That’s the Frederick Films video, including aerial views, from August 5th, when Alki Beach Pride organizers and volunteers unrolled the giant Seattle PrideFest rainbow flag across the beach. That was intended to help set the stage for this Sunday (August 20th), the ninth annual Alki Beach Pride celebration, this year featuring a street party. Now the big day is just four days away, noon-7 pm, plus an outdoor movie at dusk. Entertainment previews have been rolling out here; 10 venues are offering discounts during the festival if you have a wristband, which costs $5 (get yours here). Alki Avenue SW will be closed between Marine and 60th for festival activities.

P.S. While not an official part of the festival, Harry’s Beach House has announced two seatings for a drag brunch that day.

(WSB photo from 2022 Harvest Fest cornhole tournament)

Starting this year, the West Seattle Junction Association is separating its trick-or-treating event from the rest of the fall fun with which it used to be combined as the Harvest Festival. WSJA has announced 11 am-2 pm Sunday, September 24th, as the date for the West Seattle Junction Fall Festival, including favorite activities such as the chili cookoff, cornhole tournament, pie-eating contest, and live music, with less chance of a rainout, less need for major bundling-up. The festival stage will be at Walk-All-Ways, and activities will stretch into the block between Alaska and Edmunds. Then, Junction trick-or-treating will happen on the Sunday closest to Halloween, during the Farmers’ Market on October 29th, 10 am-2 pm, with merchants and partners handing out candy. Watch for more details on both events soon, but in the meantime, set your calendar!

One of the three street festivals coming up in the next two weekends announced its band lineup tonight. Here’s who’ll be playing at the Admiral Funktion, which the Admiral Neighborhood Association will present for a second year, 11 am-10 pm Saturday, August 26th, on California SW between Admiral and College:

Music is just part of what’ll be happening during Admiral Funktion. Festival admission will be free but ANA is fundraising to support the cost of making it happen; as they note on the crowdfunding page, any donation is welcome, and those donating $25 or more get a wristband good for food/drink discounts during the festival.

This was one of those rare summer weekends without any major events. The next two weekends are a different story, so here’s a reminder:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20: Alki Beach Pride is one week from today, and this year part of the celebration will be in the street as well as on the beach. It’s happening noon-7 pm next Sunday and Alki Avenue SW will be closed between Marine and 60th. Here’s the official community notice, including setup and breakdown times. Watch the ABP website for the schedule of events.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26: Both ends of the peninsula will be partying in the street on this date:

Admiral Funktion – California SW will be closed between Admiral Way and College for the second annual festival presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association. Festivities start at 11 am that day and continue until 10 pm. (WSB is a community co-sponsor.)

(WCN photo from 2022 White Center Block Party)

White Center Block Party – Also starting at 11 am that day and continuing into the night, the annual WC Block Party takes over 16th SW from Roxbury to 100th. Highlights are in this announcement published on our partner site White Center Now.

Amid today’s drizzle – a giant rainbow on Alki Beach. Not over Alki, *on* Alki – with a giant beach ball added to make a point. This is the 130-foot-long flag borrowed from Seattle PrideFest to promote Alki Beach Pride, which happens August 20th, just two weeks from tomorrow.

ABP founders Jolie and Stacy Bass-Walden gathered dozens of volunteers to hold the flag for a photo-op this morning, with a drone to catch an aerial view as volunteers cheered:

You can check ABP’s channels for the aerial view. Afterward, one last job – flag-folding:

Watch alkibeachpride.org for the schedule of events, which will include a street party closing a few blocks of Alki as well as an outdoor movie.

(QUICK LINKS: Bus reroutes … music lineups … vendor & sidewalk-sale lists)

4 PM: The second day of West Seattle Summer Fest continues (here’s our first report) – and a big night of music is ahead:

Thanks to Paul Weatherman for that aerial view of the main stage/beer garden area on Friday evening. Go enjoy it tonight, because after the end of the Saturday music slate, that area clears out to be ready for Sunday’s Farmers’ Market! Meantime, more festival coverage – including video of last hour’s dance performance – coming up.

