(SDOT camera at California/Alaska – watch for street closures today/tonight because of the Hometown Holidays Festival)

What a day and night ahead! First, the list from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

SANTA PHOTOS AND PANCAKES: The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will present its holiday-season pancake breakfast, 7 am-11 am at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds), pancakes, ham, and beverages, $10 at the door, $8 in advance, kids eat free. Toy donations, Santa photos, more – details here..

SELFIES WITH SANTA AT CAPERS: Details here – 8:30-11 am with “Santa Tony”! (4525 California SW)

SANTA PAWS #1: Windermere West Seattle offers you a chance for a Santa pic with your dog, 10 am-noon. (4526 California SW)

CAUDLE FAMILY’S DROP-OFF COAT/FOOD DRIVE: Fifth year this local family awaits you 10 am-3 pm in the lot behind Hope Lutheran (SW Oregon east of 42nd) so you can drive up, ride up, walk up, and drop off your donations of coats and/or nonperishable food.

VASHON ISLAND HOLIDAY STUDIO TOUR, DAY ONE: Take a ferry to explore this event (which is sponsoring WSB to get the word out)!

Vashon Island artists offer art lovers and gift shoppers a fun and inspirational event, the Vashon Island Holiday Studio Tour, Saturdays and Sundays, December 7-8 and 14-15, 2024, from 10 am to 4 pm. The tour, which is organized by Vashon Island Visual Artists, features 44 studios and galleries representing more than 140 artists and craftspeople. The organization’s website also offers an interactive online map with details about each studio or gallery.

WARM CLOTHING DRIVE AT PRECINCT: SPD’s Community Service Officers are at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) 11 am-3 pm to gather donations of warm clothing.

(added) SHOP SMALL SOUTH PARK: 11 am-4 pm art market at South Park Hall (14th S./S. Cloverdale), plus a small business passport program – see our calendar listing for details/locations.

DONATE TOYS AT FIRE STATION: West Seattle’s Station 29 (2130 Ferry SW in North Admiral) is one of five fire stations citywide accepting new unwrapped toys for Toys For Tots 1-3 pm today.

RAIN CITY CLAY HOLIDAY SHOW: The Arbor Heights studio/gallery hosts the annual holiday show 1-5 pm today – details in our calendar listing. (4208 SW 100th)

SANTA PAWS #2: Santa & pets, 1-4 pm December 7 at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), $25 donation, benefiting Forgotten Dogs Rescue.

FUTURE PRIMITIVE HOLIDAY MARKET: Future Primitive (9832 14th SW) in White Center is celebrating its 6th anniversary with a Holiday Market. 1 pm, with Santa visiting 3-5:30 pm.

HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS FESTIVAL: Night Market, roaming Santa, tree lighting, stage performances, beer garden, cocoa, pet costume contest, a stilt-walker … this is the holiday night in The Junction that has everything! 4 pm-8 pm. Here’s the schedule:

4:00 PM – Festival begins. Night Market is open. Carolers, Metropolitan Singers, and Santa will be roaming the area.
4:30 PM Endolyne Children’s Choir Performance
5:00 PM The School of Rock Performance
5:30 PM Pet Costume Contest on Stage
6:00 PM Tree Lighting plus with carolers (Seattle Metropolitan Singers)
6:30 PM Christmas DJ spinning holiday tunes
8:00 PM Night Market closes

See the list of Night Market vendors here. Remember SW Alaska east of California will be closed for the festival plus setup and breakdown.

HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR AT OLG: The popular fair-trade-gift fair returns to Our Lady of Guadalupe, with the second night 4-8 pm tonight in Walmesley Center (35th/Myrtle)

ARTHUR’S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: Through December 12, daily specials at 4 pm – details in our calendar listing. (2311 California SW)

ASTRA LUMINA: The illuminated walk at Seattle Chinese Garden on Puget Ridge continues. 5 pm and later entry times; ticket cost varies. (6000 16th SW)

A JOHNSON FAMILY CHRISTMAS X 2: All-ages holiday drag show at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), doors 6, show 6:30. Plus, 21+ show at Box Bar (5601 California SW) at 9:30 pm.

