West Seattle, Washington
12 Saturday
10:50 AM: The Junction is jumping! The second, and biggest, day of West Seattle Summer Fest is in its first hour and we’re back with more as-it-happens coverage. First thing we noticed: The ticket booth for the giant inflatables drew a crowd as the day began, with the line at one point stretching across the street:
There’s free fun in the Kids Zone too, but the inflatables are irresistible:
(Friday WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn)
Music starts at 11 am on both stages today – the Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) showcase on the main stage, and Country Dave Harmonson on the West Side Stage (by the Wells Fargo drive-thru off the west side of SW Alaska). We’re off to catch at least one if not both!
11:45 AM: The Mode show was quite an extravaganza.
Mode’s founder/leader Erin Rubin took the mic to talk a bit about her business, which has a booth here this weekend, and then introduced 9-year-old keyboardist/singer Ashton, whose set included a Kooks cover.
Erin also explained that two members of THEM – the West Seattle-rooted band that performed last night -had been coaching the summer rock-band camp that would also perform.
Hudson and Thompson talked about what fun they’d been having at camp, forming a band they said they called McSalmon, “an acronym of all their names.”
And it’s almost noon, so the Comerford School of Irish Dance is performing in the intersection south of us – c’mon over if you’re in The Junction!
12:20 PM: Here’s a bit of the dancers:
We’re heading out again shortly to see what else is up. Stop by the Info Booth if you’re at the festival – nonprofits tabling on the east side of the booth today include Ridge 2 River until early afternoon, and then Seal Sitters and The Whale Trail will be here. … And where the dancers have just wrapped up, The Bubbleman will be doing his bubbly thing (last seen at the Morgan Junction Community Festival last month) starting around 1 pm!
12:50 PM: But first… you have until 2 pm to detour into ArtsWest (west side of California just south of California) and visit the “instrument petting zoo” presented by the West Seattle Community Orchestras:
Musicians are performing just outside the ArtsWest doors, too.
1 PM: Seal Sitters and The Whale Trail have arrived so you can come chat with them until 4-ish. We also have some help on the north end of the Info Booth -two volunteers, Mike and Scott from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, which has lent a hand in the booth for many years, and WSB’s ad coordinator Annette.
Up on the main stage, Princess Pulpit is playing now, with afternoon highlights including the Dusty 45s at 4 pm. And the Bubbleman is starting to get bubbly in Walk-All-Ways.
1:58 PM: Busy and breezy day! Lots of innovative sun protection too – we’ve seen several parasols, including an elegant black lace one. … Meantime, shoutout to some of the WSB sponsors who are here:
Canna (right on the south side of California/Alaska)
STS Construction Services (on the west side of the block between Oregon and Alaska)
Fitness Together (on the east side of the same block, short ways up from the Info Booth)
Rotary Club of West Seattle (featured yesterday – further up the east side of this block)
Mode Music Studios (as mentioned previously and as showcased on the main stage earlier)
CAPERS (year-round Junction shop, west side of block between Oregon and Alaska)
Since we’re on the subject … remember that the main stage wlll be broken down after tonight’s last show and the Farmers’ Market will be on that block, Oregon to Genesee, on Sunday, same hours as usual, 10 am-2 pm (while the festival continues 10 am-5 pm tomorrow, south of Oregon, and the West Side Stage will have a Sunday music slate).
2:33 PM: Here’s a full song from Princess Pulpit‘s main-stage set last hour:
3:29 PM: The Everlovers are on the West Side Stage right now, and people are dancing:
(added) Here’s our video of the band:
Steps away, Shug’s Mini is visiting from South Admiral with an ice-cream cart:
(Photo by Dixon Hamby)
And The Missing Piece has a beverage popup in front of their future new location (former Pharmaca, next to the back of KeyBank) –
Proprietor Eric tells us they’re hoping to be open by September 1st, and they will be open even later than their current 35th/Roxbury location – until 11 pm. Meantime, the festival popup is selling lemonade with lavender and “campfire” cold brew – which he tells us has a toasted marshmallow!
Another West Seattle Summer Fest tradition is happening again this year – the mini-STP bike ride with West Seattle Bike Connections is tomorrow! If you haven’t already seen it in the Event Calendar, here’s the announcement with a WSBC-provided photo:
West Seattle Little STP Bike Ride
Sunday, July 13, 2025 – 9:15 am to 1:00 pm
Meet at Hamilton Viewpoint Park
1318 Palm Ave SWHave you ever wanted to do the Seattle-to-Portland bike ride? And forgot to sign up? Or train for it? Here is your big chance! Do it in 2 hours and end up at a huge finish line party! Same weekend as Cascade’s big STP, so you can brag and post pix like the other one-day riders.
