West Seattle, Washington
01 Saturday
Can you spare some time – and your voice – for some special holiday cheer? At 4:30 pm Wednesday, carolers are gathering in the 3600 block of 48th Ave. SW – just west of Madison Middle School – to surprise a neighborhood resident who we are told is very ill and receiving home-based hospice care. We’re also told he’s a retired police officer who “loves Christmas.” His friend Marcia is organizing this and says, “It would just take a few minutes and would be a chance to give back to someone willing to give all.”
Updating the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide with more events from now through New Year’s, including …
(Photo courtesy Cocoa Cris Cringle)
Easy Street Records will again host Cocoa Cris Cringle, as a benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank, and Cocoa Cris e-mailed us today to make sure we knew in time to share the news – it’s his 7th annual “Theatrical Holiday Photo Funomenon“! 4-9 pm this Saturday (December 19th), “shop for records, enjoy hot cocoa, and prepare to have a truly unique holiday photo experience … Cocoa welcomes families, individuals, groups, and most pets. … Suggested donation $15-$20, superflexible. Includes 3 poses with a variety of hats, props, and a fog machine. One printed photo to take with you, and shots with your smartphone or camera.” Easy Street is in the heart of The Junction on the NW corner of California/Alaska.
P.S. Other new additions to the guide include Santa at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) with multiple appearances during the last week before Christmas; details on Highland Park Improvement Club‘s not-to-be-missed New Year’s Eve celebration, including the legendary Not-So-Silent-Night Parade; and New Year’s yoga at Sound Yoga (WSB sponsor). We’ve also just received more listings for Christmas Eve/Day church services, and we’re making our Christmas list of restaurants/coffee. Anything to contribute to the guide, happening between now and New Year’s Day? E-mail us the info ASAP so we can get it in – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
The week and a half before Christmas is prime time for light-lovers – and we are glad to have new views of the Davis family display at 46th SW & SW Genesee [map]. Duane Davis explains, “These were taken from the balconies of the new house across the street (approx. 15 ft – 40 ft above the sidewalk). There are over 6,000 LED and 4,000 incandescent light in my bushes, trees, and on the house. Our neighbors have joined in the festivities, making the drive between Genesee and Dakota very nice with lots of lights.” We’re adding this to the Christmas-lights section of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, and would be happy to add more – do you have a dazzling display to share, whether it’s yours or somebody else’s? We’d love photos but will also welcome simple address/neighborhood info so we can go out and photograph it ourselves – editor@westseattleblog.com or text to 2062936302 – thanks!
Game’s over, back to holiday fun! Until 5 pm, you can see and shop tables and walls full of art at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) during the “Deck the Walls” art sale and open house. Ornaments too!
The art’s all under $50 and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the artists. You can also get your purchase(s) wrapped, compliments of Furry Faces Foundation. And say hi to the Hotwire team and friends – below from left, Tara, Mia, and proprietor Lora:
Hotwire’s at 4410 California SW, right next to the Junction Post Office.
P.S. The art sale continues beyond the open house, during Hotwire’s regular hours for the rest of the holiday season.
This morning’s chilly wind is a reminder of why the donations you see in the wagon above – and more to come, we’re sure – matter so much. A coat, or blanket, or hat you don’t need can help warm up someone who does. Bring your donation(s) to the Hometown Holidays tent at the south end of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, where volunteers from the West Seattle High School Key Club are assisting Kiwanis Club members with the collection, and with offering hot cocoa, as well as keeping the tent from sailing away on gusts!
You can also enjoy caroling by the Endolyne Children’s Choir:
It’s all on until 2 pm, as is the Farmers’ Market itself. If you miss this but still have items to donate, we have a list of giving opportunities in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Here’s some of what you can do in West Seattle today, from the listings in our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and regular year-round Event Calendar:
ARTS & CRAFTS AT C & P: C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) hosts the second and final day of its Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair featuring unique, local arts and crafts, including handmade jewelry, toys, clothing, prints, paintings, furniture and more.
