West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(WSB photo, kids’ pie-eating contest at 2018 Harvest Fest)
More details tonight about the expanded West Seattle Junction Harvest Fest, 11 am-5 pm Sunday, October 30th – but first, registration just opened tonight for two of its biggest events, and space is limited, so you’ll want to sign up if you’re interested:
CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT: Starting at noon, the tournament begins on courts spread out on California and Alaska. Registration is limited to 32 teams – first-come, first-served. The cost per 2-person team: $45. Find prize details and more info on the registration form.
PIE-EATING CONTESTS: At 1 pm, A La Mode Pies will host adults’ and kids’ pie-eating contests. It’s free to register, but only 10 kid spots and 10 adult spots are available. Kid registration is here; adult registration is here.
Here are other festival details:
FESTIVAL FOOTPRINT: Almost as big as Summer Fest – SW Alaska will close from 42nd to 44th, California SW will close from Oregon to Edmunds (the Farmers’ Market will be in its usual spot on California between Oregon and Alaska),
COSTUME PARADE: 11 am, led by the West Seattle High School Marching Band – line up at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) pre-parade.
KIDS’ ACTIVITIES AND TRICK-OR-TREATING: 11:30 am-3 pm. Activities will be in booths all along California; businesses participating in trick-or-treating will display orange and black balloons.
CHILI COOKOFF: Noon-2 pm; $10 tickets get you tastes and votes, and benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. Competitors include Husky Deli, Shadowland, Pecos Pit BBQ, The Westy, Baker’s Dozen Catering, Margie’s Café, and NW Texas BBQ.
MAIN STAGE MUSIC: 8-Bit Brass Band at noon, Heebie Jeebies at 1:30, Potholes at 3:30.
MURAL UNVEILING: On the main stage at 12:45 pm, your first look at the completed Summer Fest mural created by community members led by artist Stacey Sterling.
STORYTELLING: 1:30 pm with Dolly Warden
SQUARE DANCING: 2:30 pm with Caller Andy Garboden.
Updates before festival day will be at wsjunction.org.
(WSB photo from 2019 Harvest Festival)
Last year, trick-or-treating returned – this year, the West Seattle Junction Association is ready to put on a full-fledged Harvest Festival for the first time in three years! Sunday, October 30th is the date. And while Harvest Fest will again share the streets of The Junction with the Farmers’ Market, the festival will feature new features this year – including live music and a cornhole tournament. Some traditional favorites will return: The costume parade at 11 am, the chili cookoff at noon, for starters. The festival will run longer than years past, too. Trick-or-treating will run 11 am-2 pm; a pie-eating contest is planned at 1 pm; square dancing at 2:30 pm, and music continuing into the afternoon, with the announcement of the cornhole-tournament winners planned to end the festival at 5 pm. Stay tuned for more details as it gets closer!
If you are looking for something low-impact to do this afternoon, the Seattle Chinese Garden‘s Kite Festival is on until 5 pm. You can make a kite ..
fly yours and/or watch someone else fly theirs …
listen to guzheng music by Angell Li …
Happening at @SeaChineseGrdn – Kite Festival, with music pic.twitter.com/UJ1gCwuodp
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) September 10, 2022
and enjoy the garden, which is on the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus at 6000 16th SW, just east of the Arboretum. ($5 suggested donation for entry.)
(WSB photo, 2019)
This summer of returning events isn’t over yet – this Saturday (September 3rd), the Vietnamese Cultural Center in West Seattle brings back the Children’s Moonlight Festival. It includes a kids’ lantern parade – as shown above in our 2019 photo, that doesn’t actually happen in the moonlight, as the festival will take place 3-6 pm with a variety of activities for all, including treats, games, entertainment, and a lion dance. All free! The center is at 2236 SW Orchard (just north of Home Depot).
For the first time ever – or at least the first time we can recall – you can wander California Avenue SW north of Admiral Way today, during the first-ever Admiral Junction Funktion, continuing until 9 pm. Local businesses welcome you to come shop, dine, drink, and play!
