West Seattle, Washington
26 Tuesday
(WSB photo from 2018 lighting)
From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide: A huge weekend of holiday happenings starts Friday night at the highest point in the city, 35th/Myrtle, with Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s “Light Up the Night“ celebration – tree lighting, caroling, and a food drive! Here are full details from OLG:
The holiday season hits a high note on December 6th outside Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and School in West Seattle for the lighting of the “tallest” Christmas tree in the Emerald City. With its roots at roughly 500 feet above sea level, in Seattle’s well-named High Point neighborhood, the “OLG Tree” is back in 2019 to mark the holiday season in a fun, family-centered “Light Up the Night” celebration.
All are welcome to “Light Up the Night,” at the corner of 35th Avenue SW and SW Myrtle Street, at 7 p.m. on December 6, 2019.
For the past decade, OLG has hosted a “Light Up the Night” gathering, and all the old favorites are back. The event will feature Christmas carols led by the Starry Crowns, cocoa, coffee, and snacks from the Knights of Columbus, and 9,000 lights on OLG’s tallest evergreen tree—visible from the West Seattle Bridge! There is no fee to attend, and all are invited to experience this West Seattle holiday tradition. OLG’s Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) sports program is the prime sponsor for the tree lighting and hopes kids of all ages can enjoy the event.
“We can’t wait to host West Seattle’s best Christmas tree lighting again,” said Dan Campbell, CYO’s Athletic Director at OLG. “This has been a great way to kick off the holidays with Seattle’s ‘tallest’ tree. Everyone is welcome to join us and light up the night!”
In addition to the lighting of the tree, carols, and holiday snacks, “Light Up the Night” is asking for donations of non-perishable food items for our local food banks. Help “fill the sleigh” for those less fortunate in our community and enjoy a great evening in West Seattle!
Three weeks until Christmas Eve – so it’s time to start highlighting West Seattle displays! We appreciate your tips every year. First tip we received this season was from Jim, advising us to check out his brother Ken‘s display at 39th SW and SW Trenton in Fauntlee Hills. So we went by tonight.
Fauntlee Hills is known for more than a few extra-bright displays, but this one truly shines. No way to capture all its characters in one photo, so we recorded a video walk-by too:
Got lights we should feature, whether yours or someone else’s? Tell us where! All our contact options are here. Thank you!
(WSB photo from 2018 Night Market)
This time of year, it’s never too soon to start planning your next weekend. And this one is big. Two major reasons to be in The Junction both days (in addition to holiday shopping with your local merchants):
SATURDAY – TREE LIGHTING AND NIGHT MARKET: It’s more than a tree lighting – it’s an afternoon/evening full of music and shopping! The Hometown Holidays Night Market starts at 3 pm in the street on SW Alaska by Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska), where this slate of music-and-more leads up to the 6 pm tree lighting. Here’s the updated schedue:
3:45 pm – Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor)musicians start playing in the market,then walk on stage
Welcome: West Seattle Junction Association’s Lora Radford
Emcee: Brent Amaker
4:20 pm: Endolyne Children’s Choir
4:45 pm: School of Rock West Seattle
5:15 pm: The Not-Its
5:55 pm: Santa Claus and Jack Menashe take the stage
6:00 pm: Lighting the tree
6:05 pm: Ceremony ends but Night Market continues until 7 pm
SUNDAY – COCOA AND COAT DRIVE: During the Farmers’Market, bring coats, hats, scarves, gloves (gently used) to warm up neighbors in need!
10 am-2 pm Sunday, look for the tent and bins at the south end of the Farmers’ Market (California/Alaska), and along with the warm glow of knowing you’ve done something good, enjoy hot cocoa – with whipped cream and sprinkles available.
Got a holiday wish to share with Santa Claus? Until 2 pm today, at the south end of the Farmers’ Market, visit Santa’s House, courtesy of West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays (with community co-sponsors including WSB).
Not only can you take a pic with Jolly St. Nick, free holiday face-painting is happening too. (added) That’s courtesy of Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor), with team members visiting from the nearby (4505 California SW) branch when we stopped by:
If you didn’t get to Santa’s House today – you have another chance, 11 am-2 pm December 15th. Looking for Santa sooner? See the list of local appearances in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Spectators lined the shore by Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) tonight as the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship returned to West Seattle for a second night, with the downtown skyline providing a bright backdrop. Tonight The Dickens Carolers were on board – here are two of their songs:
Full schedule for the season includes stops around Lakes Washington and Union as well as Puget Sound; see it here. There’s one more West Seattle visit, too – next Saturday, 3:05 pm at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, after a 2 pm stop at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park.