8 am-2 pm. (5612 California SW)
LAST SCHEDULED DAY FOR HOLY ROSARY TREE LOT: Shopping for your Christmas tree? The Holy Rosary Tree Lot (WSB sponsor) is scheduled to be open for its last day. 9 am-9 pm. (41st SW & SW Dakota)
JUNCTION HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS COAT/BLANKET DRIVE: Caroling, cocoa, and coat donations (plus blankets and other warm items you can spare). 10 am-2 pm. “Join the Junction Association and West Seattle Kiwanis at the Farmers Market for a taste of the holidays and several activities to enjoy. And to share warmth with those in need, we will collect coats, blankets and warm items.” (California/Alaska)
‘ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PARTY’: Noon at the Sisson Building, presented by Calvary Chapel/West Seattle – details in the calendar listing. (California SW & SW Oregon)
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Innate Vitality‘s open house, 12:30-3 pm, including free sample classes: yoga, strength, pilates, & barre, and holiday shopping with Urban Treasury. (4509 SW Wildwood Place)
‘DECK THE WALLS’: Open House and Deck the Walls, at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), 2 pm-5 pm. “Who loves local art, easy holiday shopping, and a sparkling open house? Celebrate original art and shopping local with the annual Hotwire holiday open house. Holiday-inspired food, sparkling drinks, giveaways, raffles … Join Hotwire and co-host Todd D. Martin Lifestyle Designer. Shop local directly from the walls. All art will be priced under $50 and 100% of the proceeds goes directly to the artist. We’ll wrap it too, compliments of Furry Faces Foundation.” (4410 California SW)
DUWAMISH WINTER SONGS AND STORIES: 2-3:30 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle, with Johnny Moses; details in the calendar listing. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
HOLY ROSARY CONCERT: Cantare’ Vocal Ensemble presents the “Sounds of the Season” holiday concert at 2 pm at Holy Rosary Church. Conducted by Mark Adrian and accompanied by the CVE Chamber Orchestra, “Sounds of the Season” brings together traditional arrangments and new comtemporary settings of joyous choral music to help you ring in the holidays. Concert and ticket information is available at www.cantarevocalensemble.org. (4210 SW Genesee)
CONCERT AT ST. JOHN’S Seattle Metropolitan Singers “invite you to join us for our annual holiday concert at 3 pm. The concert will be held at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church. Admission is by free-will donation” (3050 California SW)
LADIES MUSICAL CLUB: Seattle’s oldest musical group presents a free concert at 3 pm at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, with “staged and costumed scenes from Carl Maria von Weber’s DER FREISCHÜTZ, considered the first important German Romantic opera.” (2306 42nd SW)
FINAL PERFORMANCE: Last chance to join Twelfth Night Productions for “A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play.” 3 pm at Kenyon Hall; check for tickets at this Brown Paper Tickets link or an hour before showtime at the venue box office. (7904 35th SW)
FAUNTLEROY CONCERT: Enjoy the second performance of this Christmas Concert at Fauntleroy Church, 4 pm. Featuring the Fauntleroy Chancel Choir, Peace Lutheran Choir, and local instrumentalists. (9140 California SW)
(WSB photos, updated 9 pm: Above, Santa & Menashe granddaughters Makenna and Angelica)
What could be more Christmasy than Santa photos at West Seattle’s brightest light show? Until 10 pm, “Santa Al” is making his annual stop at the Menashe Family Christmas Lights – bring a nonperishable food item for the West Seattle Food Bank and take a photo that’ll be bursting with holiday festiveness. Yes, the weather’s a little wild, but there’s a canopy for photo protection!
5605 Beach Drive SW.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Again this year, a doubleheader night for the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship in West Seattle began at Lowman Beach, right around sunset. The view is different from the nighttime stops, and you could still see the Spirit of Seattle as well as its lights. Onshore:
(This photo and next two by Trileigh Tucker)
The Lowman crowd enjoyed a bit of a break in the rain, and a little sunset color even broke through the clouds:
At both Lowman and Alki, Seattle Parks provided a bonfire:
Among those who appreciated their work: Sarah, who shared this photo:
Sarah wrote in her e-mail, “We had a great time watching the Christmas ships go by tonight at Lowman! Thanks to all who brought out hot drinks & built the big fire!”