Face-painting, too:
And did we mention entertainment? Here’s the lineup. (Added) And here’s a short clip of one of the first bands, Princess Pulpit:
Businesses from beyond the immediate area have joined in, too – Alair Gift Shop brought some of its West Seattle-appreciation merch:
And if you live/work/study in Admiral, you’ll want to go meet your Admiral Neighborhood Association reps:
Today’s event also offers at least one chance to give back to your community – in front of Pizzeria 22 (4213 SW College) we found Anna collecting diapers for WestSide Baby:
While you’re there, look for beer gardens at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), Mission Cantina (margarita garden – 2325 California SW), Arthur’s (2311 California SW), and Yen Wor Village (2300 California SW). Three of those venues – Admiral Pub, Mission, Yen Wor – are planning afterparties tonight too, along with the nearby Benbow Room (4210 SW Admiral Way).
SATURDAY, 2:04 PM: The cars are of course a big draw at the 2nd annual Lowrider Block Party, happening until 6 pm on 17th SW between Delridge and Roxbury – we spotted a two-wheeler too:
Art is a centerpiece as well, creating it as well as admiring it:
The custom cars are works of art in their own way:
Nearby Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery is presenting the Lowrider Block Party again this year.
Along with cars and art, vendors and entertainment are part of the party too.
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Thanks to Yma for sharing these photos with some of the cars’ intricate details:
A partner in the Lowrider Block Party was Eazy Duz It Car Club, seen on Alki last weekend.
(WSB photo – Joyas Mestizas at Seattle Folklorico Festival)
Dance and music isn’t all you’ll see at the Seattle Folklorico Festival, happening at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW) until 4 pm.
As noted in our calendar listing, you can shop and snack too.
Local organizations are there too – from the Highland Park Improvement Club to the Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs, whose booth offers this info for the youngest members of the family too:
The Seattle Folklorico Festival is coordinated and presented by the youth folkloric-dance group Joyas Mestizas (who are scheduled to perform again at 2:30 pm). Performances are for and by all ages!
Another big event in West Seattle this Saturday! We’ve already previewed the Admiral Junction Funktion and Lowrider Block Party street-closing events, Now we have word of the Seattle Folklórico Festival, 11 am-4 pm Saturday at Westcrest Park [map]. It’s hosted by the youth folkloric-dance group Joyas Mestizas, whose members also will perform, along with other groups – here’s the list/schedule:
For more information on the performers and vendors, go here.
We have more information tonight about this Saturday’s Admiral Junction Funktion street party, which will close California SW just north of Admiral Way before, during, and after the noon-9 pm event. It’s a joint presentation of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Admiral Business District, City of Seattle Office of Economic Development Neighborhood Economic Recovery Fund, and PCC Community Market – West Seattle (WSB sponsor). The free event is described as “Shopping, dining, drinking, beer gardens, and dancing to live music.” The revelry actually starts – unofficially – the night before, Friday, with a Pre-Funk Bar Crawl (here’s the participant list/schedule). Then on Saturday, you’ll find beer gardens at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), Mission Cantina (2325 California SW), Arthur’s (2311 California SW), and Yen Wor Village (2300 California SW). And here’s the entertainment schedule:
12 pm Alina Ashley Nicole
1 pm Princess Pulpit
2 pm Yen Wor Karaoke
3 pm Otter on the Rocks
6 pm Surf the Pines
7 pm Queen Andrew Scott
8 pm Boogie Boyz
Hosts throughout the day will be Brent Amaker and VJ Lacefront. Then once the Admiral Funktion wraps up at 9 pm, it’s afterparty time:
-Admiral Pub ’70s funk/disco party with drag performances by Queen Andrew Scott. –
-Mission Cantina will feature live bands
-Benbow has 2 DJs Back to Back going on all night
-Yen Wor Karaoke Party
Thanks to Alex Garcia from Admiral Pub for the entertainment-lineup info. Alex says organizers intend to ensure this is an annual event,
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
1:17 PM: Until 5 pm, you can visit newly dedicated Duwamish River People’s Park and enjoy the Duwamish River Festival. The park is at 8700 Dallas Ave. S. in South Park [map] – we reported on the site when construction began two years ago.
Today’s event includes entertainment, games, educational booths, and food, as shown here. We’ll add more photos when we’re back at HQ.
P.S. If you drive there and can’t find a close parking spot, there is a shuttle from 8438 Dallas.
