(EARLIER COVERAGE: Day 1, report #1, is here)

That’s a quick Instagram clip of Gibraltar, the kickoff band at this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest, less than an hour ago.

We’re continuing our as-it-happens coverage from the Summer Fest Info Booth in the heart of The Junction – where you can get a festival program, an info-card for the upcoming West Seattle Outdoor Movies series (six Saturday nights starting July 18th), the West Seattle Grand Parade (also on July 18th), and – just added – info about Alice Enevoldsen’s Plutopalooza fly-by watch on July 14th. More scenes from the festival, coming up. Infolinks:

SUMMER FEST MUSIC (stage is on California between Genesee and Oregon)
SUMMER FEST VENDOR LIST
SUMMER FEST VENDOR MAP (cross-reference the numbers from the list)
SUMMER FEST KIDS’ ACTIVITIES
SUMMER FEST GREENLIFE SCHEDULE
SUMMER FEST COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE (scroll down)
SUMMER FEST BUS REROUTES

While tonight’s official closing time is 6 pm, that’s mainly for merchandise vendors; food tends to stay open later, the kids’ rides (for which you have to buy tickets or wristbands) run until 8 tonight; the last band is at 9:30 pm.

4:23 PM: The rides are a mix again this year, some motorized:

Some human-powered:

While the main ride zone is on the west side of Alaska, between California and 44th, don’t miss the area with the free activities, including crafts and facepainting – just turn north, under the Wells Fargo overhang. This was organized by West Seattle Art Nest:

That’s Lashanna, who has long been delighting local kids with facepainting here (and other events like Hometown Holidays).

In today’s first report, we showed the West Seattle Hi-Yu float”Around the Sound,” now appearing in parades around the region, and getting ready for the July 18th West Seattle Grand Parade. Also making the rounds are Senior Court Queen Kelly and Junior Court Queen Emily:

If you see them, and have a dollar to spare, consider buying a Hi-Yu button – helps them cover the costs of showcasing West Seattle around the region, as well as the activities here at home (the Hi-Yu Concert in the Park, for example, is coming up next Tuesday, July 14th, 7 pm on the east lawn at Hiawatha, with the West Seattle Big Band).

4:59 PM: After a few years’ break, the festival-presenting Junction Association is selling T-shirts again this year. You have several options in colors and styles – including those worn in our photo by Emelie, Megan, and Annie:

You can buy a T-shirt at the Info Booth – from the team on the east side (facing the food zone), until about 6 tonight, then again 10-6 tomorrow and 11-5 Sunday, provided supplies last! Meantime, a quick shout-out to some of the WSB sponsors you’ll see at Summer Fest – first, Dream Dinners, in booth #62:

Dream Dinners, which you’ll find the rest of the year on the outer east side of Jefferson Square, is where you can sign up for sessions to prep recipes for meals you then take home and freeze until you’re ready to cook them – a great time-saver if you don’t have the time and energy to make everything from total scratch. Also here, Office Junction, which is part of the GreenLife sustainability expo at the south end of the festival:

OJ is West Seattle’s only coworking center – also an awesome hybrid of sorts – you don’t have to work in a cube but you don’t have to work alone. And right across from us, north of the Info Booth at California/Alaska, is the West Seattle YMCA, which got a visit today from a gaggle of adorable preschoolers:

The booth features activities including hopscotch – at which we’ve seen people of all ages trying their luck today. The Y is headquartered in The Triangle, where it’s getting ready to expand.

6:30 PM: Many, but not all, of the vendors have closed up for the day; the kids’ rides continue until 8 pm (ticket booth is on the south side of Alaska by the rides); the music’s continuing for a few hours too. Right now, Deep Creep is onstage.

At 7, it’s The Shivas; at 8, La Luz; then DJ Lance Romance at 9, and The Thermals closing out the night at 9:30. A popular question here at the booth is, where’s the stage? Answer: At the north end of the festival zone, north of Oregon.

7:19 PM: We’re wrapping up at the Info Booth – back 10 am tomorrow. When you come tomorrow, one thing you can do – register for the July 18th Float Dodger 5K! It’s a presentation of West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), which has a booth y:

You’ll find them in #150, east side of the street, between Oregon and Alaska. The 5K – wear costumes! – is right before the West Seattle Grand Parade. We’ll take a look later at more of the not-so-obvious things you can do while visiting. Meantime, people are still asking us a question looking ahead to Sunday: What about the Farmers’ Market? Answer: It’s back in the “old” spot, just for this Sunday (the lot at 44th/Alaska) – same hours, 10 am-2 pm (though the festival itself starts an hour later on Sunday, 11 am).

11:26 AM: An hour and a half into the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2015 – just about everyone is set up and the fun has begun. Again this year, live WSB coverage is headquartered in the Information Booth, in the middle of the Walk-All-Ways intersection at California and Alaska. It’s a bigger booth this year – we have company! The West Seattle Junction Association – which presents Summer Fest – is selling festival T-shirts on the east side, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is on the west side – with their jar-full-of-Lincoln-logs guessing game, and more!

And as in years past, we’re on the north side – with festival programs as well as free info-cards and buttons for West Seattle Outdoor Movies, which start their six-Saturday run in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard on July 18th. Meantime, before we get to some more festival info, here are our quick infolinks:

SUMMER FEST MUSIC (first band, Gibraltar, at 3 pm; stage is on California between Genesee and Oregon)
SUMMER FEST VENDOR LIST
SUMMER FEST VENDOR MAP (cross-reference the numbers from the list)
SUMMER FEST KIDS’ ACTIVITIES
SUMMER FEST GREENLIFE SCHEDULE
SUMMER FEST COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE (scroll down)
SUMMER FEST BUS REROUTES

11:42 AM: Some of what you’ll see:

12:21 PM: Don’t breeze by the booths too quickly – you might miss something like this:

In the meantime, it’s lunchtime. The food court is on the east side of Alaska, with traditional fair food like corn dogs, elephant ears, and curly fries – so tempting, this family stopped for a photo op with theirs:

Bang Bar is in the food zone again this year too, in addition to their year-round Thai restaurant on the east side of California north of Edmunds.

1 PM: Two hours until the music starts at the north end of the festival zone, with Gibraltar onstage at 3 pm, on California north of Oregon. Just south of the stage area, it’s Pet Junction, including not only the pet pools …

… but also some vendors and even organizations like the Coalition for Off-Leash Areas (a frequently hot topic in West Seattle, which has just one off-leash area, at Westcrest Park in southeastern WS). Speaking of animal advocacy … all the way from Whidbey Island, Howard Garrett of the Orca Network is at Summer Fest today:

It’s the first time the Orca Network is at the festival – booth #26, which is on the east side of California, between Alaska and Edmunds.

1:44 PM: Local merchants are a huge part of the festival – it started as the annual “sidewalk sale” many years ago. You’ll find lots of deals outside and inside stores. And you might even spot a few local businessfolk sneaking in a quick break:

In case you don’t yet recognize them on sight – from left, Jack Miller of Husky Deli, Dave Montoure of West 5, and Matt Vaughan of Easy Street Records.

2:02 PM: We have a longstanding offer to photograph any candidate or elected official who stops by the Info Booth – so far today, one visit, from District 1 City Council candidate Chas Redmond:

He and other D-1 candidates will be featured in a forum Saturday afternoon, 2 pm, in the GreenLife zone toward the south end of the festival. (Follow that link for the GreenLife schedule – at 3 pm, there’s a talk about e-bikes; at 4 pm, find out about going solar.)

As the “live” SDOT cameras in The Junction show, West Seattle Summer Fest setup is well under way; the festival officially begins at 10 am today! We’ve been counting down to it with advance info all week (and well before that), and have a few more things to mention:

EXTRA PARKING LOT: Seattle Lutheran High School is opening its lot at 41st/Genesee for festival parking; Susan Melrose of the West Seattle Junction Association says WSJA “greatly appreciates Seattle Lutheran’s thoughtful generosity during West Seattle’s biggest community event.”

WATER-BOTTLE REFILL STATION: Cut down on waste and cost – bring your own water bottle to Summer Fest; you’ll find a refill station at the GreenLife expo on the south end of the festival, sponsored by Bikram Yoga.

QUILT RAFFLE: From West Seattle Quilters:

You could win a handmade quilt and support the Senior Center at the same time! West Seattle Quilters have completed their 2015 raffle quilt to benefit the Senior Center. Tickets are $1 each, and all the money raised goes directly to the West Seattle Senior Center. Ticket sales begin July 10 at West Seattle Summer Fest (look for us outside the Stop and Shop) and in the Senior Center at the main desk. The drawing will be held October 30, 2015, during Rainbow Bingo at the Senior Center.

Every year, the West Seattle Quilters creates a quilt to raffle to benefit the Senior Center. This year’s quilt, titled, “Flying to the Stars” features soft blues and greens.

It would look lovely on a queen-size bed or hanging on a wall. West Seattle Quilters meet at the Senior Center on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 7 to 9 pm. Newcomers of all ages are welcome!

DIAPER DONATIONS: From WSB sponsor HomeStreet Bank:

HomeStreet Bank is ready to accept your diaper donations for WestSide Baby’s Stuff the Bus Event! We will again be accepting diaper donations this weekend at our Summer Fest booth and also passing out frozen treats (while supplies last) at our Branch to help folks beat the heat.

HomeStreet’s booth is #144 on the map. Its branch is just east of the festival zone, at 41st/Alaska.

COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE: These are the great local nonprofits/volunteer groups you’ll find in the community tent:

Friday 10 am – 2 pm
Senior Center of West Seattle
Navos Mental Health Service

Friday 2 pm – 6 pm
34th District Democrats
Seal Sitters

Saturday 10 am – 2 pm
West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network
West Seattle Community Orchestras

Saturday 2 pm – 6 pm
West Seattle Be Prepared
Southside Revolution

Sunday 11 am – 2 pm
South Seattle College Parent Cooperative Preschool
See Dogs

Sunday 2 pm – 5 pm
Seal Sitters
Empower Mentoring Program

EARLIER SUMMER FEST PREVIEWS ON WSB
*The basics
*The music
*The kid stuff
*The transit info
*Vendor list; ride-zone hours