(File photo – Junction flags, which will fly on the Fourth)

We’ll have a full daily list in the morning as always, but in case you’re about to unplug, here are six things to know about the Fourth of July in West Seattle!

BUSINESS CLOSURES/CHANGES: Here’s the list we’ve been adding to after putting out a call for info earlier this week. Not too late to add to it – email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302.

KIDS’ PARADE: 10 am, starting from 44th SW/Sunset SW in North Admiral, proceeding to Hamilton Viewpoint Park for sack races and other activities, details here.

ART GLASS SECONDS SALE: A Fourth of July tradition at Avalon Glassworks (2914 SW Avalon Way), 10 am-2 pm.

FIRST FRIDAY, HOLIDAY EDITION: Want to celebrate with friends and neighbors? Highland Park Improvement Club is continuing its First Friday events at the past-and-future HPIC site, 12th SW/SW Holden, (updated) 5:30-8:30 pm, this time including hot dogs and a pie bake-off!

FIREWORKS: The big show is over Lake Union at 10:15 pm (and shown live by KONG TV) and many will crowd north-facing West Seattle viewpoints to get a partial view of them. … If you’re looking for what else is visible from here, southwest West Seattle might have a view of the Vashon Island fireworks at dusk over Quartermaster Harbor. And the highest easternmost points in WS, with a distant view of Bellevue, might be able to see those 10:05 pm fireworks

LOSE OR FIND A PET? The noisiest night of the year tends to lead to more lost/found pets. Remember that WSB has for more than a decade and a half kept West Seattle’s original lost/found pets page – send info/photo to us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or via text 206-293-6302.

The balloon animal in the logo for this year’s West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade is more than a graphic – it represents one of the activities that await kids at Hamilton Viewpoint Park post-parade! We are now two days away from West Seattle’s biggest Fourth of July event, which usually brings more than 1,000 people to North Admiral. The parade, now presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, starts at 10 am Friday from 44th SW/Sunset SW [map]. No pre-registration necessary, just show up! This is a non-motorized parade, aside from Seattle Fire Engine 29, a police motorcycle escort, and the “community pickup truck” that usually lead off. At the 44th/Sunset gathering point, the national anthem will be sung by 12-year-old Lola Orza, and with the ringing of a ceremonial bell, the parade will proceed west/southwest to Atlantic, east on Atlantic, across California – this is what even non-participants should know: Police block traffic for the parade to cross California, so you might experience a delay if you’re traveling through that area during the 10 am hour on Friday (although last year the officers brought the parade across in multiple groups, punctuated by passage for waiting vehicles). At the park, local businesses and organizations will offer activities, and other highlights include sack races and public-safety vehicle tours. This year there’s an expanded lineup of food/beverage/treat trucks and carts (listed here). The park activities will end by 1 pm, and then it’s off to the rest of the holiday. The parade and activities are offered free of charge, but it’s a big cost to the ANA (from permits to porta-potties), covered in part by sponsors (listed here) and donations (here’s how to help).

9:03 AM: Though we usually only make closed/open lists for the big end-of-year holidays, we’ve had a couple inquiries this year about who’s open/closed on the Fourth of July. We’ve noticed over the years that some restaurants and other businesses have closed early on this holiday so employees can celebrate (and because customers have often moved on to their own plans by nightfall), so if your business is closing early or entirely this Friday, we’d be happy to include the info on our holiday list. Three ways to get us that info very quickly and simply – comment below, or email westseattleblog@mail.com, or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!

UPDATE: We’re adding info below as we hear from businesses/organizations:

CLOSED JULY 4: First in, Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) tasting room/wine bar – open Thursday 7/3 5-9 pm, CLOSED Friday for the holiday, open Saturday 7/5 1-6 pm.

CLOSED JULY 4: Also received: “The West Seattle Food Bank (35th SW/SW Morgan) will be closed Friday for the 4th of July, and The Clothesline (not regularly open on Fridays) will be closed in honor of the holiday on Saturday, July 5th. We will reopen for food and clothing distribution on Tuesday, July 8th with our regular hours.”

OPEN EARLY JULY 4: “Mission Cantina (2343 California SW) will open early on July 4 at 9 AM for brunch—perfect for anyone heading to the West Seattle 4th of July Kids Parade or just looking for a great way to start the holiday.”

CLOSED JULY 4: “Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW) will be closed July 4th, returning to regular hours Saturday the 5th (10-8).”

CLOSED JULY 4: “Moon Room (5902 California SW; WSB sponsor) will be closed on July 4 and will reopen for regular hours July 5 from 11 am – 5 pm.”

CLOSED JULY 4: “Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) will be closed 4th of July and will resume normal hours on the 5th.”

CLOSED JULY 3 & 4: “Lady Di Pet Chaperone (9037 35th SW) will be closed for pet day care July 3 & 4.”

HOLIDAY HOURS JULY 4: “West Seattle Grounds hours will be 7 am to 2 pm on July 4th.”

