West Seattle, Washington
21 Thursday
(Sea Scouts’ Yankee Clipper, sponsored by West Seattle Lions Club in 7/22/23 Grand Parade)
The bands played, the flags waved, the floats rolled, the dancers twirled … And then, in the days and weeks after the West Seattle Grand Parade, the bills march in. Total cost of the July 22nd parade was $10,600, according to Keith Hughes, chair of the West Seattle Grand Parade Association. The biggest cost is renting the street-closed/no-parking signs – $6,200 – and the parade permit, which runs $2,000. Sponsorships are covering $8,500 so far – leaving more than $2,000 still to be raised. So Keith has put out a call for help:
To the West Seattle Business Community:
The West Seattle Grand Parade was truly grand this year, with over 75 entries. However, the number of sponsors was down and the street permit fees and barricade fees were both up significantly. The result of this is that the Parade Association has a shortfall and needs your help to pay the bills and be able to continue the Parade next year. If your company is able and willing to be a Grand Parade Sponsor at $250, $500, or $1000, please let me know and I will send you the Sponsorship packet so you can see how your sponsorship will be recognized and shared with the public. Thank you.
We asked if smaller donations would be accepted too: “Yes, small donations will be greatly appreciated. They can mail a check to WS Grand Parade, 3618 SW Alaska St., Seattle 98126, or they can call me and I can take credit card donations via Square. 206-932-9696.” (For business sponsorship info, you can call or email khughes3247 (at) gmail.com.
Today’s West Seattle Grand Parade was much more than floats and boats and bands – hundreds of people were part of it. That included honorees, like Grand Marshal Whitney Moore, executive director of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, above, and Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Community Service recipient Erik Bell, founder of A Cleaner Alki, below:
Accompanying his company’s entry was Gary Potter of Potter Construction (longtime WSB sponsor), whose “Our New Home” banner celebrated their recent headquarters move (the Potter truck started the parade blasting the Starship classic “We Built This City”):
And with voting under way for the August 1st primary election, no surprise that eight candidates were represented in the parade, including four of the eight running for the open City Council District 1 seat – Maren Costa:
Mia Jacobson:
Phil Tavel (with The Bubbleman)
Rob Saka walked with the 34th District Democrats, as did School Board District 6 Director candidate Gina Topp:
One of the other two School Board candidates, Maryanne Wood, also was in the parade.
So were entries supporting two County Council District 8 candidates – Sofia Aragon:
And Teresa Mosqueda:
(If you need an election refresher, here’s ours.)
This parade even had a Sasquatch sighting:
And a shout-out to the Adopt-a-Street cleanup crew who walked – with grabbers – down the parade route as the last entry:
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Grand Parade coordinator Michelle Edwards)
For the eighth consecutive West Seattle Grand Parade, judges have chosen the Seattle Public Schools All-City Band, directed by Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, as the grand-prize winner. Barbara Edwards leads the judging team (above), who watched from various spots along the route, then met post-parade to make their decisions. Here’s the list (update; we’re still adding more photos and video):
OVERALL GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
1st Place: Seattle Schools All-City Band
2nd Place: Kennedy Catholic Marching Band and Cheer
3rd Place: Holy Rosary School
COMMUNITY ADULT
1st Place: Lions Club of West Seattle
2nd Place: West Seattle Chamber of Commerce & Battle for West Seattle Winning Softball Team
3rd Place: West Seattle Yacht Club
COMMUNITY YOUTH
1st Place: Our Lady of Guadalupe School
2nd Place: Girl Scouts Rock
3rd Place: West Seattle Jr. Football and Cheer
MARCHING BANDS
1st Place: Seattle Schools All-City Band
2nd Place: Kennedy Catholic High School Marching Band
3rd Place (Tie): Washington Scottish Pipe Band and All Star Drumline
COMMERCIAL
1st Place: Dragonfly Yoga Pilates Dance
2nd Place: Dub Sea Fish Sticks
3rd Place: “There’s No Place Like Home” Village Green Retirement
DANCE TEAMS
1st Place: Joyas Mestizas
2nd Place: Grupo Folklorico Citlali
3rd Place: Leikarringen of Leif Erikson Lodge 2-001
CHEER TEAMS
1st Place: West Seattle High School Cheer
2nd Place: Chief Sealth High School Cheer
3rd Place: Kennedy Catholic High School Cheer
PERFORMING ACTS
1st Place: Seafair Pirates
2nd Place: Nile Shriners
3rd Place: Endolyne Children’s ChoirCARS & ANTIQUE CARS
1st Place: Corvette Marque Club of Seattle
2nd Place: 1942 American LaFrance Fire Engine3rd Place: Pacific Northwest Delorean Club
DRILL TEAMS, SR.
1st Place: Epitome Family Entertainment
CONVEYED FLOATS
1st Place: Holy Rosary School
2nd Place: Seafair Commodores
3rd Place: Pacific NW Naval Air Museum Replica NimitzFESTIVAL ROYALTY
1st Place: The Daffodil Festival
2nd Place: Fathoms o’ Fun Festival – Legends Around the Sound
Congratulations to all!
P.S. The award ceremony was held post-parade at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Here are two photos from the Parade Committee, showing new parade participants accepting their trophies – Prentice Family Entertainment (with parade chair Keith Hughes at left and parade coordinator Michelle Edwards at right).
