West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Recovering today from the 4th (WSB coverage highlights: fireworks barge, Admiral parade, Ercolini parade, evening action on Alki, and sky sights) and the Seafair Pirates‘ Landing (WSB coverage: pix here, video and a few more pix here)? Still a few things going on today – like the Furry Faces Foundation “blowout plant sale” – see the West Seattle Weekend Lineup. But it’s also a good time to look ahead to the Big Events on the horizon (event photos in this post are WSB 2007 pix unless otherwise noted):
THIS THURSDAY: WEST SEATTLE SECOND THURSDAY ART WALK
Art Walk organizers are experimenting with new logos like the one above that you’ll see for the next quarter; the lineup continues to grow and you can find the map and highlights for Thursday (6-9 pm) at the Art Walk website.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY: WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST IN THE JUNCTION
Hours after the Art Walk, it’s Summer Fest time. As we’ve mentioned here and here, even more excitement this year – here’s the program; here’s the website. Live music, the Art Dive, vendors, food, fun for all ages. We’ll be on site all three days, for live coverage and hopefully a chance to say hi to you. Hours are 10 am-8 pm Friday and Saturday, 11 am-7 pm Sunday.
TUESDAY, JULY 15: HI-YU CONCERT IN THE PARK
One of our favorite Hi-Yu events – settle down onto the east lawn at Hiawatha and enjoy the West Seattle Big Band at 7 pm.
SATURDAY, JULY 19: WEST SEATTLE KIDDIE PARADE AND GRAND PARADE
All kids are welcome to join in the Kiddie Parade presented by the Rotary Club of West Seattle; sign in at 9:45 am at California/Genesee (here’s a map; here’s more info, on parade flyer). Shortly after the kids start down California at 10:30, it’s the Grand Parade, presented by American Legion Post 160 – stake your spot out early! (or maybe you can join us in the parade; here’s how).
SATURDAY, JULY 19: “MOVIES ON THE WALL” SERIES BEGINS
You helped choose ’em; now it’s time to watch ’em! Sidewalk Cinema “Movies on the Wall” are playing on that screen shown above (spring ’08 WSB photo), next to Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) at the north end of The Junction, for six consecutive Saturday nights — see the lineup here (we’re sponsoring “Who Framed Roger Rabbit“ on August 2nd) — the movies are free; West Seattle Christian Church (WSB sponsor) sells concessions; hats are passed at intermission for a chance to donate to various WS charities.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 26-27: ALKI ART FAIR
Art at the beach! Here’s the official website.
OTHER BIGGIES:
JULY 19-20: MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FEST @ Hiawatha, 10 am-9 pm both days
JULY 20: WEST SEATTLE GARDEN TOUR (tickets on sale now)
JULY 21: MISS WEST SEATTLE HI-YU CORONATION, Grace Church
AUGUST 1: “SUMMER CONCERTS AT THE MOUNT” SERIES STARTS @ Providence Mount St. Vincent
AUGUST 5: NIGHT OUT, in your neighborhood! (here’s how to sign up; deadline 8/2)
AUGUST 16: PICNIC AT THE PRECINCT, Southwest Precinct (2007 WSB coverage here)
AUGUST 23-24: “ARTS IN NATURE” FESTIVAL @ Camp Long
Outside West Seattle, the biggest Seafair highlights include the Torchlight Parade downtown on July 26 and Blue Angels/hydros weekend August 1-3 (full Seafair schedule here). For everything coming up in West Seattle – lots more is going on in addition to the major events mentioned above — check our WSB West Seattle Events calendar page any time to see everything that’s coming up – it already features listings stretching all the way into next spring! To send us items for the calendar: editor@westseattleblog.com — thanks!
