West Seattle, Washington
03 Monday
Thanks to Tanya Powers for the photo and report:
I wanted to share with you that the Galaxy Girls took 1st place at the International Championships for the 2017 Junior Roller Derby Association on Sunday in Loveland, Colorado!
The Galaxy Girls are a part of Seattle Derby Brats, which first formed in West Seattle at Pathfinder School. While they have moved, they maintain a close connection to West Seattle, with one of the two coaches (Luna, aka Patrice Davis) from West Seattle and 4 of the skaters (Seven Skate Nine, Brady O’Flyer, Helen, and Fighty – their skate names) also from West Seattle.
This is their third time taking Championships. We are so very pleased for their win!
You can cheer for the champs in person even before their next bout – Seattle Derby Brats, with Galaxy Girls representation, will be in Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade (11 am Saturday, southbound on California from Lander to Edmunds).
(Spotted sandpiper, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Music and more! Here’s what’s hot, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WADING POOLS AND SPRAYPARK: Open today are Lincoln Park wading pool, 11 am-8 pm; Highland Park spraypark, 11 am-8 pm; Delridge wading pool, noon-6:30 pm. (Find addresses here)
JUSTIN KAUSAL-HAYES: 5-8 pm, live music at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor): “Acoustic hits of the last 4 decades.” (1936 Harbor SW)
EVENING BOOK GROUP: 6:30 pm at High Point Library. This month’s book is “Blue Nights” by Joan Didion. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND CONCERT IN THE PARK: 7 pm on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center, bring a chair/blanket, family, friends, neighbors, and enjoy the sounds of the West Seattle Big Band in their annual free summer concert, with this year’s co-sponsors including WSB. (2700 California SW – concert’s on the Walnut side)
FAMILY STORY TIME: 7 pm at Delridge Library – bring all the kids! (5423 Delridge Way SW)
UNPLUGGED – A MUSICAL GATHERING: Acoustic open session at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. Come play, and/or listen! (5612 California SW)
SOUTH SOUND TUG & BARGE: Fresh from Summer Fest, West Seattle’s own South Sound Tug and Barge is back at the Parliament Tavern tonight, 8-11 pm. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
OF COURSE, THERE’S MORE … check our complete-calendar page.
With two weeks left to vote, the mayoral candidates seem to be everywhere (and will be back in West Seattle this Thursday). But that’s not the only choice you’ll be making. At-large (citywide) City Council Positions 8 and 9 have long lists of contenders too – and one week from tonight, 7-9 pm, you’ll be able to see many of the candidates at a forum presented by the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council. The announcement from DNDC chair Mat McBride:
This forum is intended to engage and inform the residents of the West Seattle Peninsula, who comprise roughly 1/7th of Seattle’s total voting population. This event is open to the public and the media.
The format is intentionally very simple – each candidate will be given 5 minutes and a microphone to present their platform. There will be no audience or panel questions during presentations, and once all presentations have finished candidates will be able to mingle with the audience. Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, and an area will be set aside for adults who are accompanied by children.
Who: Seattle City Council Position 8 and 9 candidates
What: Candidate forum – 5 minute presentation followed by mingling with prospective constituents
Where: Highland Park Improvement Club – 1116 SW Holden
Why: Because voters shouldn’t look at a ballot and say “I have no idea who this is”
Within a day or so, we should have a list of who’s RSVP’d so far, and we’ll add it here.
About half an hour ago, we were the first people to stop by the question-and-answer tent at the 35th SW dead end in the 3200 block, where you can talk with Michael Yadrick of Seattle Parks and Patti Bakker of the Green Seattle Partnership until 9:30 this morning, and/or again 7:30-9:30 am tomorrow. They’re there with information about the restoration work that is now under way immediately north and east of there, on the city-owned slopes where some neighbors acknowledge involvement in the illegal cutting of more than 100 trees more than a year and a half ago.
Money from the settlement announced in April is paying for work that started this week, they tell us, with weed removal, and will continue with major planting this fall. You can even be part of it on Green Seattle Day, November 4th, when it will be one of 22 sites around the city hosting volunteers. Even if you just want to go look at the site of the infamous incident – look for the tent. And the sign that somebody tore down and threw down the slope (it will be put up again, they told us).