And Dragonfly Yoga and Pilates:
If you want to compare, here’s the list (with photos and video) of last year’s winners. Before that, the parade, like so many things, was on pandemic hiatus in 2020 and 2021.
This year, as in some past years, we’ll be publishing themed groups of photos from the West Seattle Grand Parade, starting with the boats! Above, the DubSea Fish Sticks baseball team from White Center. Below, the Miss HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) hydroplane:
The Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum from Oak Harbor brought its replica of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) aircraft carrier, which is based in Bremerton:
Another replica – the Sea Scouts’ Yankee Clipper, sponsored by the Lions Club of West Seattle:
And it’s not a Seattle parade without the Seafair Pirates‘ Moby Duck:
The Seafair Commodores‘ parade boat carried festival royalty:
Last but by no means least, parading in their home port, the West Seattle Yacht Club:
Much more to come, including the list of winners – this is a judged parade – when we get it!
Just in case you were wondering – the parade is over (lots of coverage to come) and California SW has reopened. It ran exactly an hour at the California/Lander start and the last entries were in the final block before Edmunds around 12:45 pm. The bus reroutes should be ending shortly if they haven’t already.
(WSB file photo, Kennedy Catholic HS in past West Seattle Grand Parade)
Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade is just hours away, preceded by the Float Dodger 5K. Here’s a last look at what you need to know!
WHEN: The 5K starts at 9:30 am; the parade starts at 11 am.
WHERE: The parade starts from California/Lander and continues south on California to Edmunds – see the route here. The 5K travels the same route except for a start/finish slightly south, at West Seattle High School.
WHO: 70+ parade entries, 500+ 5K runners/walkers (you can still join them)
WHAT: Floats, all sorts of vehicles – cars, fire trucks, buses, boats – plus people walking, dancing, jumping, and rolling, drill teams, school groups, and yes, marching bands, like the All-City Band and Kennedy Catholic HS Band
GRAND MARSHAL: Whitney Moore, executive director of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, as noted here
ORVILLE RUMMEL TROPHY HONOREE: Erik Bell, founder of A Cleaner Alki, which has expanded to lead volunteers in stewarding a cleaner West Seattle in general – read more about him and the trophy here
PARADE PRESENTERS: The West Seattle Rotary Club Service Foundation presents the parade, which is planned and coordinated by volunteers
ANNOUNCERS: Led by West Seattle-residing journalist/broadcaster Brian Callanan and wife Christa Callanan at the main California/Alaska stand; the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle has a stand at California/Charlestown
AWARDS: The parade is judged and the winners will be announced post-parade (we’ll publish the list).
STREET CLOSURES/PARKING RESTRICTIONS: The latter kick in at 7 am (don’t risk getting your car towed!); the former start taking effect at 8 am. Also note that in addition to the route on California, some side streets near the start and end of the route are used for staging, so they are posted too. More info here. (P.S. Bus reroutes for Routes 50 and 128 and the C Line – info’s here.)
WHERE TO WATCH: Anywhere along the route! Be near California/Lander to be the first to see everyone get going; be at California/Charlestown or California/Alaska to hear the entries announced. (Some people stake out spots early.)
The West Seattle Grand Parade is is less than 36 hours away! Two more previews before this night is out:
(Seafair Pirates in 2019 West Seattle Grand Parade)
PARADE TRAFFIC: The parade starts at 11 am at California/Lander and heads south on California to Edmunds, and it’s preceded on that route by the Float Dodger 5K, starting at 9:30 am. The street closures and bus reroutes start earlier. Here’s what to know:
*Bus reroutes start at 5 am – you can see the changes for C Line, Route 50, and Route 128 buses by going here
*Street-closure signs are staged as early as 6 am
*No-parking enforcement starts at 7 am – please move vehicles before then
*Police start fully closing California from Admiral to Edmunds at 8 am – it’s a phased closure that will be complete by 9 am
*To travel north alongside the parade route, use 45th Avenue SW from Erskine to Oregon, 44th Ave SW from Oregon to Stevens, 45th Ave SW from Stevens to Admiral Way
*PCC (WSB sponsor) is accessible from 44th and Stevens, but don’t exit north through the alley; Admiral Safeway is accessible from Admiral Way SW and 42nd Avenue SW; you’ll have to exit back to Admiral Way.
GRAND MARSHAL: In addition to Erik Bell riding in the parade as the Orville Rummel Trophy winner, you can cheer for Grand Marshal Whitney Moore. She is about to leave the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce after two years as its executive director – two years during which energy and resiliency was vital, to help local businesses get through the pandemic and bridge closure. Whitney was hailed when she started the job as bringing “talents in community engagement, leadership, innovation, and a passion for small businesses” as well as “many years of leadership, communications, event planning, and strategic marketing experience.” Her future plans include completing a children’s book! Lately she’s been presiding as the Chamber celebrates its centennial, and by riding in the Grand Parade, she’s part of a tradition that’s been around almost that long. We asked for her thoughts on being this year’s Grand Marshal: “I’m honored to be the Grand Marshal for this year’s parade in West Seattle, Best Seattle! This is such a fun event and I love how many people it brings out to our local businesses year after year. West Seattle is the best community to be a part of and I’m humbled to be leading this year’s parade down our iconic California Ave SW.”
