2:16 PM: Until 5 pm – you’re invited to the return of the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, free fall fun on both sides of the 9100 block of California SW, inside and outside Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and Fauntleroy Schoolhouse/Hall at Fauntleroy.

The activities list is here; the event schedule (for performances and competitions) is here. Photos and more to come!

2:40 PM: Those are three of the decorated cakes for which you can vote in the cake-decorating contest on the lower back level of The Hall at Fauntleroy; at 3 pm, you can compete in the cake walk. Just outside the room where that’s happening, it’s a fall photo booth with West Seattle photographer Holli Margell – lots of families stopping for that.

And steps to the west, The Falconer is here with amazing birds.

Over in the lot outside Fauntleroy Church/YMCA, the festival traditions include pumpkin-painting:

Birdhouse-building:

And making salmon hats – celebrating the return of coho to Fauntleroy Creek (any time now!):

Sun’s out right now, too. More to come!

3:15 PM: A first-time feature, bunny-petting (replacing the “petting zoo” of years past), is a hit – you’ll find it in the “lower playground” area behind The Hall at Fauntleroy:

Nearby, The Don’t Ask Band is playing:

There’ll be live music inside The Hall shortly too, with the West Seattle Big Band scheduled at 3:30 pm.

3:48 PM: And there they are, playing timeless tunes. Back out in the church/Y lot, it’s a great day to climb:

Or to talk with some of the community organizations that are there – including the Fauntleroy Community Association, debuting this new banner:

One more hour to go – we’ll add more photos later!

ADDED SUNDAY EVENING: Also seen at the festival, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, educating festivalgoers about wildlife on and off our shores:

If you see a marine mammal on a West Seattle shore, alive or not, or one offshore that appears to be in distress, call Seal Sitters’ hotline at 206-905-7325. … From the Emergency Communication Hubs, the Fauntleroy area’s new volunteer hub captain Chris Jaramillo was at the festival:

The hubs are places you’d go to get and share information if disaster strikes and the usual methods are unavailable out of service – check this map to find the location of the hub closest to you (and if there’s not one nearby, get involved and start one!).

P.S. Speaking of getting involved, many people did that to make today’s volunteer-staffed, donation-funded festival, led by coordinator Reed Haggerty, a successful comeback. Like many events, the festival was on pandemic hiatus in 2020; last year, a drive-up/ride-up version was offered.