First theft of two in tonight’s reader reports – a bicycle stolen from Melecio:
My bright orange Marin Mt bike was stolen out of my car next to Camp Long. Nice bike. Front and rear disc brakes. Had Ing Direct logo and Lion on it. Hopefully I will get lucky and it will be returned.
Second, from Rhonda:
Theft last night at the corner of Manning/Belvidere Ave SW between the hours of 1 am to 8 am. My car was parked inside my fence. Burglars came onto my property. Stolen items: Thule Canyon 859 Carrier Basket and roof rack assembly. Please be sure that all items on top of your cars are secured and locked! Police have been notified.
Just a quick note so you’re not surprised about this time on Wednesday night (July 19th) – that’s when White Center’s Jubilee Days festival will launch its annual fireworks show. The show happens at Steve Cox Memorial Park, as does the carnival that also starts Wednesday night. One more early mention: This year the Saturday/Sunday (July 22nd-23rd) street fair that’s part of the festival will be on 16th SW between Roxbury and SW 98th – that’s the main street in downtown White Center, one block east of where the street fair’s been in previous years. Lots more info on the WCJD website, also all-new this year.
6:51 PM: If you’ve been to a major parade in Seattle, you’ll recognize the green shirt/white pants uniforms of the All-City Band, directed by Marcus Pimpleton (who is also assistant principal at Denny International Middle School). They’re in the Seacrest area tonight for their annual photo shoot (and you might hear some music shortly, too). On Saturday, they’ll be in the West Seattle Grand Parade (11 am start at California/Lander, heading south on California to Edmunds); on Sunday, in the White Center Jubilee Days parade; and one week from Friday (July 28th), you can see them and other bands at the annual Band Jam at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), the night before the Seafair Torchlight Parade downtown.
8:58 PM: Photo shoots can be a whole lot of “hurry up and wait,” as was this one, so the musicians decided to play a bit while waiting:
That was a surprise and delight for some of the Water Taxi commuters passing by. Then post-photos, some marching practice:
The band members are musicians from high schools around Seattle Public Schools. While marching, they played the song that will be so familiar to parade fans (like your editor here):
Having just sat in on this year’s West Seattle Grand Parade lineup meeting, we can tell you that All-City is one of two marching bands in this year’s parade on Saturday, along with the Kennedy Catholic High School band from Burien.
Hello Seattle – bikeshare is back. Spin is live! pic.twitter.com/9vSNy99L5b
— Spin (@spincities) July 17, 2017
Thanks to ScottA for pointing out, in a comment below this morning’s traffic coverage, that the newest bike-share company to serve Seattle just launched today. (Here’s coverage on Seattle Bike Blog.) Unlike the previous one, this one does not have fixed stations, and is not operating with public dollars. Like the previous one, though, it’s not serving West Seattle – for starters – although some of its bikes theoretically could wind up here (unless specifically prohibited – check the rules if and when you try it). The service is called Spin. We e-mailed to ask if any of their bicycles would be placed on this side of the bay, and Head of Operations Matt Whiffen replied:
The city of Seattle put forth a few specific regulations as to how many bikes can be put out per company and when. Basically, it’s 500 the first month, another 500 the second month, an add’l 1,000 the third month, and TBD after that. We’re not quite to the point of expanding to West Seattle, but it’s on the short list!
Matt also expressed interest in “what parts of West Seattle would be best suited for what we do.” We suggested he talk to local bicycling advocates such as West Seattle Bike Connections, if they haven’t already. Meantime, another stationless bikeshare service, LimeBike, is launching in Seattle this week too, as SBB reports, but its test-ride-location list suggests it’s not addressing this side of the city yet either.
Next Saturday (July 22nd), the 84th annual West Seattle Grand Parade will bring hundreds of people rolling, dancing, marching down California SW from The Admiral District to The Junction, to the delight of thousands of people lining the route. Toward the start of the parade, you’ll see this year’s honorees – including 
Keith Hughes, this year’s recipient of the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community, as announced by the West Seattle Rotary, which presents the parade.