4:38 PM: Report #1 had two candidate visits, and already this hour, we’ve had two more, both for City Council District 1, first Rob Saka:

Moments later, Phil Tavel (taking a break from his weekend space at The Hydrant):

They’re two of the eight candidates vying for the City Council seat that Lisa Herbold is leaving. As we noted in this election preview, your ballot was sent out Wednesday and has likely arrived by now (ours arrived today). … Up on the Main Stage, this hour’s band was Memphis Radio Kings:

5:13 PM: It’s been a warm day – in the 80s – but we’re getting a nice cross-breeze here at Walk All Ways. Steps away at Junction Plaza Park, West Side Stage music continues – we’ll add video soon of Self Doubt soon, second-to-last performer today (update: here’s the video):

Next, Garth Reeves & Cami Voss at 6 pm. The park stage will have performances tomorrow too, even though the main stage will be deactivated after 10 pm tonight. The main stage lineup for the rest of the day:

6:00 Acid Tongue
7:00 Jarv Dee
8:00 Sandrider
9:00 The Cave Singers
DJ Yo Adrien

5:24 PM: The DancePowered performance video is ready to go:

Just before they began, we took this screengrab from the California/Alaska traffic cam just before they began:

Seal Sitters is still next to us in the Info Booth for another half-hour – if you have questions about local marine mammals (and how to tell if they’re in distreess), coe visit! Summer Fest’s major mission is community connections, and there’s a lot of those going on.

5:39 PM: Another Walk All Ways dance performance! D&G Dance Company just showed up. (Video added:)

6:25 PM: Fight hunger and prevent homelessness while you’re here – buy a raffle ticket at the West Seattle Food Bank booth on the west side of California, between Oregon and Alaska:

Breanna’s in the booth and would be happy to get you in on the drawing, $10/ticket gets you discounts at three restaurants – Elliott Bay Brewing, Whisky West, and Soprano Anticos – plus West Seattle Wine Cellars, even if you don’t win the drawing (prizes are $150 with Amazon, $100 with Hotwire Coffee, $50 with West Seattle Grounds.

6:39 PM: Another candidate sighting – again from the City Council District 1 race, Maren Costa:

With her is partner Andrew Kliphardt.

7 PM: A little refreshing cloud cover is rolling in. (Today’s high was 90, so “refreshing” is welcome.) The food zone is elbow to elbow – we’ll remind you again that if you want to dine outdoors, many of the year-round restaurants have festival-only sidewalk cafés set up – you can have a new experience AND spend your $ on a local biz. … Meantime, while on our way up to the main stqge for Jarv Dee, we stopped for a look at the in-progress commmunity mural – Stacey Sterling is leading its creation:

She shepherded community involvement these past two days and now will finish the mural. You can catch up with her next weekend at Alki Art Fair (Friday, July 21, through Sunday, July 23).

7:33 PM: Jarv Dee!

We’re departing the info booth shortly but Junction volunteers are here until 8 pm if you have questions. Tomorrow, the festival runs 10 am to 5 pm, with the Farmers’ Market on California north of Oregon (its special Summer Fest location), 10 am-2 pm. Thanks again to everyone who has come by to say hi!

(QUICK LINKS: Bus reroutes … music lineups … vendor & sidewalk-sale lists)

10:57 AM: Lots of people already here in The Junction as the second day of West Seattle Summer Fest begins:

That’s the latest view from the city traffic cam right over Walk All Ways, where we’re in the Info Booth all festival long. Besides info, this is also where you’ll find festival merch, and local organizations:

Left to right above, from SPD, community-service officers Phil and Janice with crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer. Find out what CSOs can help with, and/or talk with Jennifer about Night Out (coming up August 1st). And if you’re accompanied by a young festivalgoer, ask about Emery the Emergency Penguin … In Junction Plaza Park, the West Side Stage has performances today and tomorrow, starting with New Age Flamenco at 11 am, a few minutes away; the Main Stage, on California north of Oregon (by the post office), gets going at noon with a showcase by Mode Music (WSB sponsor). … Assisting with the Kids’ Area today is Hope Lutheran School – go say hi to Melanie and Sally:

