West Seattle, Washington
03 Sunday
(WSB file photo from Loop the ‘Lupe)
Though it’s unseasonably cool and wet now, that’ll change in a few days, and by the time we get to Saturday, we’re expecting VERY summery weather. Perfect to get out and run, walk, maybe dodge a few obstacles … which you can do Saturday at this year’s Loop the ‘Lupe. This is your last call to register at a discount rate – you have until Thursday, but why wait? Loop the ‘Lupe is the only obstacle-course race in Seattle – and more, as organizers explain:
Loop the ‘Lupe’s Elite Wave (age 16+) features nine obstacles on a distance-certified 1K “loop,” including a wall climb, a mud pit, and more. New this year, the Elite event will be streamlined to get participants through the obstacles more quickly. Participants finish five loops for the full 5K race, and there are prizes from local restaurants and merchants for top finishers. The Family Wave features seven obstacles on the same loop and offers a challenge for athletes of all skill levels. Events begin with a staggered start at 11 a.m.
A one-loop Youth Dash with obstacles is available for kids 8 and under (with adult supervision), and there’s a no-obstacle 5K Run/Walk course for runners and walkers, too. For older participants (age 65+), Loop the ‘Lupe also features the Senior Saunter, a 100% flat, timed walk that is one of the most popular senior-focused races in Seattle.
Loop the ‘Lupe will also have live music provided by the students of West Seattle School of Rock. Plus, participants can enjoy food, drinks, and a beer garden (age 21+) for additional purchase. Proceeds raised from the event go toward the costs of social outreach work at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, which helps prisoners re-entering the community, coordinates voter registration and racial justice education, and much more. Through their partnership with the St. Vincent de Paul Conference, OLG supports food distribution and assistance for rent and utilities for low-income families.
Loop the ‘Lupe happens at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle). Register here by Thursday to beat the price increase! (Follow the link to find out about other discounts, too.) Then we’ll see you out on the Loop this Saturday (WSB is the media sponsor)!
Another free-to-see event happening right now – the third annual car show organized by West Seattle High School students. Below are Noah and Nevaeh from the WSHS Greasy Peeps Car Club, with the auto-shop class teacher Carmin Thomas:
The show was open to community participation – here are just a few of the entries:
This is all happening in the WSHS lot (3000 California SW) until about 3:30 pm. That’s immediately preceding the WSHS all-school reunion, which starts at 4 and is usually accompanied by a display of classic cars too!
ADDED SUNDAY: Thanks to Dave White for these photos!
(Rain City Ropeworks team members in 2023 world competition, photo courtesy Zack Hill)
Before they travel for national competition, West Seattle’s award-winning Rain City Ropeworks jump-rope team invites you to their show next weekend – Sunday, June 9, 2:30 pm at Holy Rosary (42nd/Genesee) – here’s the invitation!
Join us for our annual Jump Rope Community Show, featuring the dynamic performances of the the Rain City Ropeworks Jump Rope Team! This family-friendly event will feature exciting routines from all team members, including members of our national team who will be traveling to Utah to compete in June. Enjoy fun audience activities, meet the team, and participate in our silent auction with fabulous items from our wonderful community sponsors. Plus, there will be other fun giveaways! You won’t want to miss this event!
Exactly two months from today, on July 20, a huge summer doubleheader takes over California Avenue SW between Admiral and The Junction from morning through early afternoon – the West Seattle Grand Parade and Float Dodger 5K. Both are looking for participants right now – here’s how to be part of either or both!
(WSB photo, 2023: Joyas Mestizas in West Seattle Grand Parade)
GRAND PARADE: This year, the Grand Parade celebrates its 90th anniversary! Your business, organization, school, etc., can inquire about parade participation by emailing WestSeattleParade@gmail.com to get an application. And the parade is seeking sponsors – the permits, no-parking signs, and other costs add up big time, and sponsorships help the all-volunteer parade organizers cover those costs – no sponsors, no parade! Read this to find out how to become a Grand Parade sponsor.
