West Seattle, Washington
11 Sunday
(2010 West Seattle Grand Parade photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Is it worth at least a few dollars to you to save a West Seattle tradition?
Two months ago, the volunteers who run the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade sent up the first warning signal (WSB story here) that they will need financial help to bring back the decades-old tradition this year: Thousands of dollars worth of help that used to be provided by the city, to block off a mile-plus of California SW for the parade, is now something Post 160 is supposed to pay for. And since the parade does not charge entry fees – if it did, it would have to pay an even bigger bill for a costlier permit – that means a call for sponsors/donations.
In that February report, parade chair Dave Vague asked for ideas of how to raise the money. WSB commenter Jordan suggested using PayPal for donations. That’s now been set up – to take donations large and small.
Here is the webpage where you will find the donation link.
(Note that while the parade is NOT a West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival event, Hi-Yu has agreed to lend the Grand Parade its PayPal setup, so that’s what your receipt will reflect.)
Vague tells WSB they need to raise $4,000. As first noted in the February report, the road-closure barricades will cost $3,000. The parade permit will cost $500 (if they charged entry fees, it would be $2,000 more!). And they would like to have a bit of pad beyond that for potential expenses such as sign damage and a banner if major donors/sponsors emerge.
Speaking of that, they would still welcome sponsors – you can reach Vague through Post 160 at (206) 935-9407, or e-mail him: vagued@comcast.net.
Three months till this year’s parade (July 23) – provided the money can be found. Here’s the donation-page link again. You don’t have to have a PayPal account – you can use any major credit card.
P.S. The parade now has a Facebook page, too – “like” it here.
The line stretching outside Easy Street Records in The Junction this afternoon was there for a rising-star duo: Capitol Hill hip-hop artist Macklemore and musical partner Ryan Lewis, signing autographs:
Macklemore’s road to stardom is a distinctly new-millennium path – as detailed by our partners at the Seattle Times earlier this year. Right now, he’s on break from a national tour (here’s the schedule), after performing his Dave Niehaus tribute “My Oh My” at the Mariners’ home opener – here’s the Times’ video with Macklemore’s song as the soundtrack for scenes from the event:
P.S. There’s a signing event at Easy Street West Seattle next Saturday too – as part of Record Store Day, Grieves and Budo will be there at 3 pm (April 16).
EDITOR’S NOTE: West Seattle writer Jen Boyer covered “Deadliest Catch” stars and fans at the “CatchCon” annual gathering last year, and we published her work as a WSB Extra. This year, after part of the cast kicked off their promo tour with that recent Alki Tavern stop, Jen cast off to the big event again, and netted an interesting ride home.
Story and photos by Jen Boyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
For the third year in a row, die-hard “Deadliest Catch” fans descended on Seattle’s Pier 66 for CatchCon on Saturday. Discovery Channel’s convention for its crab-fishing reality show greeted a record 2,037 fans to mix, mingle, rub elbows with the fishing crews, and get a taste of crab-fishing tasks.
It’s the season for school auction/dinner events, including a few more this weekend. Among them, the Holy Rosary auction last night – which wound up raising money for another area school, too! The story is told by auction emcee and West Seattle journalist Gregg Hersholt, after the jump:Read More
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports – a man attacked while walking home explains how he scared off his attackers (and declares his defiance); plus, a burglary and a car break-in, ahead:Read More
Two reports in the past day and a half, both ahead:Read More
(From the WSB Flickr pool: Photo by Danny McMillin – M/V Kaleetan last Wednesday)
4 highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
KIDS’ BOOK FAIR: At Freshy’s Coffee (2735 California SW) – 4 pm to 7 pm. Six children’s book authors (four that are from West Seattle!) reading from their books and signing autographs. See who, and which books, here.
ALSO AUTOGRAPHING TODAY: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at Easy Street Records in The Junction.
MUSIC AT THE MARKET: At today’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm inThe Junction (44th/Alaska), market manager Catherine Burke says there’ll be live music with KT and Hoops (10-1). Plus, Master Gardeners are back for the season.
SPRING SALE: The St. John’s the Baptist Episcopal Church Arts & Crafts Cooperative is having its first of two sales this year, 9 am-2 pm, parish hall at 3050 California SW.
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