If you visit Metropolitan Market (41st/42nd/Admiral; WSB sponsor) before about 2 pm, you can watch floral manager Rachel Mottwiler transforming that 300-pound pumpkin into a Halloween creation. We’re told she is legendary for her carving – here are some smaller ones already on display:

You’re also invited to sample cider at the store too.

P.S. Metropolitan Market is one of the regular participants in Admiral District business trick-or-treating, which (as featured in our Halloween Etc. Guide) is happening the day before Halloween this year – next Wednesday (October 30th), 3-6 pm.

As discussed in our morning traffic coverage, this was a holiday for some – but also a day of service for these two local credit unions:

VERITY CREDIT UNION: Thanks to Pete Spalding at Verity CU (WSB sponsor) for sending the photo and report:

For the fifth consecutive year, Verity Credit Union employees have spread out across the areas served by our branch network. Employees spend their Indigenous Peoples holiday doing service projects. Our West Seattle project was doing some landscaping work at a couple of Transitional Resources properties along Yancy Street today.

Also today:

BECU: Employees spent today hosting “financial reality fairs” for students at 18 high schools around Puget Sound and in Spokane. One of them was West Seattle High School; the photo above was sent by BECU, which explains that students participating in the fairs “receive coaching while navigating the decision-making process to live within the means of their persona.”

Almost time to launch the annual special guide for West Seattle Halloween events and this month’s other seasonal celebrations. Thanks to everyone who’s already sent listings for the guide and our calendar; we wanted to mention one more time in case you haven’t sent information about yours! As with regular event listings, we just need the W’s – what, when, where, who, weblink if you have one – emailed to westseattleblog@gmail.com. Thank you! Watch for the guide by midweek.

As we do every year, we’re assembling a special guide for West Seattle Halloween events and this month’s other seasonal celebrations. We have a few in our calendar already but know there’s more out there, so if you haven’t sent us word of yours – please do! We just need the W’s – what, when, where, who, weblink if you have one – emailed to westseattleblog@gmail.com. Thanks! (Photo: Reader-contributed jack-o-lantern pic from past Halloween)

Four weeks from today, trick-or-treaters are invited to visit Admiral District businesses. That’s the day before Halloween, as just announced:

Admiral District merchants of West Seattle are proud to announce the return of the annual “Trick-or-Treating” event for 2019. The Admiral District “Trick or Treating” event will occur on Wednesday, October 30th this year, 3 pm-6 pm. The event has been moved to the day prior to Halloween to make it easier for kids to participate who receive “early release” on Wednesday. This longstanding Admiral neighborhood tradition has grown in popularity each year, and continues to be a West Seattle family favorite.

Trick or treating in the Admiral District is 100% volunteer supported by the businesses operating near the intersection of Admiral and California Ave SW. Each year, local businesses give back to the community by providing a safe place for families to enjoy the holiday. Find your favorite costume, grab the kids, and come out on Wednesday October 30th to join in on this popular West Seattle event!

If you are interested in finding out whether a specific business in your area will be participating, stop by in advance, or give them a call. This event is well attended and most Admiral area store fronts take part in the fun. On the day of the event, simply look for the attached sign in business windows, and stroll through the Admiral District with family and friends.

West Seattle Junction trick-or-treating starts at noon during the Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 27th; Westwood Village trick-or-treating is set for 4 pm-6 pm on Halloween (Thursday, October 31st).

It’s a Labor Day tradition at the Alki Masonic Lodge in The Junction – raising a new flag to fly over the center, and retiring the old one. The Masons were assisted today by Darrell Pilat and John Bernritter from VFW Post 1263:

Soprano Barbara Smith Jones was there to sing the national anthem:

And the VFW presented the poem “Freedom Is Not Free”:

This was the eighth year for the ceremony, which started in 2012 after the lodge’s flagpole was renovated.

(Steller’s Jay, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

No traffic report this morning (check cameras here) because of the holiday – but we do have transit/transportation info to start the holiday highlight list:

METRO: Buses are on Sunday schedules.
WATER TAXI: West Seattle service DOES run today, but Vashon does not.
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth is on the Sunday schedule.
SOUND TRANSIT: The 560 Express bus is on a Sunday schedule.
STREET PARKING: In areas with city pay stations/metering, today is a “free parking day.”

Here’s open/closed/etc. info for the holiday:

SEATTLE PARKS CLOSURES: See the what’s-closed/what’s-not list by going here.
SPRAYPARK & WADING POOL: Last day of the season for Highland Park spraypark, 11 am-8 pm (1100 SW Cloverdale), and for the Lincoln Park wading pool, same hours (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARIES … are closed.
REGULAR SOLID WASTE PICKUP? If you are a Monday customer, yes.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE: Holiday.