Join West Seattle Bike Connections for a ride starting at Hamilton Viewpoint Park in West Seattle on a 10.2-mile route at a leisurely 10-12 mph pace! Register at the start. We invite and welcome everyone including people of all ages, languages, ethnicities, genders, races, and abilities. Riders under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
We will be riding from SW Seattle Street to SW Portland Street, and back north to Summer Fest at the West Seattle Junction, for a fabulous finish line party. After some time at the festival, participants can ride home independently, or ride with a leader back to Hamilton Viewpoint.
Our goal will be to stay together as a group. Be prepared for a moderately hilly route. There are a couple of hills that some may wish to walk up. That’s fine! We will regroup at the top of hills.
If you have questions, contact ride leader Nick at westseattlebikeconnections@gmail.com.
Restrooms are not available at the start. Closest public restrooms are at Seacrest Marina Park (the water taxi dock) on Harbor Ave. We will stop along the way for restrooms/water at mile 2.7 at the Alaska Junction.
Check brakes and tires before leaving home. Arrive in time for 9:15 ride description and safety briefing. Must be present at the safety briefing to participate. Helmets required. No ear buds. Steady rain cancels. We will ride if there are just light showers.
We wrapped up our first day/night at West Seattle Summer Fest with the second-to-last concert of the night, THEM, who reminded the crowd that they’re “West Seattle born and raised.” We elbowed our way to within a couple rows of the foot of the stage, where devoted fans sang along even when the band members themselves weren’t singing.
The band’s moving to L.A. soon, according to an interview with WSB, so this was a so-long-for-now show too.
THEM’s previous Summer Fest gig was three years ago, in the middle of the afternoon.
Saturday’s main-stage music starts at 11 am with a showcase of talent from the place where THEM got their start, West Seattle’s own Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor).
(Photos by Dave Gershgorn for WSB)
You can shop, nosh, sip – and play, at West Seattle Summer Fest. We’re going into the first night of the festival and mainstage music is ramping up too, with Madman Across the Water onstage right now, and these three acts up next:
8:00 – Couch Riffs presents Funkadelic Tribute
9:00 – THEM
10:00 – Jenn Champion
(added) Here’s some of the Madman set (Elton John music):
The West Side Stage has shut down for the night; it’s by the Wells Fargo drive-thru off the west end of SW Alaska. Vendor booths are open until about 8, on California north and south of SW Alaska:
One of the booths features authors – stop by the Author Event Network booth to learn about writers and their work:
No matter what your age or size, you’re likely to find something of interest:
And year-round businesses have sales and deals too, so stroll the sidewalk while you’re here! Updates to come…
(FESTIVAL QUICK LINKS: MUSIC LINEUPS … VENDOR LIST … FOOD/DRINK LIST … BUS REROUTES)
1:35 PM: At the top of the hour, that dynamic duo officially opened West Seattle Summer Fest 2025. They’re Stacie Woods, events director, and Chris Mackay, executive director, both with the West Seattle Junction Association, the nonprofit merchants alliance that presents the festival.
We’re in the Info Booth again this year, and if you’ve been in years past, note that like some other things, it’s in a different location – further north this year, parallel with Easy Street Records‘ big sale tent. Also different this year: The food’s on the west side of Alaska, including seating in the lot behind KeyBank, and the Kids Zone is on the east side of Alaska. The main music stage is in the same place as every year, on California north of Oregon, next to the beverage garden, and music starts at 3 pm, both there and on the smaller West Side Stage. Meantime, we’re on the north side of the Info Booth, with community organizations (SPD Crime Prevention and the Duwamish Solidarity Group) on the east side, and Junction Association volunteers selling festival merch on the south side. The festival’s on until 8 tonight, with music running until about 11 pm!
2:50 PM: Above, that’s a mobile romance bookstore, one of the unique vendors here – they’re close to the north end of the booth zone. Not far beyond, we bumped into our first political-candidate sighting of the festival:
That’s Joe Mallahan, who’s running for mayor – again. (Mike McGinn beat him in 2009.) You’ll find him and seven other candidates on the August 5th primary ballot. (We have a policy of photographing local candidates seen at Summer Fest, so if you’re running for something, stop by the Info Booth.) …
Really important note about the food zone – if you just walk into the section of Alaska west of California, it might look kind of sparse. Don’t stop there! In the parking lot behind KeyBank, LOTS of food tents, and places to sit and eat and drink, first year ever.
