(Our first Friday report on Summer Fest is here)

4:09 PM: Things are just ducky as the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2016 moves toward evening. (You’ll find the birds, along with pigs and goats, at GreenLife on the south end of the festival zone.) The main-stage music has begun, too – it started with the 3 pm performers from School of Rock:

Nastybits is playing now, with Braindrain at 5, and of course headliners Tacocat tonight at 9:30.

If you’re down here, you might be looking at all the opening-soon restaurants and wondering what’s new. We broke the news earlier this week that Dumplings of Fury is planning to open July 20th. That’s one day after the scheduled opening of Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery – not in time for Summer Fest, but we just found out that Shelby’s is offering sneak-peek tours the next two days, 10 am-6 pm Saturday and 11 am-5 pm (which are the official Summer Fest hours, too). They won’t be able to serve food or ice cream until they officially open, though.

Something else that’ll be big the next two days – the 360-degree group photos to be taken here at California/Alaska by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, whose booth is right across from Easy Street Café:

SWSHS is also offering walking tours. See the schedule in our story from Friday.

5:52 PM: Biggest question right now – when’s closing time tonight? Booths are supposed to stay open at least until 6 pm. Some will be folding up then – some will stay open later, and again, the music continues well into the night. Despite a cloudy/showery forecast, the weather’s been great all day, and so have the people.

The food booths are usually going strong through dinnertime. If you’re into total festival food, look for the Deep Fried PB&J booth, and consider the deep-fried Nutella and banana sandwich ($7). And if you’re planning to come tomorrow, some unique shopping:

Earlier we mentioned that shops from outside The Junction often book Summer Fest booths to introduce themselves to more West Seattleites – that sign, across from the Fitness Together (WSB sponsor) building north of California/Alaska, goes with Mystery Made, whose brick-and-mortar shop is in Admiral. Continue further north, and you can find “badass barware” in this trailer:

It’s on California north of Oregon. Speaking of beverages – Bin 41‘s wine garden is now open outside their shop on the southwest corner of California and Alaska; the official festival beer garden is by the stage on California north of Oregon; you’ll also find other festival-only outdoor areas including at The Beer Junction just south of California/Oregon.

P.S. If you’re coming tomorrow or Sunday, another reason to stop by here at the Info Booth – by day’s end we now have info you can peruse about a variety of other big West Seattle summer events – WS Outdoor Movies (which start one week from tomorrow), Alki Art Fair (two weeks away), Hi-Yu events, even a poster for the West Seattle Food Bank‘s “Grand Affair” benefit coming up September 16th. Or, just wave as you pass – thanks to all the fine folks who have come by to say hi today/tonight already. We’ll be in the info booth until about 6:30, and then heading out for a break before coming back in time for the later musical acts.

6:48 PM: We haven’t left just yet – still plenty of people circulating. While as we mentioned the “official” closing hour for booths was 6 pm, some stay open – including food vendors, and rides are still running too (as mentioned earlier, tickets are $1.25, with ride prices from 1 to 5 tickets, and a day pass is $20 – there was a $45 three-day pass but kind of too late for that now – update, rides run until 8 pm). Biggest question this hour, “which way to the main stage?” Answer: North end of the festival zone. Acapulco Lips is up at 7, Chastity Belt at 8, Tacocat at 9:30.

Snack tip for tomorrow: We’ve spent the day staring across the intersection at QFC’s tent, which again this year has fruit kabobs, water, and coconuts. Water’s $1, fruit/coconuts are priced $3-$4. They’ve closed down for the night now but will be back tomorrow under the orange umbrellas.

11 AM: One hour into the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2016, and the sun has arrived in The Junction, along with festivalgoers of all ages:

The preschoolers were stopping by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) tent, where there’s hopscotch as well as information about the expansion project. They’re right across from our spot in the Summer Fest Info Tent – info on the north and east sides, community groups on the west and south sides.

