As-it-happened coverage: West Seattle Harvest Festival 2013, from rain to shine!

(Updated: Afternoon screengrab from “live” SDOT camera at California/Alaska)
10:13 AM: From kids in costume to Farmers’ Market shoppers, West Seattleites aren’t letting the showers keep them away from the second annual Harvest Festival, happening now in the streets-closed heart of The Junction until 2 pm. We’re on the east side of the California/Alaska intersection, part of the “WSB x 3” pumpkin-bowling booth with WestSide Baby volunteers and West Seattle Bowl equipment.

More updates as the festival unfolds; full schedule here; bus reroutes here.

10:35 AM UPDATE: Hard to tell if we’re going to get another sunbreak, so you might as well grab the umbrella and come on down. We’re seeing more than a few costumed children here at the bowling booth – and nearby:

(Some costumed grownups have passed by, too!) Up and down California, the Farmers’ Market booths and activity tents are particularly festive, with pumpkins, colorful leaves, and other fall/harvest decorations. Less than an hour until the costume parade; meet at 11:30 at Junction Plaza Park, northwest corner of 42nd/Alaska, and less than half an hour until you can be a chili judge, right across the intersection in front of KeyBank. Live music nearby, courtesy of Nick Moyer:

11:07 AM UPDATE: The harvest theme doesn’t just involve plants – you can check out a few baby farm animals:

Right across the intersection, the chili competition is on! Donations for your “judging” samples (hurry, once they’re out, they’re out) go to the West Seattle Food Bank. The cooks are from eight great West Seattle venues (listed here):

More updates to come – including the costume parade!

11:48 AM UPDATE: There’s a snippet of Instagram video as the West Seattle High School Marching Band led the costume parade, which is just wrapping up after traveling all around the festival. We have the full parade on video and will add it once we’re able to get it uploaded. (Added – here it is! That’s Jim Edwards, West Seattle Grand Parade co-coordinator, on the motorcycle.)

REALLY good crowd here now – the rain has stopped, and we can see some blue sky in the distance!

12:06 PM UPDATE: The sun is back! Unscientific costume-tallying observation, meantime, indicates that “Star Wars” and superheroes are the most popular themes. Construction workers too – particularly topical given this year’s backdrop:

We also found a “minion”:

We’ve also seen a washing machine [photo added below], an airplane, lots of other costumes from simple to ornate … so glad to see everybody out having fun.

12:35 PM UPDATE: By the way, it’s officially trick-or-treat time now that it’s past noon. And if you don’t happen to have your own timekeeping device – don’t let the Jefferson Square clock on the southeast corner of 42nd/Alaska confuse you – it’s an hour fast (and if it’s not fixed by this time next week, it’ll be TWO hours fast, since we “fall back” next Sunday morning at 2 am). Here’s someone who knows something about time:

The festival and Farmers’ Market are on until 2 pm; still time to come down to The Junction.

12:51 PM UPDATE: Just got word that Husky Deli won the chili competition – as voted on by everybody who bought a “flight” of samples from the eight competitors, with proceeds benefiting the WS Food Bank.

Congratulations to Jack Miller and team. Judi Yazzolino from WS Food Bank (at right in the photo with Jack and, at left, Susan Melrose from the festival-presenting WS Junction Association) tells us 150 people donated $10 each to be taster/judges, and more than $200 extra was donated, so the food bank has $1,700 more with which to fight hunger, thanks to Harvest Festival-goers!

1:28 PM UPDATE: Half an hour left – crowd’s still going strong, and we have a line outside the “pumpkin bowling” booth. Lots of other activities here, thanks to great community businesses and organizations:

Among those organizations, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, which is also handing out flyers for its next big event – the 67th community Pancake Breakfast, coming up December 7th.

2 PM: Festival’s over already! We’ll be adding more photos later – have to roll up the pumpkin-bowling booth first.

9:04 PM: Adding more photos, including some sent by WSB readers. Check back in the morning, as we’ll be adding off and on for the next few hours. First:

Terri Sharp shared the next two photos, and says she’s continuing to add more to her Flickr feed:

Nothing like checking the trick-or-treat bag!

The next two photos are courtesy of Brian Presser from TouchTech Systems in The Junction – first, more candy inspection:

Next, the WSHS Band warming up in the park before the costume parade:

Still adding more!

14 Replies to "As-it-happened coverage: West Seattle Harvest Festival 2013, from rain to shine!"

  • Silly goose October 27, 2013 (11:26 am)

    Love the spirit even in the rain!

  • Silly goose October 27, 2013 (1:46 pm)

    As I walked the junction and observed the hundreds upon hundreds of trick or treaters lined up for free candy so generously donated by the local businesses I thought to myself I hope you all remember their generosity and shop locally to support them!

    Shop locally!

  • miws October 27, 2013 (1:52 pm)

    Heh, one of the first things I noticed, having just gotten off the bus as I was approaching California heading east on Alaska, was the time on the clock. I thought, “No, it should be around 11:00! Was this ‘Fall Back’ day?” Then I had to process the whole which direction the clock had moved, in going from PDT to PST.

    .

    Looked at my watch, and noticed that as opposed to being off by exactly an hour, it was several minutes away from being an hour, one way or the other, and realized the clock was off.

    .

    That clock must be jinxed, as the original analog clock there had gotten to the point of displaying substantially different times between all four clock faces, and then a few years ago, when the (presumably current) digital unit was displaying the temperature WAAAAAYYYYY off! :-D

    .

    Great to see you again, Tracy and Patrick!

    Mike

  • lg October 27, 2013 (2:35 pm)

    Thanks to all who worked so hard to put on a great event! Our kiddo (and we) had a great time. So fun to see all the costumes!

  • lina (AKA Owl Mother) October 27, 2013 (3:10 pm)

    I loved that so many of the tables had candy alternatives – crafts or other prizes. That was really awesome for this mom of a toddler! So fun and thanks all who helped make this wonderful community event happen!
    (Owl Mother, Darth Vader Daddy and Little Yoda)

  • Maria October 27, 2013 (3:28 pm)

    @Silly – Some will, some won’t – That’s par for any marketing effort if you can look at it that way. I spent money at both the farmers market and WS Cyclery because we were there. It goes both ways as well. The businesses should feel they are giving back to their customers as much as the community should feel like supporting their local businesses. A wise Chamber of Commerce creates events with a view both ways.

  • Lucy October 27, 2013 (8:28 pm)

    Owl Mother, I think I saw you and the family walking towards the festivities… so adorable!

  • Mike October 27, 2013 (8:59 pm)

    Great event. Loved having the open area to walk and not feel crammed in there with everyone else. Good time with family. The chili cook off was great too. I now want to go to The Bridge. Loved their chili the most, everyone had very tasty chili though. I think it’s fantastic that they were able to raise $1700 for WS Food Bank.

  • Diane October 27, 2013 (11:20 pm)

    love the photos; more please

  • Kathy October 28, 2013 (10:11 am)

    Congratulations Husky Deli on the chili win. Do you sell chili in the deli? I will stop by to ask. My favorite food, I would love to come try it.

  • Kathy October 28, 2013 (10:13 am)

    Did anyone get a picture of the “guy with the spatula”? My husband kept talking about it, but he said “you had to see it”.

  • JW October 28, 2013 (12:11 pm)

    Robot boogers was the best! Super creative trick-or-treat set up by Funky Jane’s!

    Been attending this with the kids for 9 years now, it just keeps getting better. Such a wonderful community event. Many thanks!

  • DF October 28, 2013 (9:52 pm)

    Check out the South Seattle Community College Facebook page for some more really cute photos!

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