Lots of seating by the West Side Stage, which is next to the Wells Fargo drive-thru.
Music has just begun on both stages – so we’re off for some video.
3:42 PM: And there it is, a bit of Mason Lowe, first band on the main stage. Coming up at 4 pm – Mr. Dinkles.
South of Oregon, on the east side of the booth row, you’ll find a couple local nonprofits – the West Seattle Food Bank is still selling its Summer Raffle tickets, and the Rotary Club of West Seattle, which would be happy to talk with you about their community work (upcoming: tree gleaning!):
More coverage to come!
4:48 PM: Rootbeer played this hour on the West Side Stage:
As is typical for Day 1, the crowd continues to grow, but it’s still not mega-crowded.
6:09 PM: Weep Wave took the main stage last hour:
Vendor booths are open until 8 pm but we’re getting to the time when dinner and music take centerstage, literally and figuratively! We’re going to wrap up this report and launch a new one with more scenes from Summer Fest Day 1. Coming up tonight, THEM is onstage at 9 pm, Jenn Champion at 10 pm.
By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
From the basement of Mode Music Studios to the top of the Space Needle, West Seattle-rooted band THEM has quickly marked itself as a standout in Seattle’s music scene. The more the band’s popularity grows, though, the more its core members reaffirm that no matter what, they’ll always be a group of friends first and foremost.
At 9 pm tonight, THEM will be performing on the West Seattle Summer Fest main stage. This will be their third performance at Summer Fest, and for the group, a hometown show. All four members of THEM met at West Seattle High School in 2017, “so getting to play five minutes from our stomping grounds is very very special,” said THEM member Hudson.
“It was a bit of a surprise to my family when I asked for a guitar for Christmas,” Hudson told us. “Since then, I’ve tried to learn everything I can get my hands on.” Sticking with the band’s theme of never losing touch with their roots, band members Thompson, Hudson, Ellie, and Lydia are all still working with Mode in some capacity, whether hosting a summer program or working at the front desk.
Since the band’s founding eight years ago, they’ve gone from, as Ellie put it, “Hundreds of shows where maybe our parents were there,” to the top of the Space Needle – broadcast on TV – during the 2024 New Year’s celebration, and the blinding lights of the Paramount Theater, where they all at one point worked as ushers. But according to Ellie, their enthusiasm was always the same, whether the crowd was one or one thousand people.
The spotlight has gotten less scary as time goes on, according to Thompson. “Before every show, we’re backstage talking through our set, and then we have a little chant and do some breathing exercises,” She said, “I think because we’ve played together so long, that stage fright isn’t present. It also helps so much that we’re all together and we’re all friends.”
They’ll be taking the energy back home tonight, in a show that’s more than just a return tour. Soon, the band will be moving to LA, which makes this a bittersweet sendoff. “Of every performance we’ve done,” Lydia said, “I think this is the one I’m the most excited for.” “It’s like a sendoff to our home,” said Thompson, “To get to play at Summer Fest again.
Tonight’s sendoff is just the beginning for a new chapter in THEM’s history. Outside of performing, Lydia enjoys photography and videography, and she’s been working with the rest of the band to produce more music videos, which you can find on their YouTube channel.
“We’ve all spent so much time here, so looking out and seeing all of our favorite people and places is going to be so special,” said Hudson, “The people of West Seattle are the reason we get to go everywhere else and play.” See them at 9 pm tonight on the Summer Fest main stage (California SW north of SW Oregon) – and for more news about where THEM is performing next, check out their Instagram page.
This is a big (three-day) weekend for local businesses, whether or not they’re in the West Seattle Summer Fest zone. Here are four more announcements we’ve received:
FITNESS TOGETHER WEST SEATTLE: This longtime WSB sponsor has a new way for clients to get its services:
Big News, West Seattle!
You asked, we listened. We now accept HSA and FSA payments!
Use your health benefits toward private, one-on-one personal training in our fully equipped suites—no crowds, no distractions, just personalized fitness that fits your life. Interested in learning more? Stop by our booth (#81) this weekend at Summer Fest or contact us via e-mail (westseattle@fitnesstogether.com) or through our website.
MOUNTAIN TO SOUND OUTFITTERS & ALKI KAYAK TOURS: These sibling businesses are offering sales:
We’re hosting a Splash Sale, offering up to 20% off on our paddle clothing and paddle boards. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to gear up for summer fun on the water! Mountain to Sound (a WSB sponsor) is at 3602 SW Alaska.
