(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!
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