(Screengrab from 42nd/Alaska traffic cam)

4:28 PM: Happening right now in the West Seattle Junction – SW Alaska is closed to traffic between California and 42nd for the Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting festival, featuring a Night Market that’s open now(here’s the list of vendors). The schedule:

4:30 PM Endolyne Choir
5:00 PM School of Rock
5:30 PM Pet Costume Contest
5:45 PM Metropolitan Singers (carolers)
6:00 PM Tree Lighting (with carolers)
6:15 PM Holiday DJ spinning tunes
8:00 PM Night Market closes

Updates to come!

6:20 PM: The tree was lit on schedule and we’re back at HQ processing video and photos. The weather stayed dry and if you haven’t been yet, you can still go shop the market!

7:42 PM: Adding a few scenes from the market, including Santa himself, wandering and posing:

Cookie decorating too!

Some of the vendors are from elsewhere in The Junction, like Falafel Salam and Bakery Nouveau:

Separate reports are coming up about what happened onstage – from the pet costume contest to the tree lighting!