(WSB photo, 2023 Float Dodger 5K)
FLOAT DODGER 5K: Before the Grand Parade starts down California SW from Lander at 11 am on July 20, the Float Dodger 5K sends hundreds of runners and walkers onto the route (starting at Hiawatha Playfield) at 9:30 am, raising money for the West Seattle Food Bank. This is the 10th anniversary of the Float Dodger 5K, founded and coordinated by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor). It’s preceded by a free Kids’ Dash at 9 am and followed by root-beer floats! Sponsors are welcome – email info@runforgoodracingcompany.com – and registration is open now – just go here!
(Thanks to Lora for the photos)
10:58 AM: If ever you’ve wanted to find out more about the West Seattle Bee Garden, today is THE day. The West Seattle Bee Festival is under way all day in and around High Point Commons Park (Lanham/Graham). The morning is devoted to walking and running activities, with the help of Emerald City Wanderers:
Then from noon to 4 pm, booths will be set up along Lanham Place, with a variety of organizations and vendors to visit, and you can check out activities and demonstrations – to learn about the bees, be at the Bee Garden at 1 pm for a hive demonstration. The full schedule of events is in this preview.
12:26 PM: Thanks to Lora for more photos – you can meet beekeepers and buy honey, of course, at the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association booth:
The Seattle Public Library hopes you’ll be abuzz about reading:
Seattle Police sent four-legged ambassadors from the Mounted Patrol:
The festival is on until 4 pm!
Just three weeks until this year’s Loop the ‘Lupe, featuring our area’s only obstacle-course 5K. Here’s one reason to register today instead of waiting until the last minute:
Loop the ‘Lupe director Brian Callanan tells us that he’s putting in the orders for T-shirts today. So to guarantee you get the T-shirt size you’re looking for, sign up before midnight – and if you do, here’s a special one-day-only deal: Use the coupon code SHIRT5 to get a $5 discount on registration! Go here ASAP and use that code. As that page explains, you have five options for the big day – Saturday, June 8, at Walt Hundley Playfield – (34th/Myrtle) with starts between 11 am and 1 pm: Obstacle-course Elite Wave, obstacle-course Family Wave, 5K Fun Run, Senior Saunter, Youth Dash. It’s one big party, with music and food/drink. (WSB is Loop the ‘Lupe’s media sponsor – here’s our coverage from last year.)
We’ve told you before about the Skunk Works Robotics club, serving West Seattle and beyond. There’s an Info Night coming up this week for middle- and high-school students interested, with Skunk Works one of two clubs involved; they asked us to publish this invitation:
Skunk Works Robotics and Tekerz Robotics invite you to an info night on May 16, from 6-8 pm. They are looking for students who will be in grades 8-12 next year to join their competitive robotics teams. Skunk Works began competing in 2007 in FIRST FRC, while the High Tekerz got their start in 2011. Both teams build 125-lb robots that compete on a field about the size of a basketball court.
Competitive robotics teams aren’t only for prospective programmers and engineers! Our teams also need students interested in business and marketing fields like graphic design, writing, social media, photography, and outreach. We also utilize data analytics to determine game play strategy.
Yes, programming, cad design, wiring and shop are also VERY important to creating a competitive robot and we welcome students interested in those areas to visit as well!
If you are interesting in attending please fill out the attached form for further information regarding the location and program. Thank you and we hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to recruitment@skunkworks1983.com
Spring/summer event season has begun! We’re now only four weeks away from the Loop the ‘Lupe obstacle-course 5K and its companion events. Loop the ‘Lupe happens in the late morning and early afternoon of Saturday, June 8 – starting with the obstacle-course 5K’s Elite Wave at 11 am, continuing with the Family Wave, then the 5K Fun Run, the Senior Saunter, and concluding at 1 pm with the Youth Dash. (Get more info here about all the events.) Lots of fun on the sidelines too at Walt Hundley Playfield, with music, food, and a beer/cider garden. Loop the ‘Lupe raises money for Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s social-outreach work. If you’re not registered yet, you can fix that by going here right now! (WSB is Loop the ‘Lupe’s media sponsor.)
One of the year’s first festivals is exactly two weeks away – the West Seattle Bee Festival in High Point. Here’s the overview of what’s planned for the festival 9 am-4 pm Saturday, May 18, at Commons Park (home to the West Seattle Bee Garden) and along Lanham Place:
During the noon-4 pm festival, two dozen nonprofits, schools, agencies, and city departments will have informational booths so you can connect with your community. That and the other Bee Festival activities and performances are all free!