“SNOWED IN (AGAIN)”: 7:30 pm performance of ArtsWest‘s holiday show – here’s the ticket link. (4711 California SW)

‘WINTER WANDER’ SCAVENGER HUNT: Alice Kuder presents the “Winter Wander” scavenger hunt again this year, continuing tonight:

The Winter Wander Scavenger Hunt is a free, 10-day community event designed to bring friends and families together for holiday fun. Wanderers download a Bingo-style clue sheet, scour West Seattle to identify the locations that solve the clues, and upload selfies in front of those locations to qualify for prize drawings. Open to everyone of all ages! Winter Wander concludes at 7 PM, Sun., Dec. 15th, 2024. Sign up by registering at wondersinaliceland.com.

(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Now, everything ELSE that’s happening, non-holiday! (Got something to add for today/tonight? Text 206-293-6302 – thank you!)

SATURDAY GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) at 8 am for the regular Saturday morning run.

HEAVILY MEDITATED: Free community meditation, 9 am at Inner Alchemy‘s sanctuary/studio (3618 SW Alaska)

INTRODUCTORY WALK: Prelude to the next event – meet at the same spot, 47th/Fauntleroy, 9:30 am, for a flat-terrain 1-mile walk.

WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Then at 10 am, you’re invited to join others for the weekly walk in Lincoln Park (meet at 47th/Fauntleroy).

TILDEN SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: Visit K-5 Tilden School (4105 California SW; WSB sponsor) 10 am-noon today.

BRIDGE COOPERATIVE ELEMENTARY OPEN HOUSE: The Bridge School also has an open house 10 am-noon today. (10300 28th SW; WSB sponsor)

SSC GARDEN CENTER: “Garden Center is open until December 20th! We have Holiday Swags, Poinsettias and beautiful blooming Christmas Cactus! All new indoor plants will brighten any home or office and make a wonderful gift! Open Thursday-Saturday from 10 am-3 pm until December 20th! We will reopen January 9th! Thank you for a wonderful year supporting our students! The Garden Center at South Seattle College provides Landscape Horticulture students the opportunity to increase their knowledge of plants while gaining real-world retail experience. Plants available for sale are selected, propagated, grown and presented by Landscape Horticulture students. Additional plants are brought in from local growers. Proceeds benefit Landscape Horticulture Program projects. The selection includes perennials, ground covers, shrubs, some annual edibles and flowers, as well as indoor plants. Cash and electronic payments accepted. The Garden Center is located in the North Parking Lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th Ave SW) in the Puget Ridge neighborhood of West Seattle. There is ample paid parking in the north lot, and visitors can generally find free parking along 16th Ave SW with a short walk to the Academy from there.”    

MORNING MUSIC: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.

FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am – “This is a free, weekly, in-person active writing group grounded in the Amherst Writers and Artists method. It is a safe, critique-free space. Writers of all levels welcome, 16 and up.” Our calendar listing has location and RSVP info.

GET YOUR GO BAG ON: 45 minutes with Alice Kuder at 11 am, and you’ll be ready for (almost) anything. RSVP for her free Ready Freddy Prep Party at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW) by going here.

FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN: The home of West Seattle history is open for your visit, noon-4 pm – see the newest exhibit, about the West Duwamish Greenbelt! (61st/Stevens)

VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER OPEN: The center is also open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)

VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).

SCHMITZ PARK CREEK RESTORE OPEN HOUSE: 1-4 pm at Alki Bathhouse (2701 Alki SW), learn about student-led visioning projects providing inspiration for how the restoration might be possible.

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY TASTING ROOM: Open 1-6 pm in the north lot of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).

‘THE RAKE’S PROGRESS’ AT CSIHS, 2 PERFORMANCES: Matinée and evening performance of the student production, 2 pm and 7:30 pm at the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium (2600 SW Thistle); details and ticket link in our preview.

DINNER TO BENEFIT WSHS MUSIC AND THEATER: At West Seattle Eagles (4426 California SW), starting at 5 pm with student music performance, lasagna dinner at 5:30, all proceeds to WSHS music and theater. $14, all ages welcome, no membership required. Hosted by Anne and Ron Weglin.

ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)

AT THE SKYLARK: Paper Nova, Malty and the Rain, The Western Groovers at The Skylark. Doors at 7, Music at 8, $10, all ages. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Cloudburst‘s “homecoming show,” 7 pm, free, all ages. (4559 California SW)

REVELRY ROOM DJ: 9 pm, DJ Vagabond Superstar. (4547 California SW)

KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Saturday singing at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW), starting at 10 pm.

West Seattle event coming up? If the community’s welcome, your event is welcome to a spot on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – same place to send your Holiday Guide listings – thank you!