West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
Another festival this Saturday – but this one lasts all day, so you can get to this as well as the Morgan Junction Community Festival! West Seattle’s environmental-learning center/park Camp Long is inviting you to its 2024 Mountain Fest, 11 am-5 pm Saturday. The park’s famous climbing rock/wall is a major attraction, as is its challenge course:
But you don’t have to climb to have a good time at Mountain Fest – lots of free fun is promised for those who plan to keep both feet on the ground, too. Here’s the map of what they’re planning, and where. (For bird fans, note that The Falconer is scheduled to be there!) Get more Mountain Fest info from this Parkways post. Haven’t been to Camp Long? 5200 35th SW.
(WSB photo – banner on kiosk at Morgan Junction Park)
We’re counting down to the next major summer event in West Seattle – the Morgan Junction Community Festival, 10 am-2 pm Saturday (June 15) in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW). Among the festival features will be your next chance to participate in planning the “all-wheels area” that’s on the drawing board for the southwest side of the soon-to-be-expanded park. The Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association has sent their official announcement of what they’re planning as part of the festival:
The Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association (MJAWA) is excited to announce our second community meeting for the Morgan Junction Park expansion.
Hosted at the Morgan Junction Community Festival, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the three skate spot design options from legendary West Seattle-based skatepark builder Grindline, participate in the interactive Skate Like a Girl “MJ Ramp-age,” and be entered to win a skate prize from By and By skate shop or project t-shirt. All community members are invited to vote for their favorite design on-site on Saturday, June 15.
“We are excited to present these design options to the Morgan Junction community,” said Matt Fluegge, CEO of Grindline. “Our goal is to create a space that not only meets the needs of local kids, but also enhances the overall park experience for everyone. The feedback we’ve received has been invaluable, and we’re committed to building a park that the community will be proud of.”
Grindline has incorporated feedback from the first community meeting on April 27, as well as a Seattle Parks and Recreation survey at last year’s Morgan Junction Community Festival.
In addition to the design presentations, Skate Like a Girl will be sponsoring the “MJ Ramp-age” feature. This interactive area will allow attendees to move real ramps around a 1,500 sq ft space, providing a hands-on experience to explore how different park features might feel and flow together.
Kristin Ebeling, executive director of Skate Like a Girl, added, “Skateboarding has the power to transform lives. It is both a physical and creative outlet with the power to build intergenerational community. We are proud to be part of a project that will create an accessible entry point for emerging skaters and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the Morgan Junction neighborhood.”
“Skateboarding teaches perseverance, creativity, and resilience,” said Jason Glover, Chief Sealth International High School teacher and local skateboarder. “I’ve seen firsthand how students who skateboard develop a strong sense of self-confidence and community. It’s more than just a sport; it’s a way for kids to express themselves and build essential life skills.”
Look for MJAWA in Morgan Junction Park during the festival, 10 am-2 pm Saturday. As the week continues, we’ll preview other festival features – entertainment, vendors, activities. (WSB is media sponsor for the festival, which is presented by the Morgan Community Association.)
Festival season continues one week from today with the Morgan Junction Community Festival, presented by the Morgan Community Association, 10 am-2 pm Saturday, June 15 – maybe you’ve seen the new posters around:
Post-pandemic, MoCA presented a smaller-scale festival, but this year more of the original features are back, including booths with community organizations and businesses. Free entertainment will fill the festival, starting with the back-from-retirement Bubbleman at 10 am – see the full lineup here. And you can find out more about the plan for an all-wheels area in the park at a design open house hosted by Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association. It’ll all happen in and around Morgan Junction Park – on the west side of California just north of the intersection with Fauntleroy – next Saturday.
West Seattle Summer Fest is coming up July 12-14 – and the official poster (by Horsepower Design) is out now!
The main-stage music lineup has already been announced – here’s what was announced two weeks ago. Again this year, the main stage will be up on Friday and Saturday, on California north of Oregon, but the West Seattle Farmers’ Market will take that space on Sunday. There’ll also be a smaller stage with music in Junction Plaza Park. Festival hours will be 1-8 pm Friday (July 12), 10 am-8 pm Saturday (July 13), 10 am-5 pm Sunday (July 14), with music going later on Friday and Saturday nights, last band starting at 10 pm. (Here’s the official neighborhood-event notice.) More festival info in the weeks ahead!
