West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
This year’s West Seattle Summer Fest is just two days away, Friday through Sunday in the heart of The Junction! And this year’s festival has three stages, as the map above shows – the big one at the north end (CA), the Community Stage at Junction Plaza Park (CS), and another stage at the south end (SS), focused on wooden-instrument music. Here’s the list of what performances/presentations are happening where/when:
Events include more than music – on Sunday at noon, for one, we’ll be moderating one of your last looks at the District 1 City Council candidates before primary voting begins next week. Meantime. our Summer Fest previews continue later today and you’ll find lots of info right now on the festival-presenting West Seattle Junction Association‘s website. Festival hours are 10 am-8 pm Friday and Saturday (with music running later) and 10 am-5 pm Sunday. Remember the streets close tomorrow (Thursday) night around 6 for setup – and that means it’s Summer Fest Eve, with lots of reasons to come down and wander, so watch for that preview this afternoon too!
Three days to go until West Seattle Summer Fest, the year’s biggest party, in the heart of The Junction. Our previews continue. This year, official festival T-shirts are back! Right now – last call for advance T-shirt sales, if you want to show up at the festival (Friday-Sunday, July 12-14) already decked in Summer Fest splendor – or if you just want to be sure you get one; advance sales end at noon tomorrow (Wednesday). After that, they’ll be sold at the Info Booth during the festival (California/Alaska) while they last. Find the order form and lots more info here.
Four days until the biggest party of the year fills the streets in the heart of The Junction – West Seattle Summer Fest. The festival has enough going on that you can go all three days – Friday-Sunday, July 12th-14th – but a little advance planning might be helpful, so we’re continuing previews all week long. First, the booths! Since Summer Fest – presented by the West Seattle Junction Association (with co-sponsors including WSB) – began as the merchants’ summertime sidewalk sale, most year-round businesses will have sales and specials. But you’ll want to browse the visiting booths, too. They’re not all businesses, as you’ll see when you check out the list here – which features booths as well as year-round merchants’ sidewalk sales. Some will include local businesses from outside The Junction. And you will also notice on the list that some agencies and nonprofits will be at Summer Fest again this year. For example, Sound Transit will be there to answer your West Seattle light-rail questions; WSDOT will be there to talk about tunnel tolling starting later this year. And in two areas, including with us in the Info Booth at California/Alaska, you’ll find community organizations:
Friday
10am 2pm INFO Seattle Public Schools Head Start
10am 2pm INFO NAPS Doulas
2pm 6pm INFO Toastmasters of West Seattle
2pm 6pm INFO Kol HaNeshamah
10am 2pm BOOTH Sound Generations
10am 2pm BOOTH Latino Community Fund of Washington State
2pm 6pm BOOTH National Center for Science Education
2pm 6pm BOOTH 981st Bridger BPSA ScoutsSaturday
10am 2pm INFO 34th District Democrats
13-Jul Saturday 10am 2pm INFO Seattle Police Department
13-Jul Saturday 2pm 6pm INFO Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network
13-Jul Saturday 2pm 6pm INFO SR3 – SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation, Research
13-Jul Saturday 10am 2pm BOOTH Girl Scouts of Western Washington
13-Jul Saturday 10am 2pm BOOTH American Lung Association
13-Jul Saturday 2pm 6pm BOOTH Year Up
13-Jul Saturday 2pm 6pm BOOTH The Whale TrailSunday
11am 2pm INFO D1 Community Network
11am 2pm INFO Tenants Union of WA State
2pm 5pm INFO Fostering Together/Olive Crest
2pm 5pm INFO West Seattle Toastmasters Club #832
11am 2pm BOOTH Rainier Roller Girls
11am 2pm BOOTH Southwest Lacrosse Club
2pm 5pm BOOTH Team Gleason/Gleason Initiative Foundation
2pm 5pm BOOTH Be SMART program of Moms Demand Action and Everytown For Gun Safety Support Fund
So many reasons to visit Summer Fest, we hope to see you there all three days! Friday and Saturday 10 am-8 pm (with music running later), Sunday 10 am-5 pm. More previews ahead, including Summer Fest Eve – lots happening once the streets close for setup Thursday night.