From Lowman (where you might be able to watch next year from the observation deck atop the new Murray CSO facility across the street) the Christmas Ship headed to Alki Beach Park, where a bonfire also awaited:
(This photo and next three, by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Inside the Bathhouse, a chance to get treats:
On the east side of the Bathhouse, Christmas Hope performed as an opening act:
Then, as rainshowers drifted in and out, the Christmas Ship sailed up – with The Dickens Carolers singing for 20 minutes until it was time to go, leaving West Seattle for the last time this season.
If you missed it, you can hear the performance (for the next day or two) in the archived video from our live Periscope phonecast. The rest of the Christmas Ship’s regional schedule, nightly through Christmas Eve-Eve, is online here.
(WSB photo added 4:16 pm)
Less than an hour until the Christmas Ship‘s final West Seattle visits begin, and you can get ready for the second stop, at Alki Beach Park (5:10-5:30 pm, following 4:20-4:40 pm at Lowman Beach), by visiting the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s ‘Holiday Party on the Porch,’ with free treats on the covered porch at the Log House Museum, right now at 61st SW & SW Stevens (half a block inland from where you’ll see the Christmas Ship).
The porch party is the second of two big events today for SWSHS:
(Photos courtesy Southwest Seattle Historical Society)
At the historic, city-landmark Admiral Theater, Santa Claus jingled his way into the auditorium during “Claus, Chowder, and Cartoons,” a free family event this morning. Santa’s stage show followed a program of short Christmas cartoons.
SWSHS supporter Duke’s Chowder House provided soup for the Admiral crowd and is doing the same at the museum right now.
While you’re out shopping your favorite local stores this weekend, you can also see what local arts-and-crafts creators are offering at the annual C & P Coffee Company Holiday Fair. Here are a few things we spotted during our stop:
The fair is on until 3 pm today, and then from 8 am until 2 pm tomorrow; C & P is at 5612 California SW, between Alaska and Morgan Junctions.
Who in this photo’s been naughty and who’s been nice? Up to “Santa Paws” to find out. Thanks to Bethany from Cascadian Nomads for sharing the photo of her canine friends’ adventure in The Junction, where – as previewed on our daily list – you can get a free professional Santa photo at West Seattle Windermere until 1 pm. (4525 California SW)
With Banda Vagos as the headliner once again, Friday night’s sixth annual Posada Navideña holiday party at Denny International Middle School was a hit. Especially so far as the piñatas were concerned:
Denny principal Jeff Clark was there to assist the littlest piñata-targeters:
Posada organizer and Denny teacher Roxana Amaral, too, as first a butterfly and then a dolphin (the Denny mascot) got the takedown treatment.
Crafts and food were on the menu , with at least one activity combining both:
The first Denny Posada, in December 2010, was the only one held in the school’s old building a few blocks from the one it’s occupied since fall 2011.
Hours away from the start of an even-bigger holiday weekend – and right now, we’re even seeing a bit of a sunbreak. From our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and year-round WS Event Calendar:
HOLIDAY GIVING: The Holiday Guide has a list of ways you can make this a happier holiday season for your neighbors. Just added to it:
That’s one of the Giving Trees for the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor): “The West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA hosts a Giving Tree each December, which is full of gift requests for youth involved in our programs. Making an impact is easy! Stop by either Y location in West Seattle, pick a tag off of the tree, purchase the new gift and return unwrapped to either Y location by (the end of Monday).” (4515 36th SW or 9140 California SW)
(Added: WSB photo, WSFB’s Judi Yazzolino and HSB’s Melodie VanHouten with “Santa Al“)
SANTA PHOTOS AND TREATS AT HOMESTREET ANNIVERSARY PARTY: HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) celebrates its two-year anniversary in West Seattle, featuring free photos with Santa, a hot cocoa bar, warm apple cider, holiday treats, and more, 3-6 pm! Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the West Seattle Food Bank. (41st SW & SW Alaska)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Chief Sealth International High School hosts West Seattle HS for a full slate of games today/tonight: Girls’ junior varsity 3:30 pm; boys’ junior varsity 5 pm; girls’ varsity 6:30 pm; boys’ varsity 8 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)