11:39 AM: Here’s a sample of New Age Flamenco’s West Side Stage performance:

Some questions already at the Info Booth about upcoming events:
—Farmers’ Market. Regular hours tomorrow, 10 am-2 pm Sunday, but NOT the regular space – like last year, it’ll be on California north of Oregon (where the main stage and beer garden are until late tonight)
—West Seattle Grand Parade – California will be closed again for part of next Saturday (July 22nd) for the parade and the Float Dodger 5K that precedes it. … Back to what’s happening right now. Yes, dogs are allowed at Summer Fest, and we’re seeing more today than Friday – even dogs in backpacks. There’s a pet zone by Next-to-Nature on the west side of California a short distance north of Alaska. … We’re continuing to feature candidates who stop by the Info Booth – first one today is Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors candidate Maryanne Wood, one of three people vying for the West Seattle/South Park seat that Leslie Harris is leaving:

Your ballot should be arriving shortly if you didn’t get it already; here’s our election preview.

12:36 PM: Main Stage music has begun with the Mode Music student showcase:

That’s the band 4-Inch Devil Horns. We also photographed musicians waiting to go onstage – meet Phoebe and Archie of Velvet Photograph:

Archie comes from a musical family – his dad is Easy Street Records proprietor Matt Vaughan. … Yet another way to experience music at Summer Fest – West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ “instrument petting zoo” and demos inside ArtsWest (on the west side of California a few doors south of SW Alaska) – continuing until about 2 pm. Rob and Dawn were playing outside:

1:44 PM: If you have a question for SPD’s crime-prevention coordinator or community-service officers, they’re handing off the community space in the Info Booth shortly – Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network will be here. Meantime, we’re just back from a walkabout on the block of California south of Alaska. When you’re wandering the festival, be sure to look toward the sidewalk too – most of the year-round Junction merchants are having sales:

There are also local businesses that you might not normally see – such as the Himalayan chai stand that’s usually inside Puerto Vallarta, now out on the sidewalk for the festival:

Almost 2 pm – music continues on both stages, with new performers at the top of every hour.

2:22 PM: Seal Sitters is fully set up – with three hands-on exhibits:

Gray-whale baleen, sea otter pelt, harbor-seal pelt. One more note about the Info Booth – if you lose or find something, you can turn it in here to volunteers with the West Seattle Junction Association (which presents Summer Fest) – earlier today, for example, a festivalgoer and his lost phone were reunited. … Another festival logistics datapoint: Restrooms – two places to find the portables are in the alley off Alaska between California and 42nd, and along the west side of California just north of Edmunds.

2:53 PM: Did you see DancePowered here Summer Fest Eve? They’re scheduled to dance here in Walk All Ways at 3 pm.

3:07 PM: The dancers are finally about to start. Meantime, we’ve had another candidate sighting – Teresa Mosqueda, the at-large City Councilmember who’s running for the King County Council District 8 seat that Joe McDermott is leaving.

With her is daughter Camila. (Again, we take photos of all the candidates who stop by the Info Booth – where we’re on the north side – so if you’re running for something, stop by.)

3:55 PM: Since this is the longest day of Summer Fest, we break the day’s coverage into two – so our second as-it-happened report will start shortly!

–

(TRANSPORTATION: Find bus-reroute info here, stop by stop …)

1:25 PM: West Seattle Summer Fest is on! The Kids’ Area on SW Alaska west of California is ready for sliding and bouncing:

($5 for one inflatable, $20 for an all-day unlimited pass.) The festival food stands are set up on SW Alaska east of California:

And more than 120 vendor booths line California between Oregon and Edmunds. We’re on the north side of the Information Booth – no sign yet, so just look for it in the heart of the Walk All Ways intersection – where you’ll also find Summer Fest merch sold by West Seattle Junction Association volunteers – T-shirts and totes, among other things.

You’ll also find some community organizations on one side of the info booth throughout the weekend, too. (Save the Stone Cottage is here right now.)