Events scheduled today include:

SEATTLE LABOR RIDE/POKER RUN: For the fifth consecutive Labor Day, motorcycle/scooter riders are invited to join City Councilmember Lisa Herbold on this ride and “poker run” celebrating the history of the labor movement. $20 entry fee benefits the Labor Archives of Washington. The ride starts at Chelan Café in West Seattle at 10 am, with registration starting at 9:30 am. All riders welcome, any size motorcycle or scooter. (3527 Chelan SW)

FRANKIE & JO’S FUNDRAISING FINALE: It’s the last day of Frankie & Jo’s vegan ice cream “pop-up” on Alki and they’re saying farewell by donating proceeds to the Duwamish Tribe. Noon-11 pm. (2758 Alki SW)

FREE BURGERS: Also now a Labor Day tradition, Li’l Woody’s in White Center is offering free burgers 2-5 pm today. (16th SW/SW 98th)

‘2 DEGREES’ PRESENTATION: See a short presentation about this environmentalism-themed play that opens in West Seattle soon. The presentation is at at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) at 6 pm. (5612 California SW)

Have a great Labor Day! If there’s breaking news, best way to tip us is text/voice at 206-293-6302, 24/7 – thank you!

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

As night approaches, West Seattle’s shores are full of people enjoying the holiday – from the sandy stretch of Alki to the downtown-facing Harbor Avenue shore:

(WSB photo)

And police are out in force, ready for the crowd. The Alki Bathhouse even has a banner:

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

On the street side, lots of SPD presence:

(WSB photo)

We checked in with Southwest Precinct police who were there. You’re welcome to be on the beach until 11, which is when they’ll start clearing people. To clear traffic quicker after the 10:15 pm fireworks show across the bay, they’re using the same plan as last year. Speaking of fireworks = Kay sent this photo from Riverview Playfield:

No artificial turf there so it’s not among the fields where Seattle Parks plans to keep the lights on until 11. As for other fireworks deterrence – considering they’re illegal in the city – we’ve heard some dispatches on the scanner today, but the mayor did not make any statements about ordering SPD to step up enforcemen, as City Councilmember Lisa Herbold had requested. Herbold did finally get a response from the mayor’s office, as she reported in her weekly newsletter. No change from previous years, basically (read the response here). So if you’d like to see more enforcement next year, Herbold writes, you might consider contacting the mayor too.

Meantime, Herbold also calls attention to a new way Bellevue is handling complaints this year. And right over the city-county line, where fireworks are legal on the holiday, the King County Sheriff’s Office got funding for extra patrols in unincorporated areas.

That’s our video of everyone in today’s West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade, as it began this morning in North Admiral. You’ll see all ages from babies to seniors in the crowd as participants walked, rolled, pedaled, even pogo’ed westbound from 44th/Sunset, wearing and/or waving red, white, and blue gear, flags included. Right before the parade began, Leilani Nitkey sang the Star-Spangled Banner:

She’s sung the anthem in previous years, but this was the first time since July 4, 2015. This was the 25th annual parade, an all-volunteer effort, coordinated this year by Megan Erb and Nicole Lutomski:

The sea of paraders filled neighborhood streets:

Once everyone arrived at Hamilton Viewpoint Park, it was time for the family-fun afterparty finishing up the morning.

Sack races are always a highlight:

State Sen. Joe Nguyen was race announcer this year:

He wasn’t the only elected official on hand – all three City Council District 1 candidates co-sponsored the parade. Community co-sponsors help power it (this year they also included us as well as a longtime WSB sponsor, Dream Dinners). Community donations help too – if you can chip in, here’s how.

SIDE NOTE: We’re a little over two weeks from our area’s next parades – the West Seattle Grand Parade, 11 am Saturday, July 20th, which travels southbound on California from Lander to Edmunds, preceded in The Junction by the PAWrade (more on that here).

(Last night’s sunset at Statue of Liberty Plaza, photographed by Marc Milrod)

Happy Independence Day!

First, transportation info:

TRANSIT: Metro is on a “Sunday with extra late-night service” schedule … The West Seattle Water Taxi is on a Sunday schedule (Vashon is not running) … Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route is on a weekend schedule … Sound Transit express buses and light rail are on a Sunday schedule.

TRAFFIC CAMS: Check them here.