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
7:28 PM: We’re at Lowman Beach Park, first stop of the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship‘s 2019 season. After about 20 minutes of live holiday music for those on board and on shore, the ship – and the boats sailing with it – will head to Alki Beach, with that stop scheduled for 8:10 pm. After tonight, you have two more chances to see and hear this holiday tradition – 8:40 pm tomorrow (Saturday, November 30th), by Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor), and then an afternoon stop on Saturday, December 7th, at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW), 3:05 pm (following a 2 pm visit to Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park). Video later!
8:41 PM: One boat accompanied the Christmas Ship off Lowman Beach – now that we’re home and getting a closer look at the photos, we can identify it as the Baltic Sea, which belongs to Husky Deli proprietor Jack Miller. Onshore – the traditional bonfire:
(added) Video, with two songs:
The Kirkland Choral Society was singing tonight.
ADDED 9:58 PM: Two photos received by email – thank you!
That one’s from a neighbor in the Lowman Beach area. Below, from David Hutchinson, during the Alki visit:
Again this year, The Christmas People are planning to make the holiday merrier, with your help – especially if you can bake and donate cookies. We just received the announcement:
The Christmas People will gather again at Alki Masonic Center, 4736 40th Ave SW, on Monday, Dec. 23, Tuesday, Dec. 24, and Wednesday, December 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers are needed to help in the kitchen during those hours; also needed, 3,000 homemade cookies, which may be dropped off.
Each day we will prepare 350 meals in full-size aluminum trays for women’s shelters in downtown Seattle. On Christmas Day we will host homeless, veterans, seniors, and those who need a meal. From noon to 4 p.m. there will be a full complimentary holiday buffet in Alki Masonic Center Dining Room. This is our 21st year. For further information, contact Fred Hutchinson at 206-719-4979 or pialley@jps.net
12:54 PM: Today is Native American Heritage Day, and the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse and Cultural Center in West Seattle (4705 West Marginal Way SW) is the perfect place to honor that. While you can visit year-round, today (and five more days this holiday season) brings an extra reason – the Holiday Native Gift Fair and Art Market. Participating artists and other vendors are lining both main public areas.
Art, apparel, jewelry, drums, carvings, teas, and body-care items are among the merchandise. The fair is on until 5 pm today, 10 am-5 pm again tomorrow and Sunday, and then a second 3-day run December 13-14-15. There’s overflow parking in the former bus lot across West Marginal, and a crossing guard.
ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: More photos:
The art above is by Terrance Guardipee; the drums below, by Sharon Byerly of Drums and Dreams:
11:43 AM: Great morning for a parade! The Macy’s Holiday Parade downtown featured both Chief Sealth International High School (above) and West Seattle High School (below).
Though the parade also includes Santa, inflatables, costumed characters, dogs, and the Salty’s (WSB sponsor) Nutcrackers, students from all over Western Washington – Sequim to Centralia – are the stars.
ADDED 2:11 PM: Photos and longer clips. First, the cheer teams:
The bands:
And the Salty’s Nutcrackers:
That’s the West Seattle High School Marching Band in last year’s Macy’s Holiday Parade downtown. According to the lineup for this year’s parade – which starts at 9 am tomorrow (Friday, November 29th) – both the WSHS and Chief Sealth International High School bands are scheduled to be part of it. The CSIHS and WSHS band, and Sealth’s cheer team, are among more than two dozen bands and performance teams that’ll be in the parade, which starts at 7th and Pine, heads west on Pine to 5th, then south on 5th to University, west on University to 4th, then back north on 4th to end at Macy’s (see the map here). Weather should be just like today – clear and chilly.
Another local giving tradition this Thanksgiving – the photos are from Ducly Bui at the West Seattle-headquartered Vietnamese Cultural Center, which organized volunteers to visit two tiny-house encampments today, providing haircuts and a hot meal.
Their stops included Camp Second Chance in southeast West Seattle. The center (which is at 2236 SW Orchard) has a tradition of this kind of holiday giving going back almost a decade.
Words to live by! That placemat is on a table at The Hall at Fauntleroy, serving up an annual tradition until 3 pm – a free community Thanksgiving dinner for anyone and everyone who wants to come enjoy it.
On the menu, along with roast turkey – cornbread chorizo stuffing, mixed green salad, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted brussels sprouts, gravy, and cranberry mostarda.
A lot of volunteer power – almost 100 volunteers – and donated desserts go into the feast, too.
Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering (part of DSquared) proprietors David Haggerty (below) and Meg Haggerty and David Meckstroth have hosted the community dinner for 21 years!
The Hall is on the south end of historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, 9131 California SW. (If you don’t see this until after 3 pm, see other options in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.)
Happy Thanksgiving! Lauren sent the photo, wanting to reassure fans of The West Seattle Turkey that it’s alive and well. As usual, we’re starting the holiday with information we hope will be helpful:
COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY: 10 West Seattle coffee shops open for at least part of today are listed in the Thanksgiving section atop our Holiday Guide. (Others? Let us know!)
GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: This list is also in the Thanksgiving section atop our Holiday Guide.
RESTAURANTS (AND BARS-WITH-FOOD) OPEN TODAY AND/OR TONIGHT: Here’s the list; please remember that it is a list of who told us, when we asked, that they planned to be open – so it’s always subject to last-minute change without notice to us. Please let us know if you find discrepancies – thank you!
PRE-TURKEY EXERCISE : Three options this morning, indoor and outdoor, also in the Thanksgiving section atop the Holiday Guide.
WHERE TO FIND A FREE COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER: Three options this year, everyone welcome:
*The Hall at Fauntleroy, noon-3 pm (9131 California SW)
*West Seattle Eagles, 2 pm-5 pm (4426 California SW)
*Admiral Pub, free “Friendsgiving” buffet starts at 5 pm (2306 California SW)
WANT TO HELP? You can donate a dessert to The Hall at Fauntleroy’s dinner – such as a pie or cookies – dropoffs are welcome before 12 pm, same address as above (south end of the historic schoolhouse). You can let them know you’re bringing one (or more) by registering here – or just drop it off.
WHAT TO DO AFTER DINNER: The Admiral Theater is open this afternoon/evening – see the movies and showtimes here (2343 California SW) … The Menashe Family Lights are on. (5605 Beach Drive SW)
THANKSGIVING TRANSPORTATION NOTES:
*Metro is on the Sunday schedule
*No Water Taxi service
*Sound Transit light rail and buses on the Sunday schedule
*Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on its regular weekday 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 closures for today, tomorrow
*Seattle Public Libraries are closed today
West Seattle’s Log House Museum is closed today
Detailed seasonal info for today and beyond is in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving! (And if you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we are thankful for your tips 24/7/365!)
6:07 PM: As previewed on Monday and noted in today’s daily-highlights list, this is the first night you can go see West Seattle’s brightest Christmas lights, the Menashe Family‘s display at 5605 Beach Drive SW [map]. Above, the big tree’s candy-cane pattern of red and white lights is part of what’s new; below, the front-door reindeer who has joined the assortment of inflatables:
When we visited at dusk, the bucket truck was still in use as some final touches were being worked on; our photographer has gone back for a few more views we’ll add later.
6:57 PM: The wide view:
A video walkthrough:
The train is a favorite sight:
One more reminder that this year’s visit by Santa – free photos; bring donations for the West Seattle Food Bank – is 6-10 pm on Saturday, December 14th.
Holiday info updates!
THANKSGIVING: Just added another spot to the list of restaurants and bars-with-food that told us they’ll be open – if you’d rather have tacos than turkey (or, for lunch, to tide you until dinner), Tacos Guaymas in The Junction will be open until 3. See our list here – and please let us know if you have additions or changes!
Then of course, Friday and Saturday you’ll be out shopping local … here’s one place to be:
BLACK FRIDAY/SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: As featured in that short commercial, Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) is having a sale both days, celebrating its 8th anniversary (first holiday season since moving to Morgan Junction with co-housed The Bass Shop, also a WSB sponsor). Also in Morgan Junction, Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW) has a Small Biz Saturday plan:
We will be providing free holiday gift wrapping from 10-5, treats all day and a special 10% off coupon if you spend over $50*. Larry The Librarian will be joining us for family reading time at 11:00!
We will also be joining other independent bookstores with a Literary Angel Tree, providing new books to kids at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Look for the tree and basket at the front of the store and give the gift of books!
In The Junction, Black Friday is “Sleigh the Sales” day – starting with Easy Street Records opening at 7 am, and then a long list of merchants having sales you’ll find on the Junction Association Hometown Holidays page – then Small Biz Saturday has a separate list here. We’re adding it all to our Holiday Guide – not too late to send us your shopping specials so we can include them too.
(Photo courtesy South Park Arts)
Holiday shopping can be a celebration all its own. While you’re out shopping local this Saturday, save sme time in the afternoon/evening to travel a bit east and visit the last-ever South Park Arts “Art Under $100” extravaganza. The announcement:
It started small in 2004 with just three artists and a garage party in South Park. Today, 15 years later, Art Under $100 has evolved into the holiday party of the season with amazing, accessible art still at its very core. And this particular Art Under $100 takes on a bittersweet significance. AU100 2019 will be the last one, so carve out Saturday, November 30th on your calendar: not to be missed.
It’s a big finale, so wear your finest and funnest outfits and spend the day with us. You’ll be blown away by paintings, sculpture, glass art, metalwork, ceramics, textiles, and so much more. You’ll see the neighbors you miss all year, buy treasures you can’t find elsewhere, support 70 local artists, reminisce, imbibe, create, and connect. You might even dance.