That sign represents one of two things you need to know about next Sunday, which will be the third day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2019: The West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be back in its original location, the lot behind KeyBank/Bin 41/Pharmaca, since festival booths will be occupying its usual space. Same time, 10 am-2 pm.
Speaking of time, the official Summer Fest start time will be 10 am on Sunday, not 11 am as in past years – people start showing up at 10 am anyway, because of the Farmers’ Market, so the festival-presenting West Seattle Junction Association decided to go ahead and make that the official Sunday start time (as it is for Friday and Saturday, both with 10 am-8 pm festival hours and music running later, though on Sunday everything wraps up at 5). WSB is a Summer Fest co-sponsor again this year and we look forward to seeing you again in the heart of The Junction, starting Thursday night for Summer Fest Eve once the streets close!
Six days until the start of West Seattle Summer Fest! So many reasons, big and small, that you will want to visit at least once – like this tradition, the annual quilt-raffle fundraiser!. Stina Lane-Cummings from West Seattle Quilters shares the photo and announcement:
If you love bright, modern colors, this year’s West Seattle Quilters’ Raffle Quilt is the quilt for you! Purchase your tickets (still only $1 each) at the 2019 West Seattle Summer Fest (July 12 – 14) outside the Stop ‘N’ Shop. After Summer Fest, tickets will be available at the Senior Center reception desk. Ticket sales go directly to the Senior Center. The drawing for the winning ticket takes place during Rainbow Bingo, September 27, 2019; you don’t need to be present to win.
Titled “Westside Staircase,” this year’s quilt is a striking zig-zag design in vivid batiks against a pale teal background. At 65″ x 80″, it’s a perfect throw for your sofa or bed.
West Seattle Quilters meet at the Senior Center on the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 pm to share quilting ideas and projects. Quilters of all ages, abilities, and quilting styles are welcome to join us!
Look for WSQ – and the quilt – on the east side of California just south of Oregon (maybe on your way to/from the main stage and beer garden, which are just north of Oregon). More Summer Fest previews ahead!
We are now exactly one week away from the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest, the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, three days and two nights in the streets in the heart of The Junction, Friday, July 12th, through Sunday, July 14th. Today’s preview: Changes in the Kids’ Zone. The festival is presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, whose executive director Lora Radford tells WSB that “the rides are less expensive, we have more inflatables, and we’re donating back a percentage of the proceeds to our fellow nonprofits.” Those nonprofits are in turn helping out at the ticket booth – West Seattle Helpline on Friday, Global Visionaries on Saturday – and WSJA is still looking for volunteers to help on Sunday: A four-hour shift gets you a full day pass to games for any one of the three festival days. Email lora@wsjunction.org if interested. For more about the Kids’ Zone, including pricing and advance wristband purchase, go here.
P.S. Ride hours this year are 10 am-8 pm Friday and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm Sunday.
West Seattle’s biggest party of the year starts in just nine days: West Seattle Summer Fest, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association in the street in the heart of The Junction, Friday, July 12th through Sunday, July 14th. Though those are the official festival dates, locals know it all kicks off the night before with what we’ve come to know as Summer Fest Eve. On Thursday, July 11th, the streets close so festival setup can begin, so you can wander at will (California from Oregon to Edmunds, Alaska from 42nd to 44th) while also enjoying West Seattle Art Walk night. You’ll find performances at several spots in the street – including the kid-delighting Bubbleman – and outdoor cafes set up outside some of the year-round food-and-drink spots. When the festival officially kicks off on Friday morning, if you don’t have to be off-peninsula for, oh, say, work, come enjoy a quiet few hours before the music starts in midafternoon – here’s the lineup, as announced at the end of May. Thats all on the main stage at the north end of the festival grounds, California north of SW Oregon; even more music is planned on the Community Stage in Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska) – that schedule is here. Lots more to preview, from kid stuff to pet stuff, vendors to community groups food and drink … just want to be sure for starters that your calendar is set!
