healing the Earth: “The world is toxic … support us in protecting babies and moms.”

4:13 PM: Minutes later, the final arrival – the Muckleshoot’s own canoe family. Tribal chair Jaison Elkins welcomed them.

7:09 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos! These next three are from David Hutchinson:

And these two are from Theresa Arbow-O’Connor – note the fireboat in the background of the first photo:

P.S. We drove through Alki at sunset and saw many canoes remaining on the beach, so if you missed the chance to see them, some will certainly be there tomorrow. This map shows the routes and dates taken to get here.

(Photo by Rose De Dan)

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YOU CAN HELP: Books & Bricks Global benefit Sunday in West Seattle
July 29, 2023 3:43 pm
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Books & Bricks Global benefit Sunday in West Seattle
 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

You can make a difference thousands of miles away by showing up for an event tomorrow (Sunday, July 30th) here in West Seattle. It’s a “summer festival” fundraiser for Books & Bricks Global, with a concert by the band Tinkham Road, plus food and drink. It’s happening 4-6 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), and you can find more info here. Books & Bricks Global works to increase access to education for kids in Africa.

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VIDEO: Ranger & The Re-arrangers play out this year’s Summer Concerts @ Hiawatha
July 27, 2023 11:04 pm
|    Comments Off on VIDEO: Ranger & The Re-arrangers play out this year’s Summer Concerts @ Hiawatha
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos and video)

They danced, they talked, they picnicked. Concertgoers from babies to seniors filled the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center tonight for the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s third and final concert of the summer. This was a return for Ranger and The Re-arrangers, who characterize their music as “gypsy jazz.” Listen in:

Whatever you call it, this was perfect music for a mellow summer night.

The concert series, coordinated by Stephanie Jordan (with community co-sponsors including WSB), might be over, but the ANA has one more big summer-fun event ahead – the second annual Admiral Junction Funktion street party, set for 11 am-9 pm Saturday, August 26th, on California SW north of Admiral Way.

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THURSDAY: Summer Concerts at Hiawatha comeback-season finale
July 26, 2023 9:22 am
|    Comments Off on THURSDAY: Summer Concerts at Hiawatha comeback-season finale
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

That’s our video from 2019, when Ranger and The Re-Arrangers performed during the last pre-pandemic Summer Concerts at Hiawatha. This year, the Admiral Neighborhood Association brought the series back, and this band will be on stage Thursday night (July 27th) for the last of this year’s free shows. WSB has been a community co-sponsor of the series since its start more than a decade ago, so we’re reminding you today to get your chair, blanket, and picnic ready to take to the east lawn of Hiawatha (along Walnut south of Lander). Showtime tomorrow night is 6:30 pm.

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CANOE JOURNEY: Paddle to Muckleshoot this week, landing next weekend on Alki
July 23, 2023 4:32 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, July 2019)

That was the scene at Alki Beach in July 2019, the last year that tribes from around the region participated in a Canoe Journey. This year, the tradition has resumed, and the journey is ending on West Seattle shores because the Muckleshoot Tribe is this year’s host tribe. Canoe families are scheduled to arrive at Alki one week from today (Sunday, July 30th), according to the Paddle to Muckleshoot website. Participants will proceed from here by land to the Muckleshoot Community Center for a weeklong event. The Muckleshoot has a canoe family participating as well, with their journey starting today, as noted here. In all, 60 canoe families – including the Duwamish – are listed as participating.

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CONTINUING ALL WEEKEND: Alki Art Fair showcases coastal creativity
July 21, 2023 8:41 pm
|    Comments Off on CONTINUING ALL WEEKEND: Alki Art Fair showcases coastal creativity
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

The first day of this year’s Alki Art Fair has just wrapped up. We made it there in time to wander the booths in brilliant evening sunshine. Not only is the AAF located right on the shore of Puget Sound – along the Alki Beach promenade – it’s also full of sea-inspired creators, like Maq Martin, who we found in the Emerging Artists tent between the Bathhouse and Statue of Liberty Plaza:

Also there is Stacey Sterling, the artist who led the sea-life community mural-painting at West Seattle Summer Fest last weekend:

She said she worked with 125 people during her two days at Summer Fest! … Continuing the sea-life theme, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network volunteers are there to talk with you about what you might see on- and offshore;

Another local nonprofit, the Alki-based Southwest Seattle Historical Society, is there to talk with you about their work;

Lots of creative play opportunities for the youngest visitors, in the free play zone presented by Outer Space Seattle:

Music starts tomorrow (see the lineup here) but main-stage sponsor Canna West Culture Shop was there today, ready to talk with you about CBD:

You can also browse jewelry, apparel, handbag, many types and styles of creations. (See the full artist/creator/vendor list here.) Saturday’s hours are 10 am-6 pm for booths, music noon-7 pm: Sunday, 10 am-6 pm for booths, music 11 am-5 pm. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of the Alki Art Fair.)

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VIDEO: Double bill at season’s second Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented Summer Concert @ Hiawatha
July 20, 2023 10:20 pm
|    Comments Off on VIDEO: Double bill at season’s second Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented Summer Concert @ Hiawatha
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos, video)

Another idyllic night on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center, as the comeback season continues for the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s summer concert series. Tonight, a double bill – Midpak:

And the School of Rock:

So many student musicians on that part of the bill, we got a group pic too:

Next Thursday night (July 27th) at 6:30 pm, the ANA presents this year’s third and final concert, with Ranger and the Re-Arrangers. Free, everyone welcome, bring your own chair/blanket!

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