West Seattle, Washington
14 Saturday
Our photo is from Trick or Trees at Highland Park Corner Store on Saturday, an event the co-presenting Highland Park Improvement Club would likely have hosted at their own site if not for the fire that shut it down almost a year and a half ago. We stopped to ask what’s new with the work toward rebuilding since this update last spring, and found out the next Town Hall to talk about it is happening soon – Thursday, November 10th. They’ve hired a contractor, and hope to submit the plan for permits in February. One topic of the upcoming Town Hall will be “new funding opportunities”; community contributions remain vital. The time and other details of the November 10th Town Hall will be announced shortly; if you’re not on the HPIC email list, keep an eye on hpic1919.org (and here on WSB too).
We’re continuing to get questions about opportunities to get the newest COVID booster shots. Here’s an announcement of three more, open to all:
Seattle Public Schools is hosting COVID booster shot clinics with Safeway and Seattle Visiting Nurse Association.
-Vaccine offered: Pfizer Bivalent Booster 5-11 and 12+
-These clinics are open to the community.
-All insurance is accepted.LOUISA BOREN STEM K-8
5950 Delridge Way SWDate: Saturday, Nov 12 in gym
Time: 9 am-1 pm
Medical Provider: Safeway
Please register before the clinic: kordinator.mhealthcoach.net/vcl/1654546758102DENNY INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
2601 SW KenyonDate: Sunday, Nov 13 in lunchroom
Time: 9 am-1 pm
Medical Provider: Seattle Visiting Nurse Association
Please register before the clinic: schedule.seattlevna.com/service/9d20cac8-d510-ec11-b6e6-000d3a57ec4c?lang=enMADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL
3429 45th SWDate: Saturday, Nov 19 in lunchroom
Time: 9 am-1 pm
Medical Provider: Seattle Visiting Nurse Association
Please register before the clinic: schedule.seattlevna.com/service/9d20cac8-d510-ec11-b6e6-000d3a57ec4c?lang=en
Thanks for the tip. A letter posted on the door confirms that Massage Envy has closed at Westwood Village, after 9 1/2 years; Saturday was its last day in operation. The letter from the local franchisee says in part, “Unfortunately, the pandemic and economic conditions have overcome us, and we have to close our doors permanently,” with their 10-year franchising agreement concluding. The letter advises clients who have memberships to expect a message from the parent company, and that their membership can be used for services at other Massage Envy locations.
(Festival schedule is here)
11:50 AM: That’s the costume parade (led by the West Seattle High School Marching Band) that kicked off the first full-strength West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival in three years. It’s happening right now on California SW between Alaska and Edmunds, and on Alaska between 44th and 42nd. Trick-or-treating is happening now, wherever you find candy (and it’s going fast). Lots of free fun activities too:
Plus, the first mainstage performance, by the 8-Bit Brass Band, starts soon. The chili cookoff also gets going at noon – $10 gets you tastes of every contender (benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank), and a vote.
More to come as the festival continues until 5 pm, whatever the weather does.
12:24 PM: The chili cookoff is literally a hot ticket – it’s drawn a line. Servers are busy!
Over at the main stage – which is ground-level – the 8-Bit Brass Band is playing:
Following the band, the mural created at Summer Fest is scheduled to be unveiled.
1:19 PM: That’s artist Stacey Sterling, who led community participants in creation of the mural. She was followed on the main stage by the pie-eating competitions, presented by nearby A La Mode Pies:
We’ve made a few trips to the nearby stores for candy replenishment, so trick-or-treating is still on here at the Info Booth. Lots of little ones who are trick-or-treating for the first time, getting parental coaching.
1:49 PM: The Heebie-Jeebies are playing now – perfect Halloween music.
And all around the festival zone, the first-ever Harvest Fest cornhole tournament is in the heat of competition:
32 teams are playing; winners will be announced when the festival wraps at 5 pm.
The @WSJA Harvest Festival rolls on. Jump-rope demo right now! pic.twitter.com/M2gV1Onivw
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 30, 2022
2:17 PM: Lots going on at the community activity booths, sponsored by local organizations, schools, and businesses. Westside School (WSB sponsor) had a line of festivalgoers:
The Farmers’ Market is keeping regular hours, so it just closed. (That means vehicles are coming in for market breakdown, on California north of Alaska.)
The Heebie-Jeebies have just finished playing; next up in the stage area, square dancing at 2:30 pm. But first, the chili cookoff results …
#1 – Husky Deli
#2 – The Bridge (just one vote behind)
#3 – Easy Street
WSFB promises an update tomorrow on how much the cookoff raised to support their work preventing hunger and homelessness. (MONDAY UPDATE: $3,820!)
2:45 PM: Some booths are folding up early, so if you haven’t been here yet, hurry! At the stage, square dancing has begun.
3 PM: With the scheduled activities wrapping up (aside from The Potholes performing at 3:30) and rain moving in, Chris Mackay of the festival-presenting West Seattle Junction Association has given the clearance to fold this up, so our coverage is concluding. Thanks to everyone who stopped by them Info Booth to say hi! For the rest of today, and tomorrow, see our West Seattle Halloween Guide.
