(scroll down for the latest photos and ongoing updates)

(Summer Fest organizing gurus with West Seattle Farmers’ Market flowers
West Seattle Summer Fest is scheduled till 7 pm today – and while it’s off to a showery start, you know how fast the weather can change around here. One big reason to come today: Support the organizations and businesses that make West Seattle a great place to be. Dozens of groups are having raffles, selling T-shirts and providing other offers to entice you to help them get the $ to do what they need to do. And some are there to get the word out about big events ahead – like WestSide Baby‘s Stuff the Bus diaper drive (which WSB is proud to co-sponsor this year), just one week from today! Bring an umbrella – or wait a while till things change (we see a break in the clouds to the southwest) – see you there.

12:35 PM UPDATE: The sun has JUST come out! Lt. Ron Smith from the Southwest Precinct is supervising police here again today and just told us a great story – Somebody lost their spine at the Street Fair and has just been reunited with it. It started late last night when security guards spotted someone on the run with one of those plastic spines that chiropractors set up in their booths. The guy dropped the spine and kept running. The folks at West 5 took the spine under their wing, so to speak, and kept it till someone came looking for it today. And now – the lost spine and its owner are reunited. More common for police to be reuniting lost kids with parents here – although last night a service dog and its owner got separated, and you’ve never seen someone so happy as the owner on the way to the reunion. A West 5 side note – out front, you’ll find a booth selling items including these popular “West Seattle … More Cowbell” T-shirts:

12:51 PM UPDATE: We were asked on Facebook (find us there as WS Blog) if the bouncy toys in the kid zone are open despite the rain. Short answer – yes. They’ll be closed in case of MASSIVE downpour, or lightning, or high wind, but right now, open, and lots of kids are sporting rain gear. We wanted to add a thanks here – to the folks who’ve kept us hydrated during three days of tabling – including the Fresh Bistro team, which has been selling KILLER strawberry lavender lemonade at the booth just south of us, where they’re co-housed with Mural Apartments (WSB sponsor) — and Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor). Lots more candidate sightings already today, by the way – including Mike McGinn, the Seattle mayoral candidate co-endorsed by the 34th District Democrats this past week (along with Mayor Nickels, who we haven’t seen yet, though that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been here):

Supporter Christi Stapleton says they’re planning to set up a silk-screening station here shortly for people to bring their own T-shirts and get McGinn logos added to them. Also spotted, City Council candidate David Bloom:

He’s running for the same council position for which the 34th District Democrats co-endorsed Sally Bagshaw, who’s here today for the second consecutive day, and Dorsol Plants, who was also here yesterday.

1:51 PM: The crowd has REALLY picked up. West Seattle Farmers’ Market is wrapping up for the day shortly but we had some interesting sightings there too – like Kimberly Johnsen with live crabs from Quil Bay Seafood:

And your food options continue to be plentiful. Melody shares a photo of Isabella Sarkies with a giant slice of pizza from Talarico’s:

3 PM: As mentioned even before Summer Fest began, this is a big weekend for Junction Plaza Park – it’s getting a share of the proceeds from the beer garden at the park site (which we’re told did especially well on Friday night in connection with the nearby Mudhoney concert) and donations in several collection boxes – including one here at the center tent (California). One very young donor collected up all her spare change and decided to give it to the park – her name is Sophia and she got a boost up to the donation slot courtesy of Erica Karlovits, president of Junction Neighborhood Organization, who’s here as a volunteer for Friends of Junction Plaza Park:

When it comes to youth in action, some may be a little too young to volunteer – so they’re just having fun. Here’s video of Nathan (who incidentally is the son of Seattle’s Poet Populist Mike Hickey and his humor writer/photographer wife Mona), puddle-jumping around noon, just a few feet from our side of the big central JUNCTION/PARK/INFORMATION/SURVEY tent:

3:48 PM: Some kids are here with candidates – who happen to be their parents – like Sydney, who’s campaigning with dad Marty Kaplan, who’s in the City Council race with Nick Licata and Jessie Israel (who are the 34th District Democrats’ co-endorsees):

4:11 PM: We mentioned this on Facebook and Twitter but didn’t get a chance to add it here till now – West Seattle High School cheerleaders were raffling off a barbecue over at TrueValue – they were only there till 4, though:

4:21 PM: Just started raining again. Hope it’ll be shortlived. Folks are fleeing for cover and/or umbrellas at the moment.

4:35 PM: However, it’s not dampening spirits. Big crowd watching a dance troupe between us and the Alaska Stage. We’ll be adding video of that and of the downpour. The rain’s lightened now and more people have resumed walking around. (added 5 pm – here’s that video)

(added 6:43 pm – the downpour from two hours ago, looking toward Easy Street)

4:52 PM: Green Pajamas has started its set on the Alaska Stage, as scheduled.
(here’s video, added 9:14 pm)

Summer Fest continues till 7. Right by our tent, Easy Street Records just announced low-low-low prices on its sidewalk/tent sale, some items as low as $1.

5:31 PM: More candidate sightings – Norman Sigler, who’s running for mayor:

David Miller, City Council candidate co-endorsed by the 34th District Democrats along with Robert Rosencrantz:

6:24 PM: 35 minutes left in Summer Fest – definitely quieter but the music’s still going. Overall, even though the crowd was bigger (particularly during the Friday-Saturday sunshine), police tell us things have been relatively quiet. The booths are technically open till 7 (we’re here till then) but the packing-up process has definitely begun at some we just walked past. Time to start looking ahead to some of next week’s big events – starting with the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park next Tuesday (7 pm, Hiawatha, with the West Seattle Big Band, free, bring a blanket and/or chairs, and help us celebrate the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition recipients!) — and more along the way, with next weekend’s highlights including the West Seattle Grand Parade presented by American Legion Post 160 at 11 am Saturday (preceded by the Kiddies Parade – presented by the Rotary Club of West Seattle – at 10:30 am, all kids welcome to participate, gather at Genesee and California), the Alki Car Show all day Saturday, and the West Seattle Garden Tour all day Sunday ($15/person with kids 12 and under free, find out at westseattlegardentour.com where to get your tickets).

6:49 PM: Junior Member of the Team got a few closing shots – a booth wrapping up, and a young climber who wasn’t going to pass up one last chance to head for the top:

6:55 PM: With five minutes to go, the biggest question: How soon till cars are allowed through The Junction right now? We’re getting the answer from Lt. Smith and his team right this moment … Answer: Technically the streets are posted closed till midnight, but Lt. Smith says, “They’ll open sooner if they’re ready to.”

ADDED LATE SUNDAY NIGHT: Video of the last announcement of the festival – the guy outside Easy Street with a megaphone (and a siren):