(2017 West Seattle Grand Parade photo by Christopher Boffoli – All-City Band)
This Saturday (July 22nd) is the day when West Seattle Grand Parade participants will roll, march, dance, and jump down California Avenue from SW Lander to SW Edmunds [map]. This past Monday, parade coordinators and committee members gathered for the annual pre-parade lineup meeting, and again this year, we got to observe.
This was the first year that parade applications were accepted online, so instead of the lineup meeting involving a long table topped with dozens of pieces of paper, this time it involved a spreadsheet with color-coded lines, projected onto a wall at the West Seattle Veteran Center/American Legion Post 160, in Pershing Hall, which serves as West Seattle’s only emergency shelter in the cold months.
Parade lineups are an art, not a science, and the descriptions submitted with entries are important in helping coordinators led by Michelle Edwards decide who goes where – it’s all carefully crafted, not just a matter of who shows up when and where on parade morning. But there are invariably last-minute surprises – no-shows, or entries that are nothing like what was described on the entry form. The coordinators just roll with it and make things work.
From the entries discussed at Monday night’s meeting, here’s some of what to look for (but again, it’s all tentative, subject to last-minute changes, cancellations, additions):
Marching bands including the ever-popular Seattle Schools All-City Band, featuring student musicians from all over the district, and Kennedy Catholic High School
Folklorico dancers
Youth groups (including jump-rope and singers)
Cheer teams
Floats from festivals (motorized) to schools (trucks and trailers)
Vessels, from the HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) hydro to a USS Nimitz replica
Classic and antique cars
Fire engines, antique and modern
Seafair Pirates and Clowns
The West Seattle Amateur Radio Club (whose members also help parade coordinators with communication along the parade route)
New entries include the Burien UFO Festival
In all, at least 70 entries are expected, more than last year. The Parade Committee is still working to confirm some entries who signed up early. If you enjoy behind-the-scenes activity, wander the staging zone (California north of Lander, plus Lander on both sides) before the parade start time of 11 am. Parade prep starts hours earlier (and remember the Float Dodger 5K takes off from the West Seattle High School lot at 9:30 am). The parade is presented by the West Seattle Rotary Service Foundation. You can watch anywhere along the route; announcers will be at California/Charlestown and California/Alaska. We’ll have another preview tomorrow!
For many years, on the Tuesday before the West Seattle Grand Parade, the West Seattle Big Band has performed its free Concert in the Park. Tonight was the night!
The concert has several connections to Saturday’s parade – for one, the parade sponsors the concert (which was long part of the now-defunct summer-long Hi-Yu Festival). For two, WS Big Band director Jim Edwards (above left) is a longtime parade coordinator – these days with more of an emeritus role, while coordination is led by his daughter Michelle Edwards, a WSBB musician too:
Post-pandemic, the concert has had a new venue, High Point Commons Park, where the WSBB presented its program tonight.
The organization is more than a quarter-century old, with a mission of supporting students – donating its time and earnings to support school-music programs.
P.S. As for the parade – our previews of what and who you’ll see start tomorrow!
(WSB file photo, Float Dodger 5K)
Before we jump into coverage of West Seattle Summer Fest day 3, a two-part reminder: Two more major summer events that will bring thousands to California Avenue SW are coming up next Saturday. July 22nd will start with the Float Dodger 5K, presented by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) as a fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank. Runners/walkers will leave the West Seattle High School parking lot (3000 California SW) at 9:30 am and head southbound to The Junction and back. Register online this weekend for the last chance at an advance discount rate; you also can register at the store (2743 California SW) until Thursday.
(WSHS Cheer Team, award-winner in 2022 parade)
Less than an hour after most Float Dodgers cross the finish line, the West Seattle Grand Parade will get rolling from California/Lander, with at least 70 entries expected to head down California SW to The Junction. This year’s community honorees riding near the start of the parade are Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Community Service recipient Erik Bell and Grand Marshal Whitney Moore of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. In the week ahead, we’ll preview more of what you’ll see in this year’s parade. It starts from Admiral at 11 am and you can grab a curbside seat anywhere along the route, south to Edmunds (amplified announcing stands are at Charlestown and Alaska).
P.S. Want to help prep the route? Join Erik Bell’s group in one or both of these cleanups if you have morning hours to spare early in the week:
Monday, July 17, 9:30-11:30 am
Spruced / Hi-Yu Parade Route
California & Lander startTuesday, July 18, 9:30-11:30 am
Spruced / Hi-Yu Parade Route, Day 2
See byandby.org for start (based on Monday’s progress)
Just 12 days until the West Seattle Grand Parade. Every year, parade organizers chose a community member to honor with the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community. This year, they’ve chosen Erik Bell. His organization is called A Cleaner Alki, but his work leading and inspiring cleanup projects has spanned all of West Seattle – and beyond.
(Photos provided by Erik Bell via West Seattle Parade Committee)
Erik describes himself as “a fourth-generation West Seattleite, a graphic designer and photographer by trade, and I’ve found great satisfaction utilizing my background to promote, document, and facilitate local community-cleanup events over the past several years with like-minded neighbors.”
Here’s how he got started: “My interest in this type of work was born out of frustration with the mess that parts of our city had become. But a friend’s observation that my focus to complain and find others to blame was a wake-up call for me, he rightfully noted that if I was bothered enough by a mess then I could do something about it rather than make up stories about who was at fault.” He and his brother Garet started walking the beach on Saturday mornings, and added cleaning up to their meetups. Then:
“My wife Monica and kids Caitlin, Hailey, Sof, and Evelyn have also joined me and are big supporters of these endeavors.”
