VIDEO: Scenes from West Seattle Summer Fest Eve 2025!

5:16 PM: The Junction is the place to be, starting now and continuing until Sunday night – West Seattle Summer Fest is officially Friday-Sunday but the streets are closed now for festival setup, plus early sidewalk-café activity, and it’s West Seattle Art Walk + The Art of Music night, all combining for Summer Fest Eve. Buses are rerouted too. We’re headed that way soon for updates!

6:25 PM: One of the sights you’ll see in Junction streets right now – stilt walkers! Or if you’d rather just watch the festival setup, wander north of SW Oregon, where the Summer Fest main stage is taking shape:

We found out from Junction Association executive director Chris Mackay that if you wander a bit further north, you’ll find out Itto’s is cooking paella tonight! Meanwhile, lots of wandering going on:

And be sure to duck into the West Seattle Art Walk venues, too – we photographed West Seattle watercolorist Carrie Scroggins at Jet City Labs:

(Jet City has DJs all festival long, tomorrow through Sunday!) We’ve seen two bands, too – Aurora Ave is rocking the KeyBank Plaza corner at California/Alaska:

And the St. Bees Duo is at John L. Scott (4445 California SW) with some nostalgia.

They’re one of the five Art of Music acts – and The Junction is hosting bonus music tonight too (like Aurora Ave!). We’re heading back out to see what else is up ….

8:38 PM: More scenes from tonight – Golden Hart at Great American Diner and Bar, part of The Art of Music:

Noticed a line for Husky Deli ice cream:

On the same block, Mashiko‘s streetside booth had a list of what they’ll be selling, including shave ice:

Poggie Tavern was decked inside and out with jellyfish:

Speaking of food and drink, remember it’s on SW Alaska WEST of California this year, and the parking lot behind KeyBank will have space for you to sit and enjoy your food/beverage:

The Kid Zone, meantime, is on Alaska EAST of California, where these colorful cords are awaiting their role in setting up the inflatables (you can buy tickets online in advance):

The festival runs 1 to 8 pm Friday (music to 11), 10 am to 8 pm Saturday (music to 11), and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday. We’ll be there for continuous coverage all 24+ hours of the festival – see you in The Junction!

Eddie July 10, 2025 (7:13 pm)

Seems much busier than the pictures would suggest. What a nice evening!

WSB July 10, 2025 (11:54 pm)

It was not crowded. At least not between 6:15-6:45, when I did most of my first round of gathering (delayed in getting back out because of the Amber Alert).

Pete July 10, 2025 (7:57 pm)

It’s like a little taste of what life with a car free junction would be like, sigh, one day!

Dysfunction July 10, 2025 (9:36 pm)

A car free junction works for 3 days in the middle of summer for a big event. But if people think it would work as some long term thing, they are lying to themselves. Ask the business owners there. Anyone with some business savvy knows it would be a disaster. The junction isn’t some small Italian town center

Pete July 11, 2025 (6:39 am)

why not pedestrianise the strip just in the evening? Maybe there’s a way to get it to work? Bothell is apparently doing pretty well with their efforts to have car free areas.Maybe we could be optimistic and aim higher. We can have nice things too!
Taylor July 11, 2025 (8:07 am)

Why though? How often do you drive to the junction and plan specifically on parking directly on California Ave and have that work out for you? It’s always easier to park off California and walk the short distance over. How would closing that section of the street be any different?