WEST SEATTLE GRAND PARADE: Mayor & police chief’s last-minute plan, plus other Saturday-preview notes

(WSB file photo, Electronettes in the West Seattle Grand Parade)

Less than 15 hours until the West Seattle Grand Parade! Some last-minute notes:

MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF: The parade-presenting West Seattle Rotary got word this afternoon that Mayor Jenny Durkan and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best will be in the parade, and shortly after we heard about that, the mayor’s office sent a “media advisory” saying they’ll precede the parade appearance with a “walking tour” in The Junction (eight months after their last one):

Mayor Durkan and Chief Best will first tour West Seattle, hear from the neighborhood’s small business owners, and discuss public safety and issues facing residents and employers in West Seattle.

They’re starting the tour at Husky Deli at 10 am.

PARADE PREPS: For parade participants, it’s the time for last-minute preparation:

That’s the crew from Potter Construction, a longtime WSB sponsor as well as a Grand Parade sponsor. Other local businesses you’ll see in the parade include Luna Park Café, returning after a hiatus.

SPEAKING OF FOOD: If you’re watching near the north end of the parade route, Kim at West Seattle Swinery wanted to mention his special: “We will be serving Danny’s famous pork belly rib sliders and a drink for $5.50 tax included until we run out.” (The Swinery is at 3207 California SW.)

PARADE BASICS: Official start time: 11 am (but the motorcycle drill teams may start sooner)
Route: California SW southbound from Lander to Edmunds
Announcers: Brian and Christa Callanan in The Junction, Ron Zuber at California/Charlestown
Closures: California SW from Admiral to Edmunds plus some side streets on both ends, for detours and reroutes, “no parking” starting at 7 am but roads close a bit later
Bus reroutes: See the links here
Float Dodger 5K: Starts near the north end of the parade route, on the field at Hiawatha, 9:30 am (more info here)
PAWrade: 11 am from California/Genesee to California/Edmunds (want to be part of it? here’s how)
Other previews: Scroll through our archive!

Erin98126 July 20, 2019 (9:15 am)

I’m bummed at how short the parade route is. Is there a particular reason why it doesn’t continue further south and end at the Morgan Junction?

second that July 22, 2019 (11:31 am)

I too would ike to see the parade end at Morgan Junction

Elisa July 20, 2019 (9:57 am)

Erin98126 – it’s a walking parade for the most part, with lots of kids, so walking from N Admiral to Morgan would be a really long walk.

Mark July 20, 2019 (10:22 am)

The parade route is about 1 3/4 miles which is very long for a parade route. It is the second longest route of All-City Band’s season. Only the Torchlight parade is longer – a little over 2 miles.

CeeBee July 20, 2019 (10:29 am)

Why does the mayor keep scheduling these walks with virtually no notice? I’d like to attend but had already made plans that I can’t get out of. It’s extremely irritating and seems very unorganized on her part. It is not a hypothetical question, I really seriously would like to know.

East Coast Cynic July 20, 2019 (5:57 pm)

That’s so that fewer people who take issue with the Mayor on issues of public safety, transportation, and infrastructure can plot ahead of time to get into her grill on those issues:).

Sillygoose July 20, 2019 (1:31 pm)

The parade is called the Hi-Yu Parade so where was the Hi-Yu float with the Princess etc. No floats except the Lions Club! What has happened to this parade? The adjoining communities always had float entries. Sad very sad.

WSB July 20, 2019 (1:48 pm)

No, it’s not called the Hi-Yu Parade and it hasn’t been for more than a decade. As for Hi-Yu, as reported here, it disbanded due to lack of community support.

https://westseattleblog.com/2017/03/followup-after-more-than-80-years-west-seattle-hi-yu-says-goodbye/

It was the last Seattle neighborhood float, and they put out multiple calls for “if you care, get involved,” but aside from a handful of dedicated folks, no response. THAT was sad. – TR

Sillygoose July 20, 2019 (2:00 pm)

Thanks Tracy but the year on the final story in 2017. I was in a 17 hour a day career then so had no idea.Really sad!!

Jim July 20, 2019 (10:09 pm)

The last Hi-Yu parade, if it was even called that, would have been in 1937, When the Hi-Yu Association folded. The West Seattle Parade has been in continuous operation since the first parade in 1934. Making this the 85th running. Hi-Yu Inc which started in 1949 folded in 2017.

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