(WSB photo, Bubbleman at 2022 Morgan Community Festival)
The season of big events has begun – and we have an update on one of June’s biggest events, the Morgan Junction Community Festival. It’s set for 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, June 15 – three weeks from tomorrow – and the entertainment lineup is set, with a big comeback: Bubbleman returns! Here’s the latest festival lineup, from the Morgan Community Association:
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE: Morgan Junction Park
10:00 to 10:45 – The Bubbleman: Returning Festival favorite featuring good clean fun
10:50 to 11:40 – Raymond the Magician: Artful, innovative, and very, very cool
11:45 to 12:35 – Gary Benson: Our local folk-rock favorite
12:45 to 2:00 – The Potholes: Still slinging funky-fusion, guac and rock right back at ya!!PLUS:
-Community Vendors in the Zeeks/Whisky West parking lot
-First Responders on California
–MJAWA‘s All Wheels meet-up on BeveridgeMore details at the MoCA website: morganjunction.org/festival
Questions for the Festival Team – mocacnc@gmail.com
All this will be happening in and around Morgan Junction Park, on the west side of California SW a short distance north of Fauntleroy Way SW. (WSB is media sponsor for the festival.)
(Thanks to Lora for the photos)
10:58 AM: If ever you’ve wanted to find out more about the West Seattle Bee Garden, today is THE day. The West Seattle Bee Festival is under way all day in and around High Point Commons Park (Lanham/Graham). The morning is devoted to walking and running activities, with the help of Emerald City Wanderers:
Then from noon to 4 pm, booths will be set up along Lanham Place, with a variety of organizations and vendors to visit, and you can check out activities and demonstrations – to learn about the bees, be at the Bee Garden at 1 pm for a hive demonstration. The full schedule of events is in this preview.
12:26 PM: Thanks to Lora for more photos – you can meet beekeepers and buy honey, of course, at the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association booth:
The Seattle Public Library hopes you’ll be abuzz about reading:
Seattle Police sent four-legged ambassadors from the Mounted Patrol:
The festival is on until 4 pm!
First big event of a lively West Seattle weekend starts at 9 am tomorrow – the West Seattle Bee Festival! Here’s how the day will unfold:
Commons Park runs north behind Neighborhood House (6400 Sylvan Way SW; map) and the West Seattle Bee Garden is at its north end (corner of Lanham and Graham); Lanham is where you’ll find most of the booths during the community activities between noon and 4 pm (that street will be closed to traffic much of the day). It’s all free! The first Bee Festival was back in 2013, celebrating the launch of the Bee Garden itself.
(2023 photo by Paul Weatherman, Summer Fest stage/beer garden area on California north of Oregon)
Now just under two months until the biggest West Seattle party of the year – Summer Fest! It’s presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, Friday-Sunday, July 12-14 this year, and WSJA has just released the main-stage music schedule. Again this year, the main stage will be on California north of Oregon, with performances Friday and Saturday (Sunday, that’s where you’ll find the Farmers’ Market). Here’s the lineup!
FRIDAY
3:00 Quid Quo
4:00 Bexley
5:00 Low Hums
6:00 Angry Blackmen
7:00 The Little Lies
8:00 La Fonda
9:00 Girl Trouble
10:00 The Long WintersSATURDAY
11:00 Mode Music Studios Showcase
12:00 School of Rock
1:00 NOVACHROME
2:00 Bouquets
3:00 Society of the Silver Cross
4:00 Frond
5:00 Johnny Nails
6:00 Chimurenga Renaissance
7:00 M.Krebs
8:00 Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army
9:00 Walking Papers
10:00 Sonny & the Sunsets
The festival also will include a smaller stage, plus vendors, food/drink, an expanded kids’ area, and more – we’ll bring you more updates in the weeks ahead!
(WSB photo from 2023 Admiral Funktion)
So much summer (and late spring) fun ahead! Today the Admiral Neighborhood Association wants you to know it’s bringing back the Admiral Funktion block party in the heart of The Admiral District, Saturday, August 24th, from 11 am to 10 pm … and while that might sound far away, planning and preparation starts early for festival organizers and participants, so they’re launching a call for vendors now! Registration is open via this link. (And if you want to get early intel about this event and other Admiral summer fun, be at the Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering tonight at 7 at Admiral Church!)
One of the year’s first festivals is exactly two weeks away – the West Seattle Bee Festival in High Point. Here’s the overview of what’s planned for the festival 9 am-4 pm Saturday, May 18, at Commons Park (home to the West Seattle Bee Garden) and along Lanham Place:
During the noon-4 pm festival, two dozen nonprofits, schools, agencies, and city departments will have informational booths so you can connect with your community. That and the other Bee Festival activities and performances are all free!
SIDE NOTE: You can help get the Bee Garden ready for the festival by volunteering there Sunday morning!