HOLIDAY TASTE: Sample holiday-meal dishes at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) in Admiral, 4-7 pm. (41st SW & SW Admiral Way)
POSADA AT DENNY: 6:30-8:30 pm, the annual Posada Navideña at Denny International Middle School. It’s “a Latin American celebration of the holidays through music, dance, food and games. Everyone is welcome!!! Please bring a traditional holiday dish to share. Featuring live music from Banda Vagos and performances from Denny and Sealth International Dance Groups. Plus games, raffles (including a grand prize of an Amazon Fire Tablet) and piñatas.” (2601 SW Kenyon)
HANDBELL CONCERT: Bells of the Sound at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor): This year’s holiday concert is “Ring, Little Bells“! Come see and hear Puget Sound’s premier handbell ensemble at 7:30 pm – show and ticket details here. (3940 41st SW)
HOLIDAY JAZZ: The Steve Griggs Jazz Ensemble, featuring Steve Griggs, Milo Petersen, Susan Pascal, and Evan Flory-Barnes, will play Christmas and seasonal favorites, 7:30 pm. Come support the West Seattle Helpline and professional jazz in West Seattle, brought to you by the “Music with a Heart” concert series at Alki UCC. Free Will offering, $15-20 suggested; refreshments at intermission. (6115 SW Hinds)
ARTIST RECEPTION AND F3 FUNDRAISER: At VAIN (WSB sponsor), “We are presenting modern terrariums created by West Seattle artist and animal lover Michelle Crabtree available for sale to benefit Furry Faces Foundation Dec 11th-31st. Meet the maker behind these captivating miniature living landscapes 6-8 pm Friday, December 11th. 100% of proceeds go to Furry Faces Foundation to help keep pets and people together. In addition, we will have select boutique items on sale to benefit F3, including Drink EZ handmade coasters created by Angie Cooper.” (4513 California SW)
It’s been four weeks since this year’s WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide launched – thanks to everyone who has shared information and event listings for the only one-stop place to find out what’s happening holiday-ish in West Seattle. This morning we’re reminding you that we continue to update the Holiday Guide at least once a day – adding new listings, and removing what’s already happened – and since today marks exactly two weeks until Christmas and three weeks until New Year’s Day, we’re especially interested in:
-Holiday church services
-Holiday restaurant/coffee hours if you’re going to be open (Christmas Eve/Day, New Year’s Eve/Day)
-New Year’s Eve/Day celebrations and contemplations (just added a labyrinth-walk listing, for example)
Don’t worry about sending posters/flyers/other graphics, though a photo is helpful if available and relevant – just send the information, in plain text (NOT a Word doc/PDF/etc.) in the body of your e-mail, to editor@westseattleblog.com. Thank you!
(New Year’s 2015 Space Needle fireworks photo by David Hutchinson)
A day that began in tumult – lightning, thunder, rain, wind – ended peacefully and tunefully, in calm weather, on the Harbor Island shore, as the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship made its first West Seattle stop of the 2015 season, at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsoor). A cozy crowd watched from inside, while other spectators stood on the shore. Here’s some of what they heard from Choir of the Sound, singing on board, amplified for those ashore to enjoy too:
Two more West Seattle stops are ahead for the Christmas Ship, both on Saturday night (December 12th) – Lowman Beach 4:20-4:40, Alki Beach Park 5:10-5:30, with The Dickens Carolers singing; see our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for other events happening on Alki before/during the visit. If you want to experience the Christmas Ship from on board, schedule and booking information can be found here.
Though Christmas is still more than two weeks away, some donation/gift drives have to wrap up early so there’s time to get gifts and other items to the people who will have happier holidays because of your generosity. Among them – the kids who will be helped by the Giving Tree at Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW). The photo is from Tiffani on the center’s staff; as the poster says, they’re collecting unwrapped gifts until this Friday at 6 pm – just two days away – and they’re hoping to have something for all the kids under 17 who will be at the South Park Community Center holiday party on Saturday.
Your chance to be a real-life Santa continues past then, of course – please scroll through the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for a long list of giving opportunities, including many local businesses where you can drop off a toy or a coat or other items, large and small.