Three weeks from today, on July 19, thousands of West Seattleites will line California Avenue SW, from Admiral to The Junction, to enjoy the West Seattle Grand Parade presented by American Legion Post 160 during the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival, with sights and sounds like those provided by the All-City Band (above, that’s a 2007 WSB photo of its tuba players). If this is your second or third summer reading WSB, you know we are absolutely crazy in love with parades, particularly this one. And we are thrilled to be able to help facilitate a group for this year’s parade — and to extend to you the invitation to be part of it, provided you meet just one criteria: You do, or have done, volunteer work for something. It can be something small and simple – you help out at your kids’ school – or something big (you’re part of a community group with meetings and events and everything else that keeps you busy week in and week out) – or something you’ve done just a time or two (painted out graffiti? picked up trash?). While discussing the idea of a parade unit with Morgan Junction volunteer extraordinaire Cindi Barker, the idea hatched: Volunteers of West Seattle Grand Parade Marching Unit. Don’t worry, no rehearsals, no choreographed moves, just show up on parade day and show off the “volunteer power” that keeps West Seattle running (though we’d like you to RSVP – e-mail volunteermarchers@gmail.com). Here’s part of the notice that Cindi has started to distribute on local mailing lists:
We’re not organized, scheduled or in any way coherent for this event, just like your average volunteer activity. The one thing that is firm:
If you show up decorated in anything that remotely resembles your volunteer activity, we will buy you a beer or soda at West 5 after the parade. Silliness and giant leaps of imagination are encouraged, have fun with your topic. Afterwards, you’ll be trying to explain yourself – networking at its finest, eh?No need to RSVP or pre-register, though we’d like to hear from you, so if you think you might be interested drop us a line at volunteermarchers@gmail.com
If you decide at the last minute you can come along, just show up and join the Volunteers in West Seattle Grand Parade Marching Unit for the recognition you so greatly deserve. No meetings will be held along the parade route, in case you were wondering.
Note that freebie – if you really get into the spirit. WSB will be joining the group too, and you can watch this site for details as the parade gets closer, as well as morganjunction.org, where Cindi will have info posted too. If you’re not already in the parade, and you’re part of West Seattle’s amazing volunteer power, please consider joining us! (Your kids can march with the group too; nothing motorized – Cindi has arranged for a cool Mini Cooper to lead the unit, with “snappy music” as she puts it.)
Tonight at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor), West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival queens and princesses present, past, and potentially future (the current “candidates”) gathered for the annual White Rose Reception, a ladies-only event. As exciting as it was for the gowned young women you see above, it was also a big night for camera-wielding moms and mentors:
Before the cake break that led to the photo-op shown above, memories were shared as women and girls from past Hi-Yu courts stood up and introduced themselves – here are a few:
The five candidates vying to be the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu introduced themselves tonight; all five with a long list of accomplishments, as you can see here. (We shot video tonight for a future feature, as the candidates get ready for a variety of events leading up to the Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu coronation and reception on July 21.)
4 PM TODAY: Your editor here has been invited to discuss West Seattle this afternoon on Rain City Radio, a new audio interview “show” that the founder of popular Seattle real-estate blog Rain City Guide, Dustin Luther, recently launched. His post about it explains how to listen and/or call in to join the conversation.
7 PM TONIGHT: As reported here last week, two members of legendary rock band R.E.M. — Peter Buck and Bill Rieflin — will join West Seattle authors Corianton Hale and David Belisle for a launch party to celebrate their photography book “R.E.M.: HELLO,” 7 pm @ Easy Street in The Junction. (Party goes till 10; signing is 7-8.)
7 PM TONIGHT: The next big West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival event — the White Rose Reception — happens tonight at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) – here are details from Hi-Yu’s Danette Carufel:
West Seattle Hi-Yu cordially invites you to the 2008 White Rose Reception. This event is for women only and is a celebration of past and present Hi Yu royalty and candidates. All are invited; festivities will begin at 7 pm tonight at Fauntleroy Church (UCC), 9260 California SW. Come and share your Hi-Yu memories or to learn about our community festival. Past royalty are encouraged to wear or bring their sashes and memory scrapbooks. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.00. For more information please call (206) 935-6517.