ADDED 2:59 PM: The festival has more than 55 booths, most from agencies and groups addressing environmental issues in the Duwamish Valley and ways you can help – native plants, for example:
Knowing and respecting the Duwamish River’s fish and wildlife is another topic:
You can find out more about the West Dumamish Wet Weather Storage Facility project featured here earlier this week, to be built in southeast West Seattle in about three years:
Community resilience is a topic too – Cindi Barker from West Seattle is at the booth where you can find out about Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hubs:
And of course the EPA is there to talk about the ongoing Duwamish River cleanup. New regional administrator Casey Sixkiller (last mentioned here when he was running for mayor last year) spoke briefly to festivalgoers – he’s at right in our photo below next to Paulina López, executive director of the Duwamish River Community Coalition – which is presenting today’s festival:
With them from left are Calvin Teraba, Christian Poulsen, and Fatima Hernandez. Sixkiller promised to “continue to work in partnership with this community” toward “a river that’s clean, healthy, open to everyone.”
ADDED: Thanks to Don Brubeck for this photo of some of the festival performers:
Not to rush you out of summer, but it’s worth noting that Fauntleroy Fall Festival organizers are planning to bring it back this year. This was a discussion item at this month’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting. You might recall that last year, a modified drive-up/walk-up version of the festival was offered. This year, the tentative plan is to fully bring back the festival, which usually offers multiple activities on the grounds of The Hall at Fauntleroy, Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, and Fauntleroy Church and YMCA (WSB sponsor). The date and time are set – Sunday, October 23, 2-5 pm. Funding for the free-of-charge festival got a boost at last month’s Endolyne Joe’s fundraiser, bringing in $3,150, the FCA was told. Organizers are also happy to have “a great group of fresh volunteers” on board to make it happen.
(WSB photos)
You’ll find art everywhere you look at the Alki Art Fair, where day 1 continues until 8 pm. Dozens of artists are on the promenade west of Alki Bathhouse (60th/Alki), showing and selling their work – including West Seattle neighbors like oil painter Rance Holiman:
And collage artist Linda McClamrock:
You can also learn about sea life from volunteers at the Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network booth:
They’re near the booth where you can say hi to Canna West Culture Shop‘s Tricia and Mimi – Canna is an Art Fair sponsor (and WSB sponsor too):
This is a bonus day for the festival, continuing all weekend – some features, including the Kid Zone, silent auction, and live music, don’t start up until tomorrow. Find the artist lineup, music lineup, and more on the official festival website.
Another look ahead to a major weekend event – the Alki Art Fair, which is not only returning after three years, but also expanding to three days. It begins Friday (July 22nd). The artist/vendor booths stretch along the promenade, westward from Alki Bathhouse; the main music stage is on the lawn east of the Bathhouse. Our preview two weeks ago has details, but here are the basics:
FRIDAY
Artist Booths & Food Vendors: 2-8 pm
LIVE DJ : 4-8 pm
SATURDAY
Artist Booths & Food Vendors: 10 am-6 pm
Live Music: 11 am-8:30 pm
SUNDAY
Artist Booths & Food Vendors: 10 am-6 pm
Live Music: 11 am-5 pm
The Alki Art Fair also has a Kid Zone presented by Outer Space Seattle. And while there’s no admission charge, there are ways to support the festival, such as bidding in the silent auction inside the Bathhouse – organizers tell us you’ll be able to “Find everything from art to gift certificates from some of your favorite West Seattle eateries, museum and sports tickets, massages and more!” See the festival website here for the artist and music lineups. One more note: As with other returning events, this is a transition year – they’re not offering a shuttle this time, but you do have transportation options, such as the Water Taxi shuttle and Route 50 Metro bus.
A first-time feature at last weekend’s West Seattle Summer Fest was The Whale Trail‘s scavenger hunt and presentations to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the rescue of Springer the orca. We asked Whale Trail executive director Donna Sandstrom how the weekend of “orca sightings in The Junction” went:
Celebrate Springer at Summer Fest was a big success! Kids loved looking for the orcas, and merchants loved hosting them. The West Seattle Junction Association handed out more than 500 maps. Kids had to work hard to find some of the orcas!
About 70 people attended the Springer presentations, where the prizes were handed out. Everyone who participated got a Springer card and a marine mammal sighting chart, that will help them spot whales in the wild. Six grand-prize winners also received a copy of Orca Rescue! and an orca plushie.