Even if the weather outside is frightful, the Christmas Ship will be delightful … and, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, you have three chances to see the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship in West Seattle this week! Wednesday, 9:15-9:35 pm, serenading Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), with Choir of the Sound on board; then Saturday (December 12th), 4:20-4:40 at Lowman Beach, 5:10-5:30 pm at Alki Beach Park, with The Dickens Carolers on board. Alki Bathhouse is offering cookies and hot cider, 4-7 pm, for the occasion, and you’re also invited to stop by the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens) for its “Family Holiday on the Porch” starting at 3 pm Saturday, with free cookies, cider, and chowder.
Imagine buying one-of-a-kind holiday gift baskets for family and friends and knowing the entire purchase price would benefit local nonprofits. That’s what’s at the heart of the annual St. Nicholas Faire, happening right now at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) just north of The Junction. The baskets are assembled and donated by church members, each with a theme:
We noticed baskets with Seahawks or Mariners gear, books, toys, cooking, gardening, beer, the list goes on. You can either bid on them or get them for the “guaranteed” price. Your host is FLCWS pastor Rev. Ron Marshall:
Wine-tasting and homemade baked goods are also available during the St. Nicholas Faire, on until 7 pm – as noted in our daily preview for today, there’s a suggested donation for admission, lower if you bring a donated item for the West Seattle Food Bank, which benefits from everything at the Faire along with the West Seattle Helpline. The church is at 4105 California SW; enter off California, just south of the sanctuary door.
P.S. This has been spotlighted in our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, still full of fun, giving, and informational listings for the rest of the holiday season (and if we’re missing something, let us know!)
Just found out about this, which is why it wasn’t in the daily preview (we’ll add it there shortly): You’re invited to join Rabbi Zari Weiss and members of West Seattle synagogue community Kol HaNeshamah for a public celebration of the first night of Hanukkah. They’ll be in The Junction for candle-lighting and singing at 4:30 pm, on the southwest corner of California/Alaska. All welcome!
(EDITOR’S NOTE: More video from the event is here.)
Story/photos/video by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
As community Christmas trees go, the official West Seattle Junction tree is humble – subtle, even. It’s a warm glow of pinpoint lights rather than a brilliantly blazing bush. But it’s not really the main event at the annual Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association – the main event is a sampler of community. And with hundreds of new residents within walking distance of Junction Plaza Park, tonight’s event served as a primer of sorts for them as much as a traditional community celebration.
The spotlight speaker, Menashe & Sons Jewelers proprietor Jack Menashe (above), mentioned that a majority of recent visitors to his store are new arrivals. That might be why emcee Josh Sutton from the West Seattle YMCA felt the need to point out to the crowd – surprisingly sizable for a rainy night – that the Menashes are the family who decorates their Beach Drive home with West Seattle’s brightest Christmas lights; if you knew this, it was especially charming to hear Jack Menashe talk about driving around West Seattle himself to look at others’ displays and expressing appreciation for them.
If you’re new here, you might not know that Lori Hinton (photo below) literally wrote the book on West Seattle – “West Seattle 101” – in the ’00s. (Some of its more-timeless features were republished here on WSB.)
At tonight’s Tree Lighting, she read a customized version of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” name-checking Junction stores and restaurants.
Another Junction entrepreneur featured tonight was Lora Swift (with Josh Sutton in the photo above), proprietor of Hotwire Online Coffeehouse, who told a few holiday jokes and reminded everyone about the big summertime series she organizes, West Seattle Outdoor Movies, a six-week series in the courtyard next to her coffee shop (watch in the spring for the annual round of movie suggestions).
A deep-rooted West Seattle tradition had a role in the event too – the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival, more than 80 years strong, with leaders Jay and Joanne Murray speaking before bringing up some of Hi-Yu’s young representatives, including the first-ever Ambassadors. As they mentioned, Hi-Yu’s next Junior Court will be crowned during the monthly meeting Monday night at Admiral UCC (7 pm).
Then, there was a taste of the West Seattle arts. The young singers of Endolyne Children’s Choir sang holiday traditions under the direction of Amy Stagno Bokanev, as they do each year:
ArtsWest brought Frederick Hagreen, who’ll be in an upcoming After-Hours holiday cabaret show:
Jay Cates and the Big Boss Band played jazzy versions of holiday favorites, featuring Kate Voss (with a few jokes as well as a cameo). A high-school marching band as an opening act has become a fixture, and this year it was the West Seattle High School Band:
Finally, minus celebrity guests or gimmicks, the tree was lit, with Josh Sutton leading everybody in a big spirited countdown (here’s our alternate version, from mid-crowd):
The Junction tree, just lighted! pic.twitter.com/Btcr57Me1f
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) December 6, 2015
The lights twinkled on cue, and the crowd began to shift, many posing for photos with the tree:
(Thanks to Jeff Long for that photo of Schmitz Park Elementary students with the newly lit tree.)