Additionally, Alki Kayak Tours is pleased to offer a special discount of 25% off on our West Seattle Sunset Sea Kayak Tour, Elliott Bay Tour, and Alki Lighthouse Tour for West Seattle residents. Just use the code SUMMERFEST25 at checkout to take advantage of this offer.
PAPA TONY’S HOT SAUCE: This West Seattle business will have a booth at Summer Fest – as they do at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market most weeks – and when you see them, congratulate them for this national spotlight! Founder Tony Wilson sent word of it, thinking the community would want to know.
WEST SEATTLE MERCANTILE: North of The Junction but celebrating this weekend too! From proprietor Jennifer Young:
In honor of West Seattle Summer Fest weekend, we are having a huge sidewalk sale on Saturday and Sunday. Crafts for the kids, popcorn, balloons, and more. Come and join the West Seattle Mercantile, which houses your longtime local businesses. THREE LITTLE BIRDS, KID FRIENDLY FOOTWEAR, ALAIR, and DYLAN.
They’re co-housed at 3270 California SW. Got a Summer Fest weekend biznote? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks!
West Seattle Summer Fest features many visiting vendors, but year-round local businesses are at the heart of the party. The festival began as their summer sidewalk sale, and evolved over the years. Some still have sidewalk sales, or sidewalk cafés, or kiosks/stands outside their businesses. We’ve heard from/talked with a few.
HUSKY DELI: They’ll have a stand outside the Deli with their traditional bratwurst, kosher hot dogs, and Jalapeño cheese dogs, and extra ice cream as usual. Staff told WSB’s Hayden Yu Andersen that proprietor Jack Miller is “totally into the festival” and they’re all super excited.
BAKERY NOUVEAU: They’re working hard to prepare for the influx of customers: “We’re always excited for Summer Fest. Every year people hunt down the gelato sandwiches.” (They make their own gelato at BN in Burien and deliver it here.) They’re also working on something special for Summer Fest: A Mango Passionfruit Mousse with a guava glaze. And, “for people with dairy restrictions, an oat milk horchata.” The BN staff says it’s fun to see first-time customers during the festival as well as regulars.
CORNER POCKET: They emailed to ask us to let you know “that we’re open 3:00 pm to 2:00 am throughout the event, and hosting raffles Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night at 9:00 pm. Raffle tickets are given out with every purchase, 21 and over.”
ANOTHER NEW BUSINESS: If you haven’t been to The Junction for a while, the festival’s also an opportunity to see who’s new. Above, that’s Sev Sengul, who finally has a permanent storefront for her Angora Rugs and Decor. 4517 California SW, after years of pop-ups off and on (like this). Stop in for live music 6-8 pm Thursday night during Summer Fest Eve/Art Walk!
Just a few – what’s YOUR Junction biz doing for Summer Fest? We’d be happy to add, and we’ll be there all three days/nights too to cover everything we can – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks!
We call it “the peninsula’s biggest party of the year,” but West Seattle Summer Fest is more than music, shopping, food, and drinks. The Friday-Sunday festival in The Junction is also a place to connect with community groups, nonprofit organizations, schools, government agencies, to find out what they do, ask questions, learn about what’s happening in West Seattle. One hub for this will be the Info Booth at California/Alaska – of course you can get festival info there, but it’s also home to tabling throughout the festival (as well as headquarters for WSB’s Summer Fest coverage all three days) – here’s who’s on the schedule:
Friday – 1–4 PM SPD & Duwamish Solidarity Group
4–8 PM West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) & WestSide Baby
Saturday – 10–1 PM King Co. Harborview & Ridge to River
1–4 PM The Whale Trail & Seal Sitters
4–8 PM City Office of Housing & RainWise
Sunday – 10–1 PM Seattle Emergency Hubs & RainWise
1–5 PM Puget Sound Regional Council & SPD
Amid the vendor booths, you’ll also find these nonprofits:
Mode Music and Performing Arts
Rotary Club of West Seattle (WSB sponsor)
West Seattle Food Bank
And in the Kids’ Zone (remember, that’s EAST of California this year), the area with free activities for little visitors will include volunteers from three local schools: Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) on Friday, Hope Lutheran School on Saturday and Tilden School (WSB sponsor) on Sunday. See you at Summer Fest!
