(WSB video of the Hi-Yu volunteers and float in the July 2009 Seafair Torchlight Parade downtown)
Another award-winning parade season ended recently for West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival leaders, volunteers, and royalty, with their trip to the Issaquah Salmon Days Parade. But the end of summer never means the end of their work – it’s time to start looking ahead to next year – and renewing community support. Here’s one way you can be part of it:

West Seattle Hi-Yu is starting off the Fall season with a fundraiser through PartyLite. Hi-Yu will receive 50% of sales to go toward the expenses of the Summer Festival, including building/transporting/upkeep of the float, and scholarships for young women in our community.

There are 3 products to choose from, which you can view at smithwicks.net. Just click on “fundraisers” and then “fundraiser products.” (However, items need to be ordered through Carol Winston.) There are a variety of wonderful holiday scents and the items make perfect hostess gifts for parties coming up, teacher gifts and all-occasion gifts. Many in the community are already familiar with these candles and know the benefit of non-lead wicks (no black soot), long burn time, and no leftover wax.

Please help support our community festival! Items can be ordered through Carol Winston. Please send an email to winstonfamily@yahoo.com to communicate your interest. Questions about the product can be directed to Cecile Smith 206-730-1202. There is sales tax of 9.5%, but no shipping costs. Orders must be received by October 17th.

That’s this Sunday – the same day as the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, where you can get one more look at the much-honored 2010 Hi-Yu float, “Dreams Do Come True” (full festival schedule here).

7 pm and time to start our coverage of the West Seattleites who are in the city’s biggest parade tonight, the Seafair Torchlight Parade. We’re along the parade route downtown. For starters, we just got word from West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston that the Hi-Yu “Dreams Do Come True” float has won the Princess Award – same one last year’s float won! Just got one addition to the list of West Seattleites to watch for – Michelle Edwards, former Hi-Yu Queen, is playing cymbals with the Seahawks’ Blue Thunder. 7:54 PM UPDATE: And again this year, the Hi-Yu rep in the Miss Seafair program has been chosen as a princess – Tim just sent word that Margo Femiano was chosen 1st Princess. (Just got a photo of Margo from tonight’s coronation, via text message – thanks! – added it at left.) ADDED 9:54 PM: The Hi-Yu float went by our spot (by City Hall) a short time ago – here’s video:

11:48 PM: Adding some more video, as promised. Here are the Pathfinder K-8 unicyclists flying by:

And here’s new Seafair First Princess Margo Femiano, riding in the parade:

Margo was Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu for 2008-2009; because Miss Seafair candidates have a busy schedule, as do members of Hi-Yu royalty, Miss Hi-Yu isn’t in the Miss Seafair competition until the summer after her reign ends (Margo was crowned in 2008; she crowned her Hi-Yu successor, Georgia Mitchell, in 2009; and Georgia in turn just crowned her successor, Kelsey Bills, last Monday – Georgia will be Hi-Yu’s contender for Miss Seafair next year).

(Margo Femiano in last Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade; photo by Mark Hewitt)
Two West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival updates: First, tomorrow’s the big night for Margo Femiano, who represents Hi-Yu in the Miss Seafair competition, which ends with the coronation along the Torchlight Parade route tomorrow night downtown. (Margo was Miss Hi-Yu 2009; the queen represents the festival in Miss Seafair the summer after her reign, because that program has too many commitments/appearances for concurrent participation.) And even ahead of tomorrow night, she’s a winner, according to info from Tim and Carol Winston of Hi-Yu: Margo won four scholarships at this week’s Seafair Commodores Princess Awards Banquet at Salty’s on Alki: The Commodores/Seattle Kiwanis Interview Award, 25 percent of the Miss Seafair score, $900 scholarship; Commodores Public Speaking Award (10 percent of the score), $400; second place in the Banner Bank Academic Award (20 percent of the score), $900; and – this one doesn’t count toward the title – one of five recipients of $1,000 from the Seattle Jaycees Miss Community Service Awards. Tomorrow night’s coronation will be at the Westlake grandstand for the Torchlight Parade, 7:30 pm – if you don’t happen to be watching from there in person, you can see it on Channel 7 TV (or streamed at kirotv.com), and we’ll publish a quick update too.