WHAT: Art Under $100
WHEN: Saturday, November 30th
VIP Hour – 1:00 – 2:00 pm $25 ticket includes bubbly, chocolate, stress-free shopping
Free Entry – 2:00 – 8:00 pm
WHERE: Seattle Design Center : 5701 6th Avenue S on the edge of SODO in Georgetown• Plenty of parking
• DJ Doctor David spins the records
• Art Raffles throughout the event
• Food trucks
• Wine, Beer (from Georgetown Brewery), a signature cocktail, and non-alcoholic beverages
• Hands-on projects to take home courtesy of the Makery, an art lab that uses up-cycled materials
• Check out www.southparkarts.org
(WSB photo, Saturday night)
Last Saturday night, we reported on this year’s Beer Church Turkey Bowl, a beer-and-bowling event raising funds and food for the West Seattle Food Bank. Tonight, WSFB’s Judi Yazzolino shares the grand totals, as well as words of thanks?
The 21st annual Beer Church Turkey Bowl at the West Seattle Bowl last Saturday, a benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank, was another incredible success! $9,490 and 2,165 pounds of food, 1,000 pounds were directly from Old Stove Beer.
(Some of the donated food; photo courtesy Beer Church)
Thank you to Kendall & Kim Jones from Beer Church for their tireless work to put together this fun event and certainly to the breweries, restaurants and individuals who put teams together, bring food and buy raffle tickets and bowl their hearts out for the food bank. The 12,700 individuals that we serve in your community with nutritious food and other needed programs and services certainly appreciate your support.
(WSB photos)
A high-profile visitor but a low-key visit today, when Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner spent some time at Admiral Safeway. He wasn’t there to shop, or to sign autographs … he was there to help pack Thanksgiving meals to be delivered to three tiny-house encampments, including Camp Second Chance in West Seattle.
That’s young helper Amare with Bobby, who gave another gift while he was there – paying for the groceries of everybody who happened to be in the store at the time.
Those are some of the trees at West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon), one of five places where you can buy a pre-Thanksgiving Christmas tree, as listed in our Holiday Guide. With two days to go until Thanksgiving, we want to remind you the Holiday Guide is full of info for Thursday’s holiday too – restaurants and bars-with-food that’ll be open, free community Thanksgiving dinners, grocery-store hours, and more. We are continuing to add info and announcements daily, so if you are involved with something seasonal – from shopping specials (BUY LOCAL!) to shows to Santa photos to services to giving opportunities, and beyond – just send the info, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Before the weather turned stormy late this afternoon, we checked out the setup under way for West Seattle’s brightest Christmas display – the Menashe Family Lights.
You’ll see some additions this year, including that reindeer by the front door. Josh Menashe told us the family is hoping to turn the lights on this Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve. If you’re new – 5605 Beach Drive SW is where you’ll find it.
P.S. This year’s special night with Santa photos and a food drive for the West Seattle Food Bank is Saturday, December 14th, 6 pm-10 pm. (See the full list of West Seattle Santa photo ops in our Holiday Guide!)
We’re continuing to add to this year’s WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, your one-stop shop for seasonal local info, now through New Year’s. What you’ll find there now includes where to eat on Thanksgiving if you’re not cooking (three free local dinners included), where you can do last-minute grocery shopping on the holiday, where you can buy a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving, and much more. Beyond Thanksgiving, you’ll find the plan for tree lightings, shopping, concerts, Santa photos, the Christmas Ship, and other info as we get it – email westseattleblog@gmail.com if you have something to let the community know about.
Want to get in the Christmas spirit extra-early? Two weeks from tonight, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church invites you to a very early Christmas Eve service that’ll be available to a worldwide audience. The video invitation above, and the announcement below, explain:
Every year the Episcopal Church chooses one or two parishes from across the entire country to have their Christmas Eve service filmed for broadcast on their social media outlets. This year St. John’s was chosen, so a crew from New York is bringing all of their equipment to film this service. We will set up as for Christmas, because it is Christmas! We’ll have the tree, the poinsettias, the advent wreath, the candles, everything. It will be a full Christmas Eve service, but on December 8th. After it is filmed, it will be in the can until December 24th when it will be released for broadcast on all of the church’s social media channels including YouTube and Facebook and be available to view through December 23, 2020.
This event is perfect for anyone who has other commitments on Christmas Eve, but who would like to experience a full Christmas Eve service. As an added bonus, you can watch it yourself any time after December 24! All are welcome!
As noted on the church website, kids’ activities will be offered during the service, and a reception with cookies is planned afterward. The church is at 3050 California SW,
One more holiday-gift fair before the weekend’s done. As highlighted in our daily list, this one’s the annual Ethical Trade Sale at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Walmesley Center:
You’ll find both wearable and edible items – decorations, too:
The merchandise is all from ethical/fair-trade sources. If you’d rather be ultra-sustainable and just make a charity donation in your giftee’s name, you can do that too:
The sale continues until 1 pm at 7000 35th SW.
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