COUNTDOWN: One month until West Seattle Summer Fest, with one big change for safety and space

Exactly one month from today – on July 10 – the peninsula’s biggest party of the year will get going, West Seattle Summer Fest, a three-day community celebration in the heart of The Junction. In the weeks ahead, we’ll have plenty of previews, but here’s one big change from years past: SW Oregon will be closed to motor vehicles between 42nd SW and 44th SW, just like SW Alaska (so California will be continuously closed to vehicles between SW Genesee and SW Edmunds). The West Seattle Junction Association – the business organization that presents Summer Fest and other Junction events (and that’s just part of what it does) – says that will make the festival even safer, rather than risking a clash between pedestrians and drivers when people are going to and from the north section of the festival zone, which is home to the main stage on Friday and Saturday and the Farmers’ Market on Sunday. Oregon will include more food and craft vendors, WSJA tells us, and they’re especially excited to have some food closer to the main tage. More previews ahead!

P.S. You can get in the Summer Fest mood early by getting tickets for the West Seattle Junction Rock Walk, now just nine days away – 5-9 pm June 19 – with beer, cider, spirits, AND wine providers participating – proceeds support Summer Fest main-stage music – tickets still available here!

Thomas June 10, 2026 (2:28 pm)

This is great news. It definitely will inconvenience some people for a couple days who have to drive a little farther, but it’s way better for pedestrians.

WSBReader June 10, 2026 (2:37 pm)

Great news! I’m excited to show my baby what Summer Fest is all about and I’ll feel a bit safer bringing her with more pedestrian area!

Laura June 10, 2026 (4:27 pm)

This is a great change! It’s always seemed a bit unsafe to have one intersection (Alaska) closed and one (Oregon) open to vehicles… people get into festival mode and just assume it’s all pedestrian zone. Thank you WSJA!

MT June 10, 2026 (4:35 pm)

Could really use a traffic cop at Genesee over the past 10 years. It’s getting more busy/crazy every year. I’ve been asking for help.

LM June 10, 2026 (6:17 pm)

Love this change!

FedUp June 11, 2026 (12:22 pm)

Well set up will be a bit easier for them as the tape on the curbs is still there from last year. Good job cleaning up.

BJG June 11, 2026 (12:44 pm)

Not such great news for the neighbors on SW Edmunds who have been dealing with speeding, careless drivers every day who are trying to get around the Junction. Do they even see the stop signs and pedestrians? Now we’ll get them all and more illegal parking. It’s so crazy around here with the local drivers, we can only imagine what s coming! Please be careful.