(See our 1st ongoing afternoon report here)

Now that we’re into the first evening of West Seattle Summer Fest, the music plays a bigger role – and there’s lots of it. Above, the Dolly Rottens played in the late afternoon. Their first show as an all-girl band, per their Facebook page.

(Photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
Right now, Caspar Babypants is on the Alaska Stage. Before he played, we photographed him with (right) artist Kate Endle and their friend Zoe (left):

(added) Here’s video of CB’s first song, “My Flea Has Dogs”:

And at 8 pm, rising star Star Anna performs (California Stage). Lots of street music as well – we’ve seen drummers, strummers, and more. Big occasions for Junction businesses, too – Elliott Bay Brewing is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and proprietor Todd Carden tapped a keg of special ale:

Along with year-round Junction establishments where you can get something to drink or eat, there are two beer gardens, one near each stage, are open too. We’re still in the info booth at California/Alaska till the vendors shut down for the night around 8 (with the music continuing a few hours beyond).

8:05 PM: The booths are now officially closing – you might find some stragglers; we’re folding up the info booth too, but we’ll be back here same hours tomorrow, 10 am-8 pm. We’re off to check out Star Anna (watch for video – and we have one more Day 1 roundup of photos in the works, too, along with a look ahead to tomorrow). Again, the bands and the beer gardens continue for a few hours more – as do your year-round drinking/eating places, several of which have special outdoor zones for the festival.

ADDED: A few more scenes from earlier on Saturday, all photographed by WSB contributor Nick Adams. First, the crowd:

The fun – 3-year-old Peter Ahern, in the kid zone:

And yet there’s always a chance to find a place of your own – Linda Lee found one while listening to music from the California Stage:

Near the stage, the West Seattle Eagles had pulled pork going on a big grill – Frank Wilkerson was tending it:

Looking for bird condos? That’s what Mike Cronk was taking back to his Mike’s Workbench booth:

Also from the vendors roster … Dean Mollen tunes a hand-made cigar-box guitar at Soul Cat Guitars –

If you’re looking up a particular vendor, the vendor list linked on this page of the Summer Fest website has weblinks for many of this year’s participants.

12:43 PM: The weather is calmer and the crowd keeps growing at West Seattle Summer Fest, with day 1 well under way – and we’re live in the Information Booth again this year; drop by to say hi, pick up the festival flyer, a free West Seattle Art Walk button, a West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Resource Guide, postcards and mini-flyers for other summer fun (WS Outdoor Movies, Delridge Day, the WS Junction Car Show) … The info booth is on the southwest corner of California/Alaska this year, right outside KeyBank, front row to everything. LOTS of people here so far. Here again are the handy info-links:

Vendor list and map: 3 ways to browse – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map
Music schedule: Here
Alaska Stage schedule: Here
GreenLife schedule: Here

On the Alaska Stage right now, first event of the day – a West Seattle Hi-Yu presentation, including royalty like Queen Kayli, who had her umbrella handy earlier just in case:

The number one question is always – where’s the kid stuff? Again this year, it’s on the west side of the festival zone, in the Wells Fargo parking lot, under the WF drive-thru (that’s where Pathfinder K-8 and Curious Kidstuff are sponsoring art activities and facepainting). The ticket booth for the kids’ rides is right next to one of them, the scrambler-type ride, on the west side of the western food zone along SW Alaska.

Another area you might miss if you’re not looking for it – GreenLife on the south end of the festival zone – where we found Stefan Hansmire of Ncompass (WSB sponsor) with Chas Redmond and Bill Reiswig of Sustainable West Seattle:

Oh, and this just in – beer gardens open at 2!

2:07 PM: Sun’s out and the activity zones are all in full swing. Some highlights coming up:
Bubbleman (who performed in the street last night) is at the Alaska Stage at 3:45 today; that’s also where you’ll find Caspar Babypants at 6:30 tonight.

3:12 PM: Along with the sidewalk sale outside year-round merchants, the vendor booths in the middle, you’ll also find lots of local nonprofit organizations – like Northwest Hope and Healing, promoting next month’s Alki Beach 5K:

And Seal Sitters:

And speaking of critters … we met Morgan‘s mohawk-sporting Pomeranian, Bogie:

You never know who you’ll see.

4 PM: This is the Summer Fest breakout treat so far (well, besides the deep-fried peanut-butter sandwiches) – coconuts:

Young coconuts, for sale on the north side of the California/Alaska intersection – $3 each or 2 for five bucks. (That’s Jarred Shelton in the photo.) They’ll cut them open for you here – and you can also find them, not cut, at QFC (whose booth they’re in. Steps away, at Cupcake Royale, their ice-cream cart is debuting:

Small scoop about $3, regular scoop about $4. For a more adult type of treat, head to one of the beer gardens – one by the Alaska stage, one up by the California stage:

Feedback Lounge is managing the one by the Alaska stage. Co-proprietor Jeff Gilbert stopped for a photo earlier with West Seattle Junction Association director Susan Melrose:

Summer Fest is on till 8 tonight (with bands and beer gardens running a few hours beyond that) – and of course continuing Saturday and Sunday. We’re in the info booth for the duration … thanks to everyone who’s stopped by to say hi so far – it’s always great to meet you.

7:20 PM NOTE: We have some evening coverage going in a separate story.