During the pandemic, coping with feeling down, Erik “found myself turning to daily morning cleanups along the beach as a way to get my day going; this turned out to be a great tool for my mental and spiritual health.” In 2021, he launched A Cleaner Alki online to invite others to join in. “We moved off the beach and out into the community; this is also when I got actively involved in Seattle Public Utilities’ Adopt-a-Street program.”
Two years later, Erik says A Cleaner Alki has three general types of cleanups:
1) I deliver and pick up our self-led Block Drop stations around West Seattle each day for volunteers to collect trash from family-friendly areas; residential neighborhoods, schools, parks, beaches, and business junctions. Block Drops is a Girl Scouts project my daughter Evelyn and several of her troopmates (Emma & Paige) developed for their Silver Award in 2022 that I have committed to sustain.
2) I also organize weekly Cleanup Events along neglected roadways, at illegal dumping grounds, picking up garbage from unhoused neighbors in RVs, or cleaning up encampments with consent from residents.
3) We’ve also recently added Spruced Cleanups to our lineup where we work on overgrown sidewalks, staircases, dilapidated properties and other infrastructure as a way to create safer, easier-to-travel neighborhoods.
Erik has gratitude galore: “I’ve been extremely blessed to have such a loyal and hard working volunteer base that supports my efforts and who continue to ask where we’re headed next, or as is becoming more the case, making specific requests and suggestions as to where they want to see work being done.”
The results? More than 3,000 volunteers giving more than 4,000 hours of their time, removing more than 28,000 pounds – 14 tons! – of trash. And the operation keeps getting bigger: “In the past several months I’ve been contacted by a slew of corporate entities looking for ways for their employees to get involved through their public service initiatives. REI, Amazon, Filson, Starbucks, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Pacific Environment and The Ohio State University have all come out and done cleanups in 2023.”
Of the award, Erik says, “I’m truly humbled and honored to receive the Orville Rummel Community Service award as it’s been such a meaningful and therapeutic part of my life, though none of this would have been possible without all the great friends and neighbors who come out and make these cleanups happen, and for the Adopt a Street program which helps dispose of almost everything we collect.” You can join, too! And/or you can help by donating to A Cleaner Alki’s crowdfunding campaign for a work vehicle and ongoing operation expenses.
And on July 22 – you can cheer for Erik as he rides in the Grand Parade with the Orville Rummel Trophy. (And be sure not to litter while you’re there!) The West Seattle Grand Parade will start from California/Lander at 11 am that day, and travel south on California to Edmunds – you can watch from anywhere along the route; announcing stands are expected at California/Alaska and California/Charlestown. Parade judges station themselves along the route and announce prize winners afterward (here’s who won last year).
ABOUT THE ORVILLE RUMMEL AWARD: It’s named after the man who founded the West Seattle parade in 1934, Orville Rummel – lots of background in the story we published the year we were honored with the trophy, 2010. The award was first presented in 1984. Here’s the full list of recipients along the way (no parade 2020-2021 because of the pandemic, so no award recipient):
1984: Charles and Ann Gage
1985: RB Chris Crisler Jr.
1986: Morgan and Carol McBride
1987: Margaret Miaullis
1988: Charles Jung
1989: Aurlo Bonney
1990: Katie Thorburn
1991: Dorothy Poplawski
1992: Dan Wiseman
1993: Virgil Sheppard
1994: Dorene Smith
1995: Doris Richards
1996: John Kelly
1997: Dick Kennedy
1998: Jim Edwards and Barbara Edwards
1999: Lt. David E. Cass
2000: Husky Deli/Miller Family
2001: Stephanie Haskins
2002: Forest Lawn
2003: Sue Lindblom
2004: Edgar and Ann Phipps
2005: Karen Sisson
2006: Walt DeLong
2007: David and Doreen Vague
2008: Tim St. Clair
2009: Morey Skaret
2010: West Seattle Blog
2011: Cindi Barker
2012: Shirley Vradenburgh
2013: Judy Pickens
2014: Earl Cruzen
2015: Donn Weaver
2016: Clay Eals
2017: Keith Hughes
2018: Velko Vitalich
2019: Adah Cruzen
2022: Deb Barker
(Joyas Mestizas in 2022 West Seattle Grand Parade)
We don’t want to let the day slip by without mentioning the big summer-fun doubleheader that is now exactly one month away. On Saturday, July 22nd, the West Seattle Grand Parade returns, preceded by the Float Dodger 5K. Both travel along California Avenue SW from The Admiral District to The Junction. The Float Dodger 5K, presented by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) and benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank, will start the day at 9:30 am. Since Hiawatha Playfield will be closed for turf replacement, the race will start and end in the West Seattle High School parking lot (3000 California SW). After-party is across the street at WS Runner’s storefront (2743 California SW). You can register right now by going here! Then at 11 am on July 22nd, it’s parade time, starting at California/Lander and heading southbound to The Junction – marching bands, floats, performing groups, community organizations. (Applications to be in the parade are accepted through its website and postal mail.) Just choose a seat anywhere along the route – if you want to hear announcements of who you’re seeing, you’ll want to be near California/Charlestown or California/Alaska. More on what you’ll see on parade day when it gets closer!