Holiday happenings:

GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP: As previewed here, the Seattle Amateur Championship‘s final day will be played today at West Seattle Golf Course. Spectators are welcome. It begins with tee times between 7:30 am and 9 am. (4470 35th SW)

4TH OF JULY KIDS’ PARADE:Be part of West Seattle’s only 4th of July parade! Starts at 10 am from 44th/Sunset and travels west, then east, across a few North Admiral blocks before concluding at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (1120 California SW) with sack races and kid activities. Here’s our preview. (See the route here)

LOW-LOW TIDE, WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Explore the shore with expert advice from Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists, 10:30 am through 2:30 pm this time, at Constellation and Lincoln Parks. (Today’s lowest tide is -3.4 feet at 12:43 pm)

4TH OF JULY BASEBALL: The Highline Bears semipro summer team are back home for the holiday, 11:05 am vs. the Kent Bulldogs at Steve Cox Memorial Park. Ticket info here. (1321 SW 102nd)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Open 11 am-2 pm. Visit the home of West Seattle’s history! (61st/Stevens)

PARKS & POOLS: Here’s the city list of what’s open and what’s not.

Interested in holiday shopping?

AVALON GLASSWORKS: This Luna Park shop/studio’s famous “art-glass seconds” sale is always on the holiday, running 9 am-3 pm today. (2914 SW Avalon Way)

And finally … fireworks!

SEATTLE’S BIGGEST FIREWORKS SHOW: Only one major show within city limits, and that’s the Seafair Summer 4th at Lake Union. You can usually see much of the show from certain north-facing spots in West Seattle, including Hamilton Viewpoint, Belvedere Park/Viewpoint, and much of Harbor Avenue, including Seacrest Park. Don’t show up at the last minute unless you’re on foot – parking fills up early just about everywhere with a view. The show starts around 10:15 pm. (It’ll be live on TV on Channel 7, too.)

THREE TREE POINT FIREWORKS: South of West Seattle, this waterfront neighborhood presents a display fired from an offshore barge around 10 pm, funded by community/business donations. Where’s Three Tree Point, you ask? Here’s a map. Where can the show be seen outside Three Tree Point? Depending on where the fireworks barge is, you could watch from the west side of Marine View Drive in a few spots, if there’s a good southward view.

IF YOU’RE GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE OR CONSIDERING IT … Here’s the list of official fireworks displays around the state

WE’RE ON DUTY TODAY – 24/7/365 as always, so if you have a news tip, please text/call 206-293-6302 – thank you!

The Stars and Stripes are up along the heart of the West Seattle Junction today. It’s Flag Day, celebrating the 242nd birthday of the American flag. More history here.

(WSB photos, 2018 parade)

Now that Memorial Day is past … we can look forward to the next big holiday, Independence Day. This year, the 4th of July is on a Thursday, five weeks away, and it will again be highlighted by the big West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade through North Admiral. This is the 25th anniversary of the parade! It starts at 10 am at 44th/Sunset and is a casual family-friendly stroll along several blocks, ending at Hamilton Viewpoint Park with kids’ activities including sack races and craft tables.

Speaking of which …Nicole Lutomski, co-organizer of the parade this year with Megan Erb, says business sponsors are still being sought to host tables and/or support the parade! It’s an all-volunteer effort but costs to make it happen include a park permit, special-event permit, insurance, and more. Here are the sponsorship levels – including a special “silver” support level open to all in honor of the parade’s silver anniversary:

RED, $500:

Announced at the Welcome Address as the provider of the FLAGS and LEIS distributed to the crowd at the beginning of the parade.
Logo on “Walking on Logs Statues” Banner & Parade Banner
Logo on Yard Signs distributed around town
Host a Kid Craft Table at the end of the parade

WHITE, $250:

Logo on “Walking on Log Statues” Banner & Parade Banner
Logo on Yard Signs distributed around town
Host a Kid Craft Table at the end of the parade

BLUE, $100:

Logo on Yard Signs
Host of a Kid Craft Table

* * * SILVER * * * $25+

Friends of the Parade, no commitment necessary
* * * * * * * * *

You can contribute at any level via the parade’s PayPal page.

And to be part of the parade, just show up at the gathering place (map’s on the parade website) – decorated bikes, (non-motorized) scooters, wagons, strollers, etc., all welcome – if it’s your first year, we advise coming early – as you can see in our past coverage, it’s usually a sizable turnout!

Memorial Day can be joyful as well as somber. A local veteran offered that assurance during the traditional remembrance ceremony at Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor) this afternoon. Above, our video includes the 17-minute event in its entirety, including a chaplain’s opening prayer that “peace (will) prevail among nations” and music by young participants – Searely Camarillo-Gonzalez sang the national anthem and “America the Beautiful”:

Scout Whit Linxweiler bugled “Taps”:

American Legion Post 160 commander Keith Hughes observed that this is a day to offer thanks:

And VFW Post 2713 commander Steve Strand said it’s OK to wish people a “Happy Memorial Day” – saying it’s a day “to do all the things you have the right to do and the freedom to do” because of those who sacrificed their lives, including two friends he lost in Iraq a decade-plus ago:

“Love your life, enjoy your life – make the sacrifices of others worth it,” he exhorted.