As mentioned in our coverage of the most-recent Morgan Community Association meeting, the group’s summer festival is expanding again this year, getting closer to what it used to be, including an area for community groups and vendors. If you’d like to be part of that, MoCA wants to hear from you ASAP – here’s the reminder:
The date for the Morgan Junction Community Festival is on the horizon, so we need to make the LAST CALL for Festival Vendors and Nonprofit Booths!!
The Morgan Junction Community Festival returns to Morgan Junction on Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. It features live entertainment in Morgan Junction Park, and the return of the popular vendor booths with everyone’s favorite local businesses, artisans/crafts people, nonprofit organizations, and government groups in the parking lot behind Zeeks Pizza.
Applications for the vendor booths are found at the Morgan Community Association (MoCA) website morganjunction.org/festival. Application deadline is 5:00 pm April 30, 2024.
Contact the Morgan Junction Community Festival team at mocacnc@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for helping make the June 15th Morgan Junction Community Festival absolutely amazing!
(Full ‘Snow Moon’ setting this morning, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
The arrival of the full “Snow Moon” brings an end to two weeks of Lunar New Year celebrations. Tomorrow (Saturday, February 24) you’re invited to the final community event announced for West Seattle – the Lunar New Year Lantern Festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden. The garden borders the north edge of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus at 6000 16th SW on Puget Ridge. The festival is set to start at 11 am and continue through 3 pm, with music, dance, crafts, story time, tea, and more – the full schedule is here. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
When we reported last week on the Washington State Black Legacy Institute, which recently moved to the historic former church at 2656 42nd SW, we noted the first big public event coming up: the Business Festival During Kwanzaa.
WSBLI, which hopes to inspire by surfacing long-lost stories including those of successful Black entrepreneurs a century-plus ago, will host entrepreneurs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. WSBLI describes the festival as a “vibrant manifestation of unity, self-determination, and cooperative economics” – three of Kwanzaa’s seven principles. Planned events include free workshops with business and financial experts as well as a homebuyer’s workshop and a vendor fair. WSBLI curator Roger Evans is producing promotional videos for the vendors – here’s the first one:
Other vendors, as listed on this flyer, are scheduled to include A Sista Thang Fashions, Clean Greens Farm, Common Scentz, Diana’s Beauty, Kimberly’s Gems, Merle the Art Lady, Nikky’s Niche Designs, and Tea Moss Shop. Business Festival hours will be 2-7 pm Friday (December 29), 11 am-7 pm Saturday (December 30), and 11 am-5 pm Sunday (December 31). The festival and workshops are free, but WSBLI requests RSVP through Eventbrite – here’s the Friday link; here’s the Saturday link; here’s the Sunday link. Each of those links also will show you the workshop lineup for that day.
That’s the official West Seattle Junction Christmas tree, on the south edge of Junction Plaza Park, officially lit during tonight’s GLOWS (Glorious Lights of West Seattle) festival, after a countdown led by Junction entrepreneur (and Christmas-lights enthusiast) Jack Menashe, six of his grandchildren, and Santa Claus:
Once the tree was on …
… it was time to start the projected community-contributed art display on the side of Alaska House on the north side of the park – we recorded some of this first-ever display on video, but you really had to be there to appreciate it:
One more report to come from tonight’s festival – some of the performances from Jay Cates’ All-Star Ensemble of West Seattle musicians! (Here’s our first report, with photos and video from the first two hours.)
(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)
4:18 PM: Never mind the rain – the West Seattle Junction’s biggest event of the holiday season is happening now. SW Alaska is closed to vehicle traffic between California and 41st, for the Night Market (vendor list/map here), tree lighting, and Glorious Lights of West Seattle (GLOWS) festival. Here’s the schedule for what’s onstage (42nd/Alaska intersection), following host Marco Collins’ welcome:
4:00-5:00: Costume contestants walk through tunnel of lights [alley west of the park]
4:05: Endolyne Children’s Choir performance
4:30: School of Rock performance
5:00: Host in the Audience with Christmas music
5:15: ArtsWest performance from ‘Snowed In‘
5:30: Light Costume Contest on Stage* [here’s how the contest works]
6:00: The Jay Cates West Seattle All-Star Jazz Ensemble
7:00: Menashe Public Address & Tree Lighting
7:15: West Seattle GLOWS Art Projection Spectacular [on side of Alaska House north of park]
8:00: Close of event
Updates to come!