If you were somewhere on California SW between Admiral or The Junction, watching today’s West Seattle Grand Parade, congratulations on being part of its big comeback! We’ve already published photos of the winning entries, plus video of the entire parade, but we wanted to acknowledge even more of the people who participated:
Above, with the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community, is this year’s winner Deb Barker – we told her story here last Monday (with a list of prior winners); it’s a special honor presented by the parade committee every year (except for the recent hiatus). She was chauffeured by local entrepreneur and preservationist John Bennett in his 1949 Cadillac convertible. Also in a classic convertible, a 1972 Eldorado, this year’s Grand Marshal, restaurateur and small-business advocate Dan Austin:
The award-winning Highland Park Improvement Club entry (also featuring a replica of the fire-damaged HPIC building) had a guest of honor – riding in Kelly Lyles‘s art car was past HPIC president Martha Mallett:
(Photo by Holli Margell)
Parade co-sponsor Potter Construction (WSB sponsor)’s founder Gary Potter walked with his company’s entry:
From West Seattle Baseball, the tournament-champion 10U Red All-Stars:
(Photo by Holli Margell)
Two West Seattle-residing elected officials walked in the parade – King County Executive Dow Constantine, with a battery-electric Metro bus …
… and U.S. House Rep. Pramila Jayapal, walking with the 34th District Democrats …
The only city entry was North Admiral-headquartered Seattle Fire Engine 29:
(Photo by Holli Margell)
Again, if you weren’t there, you can see our video of the entire almost-an-hour parade – presented by the West Seattle Rotary Club Service Foundation – here; see the award winners here.
The end of today’s West Seattle Grand Parade didn’t mean the end of work for the volunteers who make it happen. Among them, the judges, who gathered at the Senior Center of West Seattle post-parade to decide the winners. Here are the results!
OVERALL GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
1st Place – Seattle All-City Band
2nd Place – Sequim Irrigation Festival
3rd Place – Electronettes Drill Team and Drill Squad
DANCE AND CHEER TEAMS
1st Place – West Seattle High School Cheer
2nd Place – Joyas Mestizas – Seattle Mexican Folk Dance Group
3rd Place – Grupo Folklorico Citlali
MARCHING BANDS
1st Place – Kennedy High School “Lancer” Marching Band
2nd Place – America’s First Corps Army Band
3rd Place – All Star Drumline
SELF-PROPELLED FLOATS
1st Place – Sequim Irrigation Festival
2nd Place – Fathoms O’ Fun, Port Orchard
CONVEYED FLOATS
1st Place – Holy Rosary School
2nd Place – Mountain to Sound Outfitters
3rd Place – Seattle Commodores
COMMUNITY
1st Place – Washington State Sons of the American Revolution
2nd Place – Southside Revolution Jr. Roller Derby
3rd Place – Highland Park Improvement Club
DRILL TEAMS – SR.
1st Place – Electronettes Drill Team and Drum Squad
2nd Place – Washington Diamonds Drill Team
DRILL TEAMS – JR.
1st Place – Electronettes Butterfly Drill Team
2nd Place – Washington Diamonds Drill Team Jr.
3rd Place – Daughters of Royalty Drill Team
PERFORMING ACTS
1st Place – Seafair Pirates
2nd Place – Seafair Clowns
3rd Place – Rain City Rope Works
CARS & ANTIQUE CARS
1st Place – 1942 American LaFrance Fire Truck
2nd Place – WA MINI United Parade Team
3rd Place – West Seattle VFW
COMMERCIAL
1st Place – Capital West Homes
2nd Place – Chuck-E-Cheese
3rd Place – West Seattle Reign Sports
The West Seattle Grand Parade Judges Committee members are Rolla Queen, Sheryl Bogie, Mike Sutter, Carol Pennie, Rob Zoffel, led by Barbara Edwards:
We’ll continue adding photos/videos above, and we’ll have a few additional photo galleries to come too; for video of the entire parade, see our earlier report.
11:09 AM: Just under way from California/Lander, with Grand Marshal Dan Austin leading the way, the first West Seattle Grand Parade since 2019 has begun. The 70+ entries – floats, marching bands, drill teams, community groups, schools, businesses, more – will proceed down California SW to SW Edmunds, at the south end of The Junction, over the next hour or so. Parade-team members are all along the route to make sure things go well; California will remain closed along the route until the parade has passed (here’s the bus-reroute info).
(Added: Photo courtesy West Seattle Kiwanis)
Announcers are at California/Charlestown (with the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle) and California/Alaska (with Brian and Christa Callanan).
(Added: WSB photo)
We’ll have some in-progress updates on our Twitter feed at @westseattleblog, plus we will update here when the parade’s over; then we’ll have separate reports here on WSB later with lots of photos and video from the parade.
11:58 AM: The parade is over at the start line. (Above – that’s coordinator Michelle Edwards, and when she’s left the starting line, you KNOW the last entry has hit the road.) We’ll update again when it has concluded at The Junction.
12:42 PM: Parade’s entirely over, and California has reopened.
2:25 PM: Before we assemble other highlight reports, here’s our unedited video of the entire parade as it reached The Junction, just under an hour long:
Colton Grant and Karl Coy from Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) sent that photo after decorating the company truck that’ll be in Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade, one of 70+ entries. With the parade – a tradition since 1935 – just hours away, we have one last preview with what you need to know:
WHEN: Starting at 11 am.