ADDED SUNDAY EVENING: Some additional photos. First, these owls caught a lot of attention – photo sent by Laura Goodrich:
Holli Margell sent the next four, starting with two more looks at the WSHS band leading the costume parade:
And we caught more costume creativity:
Set your calendar for the next big seasonal fun in The Junction – Tree Lighting, GLOWS, Night Market, more on Saturday, December 3!
Though we’re not past Halloween yet, we’ve been receiving announcements about holiday-season events, including these two:
(WSB file photo)
TURKEY GIVEAWAY: Eastridge Church will again give away turkeys and bags of groceries on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. One change this year: They’ll go back to a walk-up distribution. This starts at 9 am Saturday, November 19, outside the church at 4500 39th SW and goes until the hundreds of turkeys/grocery bags are gone. Between West Seattle and the church’s main campus in Issaquah, they expect to serve 1,500 people.
FREE SIT-DOWN DINNER: The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW) will return to its longtime traditional sit-down community Thanksgiving dinner, free to all, on Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 24). Times and other details are still to come. Last year, The Hall offered free takeaway dinners.
P.S. We’re starting work on our West Seattle Holiday Guide, so if you have an event/sale/etc., the sooner you can send us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – the better; thank you!
Fall’s biggest festival is hours away. That tops the first part of our Sunday list – events from the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide:
WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION HARVEST FESTIVAL: 11 am-5 pm, rain or shine, it’s the return of the full in-person festival including business trick-or-treating – look for merchants with black/orange balloons. The festival is closing streets in addition to the regular Farmers’ Market closure, so California is closed Oregon to Edmunds, and SW Alaska is closed between 42nd and 44th. Key schedule points:
11 am – Costume parade starting at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska)
11:30 am – Trick-or-treating and free family activities.
Noon-2 pm – Chili cookoff on SW corner of California/Alaska – $10 gets you a taste of each entry and a chance to vote, benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank
Noon – Cornhole tournament for 32 preregistered teams
Noon, 1:30, 3:30 – Main-stage music (California/Alaska)
12:45 pm – Mural unveiling (main stage)
1 pm – Pie-eating contest (main stage)
1:30 pm – Story time (kids’ area)
2:30 pm – Square dancing
5 pm – Cornhole winners announced
We’ll be covering the festival live from the Info Booth, with updates throughout the day. See you there!
UNDERWATER PUMPKIN CARVING: 8 am-1:30 pm at Alki Beach, divers welcome to join – details here.
WITCHES & WIZARDS PADDLE: 11 am from north beach at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW) – bring your own board – details in our calendar listing.
HALLOWEEN ‘KIDS EAT FREE’: 11 am-9 pm, dine-in or drive-thru at Pecos Pit-West Seattle (35th/Fauntleroy; WSB sponsor), and kids 12 and under eat free with purchase of an entree by someone accompanying them.
WHITE CENTER TRICK-OR-TREATING: Business trick-or-treating in White Center, primarily along 16th SW south of Roxbury, 1-5 pm.
SPOOKOUT 2022: 3-7 pm, brought to you by the people who led a community campaign to save their streetcorner tree north of Solstice Park – must email for appointment – our calendar listing explains.
LIGHT SHOW: Music-synched lights presented by West Seattle Yuletide, 6-9:30 pm, 38th SW between Dakota and Genesee.
NIGHTFALL ORPHANAGE: Spooky experience at 4544 51st Place SW, 7-10 pm. No admission charge, but charity donations requested. Details here.
YARD SHOW: “Halloween frights” with lights, sounds, ghosts at at 5206 23rd Ave SW.
STORE PARTY: After-Hours Halloween Party, all ages, at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), 7-10 pm. “Costumes encouraged!”
That’s it for Halloween listings. Now, the second part of today’s list, from our year-round West Seattle Event Calendar:
CHURCHES WITH ONLINE SERVICES: We’re continuing to list these – see today’s list here.
BIRD WALK: 9 am at Roxhill Park (29th/Barton), preregistration required – link and details in our calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Same location and same time even though the Harvest Festival is happening too – 10 am-2 pm, the market offers fall produce as well as flowers, cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages, more. Here’s today’s vendor list. California SW between Oregon and Alaska.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: Co-housed Alki UCC and Kol HaNeshamah (6115 SW Hinds) team up for a walk-up Blessing of the Animals, noon-1 pm with Rabbi Sabine and Pastor Emily – details are in our calendar listing.
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE: Last day to see the monthlong display of community-contributed art at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), open noon-5 pm today.
SCHOOL FUNDRAISER: 1-8 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), part of today’s proceeds will go to the Madison Middle School PTSA – tell them that’s why you’re there! (And yes, the Seahawks game will be on if you want to watch.)
CLASSIC NOVELS (AND MOVIES) BOOK CLUB: Monthly meeting, 3 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) – our calendar listing has info on what they’re discussing this month.
NEED FOOD? White Center Community Dinner Church serves a free meal (take-away available) at 5 pm Sundays at the Salvation Army Center in South Delridge (9050 16th SW).
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: 9 pm to 1:30 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
Have an event to add to our calendar? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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