Big thanks to the West Seattle Junction Association, the Senior Center of West Seattle, Husky Deli, participating merchants, and especially our volunteers, who made it all possible.
She says this was a first for The Whale Trail and they’d like to try it again, “maybe when we Welcome the Orcas in the Fall. In the meantime we are heading up to British Columbia this weekend to celebrate Springer with her team. We are hoping the guest of honor makes an appearance too!” She adds that you can “watch northern resident orcas – sometimes including Springer and her calves – at explore.org/orcalab. You can eavesdrop as they swim through Blackfish Sound, or watch as they visit the rubbing beaches in Johnstone Strait. The A54 pod is at the rubbing beaches now!” She was joined at the Summer Fest presentations by “members of Springer’s team, including Mark Sears, the local researcher who first spotted her; Joe Olson, who took the first hydrophone recordings of her calls; Dr. Dave Bain, who recognized the calls that helped identify her; and Lynne Barre, NOAA’s Branch Chief, who came to the northwest originally to help with Springer and now leads recovery efforts for the endangered southern residents. The audience was especially excited to see one of Springer’s sticks! Mark brought one of the small logs that was used to bring her close to the boat for early monitoring and assessments.”
(QUICK INFOLINKS: Farmers’ Market here, food here, vendors here, kids zone here, bus reroutes here)
11:11 AM: If you haven’t been to West Seattle Summer Fest yet, you have six more hours – or, even if you have, come back and see what you might have missed the first time, browse the year-round merchants’ sidewalk sales. Some FAQ here in the Info Booth:
*Where’s the Farmers’ Market? One block north.
*What bands are playing today? None – this year, music was scheduled just for Friday and Saturday.
*Where’s the face painting? Mid-block raised crosswalk on California between Oregon and Alaska.
*Where’s the cotton candy? Food zone, south side, toward the east end.
*Where are the Whale Trail scavenger-hunt maps? Here in the Info Booth.
We’re on the north side of the Info Booth today; on the east side until 2 pm, Seattle Police Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner (just a little over two weeks until Night Out!).
Lots of free swag, too – coloring books, pencils, tote bags. … An SDOT12:06 PM: The free “big games” got a late start but they’re now up and running on the east end of the Kids Zone (SW Alaska between California and 44th):
The Seattle Kraken have free games right next to that:
12:35 PM: Without bands today, the only schedule note we have for you is the 3 pm Whale Trail presentation about Springer the orca’s rescue – just go to the Senior Center (California/Oregon). … Breaking news: It’s National Ice Cream Day! You can celebrate with a West Seattle vendor in the Food Zone (Alaska west of California) – the Shug’s Soda Fountain cart!
They’re on the north side of the food zone, by Junction Plaza Park.
1:30 PM: The sun has returned! Just half an hour to get to the Farmers’ Market (one block north of its usual spot). That’s one more place you can get lunch and snacks – as we reported earlier, almost all the regular vendors are there, including those that are preparing food for you to enjoy on the spot.
2:01 PM: Surprise guest here at Summer Fest – Seattle Fire Ladder 11. It’s currently parked on Alaska close to 42nd, and since we took the photo above, a firefighter has climbed up to the end of the ladder.
(Reader photo)
You can also stop by and say hi to the firefighters on the ground. …. Farmers’ Market has closed, but the festival has three more hours. We’ve heard there’s an afterparty at Shadowland with live bands; first report said 5 pm, but the Shadowland staff told us, when we went up to ask who’s playing, 7 pm. We’ll be checking back.
2:55 PM: The sun is coming and going.
And time is going fast, with two more hours left in the festival. Thanks again to all the people who have stopped by to say hi! Also your final hours to get a Summer Fest T-shirt:
See the Junction Association volunteers on the southwest side of the Info Booth. The T-shirt design is something of a souvenir marking a historic moment in time, too, with this year’s logo incorporating the orange traffic cone and the almost-fixed bridge – the only (here’s hoping) Summer Fest to be held with a closed bridge. (Although if you look back 40 years to the roots of Summer Fest, that would take you to 1982 – two years before the current bridge fully opened.)
3:20 PM: Another FAQ: “Where’s the beer garden?” None today since there’s no music because of the Farmers’ Market moving into that space for the day. But certainly you have options for beer – like Elliott Bay Brewing (east side of California between Alaska and Edmunds, celebrating 25 years), and The Beer Junction (west side of California, not far south of Oregon) among them.