(WSB file photo)

Only five days until the Fourth of July! The biggest holiday event on the peninsula is the West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade, now presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, 10 am Friday from 44th SW/Sunset SW [map]. This parade is for kids and their parents/caregivers/etc. – no pre-registration necessary, just show up! Just before the parade rolls out, organizers tell us, the national anthem will be sung this year by 12-year-old Lola Orza; ANA president Joanie Jacobs will speak briefly; and the parade’s founders will be special guests. The parade route will be the same as always, west/southwest to Atlantic, east on Atlantic, across California, then heading for Hamilton Viewpoint Park, where activities including sack races await, plus food/beverage/treat trucks and carts (listed here). The parade runs on volunteers and sponsors (also listed here – WSB is this year’s media sponsor). See you there!

Just a quick reminder before the day’s out – the Juneteenth holiday tomorrow (Thursday, June 19) will bring various closures, particularly in government-operated facilities. Seattle Public Library and King County Library System branches will all be closed; so will many Seattle Parks facilities. Juneteenth is also a US Postal Service holiday and banking holiday.

Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Dave Gershgorn
For West Seattle Blog

From the small flags marking veterans’ graves, to the larger one behind the podium, the Stars and Stripes waved in the breeze that swept across Forest Lawn Cemetery during this afternoon’s brief Memorial Day ceremony.

American Legion Post 160 Commander Keith Hughes, an Army veteran, was the featured speaker, presenting what he described as a condensed version of the Legion’s annual message, reminding Americans of “true heroes.” Here’s part of what he said:

He declared that our freedom comes from those who fought for it, not from “the politicians,” and urged everyone to remember that. He concluded with the classic poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae.

Before and after his speech, Lexi Nguyen sang – the National Anthem to begin, “God Bless America” to conclude:

Emcee was Forest Lawn’s GM Greg Carlson, who offered gratitude to the 20+ people who showed up for the observance:

After just 15 minutes, the ceremony ended, while the flags atop veterans’ graves fluttered on:

This photo of a West Seattle Memorial Day ceremony is from Chad with Troop 282:

(Photo by E. Caron)

Scouts from Scouting America Troop 282 performed a flag ceremony in honor of Memorial Day for residents of SHAG Arrowhead Gardens this morning.

The troop meets Tuesday evenings from 7:30-9 at shelter 1 in Lincoln Park starting June 3rd. Come join us!

(WSB photo: Flags at Forest Lawn)

Here’s info you might find useful on this Memorial Day Monday:

TRANSIT

Metro: Sunday schedule

West Seattle Water Taxi and its shuttles: Regular weekday schedule

Washington State Ferries: Changes include two-boat weekend schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth

Sound Transit: Schedule changes here

Other services: See a list here

TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Our page highlighting local cameras is here

SDOT’s map with cameras and alerts from around the city is here

CLOSURES/CHANGES

Most Seattle Parks facilities

Seattle Public Library facilities

Schools

Government offices

Banks

USPS holiday

No charge for street parking in Seattle neighborhoods with city pay stations

OPEN

Highland Park Spraypark (11 am-8 pm, 1100 SW Cloverdale)

Colman Pool (noon-7 pm, on Lincoln Park shore, session schedule here)

SPECIAL EVENTS

*The traditional Memorial Day ceremony will be held at Forest Lawn (6701 30th SW), 2 pm, all welcome

*Final day for for Art on the Corner art sale to benefit nonprofit work, 8:30 am-3 pm (39th/Holden)

*Low-low tide today, -3.4 feet at 10:50 am. The scaled-back Seattle Aquarium beach naturalist program will be at Constellation Park (63rd/Beach) 9-11:30 am

*Holiday-weekend sale – Moon Room Shop and Wellness is “offering 15-20% off items in store and online” again today. Find Moon Room (a WSB sponsor) online here or in person at 5902 California SW, open 11 am-5 pm today

Anything else we should know/let others know about? Texting’s the best way to reach us today – 206-293-6302 – thank you!

Video, photos and story by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Kids and families flocked to the south meadow at Lincoln Park on Saturday morning for West Seattle’s biggest annual egg hunts, sponsored and organized by Eastridge Church and featuring 15,000 treat-filled eggs. 

The slight drizzle and overcast skies were no match for the prevailing Easter spirit, as families began lining up to check-in and get their designated hunt bags, divided into age groups:

Eastridge has a campus in Issaquah and also a West Seattle campus (4500 39th Ave SW), and on Saturday the organizers including pastor Craig Mathison welcomed attendees to the Lincoln Park hunt:

…as prospective hunters and families began taking their places around the two fields that event volunteers had set up with thousands of eggs each:

Here’s video of the first wave of young hunters (with parental help allowed): Lincoln Park — Eastridge Church egg hunt 2025 (group 1).