Until 8 tonight, and again 11 am-6 pm Sunday, you are invited to be part of the 20th Arts in Nature Festival at Camp Long (5200 35th SW). You can create, and/or contemplate …
The late afternoon sun sparkled off the park’s pond, highlighting the “nature” part of the festival’s name. Nearby, Cabin 8 offered a chance to make paper cranes for peace outside …
…while inside the cabin, artist Joselynn Tokashiki Engstrom‘s installation “The Boys in the Barracks” offers a view into her Green Beret father’s everyday life during the Vietnam War.
Performing arts are a festival feature, too. We were there for Show Brazil! on the stage in the meadow:
A night full of headliners has just begun – see the schedule here. Admission is free; the festival is presented by the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association.
(WSB photo from 2017 Arts in Nature Festival)
As we head into the heart of summer, big events are getting closer – like the 2019 Arts in Nature Festival, just one week away! Here’s the newest preview:
The 20th annual Arts in Nature Festival is right around the corner. Produced by Delridge
Neighborhoods Development Association, this unique FREE Festival on June 29th-30th will feature live musical performances, interactive art installations, creative nature-based activities and more, set in the lush 68-acre landscape of Camp Long, Seattle’s only campground.Come for an hour, or stay all day, enjoy visual art installations in 8 rustic cabins, and full schedules of performances throughout the park each day, including featured musical acts Hollis Wong-Wear, Thaddillac, Tiffany Wilson, and eclectic performances throughout the weekend from performers like Cherdonna Shinatra, NW Tap Connection, Show Brazil!, AU Collective, Totem Star, and so many more.
Arts in Nature Festival: Harmony
June 29 & 30, 2019
Saturday, 11 am – 8 pm / Sunday, 11 am – 6 pm
Camp Long, 5200 35th Ave SW
FREE!!!In addition to interactive art activities and games for all ages, there will be local food trucks on site, and adults can wet their whistle at the festival beer garden. There will also be booths from many of DNDA’s local partners. Bring some cash to purchase items and to donate to the Festival if you can.
Activities abound for kids and adults. Become immersed in your local environment and experience the beauty that exists at the intersection of art, nature and neighborhood.
You can learn more about the Arts in Nature Festival on the DNDA website, www.dnda.org/festival.
(FESTIVAL SCHEDULE HERE … VENDOR LIST HERE … ‘BARK OF MORGAN’ INFO HERE)
Music and more will greet you as soon as you get to the Morgan Junction Community Festival, happening until 4 pm in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW):
That's Bubbleman, watching the Endolyne Children's Choir at the Morgan Junction Community Festival. He's up at 10:45. pic.twitter.com/sMw4A0KKDA
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 22, 2019
As a sponsor, we’re on site for the duration, and right next to us on the north side of the park, you have the chance to talk with Seattle Parks about the future park addition:
They’re seeking opinions on proposed concept for the park, as planning/design continues. Also here on the north side, kids’ art activities. Entertainment is in the park; vendors and community organizations are just to the south, including the lot behind Zeeks Pizza and Whisky West.
More coverage to come!
11:40 AM: Bubbleman has wrapped up after delighting a park full of delighted kids:
Spotted in the crowd: One child who brought a baseball mitt to try to catch bubbles. Right after Bubbleman said bye-bye, the families streamed out here to the north side, many for the face-painting and art activities (balloon artist, too!) … some to check out the park-feedback table next door … and others are talking with Yun Pitre from the Department of Neighborhoods, who has joined their space. Also here, the SPD Mobile Precinct.
On the sidewalk nearby: Chalk art!
And in the park, the next performance is about to begin – world-beat music with Soyaya. Then in about an hour, be here with your dog(s) for the Bark of Morgan!
12:20 PM: All three City Council District 1 candidates are here, with tables between the park and Beveridge Place Pub. Phil Tavel would be here anyway, as he’s helped coordinate the festival and serves as vice president of the Morgan Community Association, which presents it:
Also here, Brendan Kolding and Lisa Herbold:
No speeches scheduled – just a chance to talk with them if you have a question, comment, etc. Two of these three will advance to the general election, depending on how the August 6th primary turns out.
Meantime, Soyaya continues to perform in the park:
And it’s lunchtime! You have multiple options. But if you go over to West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), the fresh-grilled burger/hot dog lunch proceeds all go to support keeping the festival free!