3:40 PM: Most attention-grabbing vendor name at
the festival:
In festival-food names, we’d give the award to the sushi burrito and light-bulb boba tea.
4 PM: The final-hour rush is on! Lines for fair/festival food – and the elephant-ears booth just announced they’re sold out.
4:25 PM: Still a lot of wandering going on. We’ll be here until the close at 5; festival staff starts breaking down immediately, but it’ll likely be some hours before the streets reopen. One more note about the Shadowland afterparty – it starts at 5, and the bands are playing indoors, not outdoors. … Update, just found out more. Five bands, 5 pm until close. Shadowland is on the northeast corner of California/Oregon – 21+.
4:53 PM: The Info Booth is being folded up around us – so that’s a wrap. Thanks to everyone who came down to celebrate the return of West Seattle’s biggest party of the year – from WSJA organizers to volunteers to production crew to sponsors to vendors to performers to festivalgoers! More summer fun to come.
That’s the north end of the relocated-today-only West Seattle Farmers’ Market, by the Post Office in the 4400 block of California SW. In past years, the third day of West Seattle Summer Fest has seen the market relocate to its old spot behind KeyBank, but this year the West Seattle Junction Association – which presents the festival – is trying something new: Dropping music on Sunday (which tended to be lightly attended anyway), so the market could stay on California SW, one block north. We stopped by the market-management booth to ask about the vendor response; 46 vendors are here today, which is only five fewer than usual. Hours are the same as usual – so get your shopping and snacking done before 2 pm!
(QUICK LINKS: Music here, food here, vendors here, kids zone here, bus reroutes here)
3:27 PM: Flash-mob-style synchronized show just happened at California/Alaska in the middle of West Seattle Summer Fest day two:
DancePowered is putting on a tour de force in the heart of Summer Fest. pic.twitter.com/uBXVzvBEY5
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2022
Jennifer Cepeda‘s fitness classes have been wildly popular for a long time. Jennifer tells us she’s been working on that since January!
Also big this afternoon – quite the crowd for West Seattle’s own THEM:
THEM on the Summer Fest main stage! pic.twitter.com/3SKKgA7Idr
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2022
Here’s the music lineup for the rest of the day/night:
3 pm – Rub (replacing Emily Stranger)
4 pm – Johnny Nails
5 pm – Mark Pickerel & the Peyote
6 pm – Mala Suerte
7 pm – Chong the Nomad
8 pm – Battlestar Kalakala
9 pm – True Loves
And at 7 pm at Elliott Bay, Down North. Also happening: come meet Seal Sitters here in the Info Booth. … More coverage to come; the festival continues until 8 pm tonight (music until 10)!
4 PM: Breaking weather news – it’s now partly sunny, after a mostly overcast day. …. As you wander Summer Fest, you’ll notice that the booths are a mix – some fair/festival stalwarts, but also some local businesses whose stores/offices are elsewhere in West Seattle, here to introduce themselves to more neighbors. Among them, several West Seattle sponsors – Camp Crockett is a home away from home for your dogs, with locations including Delridge and Upper Morgan:
That’s Vanessa from Camp Crockett. We also said hi to Ramone and Alice from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Northwest, which serves West Seattle and vicinity from offices in Jefferson Square:
Nina is at the festival for Canna Culture Shop, between The Junction and Morgan Junction:
Longtime WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits is having a sidewalk sale outside its shop at 4540 California SW – including these West Seattle = Best Seattle T-shirts in partnership with Alair (we reported previously on their intent)
The sidewalk display at Click! also includes earrings, which along with the T-shirts are part of a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association in honor of co-founder and artist Frances Smersh. … Another WSB sponsor with a special feature for Summer Fest, Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW) has a drawing you can enter:
Not far north of us at California/Alaska, meantime, the trombone-playing busker is back for a second day …”
Favorite busker so far. pic.twitter.com/B3rh67fXwC
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2022
… as is what we could call the proselytizing busker. Though Summer Fest planning has been under way for months, there are always some surprises along the way.