WHERE: Starting from California/Lander and continuing south on California to Edmunds – see the route here.
WHO: People from all over West Seattle, and some beyond (Sequim, Olympia, Port Orchard, among others)
WHAT: Floats, all sorts of vehicles – cars, fire trucks, buses, boats – plus people walking, dancing, jumping, and rolling, drill teams, and yes, marching bands, like the All-City Band, which practiced last night at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex:
GRAND MARSHAL: Dan Austin (proprietor of Peel & Press in Morgan Junction and longtime small-business advocate)
ORVILLE RUMMEL TROPHY HONOREE: Deb Barker (longtime community advocate/volunteer, profiled here)
PARADE PRESENTERS: The West Seattle Rotary Club Service Foundation presents the parade, which is planned and coordinated by volunteers, chaired by Keith Hughes.
ANNOUNCERS: Led by West Seattle-residing journalist/broadcaster Brian Callanan – the announcing stand is at California/Alaska.
AWARDS: The parade is judged and the winners will be announced post-parade (we’ll publish the list).
STREET CLOSURES/PARKING RESTRICTIONS: The latter kick in at 7 am (don’t risk getting your car towed!); the former, a bit later. Also note that in addition to the route on California, some side streets near the start and end of the route are used for staging, so they are posted too. (P.S. Bus reroutes for Routes 50 and 128 and the C Line – info’s here.)
5K BEFORE THE PARADE: The Float Dodger 5K walkers/runners head down the route at 9:30 am – last-minute registration is available near the starting line at Hiawatha Playfield, and a free kids’ dash is set for 8:45 am.
WHERE TO WATCH: Anywhere along the route! Be near California/Lander to be the first to see everyone get going; be at California/Charlestown or California/Alaska to hear the entries announced. (Some people stake out spots early.)
If the West Seattle Grand Parade had a marquee, the All-City Band would be atop it – the student musicians who are perennial favorites in this parade and others. Above is video sent to us showing the band practicing at Seattle Center earlier this week; tonight they’ll be rehearsing at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex; and then you can watch for them Saturday as the parade gets going at 11 am from California and Lander, headed south on California to Edmunds. Their rehearsals are reminders that parades don’t just spontaneously happen – they take a lot of planning. We got our annual peek into the parade-planning process back on Monday night at American Legion Post 160 headquarters in The Triangle.
(WSB photo. From left, Rolla Queen, Jim Edwards, Keith Hughes, Michelle Edwards)
That’s when members of the parade team gathered for the lineup meeting, arranging the 70+ entries into a running order for Saturday. It’s definitely an art – beyond the perennial basics such as placing the Grand Marshal (this year, restaurateur and small-business advocate Dan Austin) and Orville Rummel Trophy winner (Deb Barker, as reported here) toward the start. This year was especially interesting, noted coordinator Michelle Edwards, because of the variety of entries – some regular participants haven’t fully restarted their efforts, but some first-time-ever entries surfaced to more than compensate.
Entries are from as far away as Sequim and Olympia, but of course West Seattle entries are at the heart. You’ll see community groups like the Highland Park Improvement Club, sports organizations like West Seattle Baseball and West Seattle Reign, unique vehicles like the DeLoreans and antique fire trucks, school groups including Holy Rosary and West Seattle High School, jump-rope performers, roller skaters, two folkloric dance groups, local businesses (including WSB sponsors Potter Construction and Mountain to Sound Outfitters) … All-City Band isn’t the only marching band; other musical entries include the Kennedy Catholic High School Marching Band. And on Wednesday, we told you about the nautical entries!
Sometimes things change at the last minute, so the parade team has to plan for that too, with placeholders and contingency plans. And it all has to balance out with the staging areas on Saturday morning near the starting point. With all the street-closure and no-parking signs along the route, lots of logistics are involved – generally unseen along the parade sidelines are amateur-radio operators communicating about anything of note (stalled vehicles, for example).
But all you have to do is show up and watch! Anywhere along the route (announcements can be heard at two spots, California/Charlestown and California/Alaska). The parade starts at 11 am, but the street closures start hours earlier, with parking restrictions kicking in at 7 am (don’t ignore the signs, you’ll be towed). At least one more preview to come!
Three days until the West Seattle Grand Parade, so today we step up the previews. As had become an annual tradition pre-pandemic, we sat in on the parade-lineup meeting, where parade-team members arrange the entries into the order you’ll see on Saturday (July 23rd). The 70+ entries this year include more nautical-themed participants than past years.
(Photo courtesy Michelle Edwards)
That’s Smitty J. Tugboat from the South Sound Maritime Heritage Foundation. You’ll also see a 21-foot replica of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (itself periodically seen off West Seattle), courtesy of the Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum, plus the Miss HomeStreet hydro, Seafair Pirates‘ landlubbing vessel Moby Duck, and boats from the Seafair Commodores and the West Seattle Yacht Club.
(WSB photo, Moby Duck at Alki before last month’s Seafair Pirates Landing)
Also in the seagoing vein, other entries include a float from Port Orchard’s Fathoms O’ Fun Festival and local wildlife responders SR3.