Keith serves the West Seattle community in multiple ways and has also served our country. He is a Vietnam War-era U.S. Army veteran and has been Commander of American Legion Post 160 in West Seattle since 2012. He founded West Seattle Natural Energy, a solar-power firm, in 2008, and during that time has been an active member of Sustainable Seattle, King County Disaster Resilience Challenge, Northwest EcoBuilding Guild, Living Futures Institute, Cascade Climate Consortium, Solar Installers of Washington, Master Builders of King and Snohomish County, and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
Keith, wife Lin, and daughter Amy moved to Seattle from Oregon in 1979, and in the years before founding West Seattle Natural Energy, he spent 15 years at Boeing and 15 in the IT department at Swedish Medical Center.
Keith’s community service also includes serving as president of the West Seattle Veteran Center (which operates from Post 160 HQ) in 2013, serving as chair of the Grand Parade committee before and after primary parade leadership transitioned to Rotary in 2014, and volunteering his time teaching classes and leading seminars on sustainable living and solar energy.
Before he rides down the parade route on Saturday (starting at 11 am at California/Lander and heading south) with the Orville Rummel trophy, you can see Keith accept the award during the official presentation at tomorrow night’s free West Seattle Big Band Concert in the Park, 7 pm on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center.
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 it, in 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
(WCN photo from last week)
Another restaurant opening in White Center – the burger joint Li’l Woody’s opens its fourth location in White Center this Wednesday. Details are on our partner site White Center Now.
Though it was originally expected to start in late June, the $1 million track-resurfacing project at West Seattle Stadium will finally get going this week. That’s according to Seattle Parks capital-projects coordinator Jay Rood, responding this morning to an inquiry from a track user who noticed the stadium was still open. The delay, Rood explained, is because Parks still had “some bid/contracting steps to finalize.” The work is expected last about seven weeks, according to our original report back in April, though Rood writes that they hope to be done by the end of next month. The contractor is Hellas Construction, a Texas-based firm with Northwest regional offices in Mountlake Terrace.
Thanks to James Bratsanos for the vivid view of last night’s sunset. Can’t guarantee a rerun tonight, but here’s what we DO know will happen in the hours ahead:
WADING POOLS AND SPRAYPARK OPEN TODAY: Lincoln Park wading pool and Highland Park spraypark open 11 am-8 pm; Delridge wading pool open noon-6:30 pm. (Find addresses here)
FREE LUNCHES FOR KIDS/TEENS: Three locations in our calendar, kids/teens welcome – noon Mondays-Thursdays at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW); 12:30 pm Mondays-Thursdays at High Point Library (35th SW/SW Raymond); 12:30 pm Mondays-Thursdays at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW)
DONATE BLOOD: 12:30 pm-3 pm drive at Alki Masonic Center in The Junction today – check here to see if there’s an appointment available. (40th SW/SW Edmunds)
AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP: 2 pm at Southwest Library. This month’s book is “Shirley” by Charlotte Bronte. (9010 35th SW)
WILDLIFE IN THE CITY: 6 pm at High Point Library, for kids 9-12. Details here, including how to call the branch to see if last-minute registration is available. Free. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
MUSIC UNDER THE STARS: Third of four Mondays for the Seattle Chamber Music Society‘s live event at Delridge Community Center Park – a chamber ensemble will perform for you in person at 7:30 pm, and then the sound system will switch to a live audio broadcast from Benaroya Hall at 8. Free; bring a chair, blanket, family, friends, neighbors, picnic, and enjoy the music. (4501 Delridge Way SW)
MORE ON OUR COMPLETE CALENDAR – see it here.
Family and friends are remembering Janet Had, and sharing this tribute with the community:
Janet M. Had – 1934 to 2017 – a terrific woman
Born in 1934 to Shirley and Lester Bannister, Janet was a lifelong Seattle resident. Raised primarily on Queen Anne and Capitol Hill, she was a West Seattle resident for the past 60-some years. Married in 1956 to Josef Had, until his death in 1977. Janet was one of the first women in management at the Seattle Federal Reserve Bank. When it was suggested to Janet that she might want to check out the TV series Mad Men because of the depiction of women working in a man’s world back in the day, she replied that she had lived through that time period and had no nostalgic reminiscences about the era. After Josef’s death, Janet met Richard Pelley and they enjoyed a long-term committed relationship until his death in the mid 1990s.