And following a short break to allow volunteers to restock each field, here’s the second wave (kids only): Lincoln Park — Eastridge Church egg hunt 2025 (group 2):

In each group, one lucky participant was able to find an egg containing a “golden ticket” to exchange for a large Easter basket:

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

6:02 AM: Good morning and welcome to Monday, February 17th, Presidents Day. Here’s what you should know:

TRANSPORTATION

Transit – Regular Water Taxi service today; Metro is on a regular weekday schedule too; no planned state-ferry changes; here’s the Sound Transit holiday plan

Traffic cameras – Here’s our page of West Seattle-relevant cameras; the citywide map is here

Parking – No charge today for pay-station spaces on city streets in neighborhoods with them

OTHER SERVICES

Schools – Closed (for some, including Seattle Public Schools, no classes all week – mid-winter break)

Libraries – Closed

Parks facilities – Here’s what’s closed and what’s open

Mail – Holiday for most USPS facilities/services

Banks – Holiday

WEATHER

Intermittent rain, high in the mid- to upper 40s.

EVENTS

Check the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar to see our list of regular Monday night happenings.

If you see news – including traffic trouble – please call or text 206-293-6302 when you can do so safely – thank you!

(WSB photos by Dave Gershgorn)

The tumultuous midday weather didn’t stop the celebration at West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center this afternoon – just forced a bit of a delay until the Lion Dance to commemorate the arrival of the Year of the Snake:

(Vovinam Burien performed this year’s Lion Dance.) The historic Vietnamese flag was also raised for the holiday, known as Tết, with South Vietnam military veterans in attendance:

Also visiting for the celebration, new citywide City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck (below with center director Ducly Bui):

The festivities included food:

And a group photo:

You can visit the Vietnamese Cultural Center most Saturdays, noon-3 pm, at 2236 SW Orchard; watch the center’s website for dates of other celebrations.

ADDED SUNDAY: Thanks to Lynda Bui for Lion Dance video!

(Photo courtesy Seattle Colleges)

By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

In advance of today’s holiday, Seattle Colleges hosted the 52nd annual Community Celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Friday at South Seattle College’s Brockey Center. The event featured music, speeches, and reflections focused on continuing Dr. King’s fight for justice.

KIRO TV anchor Deedee Sun emceed the event, welcoming attendees with a call to action. “We’re all here today because we see a better future for tomorrow,” Sun said.

(Greater Works performing ‘We Shall Overcome’)
Gospel choir Greater Works, directed by DaNell Daymon, opened with a high-energy performance of “Praise Him,” earning a standing ovation. Their second song, “The Lord is Blessing Me,” brought even more energy to the room, with the audience clapping along and many wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “social justice.” (We featured two of their songs in this report on Friday.)

Reverend Dr. Phyllis Beaumonte of Mount Zion Baptist Church delivered an invocation that highlighted Dr. King’s courage and enduring relevance.

“We should ask ourselves how we can honor and continue his legacy, not just for a gathering once a year,” Beaumonte said. “Who will take the baton he spoke of and continue the support for voting rights,for housing for the poor. Who has the courage to speak out against racism, anti-semitism, do those things that are required of us for when we leave this place, our skin color is not going to matter. It will return to ashes to ashes and dust to dust.”

Keynote speaker Tim Wise (video above), a prominent anti-racist educator, delivered a candid critique of systemic racism in the U.S., quoting Dr. King: “The largest part of white America is still poisoned by racism, which is as native to our soil as pine trees, sagebrush, and buffalo grass.

“You won’t hear that Dr King quoted on Monday.,” Wise said, referring to the overlap of MLK Day with the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump. “They take one line out of one speech, which I gather is the only speech they ever heard…one line about judging people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin…You don’t get shot for that line. You don’t get shot for that sanitized version of a vision of America, he gets shot, because he said some other things, and he believed in some other things.”

U.S. House Rep. Pramila Jayapal (video above) reflected on Dr. King’s activism during turbulent times, drawing parallels to present-day challenges.

“The year he died … has a lot of similarities to the moment we find ourselves in today,” Jayapal said. “… Dr. King would want us to come together and refuse to give in to the divisiveness, to the racism, to the xenophobia that is being fueled and spread, to stand up courageously for our most vulnerable communities, for our students, For our workers and demand what is right, no matter how difficult it may seem in the moment.”

She encouraged action, saying, “I will be spending the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King’s birthday Monday, January, 20, right here at home feeding the hungry.”

The program also honored social-justice leaders and initiatives, including the Academy for Rising Educators (ARE), which focuses on diversifying the teaching workforce. Dr. Pat Russell spoke about the program’s mission, noting that 80% of teachers are white.

“These children are not seeing themselves,” Russell said. “When you don’t see yourself you get the message loud and clear, ‘this is not for me.’ We need to make sure that every child knows that education is for them and that’s what ARE is about.”

Speakers also included Seattle Colleges Chancellor Dr. Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap (video above), who spoke of her time as president of SSC, talking about its evolution toward becoming an anti-racist institution.

The event concluded with Greater Works’ rendition of “Oh Happy Day,” led by the choir and joined by the audience. Sun closed the celebration with a message: “I hope this day wakes you up.”

The event served as a kickoff to Seattle Colleges’ second annual Social Justice Week, continuing the conversation and commitment to equity inspired by Dr. King. See the event listings here.