SIDE NOTE: You can help get the Bee Garden ready for the festival by volunteering there Sunday morning!
Tomorrow night, you can join West Seattle Runner and Lake Washington Physical Therapy-West Seattle (both WSB sponsors) for a group run and spotlight on two upcoming running (etc.) events they’re both involved with (and hoping you will be too). From LWPT proprietor Mark Bouma:
Our team at Lake Washington Physical Therapy would like to highlight key events in the West Seattle community that we are supporting over the next few months!
Together with West Seattle Runner, we are once again a supporting sponsor of Float Dodger 5k and Loop The Lupe! To highlight these two community events, join us at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW) ahead of their Wednesday night group run on May 1 at 6:15 pm. We will lead the group through a proper race warm-up; there will be race registration discounts, and raffles available for a free Runeasi Running Evaluation at LWPT and WS Runner swag. Stop by West Seattle Runner on May 1st to learn more about these events and mingle with other runners in the community! BONUS: Root Beer Floats will be served after the group run! Here is more info about each of these events:
·Float Dodger 5k: July 20
(WSB photo, 2023 Float Dodger 5K)
Scheduled for July 20, 2024, the annual Float Dodger 5k (presented by WSR) is a highlight of the West Seattle summer calendar, coinciding with the West Seattle Grand Parade. The run starts and ends at Hiawatha Playfield. Waiting at the finish line will be your very own Root Beer Float to enjoy why you grab a seat to watch the West Seattle Grand Parade! LWPT has supported this event for the past three years and all funds raised go directly to the West Seattle Food Bank. For more details and to register, visit Float Dodger 5k.
·Loop the Lupe: June 8
Loop the Lupe is set for June 8, 2024. This obstacle course and fun run, held at Walt Hundley Playfield, features activities for everyone. The variety of events include the Elite Wave Obstacle Course, Family Obstacle Course, 5k Fun Run, Senior Saunter, and Youth Dash. The LWPT team will be at the event to provide a warm-up for racers and to cheer on participants as they near the finish line. LWPT has supported this event for the last 4 years and all funds support the social outreach programs of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Learn more and sign up at Loop the Lupe.
One more note:
Junction FC Official Physical Therapy Provider
West Seattle has our very own USL2 soccer team — Junction FC! When you are at the matches, you’ll see LWPT on the sidelines helping the athletes perform at their best. We have put together a comprehensive injury prevention and performance program that will take Junction FC from preseason through the playoffs. Our team will be utilizing GPS player movement data during training and throughout matches to ensure that the players are performing at their peak. There are many top local college players on the roster who will be playing home matches at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex starting May 19! You can find more information, purchase tickets, and view their season schedule at Junction FC.
Stay tuned for additional partnerships and events coming up later in the Summer and Fall! For more information about our clinic and to book an appointment online, click here. We are located at: 1309 Harbor Ave SW, Suite A, 206-906-9207.
Looking for something to do indoors now that the weather’s turned drippy? From our very long Saturday highlight list, this is the first day of this weekend’s West Seattle Rock and Gem Show. Every year, members of the West Seattle Rock Club spend the weekend at the Masonic Hall (40th/Edmunds, enter off the parking lot) showing and selling treasures from the Earth:
Admission is free.
The show continues until 5 pm today and again 10 am-5 pm on Sunday!
Summer break is now two months away, and it’s been a while since we reminded you about some local options for camp. When last we spoke with Erin Rubin from Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and Mode Music and Performing Arts, she said they still have some openings, so check it out if your summer’s not yet all booked:
ARE YOU READY TO ROCK WITH MODE MUSIC STUDIOS?!
It’s time for a summer of Rock Bands with Mode Music Studios! We’re offering camps for ages 6-11 and 12+ this time around. Camps run 9-12:00 for our 6-11 crowd and 12:30-2:30 for our 12+. Finish up the week with a Saturday live performance at our favorite neighbor venue, The Skylark, next door!
Turn it into a full day of camp for our 6-11’s by signing up for an afternoon of music and theatre classes at our nonprofit MMPA – keep scrolling for more info and sign up for a rock band at the link below!
MMPA PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN MUSIC AND THEATER SUMMER CAMPS – LET’S GET CREATIVE!
All of our MMPA camps are offered as half and full days at a pay-what you can rate, so they’re accessible to everyone. Half-day camps run 9-12:00 and 12:30-3:30 and are available for grades K-5. Hang with us for lunch in-between and double up for a full day of fun! Don’t miss out on another creative summer with us. Click the link below to sign up!
modemusicandperformingarts.org/camps
10:27 AM: It’s playtime at the West Seattle YMCA (36th/Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor) until 1 pm – this year’s Healthy Kids Day is on! The Y’s offering a variety of free activities, membership not required – just show up!
11:42 AM: More photos from our visit! You can take a pic with Pikachu:
Bouncing, too!
Again, the Healthy Kids Day free fun continues until 1 pm.
As school fun(draising) season continue, tomorrow’s your last chance to get a ticket to Prom Through the Ages, an April 27 celebration benefiting cooperative elementary The Bridge School! Here’s the announcement we were asked to share with you:
Step back in time and dance through the decades with us at The Bridge School Auction: Prom Through the Ages!
Grab your tickets now for an unforgettable evening of nostalgia, fun, and philanthropy. (Ticket sales close this Friday, April 19th at 12 pm)
Your ticket includes:
-Admission to the event
-A delectable dinner from Centro Neighborhood Kitchen, featuring a taco bar buffet with options for meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans
-A complimentary alcoholic or specialty beverage courtesy of your drink ticket
-Dress to impress and compete in our prom costume contest (optional)
-Gain exclusive bidding privileges in our electrifying live auction
-Additional drinks will be available for purchase, ensuring the party never stops! Secure your spot now and join us in supporting our school while reliving the magic of prom night. See you on the dance floor!Ticket sales close this Friday, April 19th at 12 pm
What: Prom Through The Ages: Live Auction Event to support The Bridge School
When: Saturday, April 27th 6-9 PM
Where: Explorer West Gymnasium
10300 28th Ave SW
We are less than two weeks from the annual Instruments of Change dinner and auction to help the West Seattle Food Bank carry on with its work fighting hunger and homelessness – not just filling bellies, but also providing emergency assistance to keep people from losing their homes.. If you don’t have your ticket(s) yet, last call – today is the deadline! The event is happening Saturday, April 27, at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 6 pm, with delicious dinner options (see the menu here) and an inspirational program, including your chance to celebrate this year’s IOC award recipient, C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). This is the 17th year for the benefit; if you buy a whole table of tickets (10), you get them at $25 off the $150 price. Whether you want one or 10, you can get your tickets online here. (WSB is media sponsor for IOC.)
(File photo, courtesy West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails)
This year’s series of free guided hikes hosted by the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group starts one week from today! Here’s their invitation for you:
Hike nearby in the largest contiguous forest in Seattle. The West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group will resume our popular guided hikes in the greenbelt on third Saturday mornings during the spring, summer, and fall. The first one is April 20. All meet and start at 9:30 a.m. at the south parking lot of Pathfinder K-8 School, 1901 SW Genesee Street.
Hike up to three miles and/or two hours based on group ability and trail conditions. The choice of trails may vary each month, usually on a mixture of maintained and less maintained trails. For more information, see wdgtrails.com.
A favorite springtime family event is coming up fast – one week from tomorrow, the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) presents this year’s Healthy Kids Day. Just out of the WSB inbox, this year’s official announcement:
The YMCA of Greater Seattle is thrilled to announce its annual Healthy Kids Day® event, which will be held on April 20, beginning at 10 a.m. This event will be held across 12 locations throughout Greater Seattle [including West Seattle]. As a free event open to the public, the Healthy Kids Day® event provides many family-friendly activities to foster healthy kids and families and ensure a vibrant and healthy kickoff to the upcoming summer season.
The sponsors of this year’s event are centered around transforming fun and play into lasting memories. Attendees can look forward to engaging in activities that promote health and wellness among children and their families. The activities vary by location. Families can expect snack ideas, water safety, sports challenges, bounce houses, and arts and crafts.
Loria Yeadon, CEO of YMCA Greater Seattle, shared her thoughts on this event: ” Children must remain engaged in physical and mental activities throughout the summer months. At the YMCA, we’re passionate about providing families with the resources to develop and maintain healthy habits all year. Healthy Kids Day is a signature free event encouraging families to explore and participate in many fun, healthful Y activities, fostering community connection and wellness. If you don’t have a Y membership, this is a perfect time to join and get the entire family moving and connected with your neighbors in the community. Join us!”