That’s the official map for West Seattle Summer Fest, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (July 11-13), the peninsula’s biggest party of the year. Organizers are reminding you today that the push to keep the festival as green as possible – including zero-waste food and beverage service – also includes transportation. The map shows dedicated bicycle and e-scooter/e-bike/e-glider parking areas. The latter are in partnership with Lime, with a discount for rentals too; the former is in partnership with West Seattle Bike Connections. Get full details on the West Seattle Junction Association‘s website!
Before the week gets busy, here’s our annual reminder that the West Seattle Farmers’ Market will NOT be in its usual place next Sunday, because pf West Seattle Summer Fest. It’ll be on California north of Oregon (the stretch you can see in our photo above, looking northwestward over the back of the “road closed” sign in place for yesterday’s mega-busy market). Regular time – 10 am-2 pm Sunday – and many of your favorite vendors, but one block north. (That stretch of street holds the main stage for the first two days of the festival, but that’ll be broken down and removed overnight after Saturday night’s shows; there’ll still be music on Sunday, but just on the West Side Stage, off SW Alaska west of California). Lots more festival info all week, and we look forward to seeing you at Summer Fest – brought to you by the West Seattle Junction Association (with community co-sponsors including WSB) – 1 pm-8 pm (music till 11) on Friday, 10 am-8 pm (music till 11) on Saturday, 10 am-5 pm (with the Farmers’ Market!) on Sunday.
(WSB photo from Summer Fest Eve 2024)
West Seattle Summer Fest – next Friday, Saturday, Sunday (July 11-13) in the heart of The Junction – is the main event, but Summer Fest Eve (Thursday, July 10) gets bigger all the time. It’s always the same night as July’s West Seattle Art Walk, which this time includes The Art of Music mini-concerts (not just in The Junction). Here’s the announcement from Art of Music coordinator John Redenbaugh:
The next free admission Art of Music performances presented by the West Seattle Junction Association are coming up on Second Thursday Art Walk rvening July 10 (Summer Fest Eve) at seven locations — five of them are in the Alaska Junction (click here to view the Alaska Junction Summer Fest Eve flier featuring all five). Musicians will perform from 6 pm to 7:45 pm (with one 15-minute break at the midpoint).
ALASKA JUNCTION
Steve and Kristi Nebel @ Verity Credit Union
Golden Hart @ Great American Diner & BarThe St. Bees Duo @ John L. Scott Real Estate West Seattle
Karin Kajita and Al Shabino @ CAPERS
Maggie Laird @ Itto’s VinoGREATER ADMIRAL DISTRICT
Abby K @ WEND Jewelry
GREATER MORGAN JUNCTION
Marco de Carvalho @ Pine Lake Cellars
The July Art of Music Page is posted on the West Seattle Art Walk website, here. There you will find a description of all July performers and venues and the opportunity to listen to music performed by each musical artist.
Bonus Music in Addition to The Art of Music on Art Walk Evening in the Alaska Junction:
* At Bonjour Vietnam: Westside Jazz Trio
* At VAIN: Honey Bear
* At Angora Rugs and Home Decor: Stephcynie
Music is not all you’ll find in The Junction on Thursday during Art Walk/Summer Fest Eve – here’s the art lineup, and here’s other fun. Plus here’s our preview of the timeline for festival setup that day/night – that’s part of the Thursday night fun, wandering The Junction’s closed streets as Summer Fest takes shape.
One week from today, we’ll be in the heart of the second day of West Seattle Summer Fest, the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, and it’ll likely be warm. This year, the festival’s zero-waste aspirations will bring back something that hasn’t been offered in years – free filtered water. The official festival map shows where:
You can support the water stations by buying a West Seattle-branded drinking container made by Seattle’s own MiiR, who’s providing the refill spots – two types of containers available; order yours now and pick it up at the festival! Summer Fest hours are 1-8 pm Friday, July 11, 10 am-8 pm Saturday, July 12, and 10 am-5 pm Sunday, July 13, with main-stage music until 11 pm Friday and Saturday. Preview the music, food/drink, vendor lineups, and more on the Summer Fest website.