Janet had fond memories of spending time at Point No Point with Richard and his daughters Karen (Hull) and Tracey (Fossum) and their families. Along with time spent at Point No Point, over the years, Janet also enjoyed Toastmasters, gambling junkets to Reno, senior aerobics classes (both attending and instructing), happy hours with her friends, and of course, following progressive politics. Janet was especially dismayed by the current trend in politics to attempt the undoing of decades of progress in the realm of women’s rights, civil rights and social justice.
After a recent diagnosis with a fast-moving illness, Janet’s family and her physicians honored her wishes to forego invasive treatment and she passed peacefully in her own home on the morning of June 15, 2017. Janet is survived by her daughter Marianne and son in law, Steve, as well as cousins, nephews and good friends. No traditional services are being held per Janet’s request. A celebration of life (a Wake!) is to be scheduled for a future date here in her beloved West Seattle. If you wish to honor Janet’s memory, please consider a donation to Planned Parenthood.
Please share memories of Janet on the online guestbook at emmickfunerals.com
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! The high-bridge cameras are down again, so we have just the low-bridge and Highway 99 views above. A few notes: Yes, the West Seattle Summer Fest breakdown did finish very early today and the streets in The Junction are open again. … No incidents reported in or from West Seattle so far … Reminder that it’s the second week of the sidewalk project on eastbound Roxbury between 28th and 30th SW.
LOOKING AHEAD: The West Seattle Grand Parade is next Saturday (July 22nd), 11 am-1 pm or so, on California between SW Lander in Admiral and SW Edmunds in The Junction, preceded by the Float Dodger 5K along most of the same route. Streets will close relatively early in the morning, including some side streets near the start, for staging. We’ll have updates throughout the week.
8:05 AM: A texter reports a two-car crash on the eastbound bridge “cleared to the gore point on 99.” There’s no 911 or SDOT mention, so, just FYI.
8:35 AM: The M/V Sealth needs steering repairs so Washington State Ferries says the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is down to two boats – “Cancels Fauntleroy: 8:25, 9:30, 11:15, & 12:20; Vashon: 9:00, 10:35, & 11:50. Southworth: 10:15” per Twitter.
8:50 AM: If you use the West Seattle Water Taxi and usually pair it with another transportation service to get between downtown and the dock, you might be interested in a new private shuttle that’s launching today, according to a news release we received – its downtown loop includes Colman Dock. “Seattle Connex” is starting a three-month test; details here.
1:39 PM: The Sealth is returning to service with the 1:40 pm departure from Fauntleroy, WSF announced.
Photos by Leda Costa for WSB
It’s our area’s only river, and it remains a heavily industrialized waterway. It’s also where the Duwamish Rowing Club is continuing to grow. Part of that growth – its second annual regatta this past Saturday.
That brought supporters and rowers to the shore at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park and the river’s waters beyond.
While we were there, Ria Delora and Molly McDonald (above and below) rowed for DRC in a youth race against Lake Stevens. Read More
From Anna:
My car was stolen this morning around 5 am in West Seattle off 52nd Ave. It is a 2013 red VW Jetta SE. The license plate is OH GXZ6688.
If you see it, call 911.
When Don Brubeck from West Seattle Bike Connections stopped by the Summer Fest Info Booth to say hi today, we asked how this morning’s 5th annual Mini-STP bike ride had gone. He reported it was a success, and later sent photographic proof.
With the photos, Don sent this summary: “We had 34 participants, ages 2 into their 70’s, who made it from SW Seattle Street to SW Portland Street, and back to Summer Fest. Riders included a few on their first group ride, and onw for her first ride on city streets. Everybody finished in good spirits!”
Those streets are close to being bookends on the California Avenue SW straightaway. The ride’s name is a nod to the Seattle to Portland city-to-city ride that also happened this weekend.
(WSB photo, July 2016)
ORIGINAL SUNDAY REPORT, 6:25 PM: Again this year, dozens of Northwest tribes are sending canoes on a regional journey to a gathering site, and Alki Beach is one of the stops along the way. Last year was the first time in four years that they stopped at Alki, where the Muckleshoots are the hosts; here’s our coverage of their arrival and their departure. Last year the canoe families were headed to the South Sound; this year, participants are taking separate routes to Campbell River, British Columbia, with arrival there on August 5th. The Alki stop is set for this Wednesday, July 19th, departing the next day; we don’t have specific times yet but will update when we do.