5:51 PM: (Added) Here’s a clip from Mark Pickerel’s set earlier this hour:
Close to dinner time. Judging by what people are carrying, looks like roasted corn and the light-bulb boba tea are very popular. Also of note, the sun went back into hiding and it’s a bit breezy, so you might want a sweater tonight. Festival maintenance is happening too – takes a lot of behind-the-scenes help to power an event of this magnitude:
Here at the Info Booth, we have info about more than what’s happening at the festival – we have a poster for the return of West Seattle Outdoor Movies too – they start next week, five Saturday nights in a row:
There’s a change since first word of the series – the July 23rd movie will be at Camp Long, then the subsequent four at Hotwire Coffee’s courtyard (long-ago longtime home of the series) – see you next Saturday!
6:54 PM: Lot of interest in the late-substitution band Down North performing at Elliott Bay at 7 pm, judging by inquiries here. Also, we’ve continued a long tradition … any candidate who stops by the info booth gets a photo – first and only candidate we’ve seen is State Sen. Joe Nguyen, so here’s the pictorial proof:
This year’s primary is just 2 1/2 weeks away – anybody running for office, come see us at the Info Booth during the festival (we’re here again tomorrow). … Other sightings in the past few hours included Lori McConnell and Tim McConnell, proprietors of West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), who are a week away from presenting the return of the Float Dodger 5K, before the West Seattle Grand Parade. Still time to register to walk/run in it (go here to sign up) – proceeds benefit the West Seattle Food Bank.
8:24 PM: Back at HQ, we’re adding some music clips from earlier – some in line above – but first, here’s Down North at the Elliott Bay stage:
One more time … festival music is done after tonight … the stage/beer garden zone north of SW Oregon will hold the West Seattle Farmers’ Market 10 am-2 pm tomorrow.
(QUICK LINKS: Music here, food here, vendors here, kids zone here, bus reroutes here)
10:43 AM: Day 2 of West Seattle Summer Fest has begun! This is the big day – booths are open for 10 hours, until 8 tonight, and music runs for 10 hours too – noon until 10 pm. First up will be School of Rock. Meantime, we’re back in the Info Booth (California/Alaska), where you also will find volunteers from the West Seattle Junction Association (which presents Summer Fest) – they’re also selling festival T-shirts ($25). On the east side of the Info Booth, if you have questions about the West Seattle Bridge, SDOT has a rep here today – yes, they’re still on track for the week of September 12th, with more details when the opening is one month away. Just to the west of us is the Kids’ Zone, with Hope Lutheran volunteers staffing the free games today:
Just west of the games are the inflatables (and the booth where you can buy a pass for them). A few other kid-geared vendors are scattered throughout the festival zone, including face painting:
That face painter is on the midblock raised crosswalk between Oregon and Alaska.
11:20 AM: Another type of painting is happening here – artist Stacey Sterling is leading another community mural:
Painting of the sea-life mural will resume today at California/Oregon – you can sign up for a time to join in. While you’re in The Junction, check out Mural Alley – the breezeway on the west side of California, midblock between Alaska and Edmunds – to see past community-created murals. Another participatory activity involving sea life – the orca scavenger hunt continues, with the maps here at the Info Booth:
This is also where to turn in the completed maps. And then go see The Whale Trail‘s presentation about Springer, the orphaned orca rescued 20 years ago, at 3 at the Senior Center (California/Oregon).
12:39 PM: The main-stage music kicked off with School of Rock:
School of Rock starting today's music lineup at Summer Fest pic.twitter.com/cGa3E1JIp9
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 16, 2022
At 1 pm, more talented young musicians take the stage – from Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) – and the rising stars of THEM follow, at 2 pm. One more music note – a substitution for tonight’s 7 pm band at Elliott Bay (as part of its anniversary bash) – Down North.
1:26 PM: In the merch booth up by the stage (which is near the Post Office), we caught up with THEM, performing in just half an hour:
Reminder that if you love festival music, soak it in today/tonight – no Sunday music because the Farmers’ Market will be in that area north of Oregon. And if you’re interested in making music – go see the West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ “instrumental petting zoo” inside ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) until 3 pm:
(added) Here are two clips from the Mode set – first, Mari Littlefield:
And K.A.M.P.S.:
2:52 PM: Our second report starts shortly. If you’re at the festival, a dance demo, flash mob style, is moments away here at California/Alaska. More festival coverage to come!