Meantime, there’s a followup to the big day last Saturday – with not only Hi-Yu participation in the American Legion Post 160 West Seattle Grand Parade, but also a “visiting court” reception beforehand – read on for Hi-Yu’s public thanks to those who made it possible:Read More

(All photos by Cliff DesPeaux; here, Queen Kelsey is in red dress at center, Princess Victoria two to the left of her in blue, Princess Rosemarie two to the right of her in aqua)
ORIGINAL 9:32 PM REPORT: Just crowned onstage at the West Seattle High School Theater: Queen Kelsey Bills and Princesses Victoria Ferrulli and Rosemarie Unite. (added – video of the announcements)

(All video by Tracy Record)
The two-and-a-half-hour pageant was the culmination of several judging sessions – the performance and speaking rounds tonight counted for 25 percent of the score. But the program featured much more, including performances by the outgoing Senior Court and Junior Court members, greetings from visiting past Hi-Yu royalty (including Funky Jane’s owner Angela Nichols, whose daughter Taylor Nichols is the newly crowned Junior Court Queen, 20 years after Angela was on the Senior Court):

The audience also heard from the current Miss Seafair (‘for five more days!” she smiled) and Margo Femiano, the 2008-2009 Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu who’s representing WS in this year’s Miss Seafair program – we’ll find out next Saturday night, before the Torchlight Parade, how she does!

Special scholarship-award winners, revealed just before the Queen and Princesses: Academic Achievement, Community Service, Creative Expression, Miss Congeniality Awards, all went to Victoria Ferrulli; Entrepreneurial and Technology Awards, both to Rosemarie Unite; Director’s Award, Kelsey Porter; Spirit of Hi-Yu and Hi-Yu Alumni Awards, both to Kelsey Bills; Athletic Leadership Award, Melanie Frey.

ADDED: More video, photos and details from the coronation – see it all ahead:Read More

(WS Grand Parade photo by Rhonda Porter; Senior Court candidates rode in convertibles)
If you’ve been to any of West Seattle’s big events this summer, you’ve seen them: The five young women vying to be the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, usually in their white-on-red Hi-Yu polo shirts. Since their introduction two and a half months ago, the have been appearing at events, helping raise money by selling Hi-Yu buttons and promoting the festival. Tonight, at the Hi-Yu Senior Court Coronation, we find out which of the five will become the next Queen and Princesses, not only representing Hi-Yu, but also representing West Seattle as the float travels to events around the region. You are invited to the coronation program tonight at West Seattle High School Theater, 7 pm. Click ahead for photos we took of the candidates as they prepared to ride in the West Seattle Grand Parade this past Saturday – and for a bit more info about tonight’s event:

Read More

(West Seattle Grand Parade 2010 photo by Creighton Yost)
ORIGINAL 6:59 AM PREVIEW: At the height of Hi-Yu, the day after the West Seattle festival’s float, royalty and volunteers got to show their stuff for the hometown crowd, they’re inviting you to come have brunch with them today. The annual West Seattle Hi-Yu Community Brunch is 9 am-noon this morning, at a different location this year – Alki UCC Church (6112 SW Hinds; here’s a map) – particularly convenient if you’re going to Day 2 of the Alki Art Fair (10 am-6 pm; live-music schedule here). Brunch is $6 adults/$3 kids. Among other things, the community brunch is your last chance to wish the candidates luck before tomorrow night’s coronation (you’re invited to that too – 7 pm Monday, West Seattle High School Theater – and advance tickets should be on sale at today’s brunch).

10:30 PM UPDATE: We just dropped in to check on how the brunch is going. Hi-Yu’s Carol Winston told us that as of just after 10 am, they’d already served about 50 people!

ORIGINAL ‘HAPPENING NOW’ REPORT AT 7:49 PM: We’re at Hiawatha Community Center’s east lawn with a triple-digit crowd for the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park, in what one concertgoer just described as “perfect” weather – not hot, not cool. The West Seattle Big Band is still in the first half of its set, with selections from legendary composers including Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker, and vocalist Elizabeth Hott guesting on classics like “When I Fall in Love” and “Fever.” Shortly, the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards will be presented, and the audience will get to hear from West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty and candidates too, with more WSBB music after that. (Hi-Yu contingent photo added later – this was just steps away from West Seattle High School, where the new Senior Court will be coronated Monday night)

Still lots of time to wander over here if you have the chance, bring a blanket or chair, there’s lots of room on the lawn – and the show’s free. P.S. One Hi-Yu note – new location for the Community Brunch this Sunday morning, Alki UCC, 9 am-noon. More later on the concert and the awards presentation! ADDED 11:11 PM: One sample of tonight’s great music from the WS Big Band:

You can catch the WS Big Band playing Hiawatha again later this summer – they’re the sixth and final act in the Admiral Neighborhood Association Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (co-sponsored by WSB), which starts a week from Thursday (July 29) – the WSBB plays on Sept. 2. Meanwhile, photos of the volunteers honored tonight will be in a separate story.