MONDAY MORNING UPDATE: We’re told the arrivals are expected around 3 pm.
(Today’s schedule is here … Bus reroutes: C Line here, Route 22 here, Route 37 here, Route 50 here, Route 55 here, Route 57 here, Route 128 here, Route 773 here … Previous coverage: Saturday report #3 here, report #2 here, and report #1 here; Friday report #2 here and report #1 here; Summer Fest Eve here)
(“Live” SDOT camera showing part of the festival zone, on California north of Alaska)
11:57 AM: Day 3 of West Seattle Summer Fest 2017 went from 0 to 60 very fast. Lots of people, lots of bubbles, lots of music. And – dancing!
Day 3 of #wssummerfest starting with Jennifer Cepeda and friends dancing! pic.twitter.com/afl6hIm5yw
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2017
Jennifer Cepeda and friends were at the main stage to get the morning moving as the festival’s final day began about an hour ago. As for the bubbles – the bubble-machine-equipped clown who’s been busking all weekend is on the KeyBank corner this morning and breezes are bringing bubbles right onto our keyboard! WSB’s Leda Costa photographed him toward the end of day 2:
In the Community Tent section of the Info Booth this morning are the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association and Harbor School – you can check out community groups here as well as at Sustainable West Seattle‘s GreenLife expo over in Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska). (At noon, SWS president Stu Hennessey of Alki Bike and Board will be talking about E-Bikes on the stage there.) And some organizations have booths amid the visiting vendors – you can buy a raffle ticket from the West Seattle Food Bank:
That’s Ben Viscon (winemaker of WSB sponsor Viscon Cellars) and Judi Yazzolino in the WSFB booth this morning. It’s a Summer Fest theme of sorts – look around every corner, inside every door, you never know what you’ll find (and we mean that in a good way). You also never know who you’re going to see. Seattle’s most famous busker Boe “Scarf Dancer” Oddisey just stopped by the Info Booth, and while we didn’t get him on camera, we did photograph two well-known West Seattleites who also visited about that same time:
If you’re new – that’s County Executive (and lifelong West Seattleite) Dow Constantine and daughter Sabrina. It’s been eight years since he introduced Mudhoney here at Summer Fest, by the way – somebody was sharing that festival memory on Twitter the other day. (See the video here.) As for today’s music, South Sound Tug and Barge is about to get going on the main stage. And we’ll say it yet again, since it’s the top question at the Info Booth so far – yes, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market IS still happening, just not in its usual spot – it’s in the lot behind KeyBank (if you’ve been here for a few years, you’ll remember that as “where the market used to be”):
Besides answering questions, we also have lots of info here about other upcoming summer events – the West Seattle Big Band Concert in the Park (Tuesday, 7 pm at Hiawatha), the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s Summer Concerts @ Hiawatha series (starting Thursday, 6:30 pm), West Seattle Outdoor Movies (starting next Saturday, July 22nd, in the SW Snoqualmie/36th SW “festival street” by the West Seattle YMCA [WSB sponsor]), the summer-quarter West Seattle Art Walk (second Thursdays), and the West Seattle Car Show (August 26th at South Seattle College [WSB sponsor]). Stop by the booth (California/Alaska), get flyers/cards you can take home and put up on the fridge.
12:57 PM: Some video from South Sound Tug and Barge on the main stage an hour ago:
… video: pic.twitter.com/A469f3vb5W
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2017
Mega Bog is starting shortly; Swedish Finnish is up at 2 – full lineup here. The festival continues until 5 – but today, unlike the first two days, everything closes at once … and then it’s breakdown time … so c’mon down soon and join the rest of your neighbors and friends.