(QUICK LINKS: Music here, food here, vendors here, kids zone here, bus reroutes here)
5:54 PM: As previewed a bit earlier, that’s Caitlin Sherman on the West Seattle Summer Fest stage, introduced by Troy Nelson. The first day/night of festival music is now at full speed – the main stage is on California north of Oregon, near the Post Office. Here’s the rest of tonight’s lineup:
6 pm – Smoker Dad
7 pm – Acapulco Lips
8 pm – Spirit Award
9 pm – Naked GiantsAlso, 7 pm outside Elliott Bay Brewery, Urban Achievers
Doing some main-stage emceeing is a local musician who played Summer Fest himself a few years back – Brent Amaker:
One more reminder – no music Sunday, just today and Saturday; on Sunday, the space north of Oregon will be occupied by the Farmers’ Market (10 am-2 pm). More festival coverage to come!
6:10 PM: Here at the Info Booth, we’ve had a lot of questions today about the food providers. The visiting vendors are all on SW Alaska between California and 42nd – including classic fair/festival food:
There’s also Kenyan, Filipino, Mexican, Thai, and Nepalese food – and several options for ice cream. Show some love to the year-round food/drink providers too – for example, A La Mode Pies is on the same block as the food vendors, with amazing sweet treats; if you’re looking for a full meal, as noted earlier, many Junction establishments have added sidewalk cafés for the weekend – lots of people-watching going on. It’s clouded over in the past hour but still pleasant. The festival’s on until 8 tonight (music till 10) – more coverage ahead!
6:58 PM: As has been the case every year, the festival gets ever-busier on Friday evenings – that’s a big reason why the vendor hours changed to 1-8 pm. We’ve had fun talking to myriad people all day – among them, West Seattle Grand Parade co-coordinator Michelle Edwards – just one week until Junction (and beyond) streets will close again, for the parade’s return! It starts at 11 am Saturday, July 23rd, heading south on California SW from The Admiral District to The Junction. Meantime, it’s time for a special musical event – the Elliott Bay Brewery stage, with 7 pm bands both nights – tonight, Urban Achievers. (Video added:)
10:20 PM: We left a bit earlier because of breaking news. Summer Fest resumes at 10 am Saturday (music at noon).
Many West Seattle businesses based elsewhere on the peninsula come to The Junction to be part of Summer Fest. Among them, Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor), whose founder Erin Rubin sent this update:
Mode Music is ready to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of West Seattle Summer Fest by adding some fantastic musical talent to the stellar lineup this weekend, July 15th-17th!
On Friday, Mode teachers will kick off the Fest by rocking out as only they know how! At 5:00 pm, former Mode teacher and singer/songwriter Caitlyn Sherman (IG: @caitiecruel) will take the stage. And at 9:00 pm, Naked Giants (IG: @naked_giants) will be the headliner, a band that features current Mode teachers Grant Mullen and Gianni Aiello!
Starting at 1:00 pm on Saturday, Mode Music Studios (IG: @modemusicws) will kick off the student and alum block of performances including the rock band It’s All Happening (IG @itsallhappening.band), singer Mari Littlefield, and the female-driven group K.A.M.P.S., whose band name was actually inspired by the fantastic Mode alum band T.H.E.M. (IG: @theband.them) slated to perform at 2:00pm.
Please stop by the Mode Music booth while enjoying the Festival to learn about the music school’s fantastic programs, get some awesome brand new merch, and gain some knowledge about Mode’s non-profit branch Mode Music and Performing Arts (IG: @modemusicandpa) and grab a kazoo or shaker egg! Don’t miss out on this fun and music-filled weekend!
You’ll find the Mode booth in the block between Oregon and Alaska.
(QUICK LINKS: Music here, food here, vendors here, kids zone here, bus reroutes here)
West Seattle Summer Fest doesn’t officially start until 1 pm but people are here already, wandering, shopping, snacking … so come on down to The Junction (California between Oregon and Edmunds, Alaska between 42nd and 44th). We’re in the Info Booth, which also features volunteers helping with a variety of things including the return of T-shirt sales!
Update on The Whale Trail maps – if you didn’t get one on Summer Fest Eve, come to the Info Booth for one!
We’ve already seen at least one young festivalgoer who completed the search!