The Kid Zone is in the Wells Fargo lot north of Alaska (look for free activities in the WF drive-thru) along 44th, and also on Alaska west of California, where you’ll find the ticket booth:

We checked on prices first thing, after a reader question. Ride tickets are $1.25; a day pass is $20; all three days, $45. The ride-ticket booth is also where you’ll find cotton candy, which we’re often asked about; most food is on the other side of Alaska, between California and 42nd, but also look for sidewalk specials in front of year-round Junction eateries

The main stage is at the north end of the festival zone on California, between Oregon and Genesee, with the beer garden nearby; it opens when the music starts at 3 pm with School of Rock – tonight’s headliner, Tacocat, plays at 9:30.

There’s also a stage at the south end of the festival zone, on California at Edmunds; that’s part of GreenLife, presented by Sustainable West Seattle:

Music and other performances/demonstrations are planned all weekend, starting around 2:30 today. And between the two stages – dozens and dozens of vendors, exhibitors, organizations. If you’re looking for someone in particular and can’t find them, come to the Info Tent and we’ll do what we can to help.

11:57 AM: Looking for lunch? Here’s our Instagram video of a quick walk past the main food zone:

Also look for sidewalk cafés and stands outside the year-round Junction eateries (the restaurants are all open too – except for Azuma Sushi, closed for vacation). And Screamin’ Sicilian is handing out FREE pizza samples on the northwest corner of California/Alaska.

Other businesses and groups are on the east side of Alaska, across from the food vendors, including West Seattle Hi-Yu, where you can take your photo with the “Around West Seattle” float, which was getting a touchup when we walked by:

You can meet the Hi-Yu Teen Ambassadors and royalty, too – we stopped by to say hi to Junior Court Princess Stephanie and friends when we arrived:

And come see Haley Beebe be crowned Senior Court Queen on Saturday at 11:30 on the main stage.

1:12 PM: Though many Summer Fest vendors are from outside the area, it’s also a great chance to come find out more about local businesses and organizations. For one, as we’ve mentioned, you can check out the local year-round eateries, some with special setups on the sidewalk, some without – we just heard from Itto’s Tapas just north of the festival zone, at California/Genesee, and they’re opening early today, at 2 pm.

Summer Fest is also a chance for businesses from outside The Junction to come show off. Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) from south of Admiral has a booth:

We’ve also seen Avalon Glassworks, from Luna Park, which has Summer Fest specials every year.

1:46 PM: You can also learn about local nonprofits at Summer Fest. Some are in the “Community Tent,” which is actually half of the Info Tent at California/Alaska:

Right now, Neighborhood House, West Seattle Garden Tour, and BeSMART are on that side of the tent, talking with people who stop by. Throughout the festival zone, you will find other nonprofits with booths including West Seattle Food Bank – where you can buy raffle tickets for $5 that get you discounts at four local eateries even if you don’t win the raffle – West Seattle Helpline, West Seattle Timebank, WestSide Baby – some are in the GreenLife area by California/Edmunds. Speaking of nonprofit – members of the West Seattle High School Band just set up under the Easy Street marquee.

More to come!

Happy Friday! Rain or shine, the biggest party of the summer is on:

(Live SDOT traffic camera, east edge of the festival zone – road closure & bus reroute info here)

WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: Day 1 runs 10 am-6 pm, but the music runs well past then – it starts on the main stage (California north of Oregon) at 4 pm, with tonight’s headliner Tacocat at 9:30 pm – see the full music lineup here. … We’ll start reporting on what’s up and who’s where once we’re in place at the Info Booth at California/Alaska, but here are some other links that might help for starters:

Vendor list
Food list
Kids’ area (free AND fee activities – update: $1.25/ticket, $20/day pass, $45 three-day pass)
GreenLife (south end of festival zone, California/Edmunds)
Road closure/bus reroute info

Again, watch for live festival coverage here after things get going post-10 am. Also happening today/tonight:

COLMAN POOL CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC … because of a swim meet.

WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: 5 pm at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, journalist Eric Wagner and photographer Tom Reese talk about their collaboration “Once and Future River: Reclaiming the Duwamish.”:

The monthly author presentations comprising WWWS are presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. (2800 SW Barton)

OUTDOOR SHAKESPEARE: 7 pm at the amphitheater behind Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, it’s the Greenstage Backyard Bard version of “Twelfth Night.” Free. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

TX TRUMBO: Singer-songwriter live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)