(See the festival schedule here)

11:17 AM: We’re seeing breaks in the clouds here – even a bit of sun! – in the second hour of today’s Morgan Junction Community Festival. Above, the Endolyne Children’s Choir is performing in the park right now; at 11:30 am, it’s the legendary Bubbleman, who has arrived and is getting ready for his show.

The festival layout is a little different this year – it’s all on the west side of California, as this map shows:

North to south, it stretches from SW Eddy north of Morgan Junction Park and south of the former commercial building that will soon be demolished to expand the park … to the park itself … to the food zone in the lot on the north side of Beveridge Place Pub … to the rows of vendors and nonprofits north of and behind the Zeeks Pizza (WSB sponsor)/Whisky West building, including the Authors Realm:

The north side is where you’ll find the plant exchange right next to Second Gear Sports (WSB sponsor):

11:37 AM: The Seattle Police Mobile Precinct is here right now, parked on California, behind the purple van driven by Bubbleman

He’s just started his performance in the park. Here’s a bit of video:

And if you’re feeling like it’s lunchtime, along with the festival food zone and the Morgan Junction restaurants, you also have the option of wandering over to West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor):

Today’s burger barbecue goes to the fund that keeps this festival – presented by the all-volunteer Morgan Community Association – free!

12:09 PM: Hour three already! If you share your life with one or more dogs, you want to get here for the Bark of Morgan at 1:30 pm – parading around the festival grounds, and then contests here on the north side. But that aside, the festival is about people. The three-dozen plus vendors and nonprofits here include local independent businesspeople, like Anne Higuera of Ventana Construction and Parie Hines of LD Arch Design:

They are in a booth behind Zeeks/WW, ready to talk with you about construction and design of home projects including backyard cottages. (Both are WSB sponsors.) Then if you check out the row of booths here on SW Eddy north of the park, where we are, the people you can meet include Clay Eals of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. You can congratulate him for just being announced as recipient of the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community! Also here in the north row – east of the Kids’ Activities zone – are Seal Sitters, West Seattle Timebank, West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, and the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs.

Plus – just arrived, you can meet the firefighters of Seattle Fire Department Engine 37 (headquartered in Sunrise Heights):

12:21 PM: Bubbleman just wrapped up, and live music resumes in the park, with jazz by West Seattle’s own family act The Ellis Brothers:

Then, just after 1 pm, it’ll be Comfort Food!

1:34 PM: And that’s who’s onstage now, sounding great. The weather has progressed to partly sunny. Thanks to all the folks who’ve come to the festival already – and to those who have stopped by to say hi. Be sure you make it all the way through the festival grounds to see the local businesses and groups that are behind Zeeks/Whisky West (which opens at 3, per a sign on its door), too! Meantime, the Bark of Morgan dog parade is about to pass our booth … en route to the contest zone by the ex-Short Stop:

The mellow sounds of Comfort Food continue.

At 2 pm, the musicians and dancers of the Tongan Choir will perform in the park – an annual tradition. (photo added)

And then at 3 – ever painted a building during a festival?

Between 3 and 4, be at the ex-Short Stop to take your turn “spattering” it with (water-based) paint. It’s due for demolition soon but festival organizers thought this might be a fun way to bid it farewell.

2:50 PM: Haven’t been here yet? Perfect time. Come down, get ice cream from Sweet Bumpas in the food zone, no line for face-painting. The Mobile Precinct and Engine 37 have departed but the SPD Mounted Patrol is reported to be on the way, and the “Spatter” is just about to get going. Two more musical performances, too – Broken Horses at 3, Gary Benson at 4.

3 PM: And here they are:

More to come … the festival’s on until 5.\\

4 PM: Shortly after that photo, the rain returned, briefly, and the Mounted Patrol took refuge under an overhang:

But now – sunshine!

The kids’ activities zone in that photo, however, is closing up. Other vendors and nonprofits are here, and we’ll be here until the final moments. A few more scenes:

That’s Jennifer Young from My Three Little Birds (WSB sponsor), the kids’ resale shop in south Morgan Junction, and her family. Hers is one of the dozens of businesses (including ours) that sponsored today’s festival – the kids’ zone, in this case, which was very popular, with lines almost every time we looked over!

Also done for the day – the “Spatter of Morgan” paint-splashing on the soon-to-be-torn-down Short Stop building:

4:43 PM: Festival is in its final moments. Accompanying the winding-down vibe, mellow acoustic rock by Gary Benson:

Congratulations to the Morgan Community Association for another fun festival – a heroic task for an all-volunteer community council to make happen. MoCA meets quarterly – you’re invited to the next meeting, 7 pm July 20th at The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW).