(WSB photos)

120 volunteers plus one generous local catering company equals what’s happening at The Hall at Fauntleroy right now – the 24th annual free community Thanksgiving dinner, presented by DSquared Hospitality/Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering.

Of course turkey is at the heart of the menu, but here’s what else:

Donated desserts, too:

(Take-away food is available if you’re not comfortable with the group sit-down setting; last year it was all take-away.) The Hall at Fauntleroy is at 9131 California SW, at the south end of historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.

P.S. If you don’t/can’t get there by 3, reminder that the West Seattle Eagles also welcome everyone to their free community dinner, 2-5 pm at 4426 California SW in The Junction!

(Harbor Avenue late-fall colors, photo by Ann Anderson)

Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for 15 years of being able to work for and with you. Here’s information you might find helpful on the holiday:

GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: This list is in the Thanksgiving section atop our West Seattle Holiday Guide.

RESTAURANTS/BARS OPEN TODAY AND/OR TONIGHT: 11 on the list this year – see it here.

COFFEE: Here are three indies we know are open – C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) is open 8 am-3 pm today. … Realfine Coffee‘s 35th/Kenyon location is open 8 am-1 pm. … Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) is open 8 am-noon. … Added: Per email and texts, Good Day Donuts is open until noon, Freshy’s is open until 2 pm, Uptown/Junction is open until (updated) 2 pm.

PRE-TURKEY EXERCISE : Five options this morning, indoor and outdoor:
–West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), open 7 am-11 am
–Gobble Gobble Group Run, 8 am from Alki – details here
–Nature walk on Alki, 8:45 am – details here
–Dragonfly’s donation yoga class, 9 am – details here
–Community cleanup on Alki, 10 am – details here

WHERE TO FIND A FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER: Three options this year, open to all:
*The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s sit-down dinner returns, noon-3 pm. (9131 California SW)
*West Seattle Eagles sitdown dinner, 2 pm-5 pm (4426 California SW)
*Admiral Pub, free “Friendsgiving” dinner starting at 7 pm – $10 donation requested if you can. 21+. (2306 California SW)

WANT TO HELP? You can drop off donations of desserts and/or warm clothing at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9 am-noon, same address as above (south end of the historic schoolhouse).

WHAT TO DO AFTER (OR BEFORE) DINNER: The Admiral Theater is open this afternoon/evening – see the movies and showtimes here (2343 California SW).

THANKSGIVING TRANSPORTATION NOTES:
*Metro buses are on the Sunday schedule
*No Water Taxi boat or shuttle service
*Sound Transit light rail and buses, Sunday schedules
*Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on the weekend 2-boat schedule
*No charge for parking today on city streets in neighborhoods with pay stations
*Traffic cameras: West Seattle-relevant ones here; citywide views are available via this SDOT map

OTHER INFO:
*No trash/recycling/etc. pickup today – Thursday pickups will happen Friday; Friday pickups on Saturday
*Seattle Parks‘ holiday closure list (including the West Seattle Golf Course)
*No Seattle Public Library services today
*USPS holiday
*Banking holiday

Seasonal info for today and beyond is in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. We wish you a joyful holiday! (And if you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we are thankful for your tips all year long!)

The holiday is almost here. But not everyone is excited about cooking. If that’s where you fall, here are three things to know, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

(WSB file photo, The Hall at Fauntleroy Thanksgiving)

#1 – The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s free sit-down community Thanksgiving dinner is back. Noon-3 pm Thursday, all are welcome at The Hall, which is on the south end of historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW). This is a two-decade-plus tradition brought to you by DSquared Hospitality, parent company of Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering. They provide the turkey and fixings – with a vegetarian option – and donated desserts (drop one off 9 am-noon on Thanksgiving if you can help with that) wrap up the meal.

#2 – The West Seattle Eagles are also ready to welcome hundreds into their HQ on the north end of The Junction (4426 California SW) – they’ll be serving a free turkey dinner too. Their doors are open that day for any and all community members – all ages, too (their bar will be closed that day).

#3 – If you’d rather dine/drink at a restaurant/bar on the holiday, every year we compile a list of West Seattle establishments that say they’re planning to be open. So far we have 10 on the list – see it here, and check back Thursday, as we’ll likely have some additions. (If you know of someplace that’ll be open, please email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!)

Looking to get your Christmas tree semi-early? As noted in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, today is opening day for Trees by the Sea (2530 Alki SW), which was finishing setup when we stopped by this morning. They’re open noon-7 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-8 pm Fridays, 8 am-8 pm Saturdays, 8 am-7 pm Sundays. They’re also planning to be open 8 am-noon Thanksgiving Day. West Seattle Nursery and Home Depot have trees already, too, and as listed in our guide, more locations to come!

During the height of the pandemic, Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Holiday Gift Fair – centered on fair-trade/ethically-sourced items – moved online. Today it’s back in person, until 1:30 pm at the Walmesley Center (northeast corner of 35th/Myrtle).

This year rather than buying from individual vendors at tables, you can shop around the gym and bring your purchases to a central checkout. That includes OLG students’ bake sale raising money for WestSide Baby – parents are there to assist you.

You can also build your own Advent wreath:

And if you’re there at lunchtime – they’ll be selling food too, including teriyaki bowls.

P.S. See what’s up in the days and weeks ahead – gift fairs and much more – in our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide (to which we’re adding daily)!

Two weeks from tonight, it’s the biggest night of the holiday season in The Junction, with this year’s Tree Lighting and Night Market now joined by GLOWS. The Junction Association has announced more details, including the schedule for that night (Saturday, December 3) and the street-closure plan:

This year, the event becomes a festival with a stage show, later hours, a beer and mulled-wine garden, and an artistic light display element called G.L.O.W.S. (Glorious Lights of West Seattle).

Alaska Street will be closed from 42nd to 44th. California Ave will be closed from Oregon to Edmunds.

Everyone coming to the festival is encouraged to wear LED lights – anything from a single strand to a full-on costume. A group of roving artists will award prizes to the top individual costume ($250 Junction gift card), pet costume ($100 Junction gift card), and group costume ($500 Junction gift card).

Santa Claus will emcee the stage show, which features School of Rock, Endolyne Choir, Mode Music Studio, Elvis, and holiday surf band Dancer and Prancer after the tree lighting.

The Night Market will feature 24 local artisans selling pottery, jewelry, body care products, wreaths, succulents and other gifts. There will be a few tasty treats mixed in as well. The beer & mulled wine garden – a first at the Junction Holiday event – is presented by Elliott Bay Brewery and Darby Winery.

Schedule for December 3rd Holiday Festival, 4 – 8 pm

4:00: Festival begins. Night Market vendors and Beer & Wine Garden are open.

4:00 – 5:00: Endolyne Choir, Mode Music Studio, and School of Rock perform on stage.

5:00 – 6:00: Elvis performs. G.L.O.W.S. Costume Promenade on streets.

6:00 – 7:00: Costume Contest, Lighting of the Tree, Santa Claus with reading and carols.

7:00 – 8:00: Holiday headliners Dancer and Prancer perform on stage.

Last month we published WSJA’s call for artists to create light costumes for GLOWS; here’s the announcement of who was chosen.

(WSB photos)

If you just make it to one bazaar this holiday season – consider heading to Arrowhead Gardens in southeast West Seattle (9200 2nd SW) before 3 pm, to browse/shop rooms full of handmade creations, mostly by AG residents, like Dolores (above) and Linda (below).

Linda’s jars contain not only preserves but also sauces/syrups/marinade bases – lemon-rosemary, among others. Also eyecatching as we wandered the vendor tables in the central AG building (on the east side of the complex), these little owls:

Also some wearables like hats and scarves. You can enter AG from Olson or Myers, on the hill over Highway 509.

10:59 AM: Until 1 pm, the West Seattle Food Bank is offering turkeys and boxes of other food to drive-up/ride-up visitors in the north parking lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Here’s what’s in the boxes:

If you can’t get to either of today’s turkey giveaways but are at risk of holiday hunger, the WSFB is also distributing turkeys at its HQ (35th/Morgan) noon-7 pm Monday (November 21) and 10 am-2 pm Tuesday and Wednesday (November 22-23).

12:07 PM: Just got a text that they’ll be wrapping up shortly as the 500 turkeys are almost all gone.

(WSB photos)

For the next few weekends, we are in the heart of holiday bazaar season, with opportunities to buy handmade creations both seasonal and timeless. The first event to open today is at Alki Masonic Center in The Junction (40th/Edmunds).

This one draws crafters from around the region. It’ll be open until 4 pm.

The entrance is off the lot on the south side of the building.

(WSB photos)

At 39th/Oregon this morning, Eastridge Church volunteers are continuing the church’s longstanding tradition of giving away turkeys and bags of groceries before Thanksgiving. This year, it’s back to walk-up after they switched to drive-up during the height of the pandemic. Bags of food are given along with the turkeys:

Between the church’s two campuses – West Seattle and the Eastside – the church is distributing 1,500 turkeys this year. It continues until noon or while supplies last; we’ll update if we get word they’ve run out.

In our photo above is Jaeley, who’s helping greet people today.

(WSB file photo)

One week from tonight, the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship sets sail for the first time this season, and it’ll be headed directly for West Seattle. If you haven’t seen it before, the Christmas Ship carries carolers (and paying passengers) to stops around the region, making multiple stops most nights for 20-minute performances of holiday songs, including singalong favorites. Everyone’s welcome to watch from shore. Its West Seattle schedule this year is the same as last year – three stops on its first two nights of the season:

Friday, November 25
Choir: The Dickens Carolers
Performance: Don Armeni Boat Ramp @ 5:35 pm

Saturday, November 26
Choir: The Dickens Carolers
Performances:
Salty’s on Alki @ 5:35 pm
Alki Beach Park @ 8:35 pm

Weather permitting, the Alki Beach Park stop will include a bonfire set up by Seattle Parks. You can see this year’s full regional Christmas Ship schedule (November 25-December 23) here.

The Christmas Ship stops are among many events featured in this year’s WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, and we’re adding more nightly – if you have something to add, send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Reminders from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide: If you need some help with affording Thanksgiving dinner, you have two options in West Seattle this Saturday (November 19) for getting a free turkey and bag/box of groceries:

(WSB file photo)

EASTRIDGE CHURCH, 9 AM-NOON: This year the church at 39th/Oregon is going back to walk-up distribution. Between Eastridge’s West Seattle and Issaquah campuses, they plan to give away 1,500 turkeys and bags of groceries, so they should have enough for all who show up. The line usually forms on 39th.

WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK @ SSC, 10 AM-1 PM: In the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), the West Seattle Food Bank plans another drive-up/ride-up distribution. They have 500 turkeys and grocery boxes (which include fresh produce) to give out. Approach from the northbound side of 16th.

*Neither of these events requires proof of eligibility – just show up to be served. Also note that there are now three free community Thanksgiving dinners planned in West Seattle on the holiday – see the list in our Holiday Guide.*

With Thanksgiving just eight days away, if you want someone else to do all or most of the prep for your holiday dinner, you’re running out of time to get your advance orders in. The WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide has a list of deadlines, starting with tonight for holiday meal kits from Salty’s on Alki, this Saturday afternoon (November 19th) for Dream Dinners-West Seattle, and Sunday (November 20th) for Pecos Pit and PCC-West Seattle. (All four of those businesses are WSB sponsors.) If it’s just not Thanksgiving without a pie, A La Mode Pies in The Junction has a Monday (November 21) deadline. That’s just part of the list in our guide, where all the Thanksgiving-related info is at the top as we start the season. If you have anything to add, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Every year we put together – and frequently update – a mega-list of local holiday events and info, the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. We’ve just published the first 2022 version, featuring everything we’ve received (or found) info about, so far. The Holiday Guide covers pre-Thanksgiving through New Year’s and breaks down the contents into lists including Thanksgiving (starting with holiday-food ordering deadlines), holiday bazaars/sales/business open houses, concerts, other performances, Santa photo ops, Christmas Ship visits, Christmas tree sales, donation drives/fundraisers, holiday decorations, public Hanukkah celebrations, local shopping spotlights, more … We also spotlight practical information as each holiday gets closer – which grocery stores, restaurants, and coffee shops are open, for example.

As more info and announcements arrive, we’ll continue updating the guide. As is the case every year, your help is VERY important – you might see something we haven’t seen/received yet, or you might be planning something for your organization/school/church. Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com and we’ll get it listed. We’ll include White Center and South Park events if the info is sent to us, but West Seattle is the focus. We’re here to help make sure you know about all your options all season long! You can find the guide any time at westseattleblog.com/holidayguide, as well as on our menu/navigation bar, whichever device you’re using.