That’s our photo from last year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park, featuring not only the fabulous West Seattle Big Band but also the official celebration of the first West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Award winners (WSB July 2009 coverage here). Another group was honored during the West Seattle Junction Tree Lighting last holiday season (WSB December 2009 coverage here), and now the third group of honorees will be celebrated tomorrow night, when it’s Hi-Yu Concert in the Park time again! BYO chairs/blankets to the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center for great WSBB music and a chance to cheer/applaud superstar volunteers who help keep our community humming. If you missed the announcement last Thursday night, here’s the latest honoree list again:

Community award – Dennis Ross, longtime activist/advocate in the Admiral neighborhood

Youth award – Arthea and Ronda Barber, volunteers at Highland Park Elementary School

Environment award – Scott Blackstock, volunteer caretaker for Roxhill Bog/Park

Group award – Furry Faces Foundation, animal advocates and providers of compassionate assistance for animals’ human companions

The West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards are sponsored by the Delridge and Southwest District Councils and WSB, with nominations by YOU; nominees are reviewed, and winners chosen, by a group of reps from the district councils. Join us all at Hiawatha tomorrow night, 7 pm (the concert, as always, is free).

From left, Princess Riley Fredricks, Queen Taylor Nichols, and Princess Kaitlin Lindell – your new West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Junior Court, coronated this afternoon during the Fun Fest at Hiawatha Community Center (which continues till 3 pm, by the way – pix of that, later). The new queen is the daughter of Angela Nichols, who runs Funky Jane’s in The Junction:

(With proud mom Angela, that’s Junior Court organizer Diane Szender at left, official Hi-Yu photographer Joanne Murray at right.) Queen Taylor and Princess Kaitlin are both 10-year-old Holy Rosary School students; Princess Riley is 11 and going into Madison Middle School. Today’s event included, as is traditional, greetings from the previous Junior Court – Princess Kaitlin Morgan, Queen Kailin Jo Alexander Spencer, and Princess Isabella Carufel – in the next photo with all eight of today’s candidates (the other contenders were Issabella Brown, Sadie Botuchis, Katie Taisey, Alina Guyon, and Madison Milojevich):

The 2009-2010 Junior Court also performed a short dance routine to the Hall & Oates oldie “You Make My Dreams Come True,” apropos to this year’s Hi-Yu theme, “Dreams Do Come True.” Three of this year’s Senior Court candidates appeared as well – from left, Victoria Ferrulli, Rosemarie Unite and Kelsey Porter:

And from the current Senior Court, from left, Princess Veronica Pupava and Queen Georgia Mitchell:

Afterward, photo op for everyone – today’s emcees, past Hi-Yu royalty, joined them – at left, Veronica Szender; at right, Danica Tongol:

The Senior Court coronation, an evening event, is coming up a week from Monday – 7 pm July 26 at West Seattle High School Theater. But before then, you’ll get to see the Hi-Yu contingent in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade (which many still call the Hi-Yu Parade), which rolls down California SW from SW Lander (Lafayette/Safeway) to Edmunds (south end of the main Junction business district) starting at 11 am Saturday, July 24, just one week from tomorrow – more about the parade in the next few days (we’re excited to be in it again this year too).

A summer day in the life of a West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court queen or princess – On the 4th of July, we photographed Queen Kailin and Princesses Isabella and Kaitlin at the Admiral Kids’ Parade in the morning, and then again at the Burien Independence Day Parade in the afternoon. And that’s just part of the fun. Hi-Yu leaders tell WSB they’ve extended the deadline for girls to apply to be on the next Junior Court: You now have till July 13th – that’s next Tuesday. If you’re interested, you can e-mail Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn at dbmahn@comcast.net and she’ll reply with all the info you need (or if you’re interested in downloading the application right now, you can get it here. Plus, you’ll find application forms at the Hi-Yu booth at West Seattle Summer Fest this Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Qualifications, you ask? Ages 8-11 by September, and must live and/or attend school in West Seattle. Apply by Tuesday, and there won’t be too much suspense – coronation is the following Friday, July 16th.

(From the WSB Flickr group: This year’s Hi-Yu Senior Court contenders, photographed by Rhonda)
A special night for the quintet of current West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court candidates, as well as Hi-Yu royalty past and present, as the Order of the White Rose reception filled Fauntleroy Church‘s fellowship hall. Beach Drive Blog was there. This year’s Senior Court coronation is coming up July 26; 10 days before then, the Junior Court is chosen, and there’s still time for interested girls to apply – July 12 is the application deadline, and the forms can be found here.