For years, it’s been an “if you know, you know” thing – the night before West Seattle Summer Fest begins, when the streets in the heart of The Junction close and the setup begins, locals flock to wander the streets and enjoy entertainment pop-ups as well as the first night of festival-only sidewalk cafés at your favorite year-round restaurants and bars, all coinciding with the July West Seattle Art Walk. The nickname “Summer Fest Eve” has taken hold in recent years and now, that Thursday night is practically opening night for Summer Fest, turning it into a 3 1/2-day festival. Most of the fun next Thursday (July 10) will be 5-9 pm, though setup starts sooner – here are some times to be aware of:
7 am Thursday – “no parking” enforced along California SW, Oregon to Genesee, for stage setup, which starts at 9 am
2 pm Thursday – California SW closed to traffic between Oregon and Genesee
3 pm Thursday – “no parking” enforced on California SW between Edmunds and Genesee, and on SW Alaska between 42nd and 44th
4 pm Thursday – Those stretches of California and Alaska will be closed to traffic so street-fair setup can begin
6 pm Thursday – Food vendor load-in starts – remember this year the food zone is west of California and Alaska, not east
And some lineup highlights from the West Seattle Junction Association (which also provided the times above):
Five of the musical performances are part of The Art of Music – you can preview those here. Watch for the art preview linked here next week. And we’ll have daily festival previews from here on out!
Less than three weeks until the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, West Seattle Summer Fest! This year student artists have a unique chance to be part of it – and just one week left to apply for the opportunity. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:
Do you have a student who is passionate about art and interested in showcasing their work to the community? We’re excited to invite student artists to participate in the upcoming West Seattle Summer Fest on Saturday, July 12th.
My name is Molly Ryan, and I serve as the Director of the West Seattle Art Walk. One of my primary goals is to foster student engagement in the arts, and I’m thrilled to share that the West Seattle Junction Association is partnering with us to support this initiative.
This year, we’ve received approval to display student artwork along the construction fencing on California Ave SW near SW Oregon St. This unique outdoor gallery will allow student artists to share their creativity with thousands of festival attendees.
We are currently accepting submissions and plan to select 50–70 pieces representing a variety of ages and grade levels. While we wish we could showcase all submissions, please note that not all entries will be selected due to space limitations. We will notify selected participants during the first week of July.
To ensure that artwork is ready to be displayed outdoors, we kindly request photos of the completed pieces with each submission. This helps us confirm that the work is presentation-ready for hanging along the fence.
If you have students who may be interested, please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or submissions.
Thank you for supporting young artists in our community!
Here’s the link for applications – the deadline is June 30, one week from today.
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
12:48 PM: With the chilly weather, it’s even more of a mountain-ish experience today at Camp Long‘s Mountain Fest! The free festival is on until 5 pm with activities including a lot more than climbing – head to the meadow when you get here and visit the booths to find out what you can try and where (and other activities like a scavenger hunt).
At the naturalists’ tent, Emily and Beth will lead you through the Animal Olympics and talk with you about park wildlife, including a Cooper’s Hawk nest with fledglings nestlings!
The Falconer is here too, in one of the shelters – we caught a demonstration with Mr. Peabody the vulture:
The climbing wall is open too, of course!
(Photo by Kevin Freitas)
The park is at 5200 35th SW.
5:29 PM P.S. If you’re wondering about the fire-gutted lodge, closed now for seven months, it’s still boarded up and fenced off:
Park management says the emphasis right now is on stabilizing the lodge.
Watching the just-concluded joint meeting of the King County and Seattle City Councils, discussing effects of federal changes, we heard a mention in passing that this year’s Duwamish River Festival has been canceled. The Duwamish River Community Coalition subsequently confirmed it – here’s the explanation they’re circulating:
The festival has been an early-August tradition in South Park for years, featuring numerous community organizations offering information about what’s happening with Seattle’s only river, as well as cultural performances and river tours. (Here’s our coverage of last year’s festival.)
Despite the devastating lodge fire last November, Seattle Parks is going ahead with one of Camp Long‘s biggest events of the year – Mountain Fest, set for this Saturday! They asked us to share the poster with you:
The daylong festival is meant as a celebration of the park’s famous climbing rock and rope course, among other things. As for the lodge fire, permits for repairs and renovation continue proceeding through the city system..
10:02 AM: The sun is out and the festival is on! Until 2 pm, the Morgan Community Association is presenting the Morgan Junction Community Festival in Morgan Junction Park and behind the Zeeks Pizza/Whisky West building steps away. Here’s the entertainment schedule on the green in the park:
Bubbleman is about to begin. This is all happening on the west side of California SW, north of Fauntleroy Way SW. (If you need parking, it’s free in the O’Neill Plumbing [WSB sponsor] lot on the northeast corner of California/Graham, first-come first-served.) More coverage to come!