Meantime, music starts at 3 pm with The Potholes on the main stage (California north of Oregon – that’s where you’ll find the beer garden, too). Main-stage music is today and tomorrow; the Junction Plaza Park stage will be set up Saturday and Sunday. But as much fun as the special features are, this is also a chance to find out more about the year-round businesses – food, drink, retail. Sidewalk sales – which are how this festival began, decades ago – are happening too. More on that as the festival continues.

2:11 PM: Here in the early going, we’re catching up with some of the WSB sponsors who are also here at Summer Fest. (Our sponsors are the businesses who advertise on WSB to reach tens of thousands of neighbors. So far, we’ve seen Dream Dinners (“the original meal kit”) – their year-round HQ is on the east side of outer Jefferson Square.

Also here, Mode Music Studios and Mode Music & Performing Arts – they offer music/theater instruction, summer camps, and more from their HQ in North Delridge:

Emerald Water Anglers, which focuses on fishing but also sells all-purpose outdoor apparel, has a booth too – their year-round store is at 4502 42nd SW:

Canna West Culture Shop – just south of our spot here in the Info Booth – is the place to find out about CBD; proprietor Mimi is there right now:

(The Culture Shop’s year-round home is across California from the main Canna shop – 5435 California SW.) Camp Crockett – dog day care and services in North Delridge and Upper Morgan – has a booth, and Vanessa was there when we stopped for a pic:

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Northwest Real Estate has a booth at Summer Fest too, not far from their HQ in the Jefferson Square office tower:

We also caught up with Ross from West Seattle Coworking, whose north location is on the east side of California just north of Oregon (they also have a big new space on 35th SW just north of Barton):

Meantime, we’re now less than an hour from The Potholes kicking off music on the main stage – it’s been just under four weeks since they performed at the Morgan Junction Community Festival. More to come!

2:45 PM: Thanks to the person who stopped by with a tip – the Kids’ Area bouncy houses are shut down right now because the temperature is too high – they’re working on a way to spray them down and will reopen when they get that figured out.

3:24 PM: We’re told the bouncy toys are back in action. It’s music time, too – here’s how The Potholes got started:

Performances start at the top of the hour, every hour through 9 pm tonight. Waves Crashing is up at 4 pm on the main stage (California north of Oregon – that’s where you’ll find the beer garden too).

4:09 PM: One highly popular free item we’ve seen a lot of people walk by with – SDOT‘s SLOW THE FLOCK DOWN yard/planting-strip signs. SDOT’s booth is on the west side toward the north end of the festival zone on California. If you have any questions about West Seattle light rail, Sound Transit‘s booth is next door.

5:03 PM: We’ve had our first candidate visit of the festival at the Information Booth – Stephen Brown, running for City Council District 1. Our standing policy is to photograph every candidate who stops by to say hi:

The D-1 race – is one of four major reasons to vote in the August primary, as we reported here. … Music continues! We caught up with the 4 pm band, Waves Crashing, before their set ended:

(We’re hearing lots of excitement looking ahead to tonight’s lineup, especially the Dusty 45s at 7 pm.) Also on California north of Oregon, you can contribute to this year’s community mural:

Artist Stacey Sterling is coordinating again this year. You might recall, this is made possible by a gift from the late Dan Wiseman. … Also north of Oregon, another chance to buy Summer Fest merch from the Junction Association, which presents the festival.

6:12 PM: Randy Campbell is onstage and lots of people are here – Friday evening picks up after 5 pm. One of the truly unique booths is Author Event Network – where you’ll find writers promoting and selling their books:

This is a relatively new effort and they have dozens of members – stop by the booth on the west side of California between Oregon and Alaska and see who you meet – and what you might find to read! (Thanks to local author Susan Kemp for telling us to be on the lookout for this booth – she’ll be there Saturday and Sunday.)

6:36 PM: Here for dinner? Almost every Junction restaurant fronting California has a sidewalk café during the festival, including the new arrival Dué Cucina.