That’s just a small sampling of who and what you’ll see on Saturday. The parade starts from California/Lander at 11 am and travels south down California to Edmunds (see the route here). You can hear the announcements at California/Charlestown and California/Alaska. Since this is a transition year, no pre-parade mini-parades this year – like the PAWrade or Kiddies’ Parade – aside from the Float Dodger 5K, which heads down the parade route at 9:30 am. Next preview, we’ll have more about the parade entries, plus the behind-the-scenes parade process.
The West Seattle Grand Parade is back this Saturday and so is a tradition that accompanies it – choosing someone to honor with the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community.
(WSB photo from March)
This year, the trophy goes to Deb Barker, whose current community-service roles include president of the Morgan Community Association, board member of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, and member of the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force – but that’s only the latest in a long, long list spanning more than 30 years. Here’s a biography of Deb Barker, provided by parade organizers:
Barker is perhaps best known locally in three roles — as president of the Morgan Community Association (MoCA) since 2009, as one of a three-member LLC to save the iconic Stone Cottage on Harbor Avenue and as an active voice on the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force since its inception in 2020.
However, Barker’s West Seattle involvement extends back more than three decades, starting in 1989, when she was one of three steering committee members of the Save the Admiral Theater Task Force of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which led the successful drive to secure city landmark status for the peninsula’s only movie house. She also served on the historical society’s board from 1989 to 1992, helping coordinate the organization’s initial “Homes with History” tours.
Barker’s preservation focus resurfaced in West Seattle when she was part of the multi-organizational steering committee for the 4Culture-funded study, “What Makes the West Seattle Junction Special?” This became the foundation of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s successful 2016-2017 campaign to landmark the business district’s cornerstone Campbell and Hamm buildings.
Her West Seattle activism has extended beyond heritage preservation. She served on the Southwest Design Review Board from 2004 to 2009, as the board steered architects toward human-scale elements for such projects as The Spruce complex, Admiral Safeway rebuild and the California at Charlestown mixed use buildings.
Transportation planning became another local emphasis for Barker when in 2013 she became a founding member of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, which became a unified peninsula voice for equitable transportation and mobility issues.
Starting in 2018, Barker went further, joining Sound Transit advisory boards to help educate the community about light rail proposals while educating Sound Transit about West Seattle.
As part of such service, she has participated in countless online meetings to provide public comments on the routing of a light-rail extension in West Seattle. When the proposed ST3 “preferred above ground alignment” was to end in the Junction, she created a scale model of the plan and became an advocate of a tunnel alternative.
Also in 2018, Barker also helped organize the peninsula’s District 1 Community Network. The only organization of its kind in the city, the network encourages various neighborhood voices to remain active.
As MoCA president, Barker has kept Morgan Junction residents informed about issues and celebrated its businesses. She helped guide the community through recent upzoning and affordable housing challenges, advocating for quality design as the density increases. She also has presides over the Morgan Junction Community Festival, held each June at Morgan Junction Park at California Avenue and Southwest Eddy Street.
Her participation on the LLC for the Save the Stone Cottage Committee since 2019 helped execute a successful overnight move of the building in 2021 to Port of Seattle property along Harbor Avenue, where the stone-studded structure awaits a permanent move to a site
where it can be restored and opened to the public.Although the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force has completed its meetings, Barker looks forward to the projected September reopening of the West Seattle Bridge. Barker, 65, was born in Illinois into a Navy family that moved frequently, mostly on the West Coast. She and her husband, Mark Shaw, live in the Seaview neighborhood of Morgan Junction.
Originally a theatrical costumer, Barker moved to Seattle in 1985, working as a shopper and rental agent in the Seattle Repertory Theater costume shop. As a freelancer, she coordinated costumes for the 1990 Seattle-based Goodwill Games opening ceremonies, and eventually joined the local wardrobe union, becoming president of IATSE Local 887.
Her mainstay career, however, became civics. She obtained a master’s degree in urban design and planning from the University of Washington, and in 1990 she was hired as the first land-use intern at the newly incorporated city of Federal Way. There, she worked as a planner, reviewing and approving development proposals, briefing the city council and assisting the public. She retired in 2012.
Barker’s ardor for West Seattle issues has been mirrored by similarly passionate citywide involvement. She joined the board of Historic Seattle from 1986 to 1992, aiding in development of the Bel-Boy (Belmont-Boylston) affordable-housing complex on First Hill and in the growth of the organization’s Good Shepherd Center.
Her citywide service resumed in 2013, when Barker began a seven-year stint on the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. She co-chaired the board from 2015 to 2020, a span during which the board conferred landmark status for prominent buildings such as Climate Pledge Arena (the former Coliseum and Key Arena), the Federal Reserve Bank Building and the ASUW Shell House, made famous by the book “The Boys in the Boat.”
Vivid memories emerge as Barker reflects on her West Seattle activism, from “sailing” along with the Admiral Theater float in the 1989 West Seattle Grand Parade to knocking on doors and “approaching total strangers” to seek permission for their residences to become part of a Homes with History tour.
Barker plans to stay involved in local concerns, including seeking landmark status for other West Seattle Junction buildings. She says her array of interests reflects her deep love of the city as a whole and especially the Duwamish peninsula: “My business card reads, ‘I Love West Seattle.’ It’s a good icebreaker because people enjoy sharing their West Seattle memories, but I also tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. I just love giving back to my community.”