10:26 AM: The Bubbleman has drawn an enthusiastic crowd:
“He’s super-funny, mama,” one young fan was heard to exclaim. And as usual, as he runs through his series of custom-rigged bubble generators – including the “Mega-bubble-opolis” – he’s leading the kids through the humble declaration that everything is a “cheap toy.” (His props have included a variety of items from an umbrella to a water bottle to a toilet seat.)
10:55 AM: Don’t just come for the entertainment – check out the community groups! Last night we previewed Schmitz Park Creek Restore‘s plan – they’re (updated) along the street between Beveridge Place and Whisky West:
Behind Zeeks/Whisky West, you’ll find unique independent local businesses including Nepenthe (which is on 35th just north of Roxbury):
In the park, you’ll find the Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association talking about plans for an all-wheels area in the park. On the green, meantime, another family entertainer – Mikey the Rad Scientist, who’s part singalong (with science facts woven in), part comedy – is performing right now.
11:21 AM: Lots of audience participation with Mikey, especially as he invites the little ones to move like the animals he’s singing about, from sharks to snakes. And his music has a message – like the refrain, “We’re living in a garden; may we live carefully.”
12:09 PM: The entertainment slate for the festival expanded to five acts this year, and this one is new, Crush on Her X:
West Seattle’s own The Potholes are up at 12:45 pm.
12:43 PM: Just back from another spin through the lot behind Zeeks/WW. Late addition to the festival vendor lineup – Rhodies FC, West Seattle’s brand-new women’s soccer team, with a few more home games coming up before their first season ends. And if you’re looking to find out about summer camps focused on music and theater, Mode Music and Performing Arts is there:
1:18 PM: Running out of time to get here if you haven’t been already! The Potholes are playing now:
Back in the vendor/community group, the folks with the Seattle Emergency Hubs can tell you all about household and neighborhood preparedness:
And if you stop by the West Seattle Food Bank booth, you can support them – and get a chance at cool local prizes – by buying a ticket in their Summer Raffle:
The festival continues until 2 pm.
1:44 PM: This is running a bit overtime – The Potholes (who you’ll be able to catch at West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction on Friday, July 11) just wrapped up, and Gary Benson will be starting about 20 minutes later than scheduled.
2:03 PM: Though the musical finale has just begun, vendors are starting to fold up. SFD has just arrived with Engine 32 (above), though, so if you’re in the area, stop by to say hi.
ADDED POST-FESTIVAL: A sample of Gary Benson’s performance:
You can catch him and his mellow acoustic sound on occasion at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor).
We’ve been telling you about the Morgan Junction Community Festival, now just hours away, 10 am-2 pm Saturday, in and around Morgan Junction Park! Among the community groups you’ll find there, along with entertainment and business/vendor booths, is Schmitz Park Creek Restore, which sent this announcement for us to share:
Schmitz Park Restore welcomes friends and fans of Schmitz Park to visit our booth and children’s activity center at the upcoming Morgan Junction Community Festival on Saturday June 14, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Schmitz Park Restore, a local nonprofit corporation is working to protect, restore and celebrate Schmitz Preserve Park and to “daylight” its eponymous creek all the way to Alki. Our exhibit will begin at the street entrance on California Ave to Beveridge Place. It will offer children, and their parents, the chance to “imagineer” a walk from Schmitz Park’s Ancient Forest all the way down to Alki Beach. Street chalk drawings will show how Schmitz Park’s artesian creek could one day again meet the sea at Alki Beach and Cove. Free street chalk will be available to allow visitors to draw in the fish, birds and other critters and plants that could then make their homes in Schmitz Preserve Park. We will also have booths and tables chockfull of information about the Park and Schmitz Park Restore and its “Ivy League” activities to save West Seattle’s Ancient Forest For further details and information visit www.schmitzparkcreekrestore.org; write to schmitzparkcreekrestore@gmail.com, or phone 206 935 8139.
It’s been more than a year since Schmitz Park Creek Restore debuted their dream (WSB coverage here).