As Jack Menashe described it, West Seattle can be like a small town in a big city … even as it grows. Next year, look for more new neighbors in Junction Plaza Park enjoying the old-fashioned fun of a tree lighting. Extra-Christmasy with “Santa Al” on hand – umbrella and all:
P.S. The Junction’s Hometown Holidays celebration continues next week, when Shop Late Thursday coincides with the holiday edition of the West Seattle Art Walk – featuring carolers! – 6-9 pm December 10th.
(As always, we disclose when we mention WSB sponsors. Three are mentioned in the story above – West Seattle YMCA, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse, and Menashe and Sons Jewelers. And WSB is a sponsor of Hometown Holidays.)
No reindeer in sight, but Santa posed with the sleigh that was filling with food-drive donations right before Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s “Light Up the Night” gathering tonight. Out in the street between the OLG Parish Life Center and church, “The Starry Crowns” led caroling:
OLG parishioner and Seattle Channel host Brian Callanan emceed again this year, which also meant leading the countdown to switching on the lights now shining bright outside the church:
Though the church no longer hangs lights on the towering evergreen at the corner of 35th and Myrtle, you could argue the lights close to the ground, including smaller trees, are even brighter:
A cheery crowd, hundreds strong, joined in song, including the traditional keyring-shaking during “Jingle Bells” – listen!
P.S. An extra meaning to this year’s “Light Up the Night” – checking around as we finish this story, looks like what we and other semi-early arrivals saw in the northwest sky, heading east to west, around 6:50 pm, really WAS a meteor, noticed from B.C. to Seattle, according to this report. OLG pastor Father Jack Walmesley was among those who saw it, and mentioned it before his opening prayer.
One more reminder with the biggest holiday breakfast event of the season just hours away – the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will be serving you a pancake breakfast 7 am-11 am at the Masonic Center in The Junction. Looks like you can still save $2 by buying advance tickets online – the link is on this page – $8 advance, $10 at the door on Saturday morning. Kids under 10 eat for free if they’re with a paying adult, and they get free photos with Santa Claus. This is the 68th year the Kiwanis Club is presenting this benefit breakfast; if you can, bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. It’s bound to be festive and a great way to start a great holiday Saturday in The Junction (looking ahead to the 5 pm tree lighting). The Masonic Center is at 40th SW & SW Edmunds.
Just a few nights until the tree in Junction Plaza Park will be lit as part of Hometown Holidays, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association with co-sponsors including WSB. And tonight, we have the lineup, so you know how it’ll unfold – with more room this year because of the SW Alaska street closure between 42nd and California (as first reported here two weeks ago), you won’t have to worry as hard about getting there early to get a space.
The West Seattle High School Marching Band, directed by Ethan Thomas, is the opening act, playing by quarter till 5. At the top of the hour, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse proprietor Lora Swift takes the microphone, and will then introduce emcee Josh Sutton from the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). By 5:05, Josh will introduce the Endolyne Children’s Choir and director Amy Stagno Bokanev. Quarter past, you’ll be hearing from Jack Menashe of Menashe and Sons Jewelers; then ArtsWest has a mini-performance, followed by a few words from West Seattle Hi-Yu, and then at 5:30 pm you won’t want to miss the special poem by local writer Lori Hinton. Jay Cates and the Big Boss Band will play, with the tree scheduled to be lit around 5:38 pm. Before and after all this, it’ll be the Junction Holiday Party – with many merchants serving up holiday specials and treats.
P.S. Get in the mood for all this two nights early with the first Shop Late Thursday, tomorrow night! And preview the rest of the weekend and the season in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – still adding more events daily.
(As always, we disclose whenever we mention sponsors: Three are in this story – Hotwire, the Y, and Menashe & Sons)
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