4:30 PM: Found Santa Claus! Meanwhile, the Endolyne Children’s Choir is just wrapping up its festival-opening performance:
Steps away, the Tunnel of Lights (alley between the park and Panterelli) is open for costume contestants – and photo ops:
Host Marco Collins is sporting an illuminated hat:
The beer/wine garden is open on the southeast corner of 42nd/Alaska, near the stage. More coverage to come!
5 PM: Just concluding the second performance, West Seattle School of Rock:
Costume-contest judging by the crowd is coming up in about half an hour.
5:25 PM: ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) brought a song from “Snowed In”:
The rain’s very light, so no umbrellas needed currently.
6 PM: An hour of music is about to launch – with some surprise All-Stars joining Jay Cates – and then it’s tree time. This past half-hour, the costume competition winners were chosen by audience acclamation. At center below is Archer, who won the “individual” category with her costume of “many jellyfish”:
(added) Closer look:
Archer said she worked for months on the costume! Junction merchants donated the prizes – they’re presenting this whole thing, in fact, as it’s a West Seattle Junction Association production (with community co-sponsors including WSB).
(Added) The “groups” winner was “Santa and Lucy the dog”:
(Photo sent by Amy)
(Added) Three clips from the costume contest – dogs here, individuals here, groups here … Enjoy the break in the rain – the Night Market continues until 8:
And 7:15 pm is when the light projections of community GLOWS contributions are set to start, on the Alaska House wall high above Junction Plaza Park.
8:09 PM: The tree was lit, the community art projected, the serious rain held off … and the All-Stars were so awesome, we’re breaking those videos out into a separate (updated) third report, after Report #2 shows the tree lighting itself … all ahead.
Here’s the newest information for tomorrow night’s big events in The Junction – the Night Market, tree lighting, and GLOWS festival:
That’s the production company’s site map, with WEST at the top. Notice one important update from what we’ve been mentioning – SW Alaska will be closed between California and 41st, stretching one block further east than previous years. The tree is still in Junction Plaza Park as always, but note that the stage is actually in the 42nd/Alaska intersection. Most of Alaska west of 42nd will be filled with Night Market vendors (two shops on that stretch, A la Mode Pies and Panterelli, will be serving from their regular locations). On Alaska east of 42nd, you’ll find two food trucks, Tabassum and BlackStar Kebab, near the beer/wine garden. Here’s the list and locations of Night Market vendors. And here’s the updated schedule of events, 4 pm-8 pm:
4:00: Festival begins. Host Marco Collins introduction. Night Market and Beer & Wine Garden are open.
4:00-5:00: Costume contestants walk through tunnel of lights
4:05: Endolyne Children’s Choir performance
4:30: School of Rock performance
5:00: Host in the Audience with Christmas music
5:15: ArtsWest performance from ‘Snowed In‘
5:30: Light Costume Contest on Stage* (here’s how the contest works)
6:00: The Jay Cates West Seattle All-Star Jazz Ensemble – led by Jay Cates and featuring an all-West Seattle ensemble
7:00: Menashe Public Address & Tree Lighting
7:15: West Seattle GLOWS Art Projection Spectacular
8:00: Close of event
It’s not too late to get a light costume ready for tomorrow’s contest – here are full details on that. See you in The Junction tomorrow night (whatever the weather)!
One week from today, while the West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be in its usual spot on California SW between Alaska and Oregon, an extra block will be closed for The Junction’s Halloween celebration. To recap, the West Seattle Junction Association decided, starting this year, to split what had been the Harvest Festival into two events – the Fall Festival, with a variety of games and activities, happened four weeks ago, and Halloween in The Junction, with a costume parade and trick-or-treating, happens next Sunday (October 29th). It’s set for 11 am-2 pm, kicking off with the costume parade starting at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska), led by the West Seattle High School Band as in years past. Then at noon, the Seattle Thrillers will perform. An extra block of California SW, from Alaska to Edmunds, will be closed to vehicle traffic; you’ll find trick-or-treating and activity booths there (as well as treats offered throughout Downtown West Seattle by businesses). See you in The Junction next Sunday!
P.S. This and other business-district-trick-or-treat events – along with other Halloween-season events – are listed on our West Seattle Halloween Guide page.
2:14 PM: The Fauntleroy Fall Festival is on! You have until 5 pm to get to the 9100 block of California SW for free festival fun at venues on both sides of the street – the activity list and schedule can be seen here. (And if you’re worried about the weather – many of the events/activities are under a canopy or indoors.)
2:43 PM: Bunny visits are immensely popular. Here’s the line:
That’s happening behind the schoolhouse, where you’ll also find pumpkin bowling:
And music – the Brews Brothers are playing until 3:
Walking from that area toward the schoolhouse, you’ll find West Seattle photographer Holli Margell‘s decorated photo booth:
One change in plan – no birds; The Falconer had to cancel because of illness.