The West Seattle Y is at 36th/Snoqualmie [map], and Healthy Kids Day events are usually indoor and outdoor, depending on the weather; membership is not required to participate.
(Course map, from Emerald City Ride website)
Planning to join the Cascade Bicycle Club‘s Emerald City Ride across the West Seattle Bridge and beyond on May 5, but haven’t registered yet? If you sign up by Thursday (April 11th), you can get your packet by mail instead of having to pick it up. We first told you one month ago about the Emerald City Ride, which will close the westbound side of the high bridge for a few hours that Sunday morning so riders can cross as part of a route that starts and ends in SODO, with other West Seattle streets along the way. See the course map here; the full ride is 20 miles, but there are shorter options. You can go here to register.
Sunday, May 19, is the day for this year’s West Seattle 5K run/walk on Alki – a spring tradition dating back to 2009 – and you can register now if you haven’t already. The season’s first big 5K is coordinated by the West Seattle High School PTSA, which provides the profits to fund a variety of programs, including a staffed Saturday Study Hall, classroom-supply needs, and student-led initiatives. In addition to general registration options, this year, for a second year, the West Seattle 5K will offer a friendly grade-level competition among WSHS students. The grade with the most registrants gets out of homeroom early for a special treat and gets a cash contribution ($250) to their grade-level ASB. Also, the “Sleep In” – just donate and skip the running/walking! – and “sponsor a student runner” options are available to all. Go here to see the registration options and race-day schedule, and to sign up! P.S. Community sponsors are on board too, including us (media sponsor since the first year).
For the next three days, our area’s only running-focused store, West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) is celebrating its 14th anniversary. Here’s what’s in store – a sale and more:
We are celebrating and thanking the wonderful community of West Seattle for all their generous support and encouragement over the past 14 years. This means we are offering 10% off footwear and 15% off apparel and accessories. For the folks already in our Customer Loyalty Program, you will enjoy 15% off footwear and 20% off apparel and accessories. We also have several events throughout the weekend:
Friday, April 5th, 6:15 pm – Brooks-sponsored Group Run: Come and run in a pair of Brooks shoes and run whatever distance you would like! Afterward, we will host The Potholes, who will play a live show back at the shop. We will have beverages and snacks for this social event.
Saturday, April 6th, 8 am – Group Run with donuts and chocolate milk afterward. Sponsored by Superfeet, and they will be giving away a pair of semi-custom inserts valued at $150.
Sunday, April 7th, 10 am – Runner Relay Event: Join in for fun, silly running-related tasks and come back to the shop afterward for beverages and snacks
Meet at West Seattle Runner for all events!
(WSB photos/video)
You can’t have an egg hunt without the Easter Bunny’s helpers. At High Point Community Center this morning, the egg-hunt team included Debbie, Thomas, and Jeremy (above). Thanks to a lot of hard work, hundreds of kids had serious fun, from the littlest ones let loose in the gym …
… to the older ones, whose hunt was held outdoors:
High Point was one of two Seattle Parks community centers in West Seattle where egg hunts were held this morning, along with Delridge CC. All the egg hunts set for tomorrow are happening in conjunction with Easter services at local churches.
(Photos by Jason Grotelueschen)
As we’ve been previewing, this is the biggest day on the calendar for egg hunts – and perhaps the biggest every year is the one sponsored by Eastridge Church in Lincoln Park‘s south meadow. It drew a crowd as usual:
Along with the eggs, the church brought inflatables, for post-hunt bouncing:
Pics to come later from the High Point Community Center egg hunt. And there’s still one hunt to go on today’s calendar – at Ounces, 3 pm, 3809 Delridge Way SW. Tomorrow, as featured on our list, several local churches offer egg hunts adjacent to their Easter Sunday services, too.
Big fun this afternoon on the playground behind Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, where egg-hunt season began with one presented by the Fauntleroy Community Association. First volunteers – led by coordinator Candace Blue – hid eggs:
Then it was time to let the kids 4 and under have the first chance to find some:
FCA also presents a pumpkin search in the fall – at a somewhat more leisurely pace.
West Seattle has more than half a dozen other egg hunts yet to come next weekend – here’s our updated list.
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