2:02 PM: We’ve reunited a dog and a wallet with their respective owners here in the past half hour or so. We’ve also got new arrivals at the Info Booth – the Junction Neighborhood Organization on the west side, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on the south side. West Seattle Chamber of Commerce CEO Lynn Dennis is volunteering on the east side. Yes, Summer Fest can be educational. Especially in GreenLife at Junction Plaza Park, where you can check out some bees, talk with a beekeeper from the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association, and buy raw honey:
Three hours left – lots of time to shop, nosh, play. This is the afternoon that feels most like a West Seattle-wide family reunion. And it’s also a chance to find out more about local businesses – like longtime WSB sponsor Fitness Together:
Get here this afternoon to get in on their festival special: “10 sessions for $50 each, this weekend only!” They’re on the northeast corner of California/Alaska, outside the city-landmark Campbell Building.
A few other WSB sponsors who are here that we haven’t mentioned yet in earlier coverage – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate; Westside School; HomeStreet Bank; Dream Dinners; Emerald Water Anglers; GoodMed Direct Primary Care (which is providing first aid for the festival); The Whittaker.
Meantime, at the main stage (California north of Oregon):
Swedish Finnish playing right now @ #wssummerfest ! pic.twitter.com/1UODbju0oH
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2017
That’s Swedish Finnish! Two more performances ahead – Carrie Akre and Danny Newcomb at 3 pm, The Dusty 45s closing out the festival at 4 pm.
2:53 PM: Got little ones? Haven’t been to the Kid Zone yet? Behind the Hamm Building (Easy Street, Virago Gallery, etc.), under the Wells Fargo drive-thru overhang, lots of activities:
And our area’s most famous facepainter, Lashanna, is working her magic:
4:06 PM: Last hour. The Dusty 45s are playing on the main stage now – (added) here’s some video:
Dusty 45s closing out #wssummerfest music. Festival wraps at 5. Thanks for a fun weekend! pic.twitter.com/J8Nw8QTdmA
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2017
And dancing!
Still lots of people in line for food and rides, and wandering the booths. Even though the festival officially ends at 5 and breakdown begins, you of course can still stay in The Junction and have dinner and/or drinks at the year-round restaurants, some of which are new since last Summer Fest – including Great American Diner and Bar and Falafel Salam, both on the east side of California just north of Edmunds, and Alchemy, on 42nd south of Alaska.
We should also note – if you lost your car keys, we have two sets here at the Info Booth. For lost-found info after the festival’s over, contact the Junction Association (wsjunction.org).
4:36 PM: Last chance this year for a cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme … really!
Perhaps just as well that’s across the street from the mentioned-earlier Fitness Together booth. Unless you are from the “street fair calories don’t count” faction. Meantime, signs of cleanup are erupting early. And if you wondered what happens to keep this going behind the scenes, frequent trash pickup is part of it – here’s a Recology worker we noticed about an hour ago:
It’s getting serious now. The QFC booth across from us, which has offered $3 coconuts and $1 water all weekend, is folding up. The balloon-and-bubbles-busking-with-boombox clown has switched to “California Love.” But summertime is all West Seattle love. Later this evening, we’ll move on to looking ahead to the big stuff happening this week and next weekend.
Breakdown time. 5 pm and #wssummerfest is a wrap. Balloons-n-bubbles busker still going, though pic.twitter.com/sxVQtCH1Vb
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 17, 2017
5:04 PM: We’re done – but several hours of hard work are ahead for festival producer Oliver Little of Monumental Undertakings and his crew, among others. The Junction streets will stay closed to traffic until everything’s all packed up. We’ll update when we get word. And Lora Swift of the West Seattle Junction Association, which organizes and presents Summer Fest, says you can look for a survey soon to gather festival feedback – we’ll have that link when it’s available, too. Thanks to everyone who was part of the festival, whether visiting or vending or volunteering or presenting or … and to everyone who stopped by to say hi.
12:50 AM: The Junction streets are open to vehicle traffic again – just verified via the live video feed on the city’s info map.
After an 8-day tournament in Vancouver, Washington, the West Seattle Little League 10-11 All-Stars are coming home with the state championship! Thanks to everyone who sent the exciting news. This is from Darrell Glover:
The West Seattle Little League 10/11 All Star Team beat Kirkland 6-4 on Saturday to bring home the first State Championship for West Seattle Little League.
The team went undefeated (9- 0) through the District 7 and Washington State Championship Tournaments. There were close games and nailbiters throughout the run, but the team always found a way to win. There was “no bottom of the order” on the team – every player was clutch !!