Yet another award for the West Seattle Hi-Yu “Dreams Do Come True” float – the President’s Award in the Port Orchard Fathoms O’ Fun Parade on Saturday, according to Hi-Yu vice president Deena Mahn. (We should have some photos to add soon.) Next up for the float, next Sunday’s Burien 4th of July Parade (time/route info here). And before then, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Order of the White Rose Reception – a women-only event honoring Hi-Yu royalty and hopefuls, past and present – is 7 pm this Tuesday at the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall. 8:14 AM: Photos added. In the one below, from left, Senior Court Princess Kelly Nealson, Junior Court Princess Kaitlin Morgan, 2009 Junior Court Princess Anna Fuller, 2009 Junior Court Queen Zoe Mahn, and Queen Georgia are posing with the President’s Award plaque.

You’ll get to see the award-winning Hi-Yu float (and royalty, and volunteers) in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade on Saturday, July 24, starting at 11 am from California/Lander in the Admiral District and proceeding down California SW to SW Edmunds in The Junction.

First an award in Port Townsend in mid-May, then another one in Shelton two weeks ago, now another award for Seattle’s only traveling neighborhood-based float, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival float, living out this year’s theme, “Dreams Do Come True“:

The West Seattle float participated in the Marysville Strawberry Festival Parade on Saturday evening. It fortunately did not rain all day, until the float was on the trailer on the way back to Seattle.

We won the Berrysville award. The crew worked hard to install lights for our first evening parade. However, because of our early position in the parade, it was fully daylight when we were on the route. Everyone will have to wait for Seafair Torchlight Parade to see the float lit up.

The picture shows Junior Court Princess Kaitlin Morgan (left) and Junior Court Queen Kailin Spencer enjoying the strawberry shortcake that the festival provides for royalty and float crews.

Tim Winston
President
West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival

…and that sets the stage for a reminder, applications are being accepted for this year’s Junior Court, whose members will be chosen on July 16 – the info and application-form link are in this story!

(WSB photo from July 2009)
Two announcements tonight from the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival, as their biggest events of the year get closer: First, the photo above is from last year’s Junior Court Coronation – and tonight Hi-Yu is putting out the call for girls who’d like to be considered for Junior Court this year. From Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn:

The Hi-Yu Summer Festival is fast approaching and the float will be traveling to the following communities soon: Marysville, Port Orchard and Burien, to name just a few.

Also, it’s that time of year to look for NEW JUNIOR COURT ROYALTY FOR THE 2010-2011 YEAR. The current court of royalty – Queen Kailin, Princess Isabella and Princess Kaitlin – will be crowning new girls on Friday, July 16th at the Hiawatha Fun Fest.

For an application, click here to open the document, fill it out and mail it in BY MONDAY, JULY 12. ALL INSTRUCTIONS ARE IN THE DOCUMENT. Try out to be part of Hi-Yu royalty and have fun making new friends!

A few things you might want to know before you click – age requirement is “between the ages of 8 and 11 by September 1st.” Also, girls must live or attend school in West Seattle (zip codes 98106, 98116, 98126, 98136, 98146).

LAST CALL FOR SPONSORS! Hi-Yu is putting out one last call for sponsors as they get ready to send the Summer Festival Souvenir Book to the printer. (Supporters are recognized in the front of the book.) Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston says, “Due to the economy, our sponsor level is down slightly, while insurance costs for the float, etc. have increased. All sponsorships help with the Float program, the Scholarship Program, and Hi-Yu events.” They’re not looking for a big commitment – the $50 and $100 levels help a lot; e-mail winstonfamily@yahoo.com if you’re interested. They don’t have online donation set up but you can send a check to West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival at P.O. Box 16130, Seattle, WA 98116.

(First three photos by Mark and Carrie Hewitt)
How does a queen cross a mud puddle? Very carefully! That’s the current Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, Georgia Mitchell, leaping over a lingering puddle on Saturday in Shelton, where the Hi-Yu float had another award-winning day:

The “Dreams Do Come True” float was in Shelton for the Mason County Forest Festival Parade, where West Seattle Hi-Yu won the Governor’s Award – here’s your Hi-Yu royalty with the plaque and fellow parade-participant clowns:

Reporting the big win – on the heels of the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival Parade Mayor’s Award last month – Hi-Yu Summer Festival President Tim Winston adds, “The float ran great, the girls did a great job representing West Seattle, and there was SUN!” Also along for the trip, two of the current Miss Hi-Yu candidates, Kelsey Bills and Melanie Frey:

(Photo by Carol Winston)
The candidates have several big events ahead before the July 26 coronation reveals who will be the next Queen and Senior Court – first one, the candidates’ reception at American Legion Post 160 this Wednesday night.