3:30 PM: Before the cakewqlk (video above), the cake judging – Josie and her Dia De Muertos cake won big:
(added) Kathryn sent the next photo – explaining, “Cora was so excited to win the beginners category with her first cake!”
Heading outside, to the Fauntleroy Church parking lot, a variety of festival classics – like pumpkin-decorating:
Birdhouse-building too:
Little ones can make salmon hats to wear to the salmon-drumming event one week from today:
Or get up and take a look inside Seattle Fire Engine 37 (nearest one to Fauntleroy):
Along with activities, you’ll also find booths with local organizations, including the Fauntleroy Community Association:
And the Emergency Communication Hubs (a good thing to get up to speed on – it’s just been a week since that North Sound earthquake shook some here, and the statewide earthquake drill is ahead this Thursday):
And as we’ve been noting in previews, this is volunteer-powered, including the crossing guards helping people get safely between the venues:
The rain has remained light, but again, there’s plenty to do indoors too – the West Seattle Big Band, directed by Jim Edwards, has just started its set inside The Hall at Fauntleroy on the schoolhouse’s south end!
Festival’s only half-over – still time to get here and have fun until 5.
7 PM: Adding more photos and video above. The festivities were best summarized by someone we passed while there, remarking to someone she was with, “This is a delightful fall festival!”
That’s the map for Sunday’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival – venues on both sides of the 9100 block of California SW in the heart of Fauntleroy, 2-5 pm. Here’s what you’ll find – the activity list, and the schedule for time-specific events:
And one more reminder for cake-bakers – you’re invited to enter the decorated-cake contest (with entries doubling as donations for prizes in the cake walk) – bring your fall-themed cakes to The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s Vashon Room (south end of Fauntleroy Schoolhouse) by noon Sunday – more info here.
(A few of the cakes from 2022 Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
As we’ve been reminding you, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival is now just days away – Sunday (October 15th), 2-5 pm. Here’s another way you can be part of it – bake and decorate a cake! From organizers:
The Fauntleroy Fall Festival will be hosting our annual Cake Decorating Contest and Cake Walk! Here’s your chance to show off your baking skills! We’re accepting fall-themed cakes for beginners, intermediate, and advanced categories. Please submit entries by noon (Sunday) in the Vashon room of the Hall at Fauntleroy. Following contest voting, cakes will be gifted in the Cake Walk.
The Hall (south end of Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, 9131 California SW) is one of the main venues for the festival. Meantime, a few volunteer openings remain, and even if the online signup fills up, organizers tell us you can show up on festival day to help out, too.
(2022 WSB photo, The Falconer at Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
From birds to bunnies to bouncing, crafting to cakewalking, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival‘s unique lineup of fun is just one week away! From 2-5 pm next Sunday, October 15th, festival activities take over both sides of the 9100 block of California Avenue SW in the heart of Fauntleroy, in and around Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and The Hall at Fauntleroy/Schoolhouse. Thanks to donations and volunteers (still a few spots left), it’s all free (except for some food/beverage offerings). P.S. If you’ve never been to the Fauntleroy Fall Festival before, our coverage from last year shows you some of the fun.
(WSB file photo)
Even before we get to Halloween, October brings plenty of fall fun. One of the biggest events is just two weeks from today, so here’s a reminder to set your calendar – the Fauntleroy Fall Festival. From 2-5 pm on Sunday, October 15th, you’ll find a variety of activities on both sides of the 9100 block of California SW in the heart of Fauntleroy, in and around Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and The Hall at Fauntleroy/Schoolhouse. Pumpkin-painting, birdhouse-building, salmon-hat-making, music, and more – all free (except for some food/beverage offerings) thanks to volunteers (can you help?) and donations. Rain or shine!
(WSB photo, Fauntleroy Fall Festival 2022)
The Fauntleroy Fall Festival is just two and a half weeks away. It’s powered by volunteers and donations, and festival organizers are especially interested right now in more of the former:
The Fauntleroy Fall Festival is Sunday, October 15, from 2-5 pm. This annual event is free to the community and expects more than a thousand people this year. The event offers bouncy castles, pumpkin painting, bird house building, live music, bunny petting zoo, food vendors, pie-eating contests, and so much more. The event is organized by volunteers and could use additional help the day of the event. If you have the time, please consider volunteering for the event.
The festival is spread across both sides of California SW in the heart of Fauntleroy – in and around the church/Y and event hall/schoolhouse.
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