At the conclusion, after a release of doves and retiring of the colors, words of thanks from Forest Lawn’s K.C. Engle:

And the Duwamish Jazz Band played classics as attendees moved on to the rest of their holiday afternoon.

11:57 AM: Flags are lining the heart of the West Seattle Junction again this year thanks to the volunteers who showed up this morning to put them in place.

Even if you weren’t there this morning, you’re welcome to volunteer to help remove them – meet at the NE corner of California/Alaska just before 5 pm.

Meantime, if you didn’t get a Memorial Day poppy over the weekend, you have another chance – outside Admiral Safeway until about 2 pm.

That’s Steve Strand of VFW Post 2713.

ADDED 12:19 PM: Outside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), we just discovered the Disabled American Veterans are distributing forget-me-nots:

They’re there until 2.

(WSB photo, Forest Lawn, Monday)

Good morning! We start Memorial Day with information you might find useful:

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT: No traffic report today because of the holiday, but you can see local cameras here. … Metro buses are on the Sunday schedule … The West Seattle Water Taxi is on an “extended Sunday schedule” … Sound Transit Route 560 is on the Sunday schedule (as is light rail) … The Washington State Ferries Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on the regular weekday schedule.

OTHER MEMORIAL DAY NOTES: Here’s the Seattle Parks open/closed list … Schools are closed … Seattle Public Library branches are closed … Today is a U.S. Postal Service holiday … If you’re going to a Seattle neighborhood with on-street pay stations/metered parking, you won’t have to pay, because it’s a city “free parking” day.

What’s happening today:

HELP PUT UP/TAKE DOWN JUNCTION FLAGS: If you can help American Legion Post 160 put up and/or take down The Junction’s flags, meet at the northeast corner of California SW and SW Alaska just before 9 am for the morning help and 5 pm for the evening removal.

SPRAYPARK OPEN: It’s day three of the 7-day-a-week season for Highland Park Spraypark, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

COLMAN POOL, LAST DAY OF THIRD PRE-SEASON WEEKEND: Three swim sessions, noon-7 pm, at the city-run outdoor saltwater pool at Lincoln Park. See the schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE: The traditional service with veterans’ organizations including American Legion Post 160 and community partners is at 2 pm this afternoon at Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor), all welcome. (6701 30th SW)

… FOLLOWED BY A BARBECUE: Again this year, after the Forest Lawn event, Post 160 invites you to a community barbecue – hamburgers and hot dogs! – at its headquarters in The Triangle, starting around 3:15 pm. All welcome. (3618 SW Alaska)

TRIVIA: End your holiday with The Skylark‘s free weekly all-ages trivia. Prizes! 7:30 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

MORE … on our year-round calendar.

We visited Forest Lawn Cemetery (6701 30th SW; WSB sponsor) in High Point today to photograph the flags marking veterans’ graves. Tomorrow, you are invited to the annual remembrance ceremony there, a short and simple reminder of what Memorial Day is all about, 2 pm. One of the local veterans’ organizations that participates, American Legion Post 160, also welcomes help putting up the flags in The Junction tomorrow morning and/or taking them down, whenever you’re available – meet at the NE corner of California/Alaska a few minutes before 9 am and/or 5 pm. And after the Forest Lawn ceremony, Post 160 invites you to a free community barbecue at its HQ in The Triangle, 3618 SW Alaska, starting around 3:15 pm.

(WSB photo from Memorial Day 2018)

Memorial Day is next Monday and American Legion Post 160 has sent word of traditional observances you’re invited to be part of:

POPPIES: 9 am-3 pm Saturday and Sunday, Post 160 and Auxiliary Unit 160 will be outside West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor) to distribute poppies “in honor of our fallen service members.” Donations are accepted and help local veterans.

JUNCTION FLAGS: You are welcome to help put up and/or take down the flags that fly along the heart of The Junction on Memorial Day. Meet on the NE corner of California and Alaska just before 9 am to help place them and/or just before 5 pm to help remove them. All ages welcome.

MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY: Local veterans’ groups join Forest Lawn (6701 30th SW; WSB sponsor) at 2 pm Monday for this annual event in remembrance of fallen service members. All welcome.

COOKOUT AT POST 160: Community members are welcome to enjoy hamburgers and hot dogs at Post 160’s headquarters, 3618 SW Alaska, starting around 3:15 pm.

Any other Memorial Day events you haven’t yet sent in for our calendar? Hurry! westseattleblog@gmail.com