The countdown and light-up came earlier than expected at tonight’s West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting. The crisply planned program moved swiftly – one performance needed to be moved back, so another was moved up, and that led to some time-filling with a little unexpected comedy. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Again this year, the Chief Sealth International High School Marching Band, directed by Marcus Pimpleton, kicked off the event:

Sealth’s band was the opening act; here’s our video of the entire event that followed:

On behalf of the sponsoring West Seattle Junction Association, for which she serves as vice president, Bakery Nouveau co-proprietor Heather Leaman greeted the crowd gathered in Junction Park Plaza:

Words of cheer ensued from emcee Josh Sutton (below left) of the West Seattle YMCA and from Dave McCoy (below right) of Emerald Water Anglers, photographed with event manager Oliver Little:

(The Y and EWA are both WSB sponsors.) As they do each year, the Endolyne Children’s Choir provided cheery carols (see them at 2:16 into our full-event video):

Things moved along so quickly, the next scheduled performer wasn’t on hand yet – so a little time had to be filled while things changed up. Emcee Sutton solicited holiday jokes from the kids standing right up by the stage:

The humor was a little grim, if creative, as you can hear for yourself for about two minutes starting at 12:40 into the full-event video (right before Jay Cates and friends’ jazzy holiday music). The tree countdown starts at 17:50 (and ended a bit early, in keeping with the night’s theme). Cates and band continued the holiday serenade, with the finale from the new ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) production “Judy’s Scary Little Christmas,” and then it was back to the Junction Holiday Party – after a moment of stopping to admire the tree.

More Hometown Holidays fun tomorrow – mule-drawn carriage rides 10 am-2 pm from California/Alaska, and a Santa meet-and-greet (BYO camera) at City Mouse (4218 SW Alaska) those same hours. See you there!