2:16 PM: Day 1 is always all about seeing what’s where. One general observation, in this transitional year, the festival grounds have some open areas, like north of where we are at California and Alaska:
Many of the year-round Junction businesses are offering sidewalk sales – Summer Fest trivia, the festival has its roots in a summertime Junction-wide sidewalk sale:
In addition to the year-round sidewalk cafés, some venues have added them just for the festival – in the background of our next photo, The Beer Junction’s outdoor space is year-round, while newly opened Bonjour Vietnam has added one for the festival.
We stopped by to say hi to proprietor Jade Nguyen as she soft-opened last night:
Coming up, music starts at 3 pm … also at 3 pm, The Whale Trail presentation about Springer the rescued orca, at the Senior Center (California/Oregon). [Correction, that’s at 3 pm Saturday and Sunday.]
3:02 PM: Music should be starting any minute now at the main stage, which is on California north of Oregon, near the Post Office. Appaloosa 15 is the first band of the day, with indie rockers Chris King and The Gutterballs following at 4.
3:25 PM: If you’re here with kid(s), there’s free fun in the Kids’ Zone on Alaska west of California, as well as the inflatables (for which you need a $20 unlimited-use-for-one-day bracelet) – big games! Along with the ones right by the big GAMES sign, the kids-zone sponsors, Seattle Kraken, have a free game station next to it:
4:44 PM: Even if you don’t make it up to the stage for music, you’ll catch some all along the festival zone:
Besides main-stage music, busking is happening at West Seattle Summer Fest pic.twitter.com/PWmx8pJ1H7
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 15, 2022
Other buskers we’ve seen so far include a magician:
Dinnertime nears. We’ll take a look at festival food in report #2.
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
6:30 PM: If it’s on the Easy Street marquee, it’s happening – and the heart of The Junction is now indeed the hub of activity to get ready for West Seattle Summer Fest, first one since 2019. So people are here walking in the now-closed streets. There’s music too:
Naby Camera at KeyBank Plaza for The Art of Music pic.twitter.com/EHrOOBHFMv
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 15, 2022
Naby Camera is playing until 7:40 pm at KeyBank Plaza (California/Alaska, SW corner) as part of The Art of Music, complementing tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. More on the art in a moment. First – look for orcas on the west side of California, midblock between Alaska and Edmunds:
That’s where you’ll find Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail tonight and all weekend – kids can get a scavenger-hunt card to follow The Whale Trail all around The Junction through the festival (explained here) in celebration of Springer’s rescue. (FRIDAY UPDATE: Come get maps at the Info Booth Fri-Sun.) Back to the Art Walk – one of the places you can visit in The Junction is Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor), having a group show with store-alum artists tonight:
(Read about the Click! show here.) More from the Art Walk – venue list/previews here – and festival preps shortly.
Reminder, California SW is now closed between Genesee and Edmunds (with Oregon left open to through traffic) and SW Alaska is closed between 44th and 42nd for Summer Fest setup (here’s bus-reroute info) – here’s a live SDOT cam:
The festival starts at 1 pm Friday.
7:20 PM: At John L. Scott Real Estqte on the west side of California just north of Oregon, one amazing show decks the walls throughout the office:
Bob Willoughby photographed many Hollywood stars in the classic era’s heyday. See them tonight, with his son Christopher Willoughby and widow Dorothy there to answer questions, until about 9 pm.
ADDED 8:32 PM: More artists we stopped in to see – Sonya Rupnick at Fogue Gallery (4130 California SW; WSB sponsor):
Dan Rosen at Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW; WSB sponsor):
Many artists’ work is displayed at the businesses all month long, so if you didn’t get out tonight, check out the venues some other time. Meantime, we have one more Art of Music scene – harpist Alyvia Miller played at Welcome Road Winery in South Admiral (thanks to linda McKelvey for the photo):
During Summer Fest, main-stage music is scheduled 3 pm-10 pm Friday, noon-10 pm Saturday – and stage setup was the first thing to happen as street closures began this afternoon:
See the music schedule here. We’ll see you at Summer Fest – starting at 1 pm Friday!
As we’ve been reporting, West Seattle Summer Fest street closures are starting earlier than past years – and the first one is in place now: California SW is closed between SW Oregon and SW Genesee.
This block is where you’ll find the main stage on Friday and Saturday, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on Sunday. Meantime, the other street closures – California between Oregon and Edmunds, and Alaska between 42nd and 44th – are scheduled to begin around 4 pm. (Oregon itself will remain open as an east-west corridor.)
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