If you live in the Fairmount area – should disaster strike, that spot by the flagpole in the southeast Providence Mount St. Vincent parking lot is your neighborhood gathering spot for information. Sunday afternoon, Fairmount Community representatives (led by Sharonn Meeks, center in shades) set up this table there …
… for the latest West Seattle drop-in event to get out the word about neighborhood gathering places and disaster-readiness info. (Read more here, and see the map of other neighborhood spots that have been designated so far.)
Meantime, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival crew coped this weekend with the semi-disastrous float woes, by riding instead in convertibles so they could represent West Seattle in the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival parade:
That’s Carol Winston driving Queen Danica and Queen Sivona. A few more photos shared by Hi-Yu president Tim Winston, including a young court member showing off a tiny friend, ahead:Read More
Earlier this week, we showed you that photo of the Seafair Pirates clowning around with the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival banner as both organizations appeared at the first major parade of the season, at the Sequim Irrigation Festival last Saturday. That report also included an account of parade trouble involving the breakdown-plagued float-propelling vehicle; that problem’s not solved yet but Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston reports, the Pirates are lending some mechanical expertise, as their signature “vessel” Moby Duck also has decades-old infrastructure. However, that’s not going to help in time to get the Hi-Yu float to what was its next appearance, this weekend in Port Townsend; instead, Winston says, they’re arranging for the Hi-Yu court to ride in convertibles in that parade. He’s hoping the Pirates’ help will enable Hi-Yu to get its float in shape for its 6/14 gig in Marysville; he also says they’re still looking at the prospect of a fundraising drive to get the estimated $30K it would take for a float-propelling vehicle that would last for years to come, as Hi-Yu continues not only delighting West Seattle families, but also representing WS in events around the region (which brings the reciprocal event of those events sending floats and representatives to the midsummer parade here).
Thanks to West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival president Tim Winston for sending photos, as promised, of the Hi-Yu float’s 2008 parade debut in Sequim this weekend — on Friday, you may recall, he put out an urgent call for driving help to get it there; drivers came through, but that wasn’t the end of the crisis, as you’ll see in the next round of photos — and there’s an “emergency meeting” tonight to figure out how to get through the season — read on:Read More
Followup to this post from this morning — Hi-Yu president Tim Winston just e-mailed to say:
We have managed to find drivers and the float will roll in the Sequim Irrigation Festival tomorrow @ noon. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. We will send parade pictures.
(You of course will be able to see the Hi-Yu Float right here in West Seattle during the Grand Parade down California on July 19th – but this is the first of more than a few other gigs it has to make between now and then!)
(Partial view of almost-done Hi-Yu Float in its ‘hangar’ this morning; Luna Park is the theme)
This just in, from the WSB inbox. If you or someone you know can help – that will keep West Seattle from going unrepresented as parade season starts!!!!
We have been feverishly working to have the float ready for our first parade of the season, the Irrigation Festival in Sequim. At the last minute, both of our qualified truck drivers are unable to make the trip. It would be a shame to miss for our girls and volunteers, but also because Sequim makes every effort to have their float in our parade.
We desperately need someone who is experienced pulling and maneuvering a fairly large and heavy trailer to pull the float to Sequim early tomorrow morning and drop it in Port Townsend after the parade for next week’s parade. It is a long, but not too difficult day, leaving West Seattle at 5am and returning about 7:30pm. We will cover food and related expenses. It is possible that we can offer a modest stipend.
We would prefer a commercially licensed driver, however, we can also use someone with experience towing and maneuvering a 24’+ travel trailer.
The truck is a Hertz rental and the trailer has been checked out, so the equipment is decent.
If someone can possibly help us out, please email me immediately: timwinston at yahoo dot com.