And of course there are options in the festival food zone on Alaska east of California – African, Asian, Latin American options, pizza, burgers. P.S. For dessert all weekend long, you aren’t limited to elephant ears and/or cotton candy – look for Lovely and Dapper Desserts‘ booth on the east side of California between Alaska and Oregon – they are famous for their mini-cakes.

7:12 PM: If you’ve been waiting for things to cool down before coming to the festival, lots of shade now. On the main stqge (“by the post office,” if that mnemonic works for you), The Dusty 45s are playing. (added) Here’s video, with King County Executive Dow Constantine introducing the band (as he does on occasion, memorably Mudhoney at Summer Fest 2009), plus the first song (which starts about two minutes into the clip):

Shaina Shepherd is up at 8 pm, Polyrhythmics at 9, and music is scheduled to wrap for the night around 10. Tomorrow is the longest day of the festival, opening at 10 am, with music also on until 10 pm (booths operating until 8-ish). Thanks to everyone who came by the Info Booth to say hi!

9:18 PM: One last video to add – the start of Shaina Shepherd‘s set, after her introduction by KEXP’s Troy Nelson (she takes the mic at about 1:20):

Tomorrow at Summer Fest, the stage lineups start with New Age Flamenco on the Junction Plaza Park stage at 11 am and Mode Music Showcase on the main stage at noon.

West Seattle’s biggest party of the year – Summer Fest – starts Friday, after a pre-funk in the closed Junction streets on Thursday night. Since our first preview of Summer Fest Eve, we’ve heard of two more reasons to be there:

‘BEYOND THE LENS: On Thursday night, legendary Seattle music photographer Lance Mercer will be at Easy Street Records, where a mini-doc about him will premiere, ESR’s Matt Vaughan tells us:

Ryan Cory is the director of the film, “Beyond The Lens.” Ryan is one of Seattle’s great videographers, editors, and storytellers. He’s directed pieces for Brandi Carlile, The Head and The Heart, Orville Peck, Pearl Jam, and of course Easy Street, Thunder Road Guitars, and the West Seattle Junction. When Ryan asked me what should he be his next film, his next project, muse, etc… without hesitation, I said, ”It’s time for Lance Mercer to shine, to be recognized for all he’s done for this city and the bands he helped elevate and the scene he helped create…and still creates …. and he lives in West Seattle. He’s elusive, let me get him for you, the story must be told.”

The premiere screening is expected to start around 7:30 pm. Matt adds, “This will be the debut of the Easy Street projector/screen.” And if you visit Easy Street, you’ll see more classic music photography – Charles Peterson‘s exhibit continues. Plus: “DJ Marc Muller from Emerald City Social Club will be the DJ thru the night.”

And right across Alaska from Easy Street:

AURORA AVE.: Along with previously announced music – West Seattle band Aurora Avenue will be playing on California Avenue during Summer Fest Eve. From band member Henry Parker:

We will be playing off and on from 5:30-6:50 and 7:20-7:45 and (Art Walk) is 5-8. We have a large set list of our own originals and crowd-pleaser covers. We’ll also be selling our own merchandise at the event. We’ll be playing directly across the street from Easy Street Records outside Key Bank, and the Junction main drag on California Ave. will be shut down to traffic to provide lots of dancing and watching space :)

California north of Oregon will close sometime Thursday morning, and then the rest of the festival zone – California between Oregon and Edmunds, and Alaska between 42nd and 44th – closes around 4 pm Thursday afternoon; the closure continues until Summer Fest breakdown and cleanup ends late Sunday/early Monday.

West Seattle Summer Fest is now exactly one week away – starting next Friday (July 14th)!

One of the signature features will be the Kids Zone, featuring inflatables. The West Seattle Junction Association is hiring helpers 15+ to “watch the inflatables and control how many kids are going in at a time.” Pay is $17/hour, with four shifts open:

Friday 1-8

Saturday 10-3 and 3-8

Sunday 10-5

Interested? Contact chris@wsjunction.org

P.S. Aside from the inflatables, which require tickets, the Kids Zone will offer free activities and games too.