Manager – Mike Fahey, Coaches – Sean Eley and Brian Sherrick. Players are alphabetically – Tristan Buehring, Parker Eley, Caden Fahey, Robbie Foisey, Wyatt Glover, Miles Gosztola, Mathew Hazlegrove, Mathew Henning-Dierickx, Joe Sherrick, Blake Taft, Bobby Trigg, Simon Vance
(West Seattle Summer Fest Saturday photo by Leda Costa for WSB)
The summer’s biggest party goes so fast – it’s already day 3 of West Seattle Summer Fest 2017. So that starts our highlights list one more time:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST’S THIRD DAY:
Official festival hours – 11 am to 5 pm – here’s the vendor/merchant list
Ride hours – 10 am to 5 pm (prices here)
Kids Zone activity schedule – see the schedule here
Food hours – 11 am to 5 pm
Music – Starts with South Sound Tug & Barge at noon, final performance The Dusty 45s at 4 pm (here’s the schedule)
GreenLife presentations – see the schedule here
Community Tent organizations – see the list here
Even if you’ve already been – come see what you missed! And if you’re looking for anything or anyone in particular, come see us in the Information Booth at California/Alaska.
YES, THE FARMERS’ MARKET IS STILL ON: You’ll find it in the lot behind KeyBank etc. on the south side of SW Alaska between California and 44th. 10 am-2 pm.
GET TO THE FESTIVAL VIA THE MINI-STP BIKE RIDE: 9:15 am departure from North Admiral, headed from Seattle (Street) to Portland (Street, in Gatewood), and then to Summer Fest. All ages! Details here.
And outside The Junction:
WADING POOLS AND SPRAYPARK: Highland Park spraypark and Lincoln Park wading pool are open 11 am-5 pm; Delridge wading pool is open noon-6:30 pm. (Find addresses here)
MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FESTIVAL, LAST DAY EVER: 11 am-5 pm, one last day full of dancing, as the region’s biggest belly-dance celebration concludes its 30-year run. Find dancing inside and outside Hiawatha Community Center; here’s the lineup. And here are our photos from Saturday. (2700 California SW)
ALKI LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, visit the historic lighthouse at Alki Point – get there by 3:40 pm to be part of the last group in. (3201 Alki SW)
BLUEGRASS AND OLD-TIME MUSIC … with Jamtime at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 1-4 pm. (5612 California SW)
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: “Comedy of Errors,” free, 3 pm, High Point Commons Park, presented by GreenStage. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
SEATTLE GREEN SPACES COALITION: You’re invited to the SGSC meeting at 3 pm, High Point Library. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by checking our complete-calendar page!
It was a Summer Fest spectacle last night on the main stage – lasers and smoke as West Seattle’s own Brent Amaker and The Rodeo wrapped up Saturday night.
(At left, dancer Ruby Mimosa, who’s often performed with the band)
They’ve toured nationally and internationally but hadn’t previously headlined here in Amaker’s hometown, which he hailed from the stage as “best Seattle,” drawing whoops and cheers. Their music’s been described as “psychedelic New Wave country” or some combination thereof. Listen for yourself:
(And here too – maybe the only band that can get a Saturday night crowd moving and grooving to a song with the hook “Death Is Always Near.”) If you want more Rodeo in your life, they’re at Jazzbones in Tacoma next Saturday night. As for Summer Fest, today’s the last of three days; music starts at noon with South Sound Tug and Barge and concludes with The Dusty 45s at 4.
(WSB photos by Leda Costa)
Today (Sunday) is your last chance to enjoy the region’s biggest belly-dancing festival without leaving West Seattle.
As we reported last weekend, the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival will be history after this final two-day run.
WSB contributing photographer Leda Costa stopped by Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW) toward the end of the festival finale’s first day.
She also found a shirt in tribute to festival coordinator Saroya Poirier, who founded it with other members of her Babylonian Ensemble – “da Babs” – 30 years ago.
And the dancing went on into the evening:
You can watch dancers and browse vendors 11 am-5 pm Sunday.
Here are the dancer lineups for the indoor and outdoor stages.
Admission is free.
| 3 COMMENTS