Thanks, Tim Winston
President
West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival
Volunteers have been working for months to get the float ready. We saw other evidence of that during a brief look inside the float “hangar” this morning:
We run a lot of requests for help on WSB and they’re all good causes, but we have a soft spot for community parades and the people who give their time and treasure to keep this small-town tradition alive; no matter how growth and development change the look and feel of a community, this is one of the traditions that can continue to nourish a small-town soul.
That’s the temporary “pond” set up at Seacrest with the hatchery trout that arrived this afternoon in advance of tomorrow morning’s West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club Hi-Yu Kids’ Fishing Derby. It’s happening much earlier in the season this year (last year it was in July) — 8 am-11 am tomorrow, to be specific, free to kids under 14, gear provided. But first – club members will be on fish watch all night tonight, guarding the pond and its contents – if you stop by Seacrest on this lovely night, you can’t miss ’em. Then in the morning, when the Derby begins, club members and fish will be joined by Hi-Yu junior and senior court members and candidates; kids get to keep their catch, and get goodie bags regardless of whether they catch anything.
(2007 parade photo courtesy Rhonda Porter from The Mortgage Porter)
As first mentioned last month, the official West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival schedule is out, including the American Legion Grand Parade on July 19. The parade is part of the reason we started WSB – as a way to get the word out frequently, repeatedly, and in real-time, about West Seattle events, needs, celebrations, people, and we love it to bits (see last year’s photo coverage here). Even in a time of dramatic change in the way West Seattle looks — taking care of traditions like Hi-Yu is a way to preserve and nurture some of the small-town feel that so many people are so worried about losing. That said, here’s what’s up: First, the parade needs convertibles. The Huling/Gee dealership provided them in the past. Now, of course, that’s all gone. Second, the parade needs financial backing for bands that can’t all cover their own expenses any more. Read ahead for full details on both, and the simple steps the Parade Committee hopes you can take to help:Read More
(Seafair Pirates in 2007 West Seattle Hi-Yu parade)
Time to mark more big days on your summer calendar. According to the Hi-Yu website: The Seafair Pirates’ Landing at Alki (2007 WSB coverage here) will be Saturday 7/5; the West Seattle Big Band’s Hi-Yu Concert in the Park at Hiawatha (2007 WSB coverage here) will be Tuesday 7/15; the Rotary Club Kids’ Parade and American Legion Grand Parade down California SW from the Admiral District to The Junction (2007 WSB coverage here) will be Saturday 7/19; the Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu Coronation will be Monday 7/21. (As we reported last month, the Summer Fest street festival in The Junction will happen Friday-Sunday 7/11-7/13.)
There’s the latest example of plans for summer getting under way well before the end of winter – that’s a preliminary sketch for this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float, which represents WS in parades all over the region and of course appears in the big WS parade too. As previously reported here, this year’s theme is Luna Park, celebrating West Seattle’s historic amusement park. The sketch was shared with WSB by Danette Carufel of the Hi-Yu Committee, who also says:
Hi-Yu is still looking for a place to hold work parties (painting, cutting, gluing) to help build the float. If you know of an empty work space or garage that could be used please contact us through the Hi-Yu website. Once a location is found we will schedule work parties and hope that the community would like to join us in building the float. If any clubs, organizations or anyone looking for community service hours would like to join us at a work party please (also) contact us.
We’ve got one more sketch to show you, plus Danette has a few words of thanks regarding a recent Hi-Yu event:Read More
As promised in our Hi-Yu update last week, we have more information on how to apply for the Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu scholarship program. As Hi-Yu’s Colleen Gants put it, “It’s a neat way for West Seattle young women to get involved in the community, participate in Seafair, gain professional speaking experience, and join in good old fashioned fun – complete with floats and all”:Read More
Now that it’s mid-January, we can truly see the summer light at the end of the tunnel – and in fact, there are three ways you can get involved with this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival right now:Read More
TONIGHT: Another indie movie is having its Seattle premiere at Admiral Theater – with a bonus offer: Admiral manager Steve Garrett says every paid admission to “Sentimental Values,” a snowboarding movie, gets a free lift ticket to Stevens Pass. Tickets for tonight’s show at 10 pm are available online in advance ($8; go here) or $10 at the door.