3:58 PM: The Morgan Community Association is again kicking off festival season with its short-and-sweet Morgan Junction Community Festival, now just two days away, 10 am-2 pm Saturday (June 14) in and around Morgan Junction Park (west side of California SW, north of Fauntleroy Way). The entertainment schedule is in our most-recent preview – starting with longtime festival fave The Bubbleman at 10 am. Businesses and community groups are part of the festival too, including booths behind the Zeeks Pizza/Whisky West building. From the MoCA festival-preview newsletter, here are more lineups:
In Morgan Junction Park, you’ll find:
MJAWA – Morgan Junction All Wheels Association: @mjawa_ws
34th District Democrats – https://34dems.org/
West Seattle Blog – https://westseattleblog.com/
Morgan Community Association (MoCA) – morganjunction.orgBehind Zeeks/Whisky West you’ll find:
CraftLab Seattle – https://www.craftlabseattle.com/
Westside Neighbors Shelter – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550536740459
A Cleaner Alki – https://www.facebook.com/groups/acleaneralki
Seattle Police Department and SDP Community Service Officers – https://www.seattle.gov/police/about-us/police-locations/southwest-precinct, https://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/cso
Seattle Emergency HUBS/West Seattle Be Prepared – https://seattleemergencyhubs.org/, http://westseattlebeprepared.org/
West Seattle Nursery with Sierra Shea Real Estate – https://www.westseattlenursery.com/, https://sierrashea.johnlscott.com/home
West Seattle Food Bank – West Seattle Food Bank
MODE Music – https://www.instagram.com/modemusicandpa , https://www.instagram.com/modemusicws/
Sunshine Arts and Crafts – mgsschramm@gmail.com
Nepenthe Massage – https://iworkforlove.com/
Edward Jones Financial Advice – dominic.hernandez@edwardjones.com
Lumina Vascular Health & Laser Clinic – Lumina_seattle
Gatewood Elementary PTA – https://www.gatewoodpta.org/In Beveridge Place SW you’ll find:
Schmitz Park Creek Restore: SchmitzParkCreekRestore@gmail.com
Hot Tip: Zeeks will be selling individual pizza slices beginning at 11 am.
WSB is a community co-sponsor for the festival – see you there Saturday!
8:15 PM: And as Michael from MoCA reminds us in a comment, if you need parking for the festival, O’Neill Plumbing (WSB sponsor) on the northeast corner of California/Graham is opening up its lot.
On a day like today, hard not to get caught up in summer-fun daydreaming. So we have more news about the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, West Seattle Summer Fest, a little more than a month away – it all starts with Summer Fest Eve on Thursday, July 10, then three days of Summer Fest, Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 13. Above is this year’s map, reflecting the changes we mentioned previously – the Kids Zone and food court have swapped sides of SW Alaska, and the West Side Stage will be near the food zone, by Wells Fargo. The map also shows where you’ll find a new feature – free stations to refill your water bottle. Also on the Summer Fest website, the West Seattle Junction Association – which presents Summer Fest – has published the lists of vendors (including year-round merchants with sidewal sales), food and drink (also including year-round businesses with sidewalk cafés during the festival), and the schedule for nonprofits/agencies you’ll find with us and WSJA in the centrally located Info Booth. Main-stage music is on Fridays and Saturdays, on California north of Oregon, running until 11 pm, and on Sunday, that same area will be temporary home to the West Seattle Farmers’ Market. This year’s festival hours are 1-8 pm Friday (music until 11), 10 am-8 pm Saturday (music until 11), and 10 am-5 pm Sunday (WSFM until 2 pm). See you there, July 11-13 (and Summer Fest Eve July 10)!
P.S. If you missed the earlier announcement of the music lineup, see that here!
In the midst of everything happening today, we’re pausing for a quick reminder from the Morgan Community Association that their big festival is exactly one week away! The Morgan Junction Community Festival happens 10 am-2 pm next Saturday (June 14) – here’s the full preview from MoCA:
You’ll find ENTERTAINMENT for all ages in Morgan Junction Park:
10:00 – The Bubbleman
10:50 – Mikey the Rad Scientist
11:35 – Crush on Her X
12:35 – The Potholes
1:30 – Gary BensonVisit with VENDORS in the parking lot behind Zeeks/ Whisky West, on Beveridge Place SW and in Morgan Junction Park. (Be sure to check out the child-friendly interactive activities):
· Commercial vendors include artists and craftpersons, chair massage, financial advisers, and facial specialists.
· Learn about MJAWA: the Morgan Junction All Wheels Association, Schmitz Park Creek Restore, Mode Music and Performing Arts, the West Seattle Neighborhood Shelter, the West Seattle Food Bank, Seattle Emergency HUBS, and A Cleaner Alki.
· Community groups include Seattle Police Department, Gatewood Elementary PTA, SPD Community Service Officers, and the 34th District Democrats – who will be offering help if you need to register to vote.
Bring the family and join in the fun on Saturday, June 14th at the Morgan Junction Community Festival in and around Morgan Junction Park. See You There!
The venues (park and lot) are both off the west side of California SW, just north of Fauntleroy Way.
| 2 COMMENTS