WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST 2025: As-it-happens coverage, report #1

(FESTIVAL QUICK LINKS: MUSIC LINEUPSVENDOR LISTFOOD/DRINK LISTBUS REROUTES)

1:35 PM: At the top of the hour, that dynamic duo officially opened West Seattle Summer Fest 2025. They’re Stacie Woods, events director, and Chris Mackay, executive director, both with the West Seattle Junction Association, the nonprofit merchants alliance that presents the festival.

We’re in the Info Booth again this year, and if you’ve been in years past, note that like some other things, it’s in a different location – further north this year, parallel with Easy Street Records‘ big sale tent. Also different this year: The food’s on the west side of Alaska, including seating in the lot behind KeyBank, and the Kids Zone is on the east side of Alaska. The main music stage is in the same place as every year, on California north of Oregon, next to the beverage garden, and music starts at 3 pm, both there and on the smaller West Side Stage. Meantime, we’re on the north side of the Info Booth, with community organizations (SPD Crime Prevention and the Duwamish Solidarity Group) on the east side, and Junction Association volunteers selling festival merch on the south side. The festival’s on until 8 tonight, with music running until about 11 pm!

2:50 PM: Above, that’s a mobile romance bookstore, one of the unique vendors here – they’re close to the north end of the booth zone. Not far beyond, we bumped into our first political-candidate sighting of the festival:

That’s Joe Mallahan, who’s running for mayor – again. (Mike McGinn beat him in 2009.) You’ll find him and seven other candidates on the August 5th primary ballot. (We have a policy of photographing local candidates seen at Summer Fest, so if you’re running for something, stop by the Info Booth.) …

Really important note about the food zone – if you just walk into the section of Alaska west of California, it might look kind of sparse. Don’t stop there! In the parking lot behind KeyBank, LOTS of food tents, and places to sit and eat and drink, first year ever.

Lots of seating by the West Side Stage, which is next to the Wells Fargo drive-thru.

Music has just begun on both stages – so we’re off for some video.

3:42 PM: And there it is, a bit of Mason Lowe, first band on the main stage. Coming up at 4 pm – Mr. Dinkles.


South of Oregon, on the east side of the booth row, you’ll find a couple local nonprofits – the West Seattle Food Bank is still selling its Summer Raffle tickets, and the Rotary Club of West Seattle, which would be happy to talk with you about their community work (upcoming: tree gleaning!):

More coverage to come!

4:48 PM: Rootbeer played this hour on the West Side Stage:

As is typical for Day 1, the crowd continues to grow, but it’s still not mega-crowded.

6:09 PM: Weep Wave took the main stage last hour:

Vendor booths are open until 8 pm but we’re getting to the time when dinner and music take centerstage, literally and figuratively! We’re going to wrap up this report and launch a new one with more scenes from Summer Fest Day 1. Coming up tonight, THEM is onstage at 9 pm, Jenn Champion at 10 pm.

8 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST 2025: As-it-happens coverage, report #1"

  • Fair food July 11, 2025 (2:01 pm)

    Just had Molly Moon’s ice cream. Now looking for elephant ears.

    • WSB July 11, 2025 (2:33 pm)

      The elephant ears are in the KeyBank parking lot. I’m about to add this to the coverage above, but if you’re looking for options, be sure to walk into the lot, where there are many food tents as well as big tables with chairs to sit down, coveredand uncovered. I saw “elephant ears” on a sign in the southwest corner -TR

  • Derek July 11, 2025 (3:12 pm)

    Monsterwatch is performing, must go to this!

  • Sweating July 11, 2025 (4:37 pm)

    Am I misremembering, or did I not read somewhere that there would be some shade at the beer garden this year?

    • WSB July 11, 2025 (4:52 pm)

      There’s a lot of shade but I don’t know about the beer garden – will look when I go up for the 5 pm act at the main stage.

      • Greg July 11, 2025 (5:09 pm)

        There’s small patches of shade and they are mostly claimed

    • 1994 July 11, 2025 (9:49 pm)

      Shade will be in demand with the warm weekend. 

  • Squarely July 11, 2025 (5:59 pm)

    Do they have a live feed or festival cams or live aerial view of the festival??

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