TOMORROW: With only 7 1/2 weeks till Christmas, you can start stockpiling decorations at the various bazaars around WS (check our Weekend Lineup for the latest) and by stopping at the West Seattle Kiwanis booth on the east side of the Farmers’ Market tomorrow. WSB reader Bonnie e-mailed to let us know they’re selling ornaments to benefit the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival, best known for all sorts of summer fun from The Parade to Concert in the Park and a whole lot more.
The ornaments are $25 each and, as supplies allow, will be sold at the Kiwanis booth for the next two Sundays, as well as at the West Seattle Moms’ Holiday Bazaar next Saturday (11/10), 2 pm-5 pm (address is on the WSB Events page).
The West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float has been making the rounds — including this past Saturday’s WS parade — and now its appearance in The Biggest Parade Of All is just days away. But as Hi-Yu President Tim Winston puts it:
“The 40 year-old Oldsmobile V-8 under that beautiful wrapping is overheating & our usual mechanical help is unavailable. Torchlight is a long parade and the street surface air temp is often close to 100 at the end of a hot day.”
Hi-Yu is a volunteer, nonprofit effort on a tight budget and they’re hoping someone out there can point them to “flexible and free” mechanical help for the float, ASAP. If you can come to the rescue, please e-mail Tim at info@hiyu.com — TIA from parade fans everywhere (who would hate to see West Seattle’s pride ‘n’ joy depart 4th Avenue on a tow truck!).
Hi-Yu festivities aren’t over yet. The community brunch just wrapped up; the coronation of the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu is tomorrow night. But this is the last of our parade reports — a few loose ends, including the list of award winners, a few more pix, and links to other parade-photo galleries out there in WSB-land, after the jump:Read More
While we sit back in our fold-up chairs and enjoy the parade, we can’t forget how many people it takes to make it happen — not just the hundreds of participants, but the others behind the scenes. Kudos to the Hi-Yu and American Legion folks, among a legion of others. Now, another group of photos — focusing on people. We start with the Hi-Yu royalty and other Hi-Yu folks (red shirts), who held court on the SW corner of Cali/Alaska (the camera crew you see behind/above them involved Art Institute students who have been shooting video at Hi-Yu events as a project):
Click ahead for more parade people, from the famous to the oughta-be-famous:Read More
Cars, trucks, floats, you name it — if it had wheels, you probably saw it in the West Seattle Grand Parade. Including boats with wheels, like the Seafair Pirates‘ fabled Moby Duck:
More parade wheels — human-powered, gas-powered, even 100% electric-powered (or so it said), after the click:Read More
As always, the West Seattle Hi-Yu American Legion Grand Parade began with two very different police-motorcycle drill teams: Seattle Police and Vancouver (B.C.) Police. Our favorite sight is this one, where the SPD officers stand at Cali/Alaska after their performance so they can watch their VPD counterparts:
To see the officers actually on their motorcycles — click ahead:Read More
Many more to come later. But for now, four photos, starting with deep-fried disappointment: The Spud Fish & Chips mascot did not show off The Calves (quoth one WSB Team Member, “at this rate, next time the mascot will be in a burqa”):
We did spot a letter carrier in shorts before the parade, but we were not photographing him for his legs, but rather, his scarf in honor of Literary Phenomenon Du Jour:
Here’s the parade-watcher with the best seat in over the house:
Finally (many more pix later), WTG to the Hi-Yu folks who urged the crowd in The Junction to do a “no rain” chant before the parade. Except for a one-minute spray of light mist — it worked. Later tonight, we hear, it could be a different story, so we hope we won’t have occasion to see this parade entry back in WS for something less festive:
Links to our other parade photo posts:
Second installment (The Kids)
Third installment (The Enforcers)
Fourth installment (The Wheels)
Fifth installment (The People)
Sixth/final installment (The Winners)
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