Thanks to Kippy Jo for sending photos from the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float’s 2010 debut in the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival Parade. She reports that the new “Dreams Do Come True” float won the Mayor’s Award – following in the tire tracks of its 2009 predecessor, which had an award-winning season.

Might have more “official” photos to add later! Meantime, if you don’t happen to see them in an out-of-town parade sooner, you will see the Hi-Yu float and royalty in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade, which travels its Admiral-to-Edmunds route along California SW on July 24th. ADDED 3:55 PM: Thanks to Carrie for sending a few more photos – first, the Senior and Junior Courts with the trophy for the aforementioned Port Townsend award:

And another look at the new float:

Perfect morning at the Seacrest “pond” set up for the annual West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club Hi-Yu Kids’ Fishing Derby – sun and fun. After we stopped by for a few photos, Larry Nitkey sent us this next pic, explaining, “Had a lot of fun fishing. My daughter Leilani Nitkey proudly displays her first-ever catch.”

Since it’s a Hi-Yu event, that means royalty – and in this case, would-be royalty – two Miss Hi-Yu candidates stopped for a photo:

That’s Melanie Frey and Victoria Ferrulli; as reported here Tuesday, they are candidates along with Kelsey Bills, Kelsey Porter, and Rosemarie Anne Ko Unite.

That photo is courtesy of the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club, which wanted to get out one more reminder that it’s kicking off West Seattle Hi-Yu season with the annual, free Kids’ Fishing Derby this Saturday at Seacrest. 8 am-11 am, the first 150 kids ages 12 and under get a chance to catch one of the fish with which a portable pond will be stocked, right on the Seacrest dock. No registration required – just show up. Here’s the official flyer.

With the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival events gearing up this weekend – 8-11 am Saturday is the West Seattle Sportsmen‘s Kids’ Fishing Derby at Seacrest – Hi-Yu has just announced this year’s candidates for the Miss Hi-Yu scholarship program:

Holy Names Academy junior Victoria Ferrulli, sponsored by American Legion Post 160
West Seattle High School senior Melanie Frey, sponsored by West Seattle Rotary
Kennedy High School senior Kelsey Porter, sponsored by West Seattle Kiwanis
University of Puget Sound (Tacoma) student Kelsey Bills, sponsored by the West Seattle Lions
University of Washington student Rosemarie Anne Ko Unite, sponsored by the West Seattle Eagles

The first three candidates’ photos and bios are here; the other two are here. The coronation is set for 7 pm July 26th at West Seattle High School Theater.

(Editor’s note: This story is updated with new information from Hi-Yu President Tim Winston, in comments.)

“Dreams Do Come True,” as the 2010 West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival theme promises, and floats do get built … with a lot of hard work by volunteers, usually toiling up to the last moment. Five months after our first report of the winning theme, the float is in the final stages of assembly – scheduled to appear in its first parade tomorrow next week; we got a sneak peek last night:

The Sequim Irrigation Festival is was scheduled to be the first stop on this year’s tour of parades … it takes water for flowers to grownow they’re looking to next week’s Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival, so flowery Hi-Yu float decorations will be right in place:

Those flowers will be arranged on the float by the time the Hi-Yu delegation heads north. (You can see the official float-design sketch in this report from February.) If you don’t happen to see the float in another parade sooner, Saturday, July 24 is the day you will see it glide down California SW in West Seattle’s own American Legion Post 160-presented Grand Parade. As we are fond of pointing out, West Seattle is the ONLY community in the city that still has its own traveling parade float … powered by volunteers and donations … you’ll have a chance to chip in when you see Hi-Yu reps selling this year’s button at events; next one is the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club-presented Kids’ Fishing Derby at Seacrest Pier, 8 am May 15th.)

The West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival is moving toward its busy season – and Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn has some news to share tonight: First, it’s our first look at the recently chosen 2010 button design – which Deena and daughter Zoe Mahn designed. The buttons will be sold for $1 as usual, all summer long, and Deena adds, “Many thanks to Steve Fischer for digitalizing our drawing!” The “Dreams Do Come True” theme for 2010 was chosen four months ago (WSB coverage here); the float with that theme is now being turned from dream to reality, Deena reports: “The float building is under way, and many volunteers led by Tim Spencer are feverishly trying to finish for our first parade appearance in Sequim on May 8th.” Meantime, she also has a long list of thank-yous for the recent Hi-Yu Spring Tea and Auction – read on to see the list:Read More