West Seattle Summer Fest day 2, report #2: Saturday afternoon!

(scroll down for the latest updates, including photos/video; morning coverage is here)

(Dancers from Momentum Dance Academy in Burien)
Things are truly jumping at West Seattle Summer Fest this afternoon. The Alaska stage next to our spot on the west side of the Information Booth has seen dancers and jump ropers just in the past half-hour – here’s our iPhone clip of the team from West Seattle-based Ropeworks, including proprietor Rene Bibaud, a five-time world champ:

All that followed up this morning’s wildly popular appearance by Caspar Babypants (you can see video in our morning report). This is our running afternoon coverage – more to come, with frequent updates this afternoon on what’s going on and what’s ahead! Vendors are open till 6, but the festival continues with music into the night, including the always-popular Street Dance.

1:45 PM UPDATE: While you’re here, don’t miss what’s a tiny bit off the beaten path.

Besides the free kids’ activities, for example, as mentioned in our morning report, under the Wells Fargo drive-thru roof (shady!), there’s the Community Groups area on SW Alaska east of the main festival zone – right now, besides the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs…

…you’ll also find information on the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network. Then if you head south in California, just off to the west side of the south end of the festival zone, you’ll find the GreenLife gardening/sustainability zone. where you’ll find GardenCycles and many others (Sustainable West Seattle and West Seattle Nursery are co-sponsoring this new feature):

And to the north, just past the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float north of Oregon, you’ll find the Art Dive, with cool local arts/crafts creators.

Then, right here in the heart of the festival, the Info Booth has not only folks from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce answering your questions (we’re helping too), but all sorts of brochures and flyers – the official Summer Fest program, Water Taxi info, the West Seattle Outdoors Movies lineups, West Seattle Farmers Market Bucks info (a promotion with Junction merchants), Junction Car Show (coming up Sept. 19) cards, and while they last, somebody just dropped off a few 10 percent discount cards for the new Beer Junction by the east end of the festival zone (on 42nd SW south of Alaska).

3:17 PM UPDATE: Minute to Win It just had another round on the stage – and a cake-eating contest is coming up. But first, we’ve got some candidate photos to add – four visits so far today. Marcee Stone (34th District State House Position 2, Democrat) was first to visit, this morning when temps were cool and the Info Booth was still in the shadows:

Mike Heavey (same race, also a Democrat):

From the 7th Congressional District race, Bill Hoffman:

And from the King County Council District 8 race (nonpartisan), Shawn McEvoy:

3:37 PM UPDATE: The Rat City Rollergirls dunk tank is up and running over by Junction Plaza Park – quick clip of one RCRG’er getting dunked:

4:21 PM: Most-inquired-about music act so far this afternoon, Massey Ferguson, should be playing right now up on the California stage. We’re heading that way. (video added later)

4:45 PM: Hi-Yu candidates are passing by – if you see the folks in the red polo shirts with white inscription, buy a button or pin, support Hi-Yu! Meantime, here’s a section of the crowd, photographed by Junior Member of the Team a little while ago:

5:04 PM: Music mode on both stages now – Marc Olsen has kicked off the evening slate on the Alaska stage next to us. Booths are open till 6 pm and that’s how long we’ll all be here in the Information Booth too, right at Walk All Ways, between Easy Street Records and Super Supplements. Some West Seattle merchants from districts outside The Junction are here – notably, Admiral District’s Click! Design That Fits, longtime WSB sponsor, where visitors are trying out the famous Solair Chair:

5:30 PM: Checked in again with Lt. Smith. Everything’s still been peaceful, no problems, he says. Looking forward to tonight’s street dancing and the rest of the slate. Speaking of music, just added the Massy Ferguson clip back up where we mentioned them. We’ll have some separate coverage later this evening, and we’ve got other stories to publish on the site – the first-ever “Night Market” on Delridge is under way now, for example.

ellenater July 10, 2010 (2:40 pm)

The jump roping was really cool!! I am looking forward to the Youngstown break dancing tomorrow, too.

miws July 10, 2010 (5:21 pm)

What a great day!

Got to see TR, Patrick (very quick in passing) and JMoT. Enjoyed the sun, and rocked out to Gunn and the Damage Done and Memphis Radio Kings! And the new Jumction Plaza Park made a wonderful place to sit and relax! Also got to meet Alki Cab Company!

And a special thanks to the ladies, from what business/organization I don’t recall, but they were handing out energy bars (in the Capers-ish area IIRC.) I didn’t have anything in my budget for a tasty Summerfest treat or meal, so I loaded up on a heavy breakfast this morning. But, those energy bars really hit the spot a few hours later!

One day is enough though. I think my feet would protest too much if I attended again tomorrow! :)

Almost forgot to mention the dancers from the Momentum Dance Acadamy. Those young ladies did a great job! Especially cute, were IIRC the first two girls, maybe around 3 or 4 each, that did some ballet. Their Instructor was off to the side, doing the moves which the girls were to follow. I think both started out doing there own thing pretty much, then the one girl caught on and was following the Instructor. The other though, had a very independent streak, and pretty much continued to do her own thing, only occassionally following the Instructor, or the other girl for a bit.

I think that young lady will be a great success when she grow up, because whatever she chooses to do, she’ll be “thinking outside of the box”, instead of following the status quo! ;)

Mike

Alan Harrison July 10, 2010 (7:52 pm)

There’s only one more day to get the theater deal of the millenia (that’s right, the plural!) — but you have to come by ArtsWest on Sunday (or call) between 10 and 6. If you snooze, you won’t really do well. Or something like that.

cjboffoli July 11, 2010 (1:03 am)

I especially like the crowd image that the JMOT got by bravely climbing atop a ladder. Always a sign of a good photographer to seek a fresh perspective. Nicely done!

miws July 11, 2010 (1:27 am)

Christopher, from where is the most daring aerial shot you’ve taken?

Perhaps it could be something for JMoT to aspire to. ;)

Mike

cjboffoli July 11, 2010 (10:21 am)

Good question Mike. Maybe from a hot air balloon in Egypt? Though there was also the top of a pretty precarious section of the Great Wall in China that I shot from once. If I had to pick one I’d probably says the images I shot from the top of Rainier shortly before falling and almost killing myself were probably the hardest earned.
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I don’t think Tracy and Patrick necessarily want to encourage their son to pursue adventure photography. :-)

jwws July 11, 2010 (11:27 am)

And if you stop by ArtsWest be sure to purchase your tickets to next week’s West Seattle Garden Tour!!

miws July 11, 2010 (9:03 pm)

Yikes, Christopher! I’m glad you’re still with us to provide your photograhy, writing, and reporting skills to our community. (Oh, and bacon too! ;) )

Your experience on Rainier is precisely why I couldn’t be a mountain climber. I might be able to handle a hot air balloon, but not not anything like the area of the Great Wall that you described.

I have no problem with going up on the Space Needle and looking over the side, but that’s because there’s a railing, so I feel secure.

I don’t even like being on a step ladder any higher than my knees above the top (CAUTION: This is Not a) step. I don’t remember the last time I was up on an extension ladder, but whenever I see somebody climbing up or down one, and how it’s flexing, it kind of makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up! :o

Mike

Nicolas July 12, 2010 (5:22 pm)

I liked the Minute-to-win-it games too! I thought they brought a new, fun and interactive dimension to the fair – seems like this could be a new party theme! kudos to the folks at TILA who came up with this great idea.

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