Neighborly night! West Seattle block parties celebrate Night Out 2012
6:00 PM: We’re on the road to check out Night Out parties around West Seattle – thanks in advance to everybody who e-mailed to say we’re welcome to stop by, and to everybody who shares a photo from theirs! Coverage to come.
6:12 PM: We’re stopping first in Westwood, where Aaron sent the invite. Above, a makeshift barricade that seemed synergistic with the just-ended strike. Or maybe just the best thing handy. Driving to this neighborhood, we passed five closed side streets in a row – everybody’s having a block party! More than 1,300 registered, says SPD. Here’s the early turnout on Aaron’s block:
Before leaving WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy, we loaned our neighborhood block party the tent we usually take to street fairs. The neighbors are bringing the fun stuff, like Bob with his authentic 1962 World’s Fair souvenir glass:
Our block’s been pretty quiet this year, despite bordering a two-arterial intersection. It’s been almost two years since the wrong-way hit-run crash.
6:30 PM UPDATE: Next stop, the block party in the Hansen View neighborhood, where West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network leaders Karen Berge and Deb Greer reside. And their neighborhood is signing up more neighbors for Block Watch, along with, of course, the block party repast:
6:51 PM UPDATE: From there, we veered over to Howie‘s neighborhood just uphill and west of Avalon/Genesee, where it’s a Hawaiian theme tonight:
They had the most creative flyer we’ve seen – we’ll have to add a link later. Baby Olivia was the youngest partier on hand:
Howie told us that Pagliacci Pizza had come by with three free pizzas. We then got a text saying they’re randomly picking Night Out parties to drop by with freebies – so maybe you’ll see them at yours!
7:04 PM UPDATE: Just south of Gatewood Elementary School, The Whale Trail‘s Donna Sandstrom invited us to stop by her block party. So you won’t be surprised to see what the kids are working on:
The inflatable orca made it into the group shot, too:
To the east of there, on the west-facing slope of Gatewood Hill, Cathy and neighbors had flags for decor – our group shot includes a few of them:
We’re told neighbor Fred decided to put them up. This party also had multiple grills going:
Next stops, Fairmount Springs and Seaview, before we zig-zag south again.
7:25 PM UPDATE: We’re taking neighborhood group shots when we can – here’s Alison‘s block party in Seaview:
And in Fairmount Springs – maybe more like east Morgan Junction – Jennifer and neighbors:
If you use Twitter, while the national hashtag tonight is #NNO, the local one is #seattlenightout. We’re tweeting along the way too.
7:38 PM UPDATE: Let’s call Kate‘s neighborhood east Gatewood, a couple blocks west of Fire Station 37:
And speaking of the Seattle Fire Department, we’re a few blocks east of Westwood Village now and a fire engine has just shown up – SFD and SPD are both making rounds tonight, to block parties that registered in advance on the official police page. Here’s Engine 11 from Station 11 with Amanda and neighbors:
(Minutes later, Engine 11 had to rush off on a call!)
Next party photo came to us via text (thank you!) – same number you text or call 24/7 if there’s breaking news, 206-293-6302:
The text just said that was a block party on 28th SW.
8:10 PM UPDATE: Another photo via text – the kids on 56th SW, Genesee Hill area, are enjoying a bouncy house at their block party:
When that came in, we were in Highland Park, 13th and Cambridge, where Lisa and neighbors gathered:
From there, west to Arbor Heights, where we stopped by JoDean‘s neighborhood – she’s a Block Watch captain and hosted the “Living Room Conversation” event with police that we covered back in March:
By the way, have you noticed the clouds tonight?
8:34 PM UPDATE: Just checked out a party south of The Junction (east of the California SW Rite-Aid), to say hi to Fiona and neighbors:
Meantime, from North Admiral, Erik shared photos from a block party on Palm:
They got a fire-engine visit, too:
By the way, we have also been by a couple that appear to have broken up early – since it’s mostly cloudy tonight, it’s darker than some past Night Outs have been by the last half hour.
8:46 PM UPDATE: That said, we’re now at 48th and Dawson, a few blocks west of the previous stop, where they’ve got a band!
This was probably the biggest party we stopped at all night – and these neighbors are proud of a past WSB group shot, too – Christopher Boffoli photographed them during a previous Night Out and that photo wound up on the SPD Night Out home page!
Very organized group – the dots here track which neighbors were on hand:
(added) From that same party, Nick later shared this photo of the neighborhood kids’ bike parade:
9 PM UPDATE: We wrapped up with a stop at Pagliacci in The Junction to check in on their pizza giveaway, mentioned earlier. Totals: 8 parties, $500 worth of pizza. Here’s the kitchen crew – who were almost too busy to stop for a pic:
Next, we’re adding the photos shared with us from parties we didn’t get to or didn’t know about. Here are the kids at a Belvidere block party:
That photo is courtesy of Sara, who says, “The kids loved having a closed street to play on.” Next, to Pigeon Point, where Pete Spalding (below right) shared photos, including this one of him with mayor/police liaison Harry Bailey (left) and SPD Capt. Joe Kessler, former SW Precinct commander, now the department’s Ethics and Professional Responsibility captain:
Chalk art graced the Pigeon Point party’s asphalt – visible in this photo of visiting Engine 36 from North Delridge:
Here’s a party in a park: Nine families who live just east of Hiawatha gathered there for Night Out:
Thanks to Sarah for the photo. It’s a night for so many to celebrate neighborhood pride; Maureen in the 9000 block of 13th SW in Highland Park wrote, “We have such an awesome block!” as she shared this picture:
Here’s Mark‘s block in Gatewood:
And Claire‘s neighborhood, block-partying in Seaview:
Night Out – originally National Night Out Against Crime – is in its third decade around the country (read its history here). The neighbors who know each other will watch out for each other, so the concept goes, and that ultimately means stronger, safer neighborhoods. If yours isn’t part of a Block Watch yet, you can find out here how to get one started.
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