The West Seattle Grand Parade starts at California/Lander at 11 am Saturday (July 23rd) and proceeds south on California to Edmunds – you can watch from anywhere along the route. We’ll have previews all week leading up to the big day.
ABOUT THE ORVILLE RUMMEL AWARD: It’s named after the man who founded the West Seattle parade in 1934, Orville Rummel – lots of background in the story we published the year we were honored with the trophy, 2010. The award was first presented in 1984. Here’s the full list of recipients along the way:
1984: Charles and Ann Gage
1985: RB Chris Crisler Jr.
1986: Morgan and Carol McBride
1987: Margaret Miaullis
1988: Charles Jung
1989: Aurlo Bonney
1990: Katie Thorburn
1991: Dorothy Poplawski
1992: Dan Wiseman
1993: Virgil Sheppard
1994: Dorene Smith
1995: Doris Richards
1996: John Kelly
1997: Dick Kennedy
1998: Jim Edwards and Barbara Edwards
1999: Lt. David E. Cass
2000: Husky Deli/Miller Family
2001: Stephanie Haskins
2002: Forest Lawn
2003: Sue Lindblom
2004: Edgar and Ann Phipps
2005: Karen Sisson
2006: Walt DeLong
2007: David and Doreen Vague
2008: Tim St. Clair
2009: Morey Skaret
2010: West Seattle Blog
2011: Cindi Barker
2012: Shirley Vradenburgh
2013: Judy Pickens
2014: Earl Cruzen
2015: Donn Weaver
2016: Clay Eals
2017: Keith Hughes
2018: Velko Vitalich
2019: Adah Cruzen
Now that West Seattle Summer Fest has wrapped up, time to start counting down to two big in-the-street events next Saturday (July 23rd) – the Float Dodger 5K and West Seattle Grand Parade. Both happen on California SW, from The Admiral District to The Junction (and back, for Float Dodger).
(WSB photo, 2019 Float Dodger 5K, organizers Lori McConnell & Tim McConnell at left)
The 5K is coordinated by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) and starts on the field at Hiawatha (2700 California SW) with a free Kids’ Dash at 9:15 am 8:45 am preceding the run/walk at 9:30 am. Runners head out onto California SW, run/walk down the parade route to The Junction, turn around and head back. You can register online until Thursday – do it here!
(2017 West Seattle Grand Parade WSB photo, All-City Band)
The West Seattle Grand Parade follows at 11 am, also starting in the 2700 block of California and heading south to The Junction (California/Edmunds). The parade is presented by the West Seattle Rotary Service Foundation. Parade chair Keith Hughes says more than 60 entrants are confirmed so far – including longtime favorites including the All-City Band plus classic cars, antique fire trucks, community organizations. Two announcing stations this year – California/Charlestown as well as California/Alaska. It all starts rolling southbound on California at 11 am Saturday, so grab your spot on the curb and cheer the parade’s return. More previews to come as the week goes on!
Dozens of entries are already signed up for the West Seattle Grand Parade on Saturday, July 23rd, But we’ve learned of two that won’t be returning – because of the Seattle Police staffing shortage:
(WSB file photo)
No SPD Motorcycle Drill Team, in our parade or the other summer parades in which they have traditionally appeared. That’s because the department doesn’t have one right now, confirms SPD spokesperson Det. Valerie Carson, who told WSB, “We just don’t have the staffing numbers.” She adds, “It was not officially disbanded, and I think the hope would be to someday re-establish it, but for now it has dissolved as a result of the department’s resource priorities.”
For the West Seattle Grand Parade, there’s one additional ripple effect of that: No SPD Motorcycle Drill Team means no Vancouver, B.C. Motorcycle Drill Team. This was the only U.S. parade in which they participated, and that was as a guest of the SPD team, explains longtime parade co-coordinator Jim Edwards.
Though the traditional parade-starting motorcycles aren’t available, the West Seattle parade does have 60+ other participants signed up so far; it’ll travel southbound along California SW from the Admiral District to The Junction on July 23rd, starting at 11 am.
(WSB photo from 2019 Float Dodger 5K)
With the return of the West Seattle Grand Parade this summer, a major pre-parade event is coming back too: West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) says it’s reviving the Float Dodger 5K, a fun run/walk on the parade route, round trip from the Admiral District. Registration is open now! Here’s the announcement from WSR:
Float Dodger 5K is back this year on July 23rd. Run or walk the parade route of the West Seattle Grand Parade right before the parade starts. Root-beer floats await you at the finish line. 100% of the proceeds goes to West Seattle Food Bank.
That’s not only proceeds from entries, but also from sponsorships, so the more sponsors they get, the more the WSFB is helped. Sponsor spots are now open, starting at $150. Here’s how to find out more about sponsoring. To register for the 5K – discount pricing until May 1st – go here.
P.S. Another donation that’ll contribute to the event – a beer garden with a donated keg from Good Society!
(WSB photo, 2019 West Seattle Grand Parade prize winners Seattle Schools All-City Marching Band)
Among the many big public events shelved these past two years, the West Seattle Grand Parade. But this year, it’ll be back. We confirmed that with Rotary Club of West Seattle leaders when we covered their Spring for Kids event last weekend. This year’s date: Saturday, July 23rd. If you’re new – or if you’ve forgotten! – the parade proceeds from The Admiral District down California SW to The Junction. Still early for other details, but not too early to save the date.
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