Bark of Morgan coming up at 12:45! Bring your dog(s) to the north side of the park – look for the signs on the fence of the future park addition.
Bark of Morgan dog parade: pic.twitter.com/d2pt0y6YTz
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 22, 2019
1:30 PM: Above, our Twitter video of the parade as it concluded, followed by contests. Cash, for example, won “loudest bark”:
Happening now, a festival favorite – the Splatter of Morgan, on the fence around the future park addition. Paint and squirters provided!
Onstage in the park: Servants of the Rich.
Billed as Celtic folk music, Servants of the Rich has been doing a lot of U.S. oldies pic.twitter.com/HHMd2RwjCW
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 22, 2019
The festival continues until 4 pm.
2:49 PM: This is the quieter home stretch of the festival. The final performers are even playing under the name Quiet Heart (Gary Benson and Ariel Westfall). The banner-towing plane (not associated with the festival!) that was making passes every 15 minutes for a while is gone. Some cool art has been created:
Kids’ craft/art tables are still in action west of us; the Parks table to the east of us is gettng lots of action. The festival is volunteer-powered, and free in no small part thanks to community sponsors (including us):
Remember that supporting local community businesses often also means you’re supporting local community events and activities too.
3:06 PM: The sun finally joined the party!
Festival's final hour. pic.twitter.com/kInKf4O3IF
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 22, 2019
3:47 PM: Cleanup has begun. Congratulations to the Morgan Community Association on a fun 14th annual festival!
(WSB June 2018 photo, Thriftway barbecue on festival day)
Now just two days until this year’s Morgan Junction Community Festival, 10 am-4 pm Saturday (June 22nd) in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW). Today’s preview – the food! From festival organizers:
Food vendors will be located in the Beveridge Place Pub parking lot, on Beveridge Place, and in the vendor area from 10:00 to 4:00.
Very exciting and first time for the festival, four local Food Innovation Network (FIN) entrepreneurs will offer their diverse menus. FIN runs a business “incubator” which enables these entrepreneurs by launching and growing their businesses through its outreach efforts – e.g., placing them at area farmers markets and other venues such as community events and neighborhood festivals. Visit FIN’s website at https://foodinnovationnetwork.org to find out more about the full scope of its activities.
The four vendors participating in the festival are East&West Catering, providing African-inspired samosas, kabobs, and spicy red rice; Boujee Food&Things, featuring soul-food desserts and sandwiches; Mama Tila, preparing authentic Mexican dishes; and Monique’s Hot Kitchen, whose items may include Kenyan roasted corn, fried potatoes, and mendazi (African donuts). Each of these food vendors are highlighted at FIN’s news-stories site at https://foodinnovationnetwork.org/news-stories/
Two food trucks will be at the festival. Tabassum features authentic Central Asian street food, including savory meat and vegetarian hand pies and two types of salads, and popular West Seattle truck Thai-U-Up offers its full complement of Thai dishes.
If you’re looking for that special dessert, Blue Bird Ice Cream, Unsweetened Tooth, and Dolcetta Sweets will have booths in the vendor area behind Zeeks and Whisky West.
And last but not least, West Seattle Thriftway will be grilling burgers from 11:00 am to approximately 3:00 pm in front of the store as a fundraiser to benefit the festival (suggested donation $7 for burger, chips, and a soft drink) as they have so generously done year after year.
The festival schedule and other info can all be found in our calendar listing. WSB is a community co-sponsor again this year – see you there!
Just five days now until the first full day of summer brings the 2019 Morgan Junction Community Festival, 10 am-4 pm Saturday (June 22nd) in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW). Your dog is not just welcome, but encouraged, as the festival features the Bark of Morgan:
The Bark kicks off with the Pooch Parade through the Festival Grounds, followed by Canine Contests.
12:45 pm – Pooch Parade:
Leashed dogs and their human should line up by 12:40 pm north of Morgan Junction Park on SW Eddy Street. Costumes are encouraged. The parade will travel through the Festival Grounds back to Eddy Street.
1:00 pm – Canine Contests:
Contests take place north of Eddy Street after the Parade. Categories are:
Cutest Puppy
Loudest Bark
Smallest and Largest Dog
Best Trick
Best CostumeThree winners will be awarded for each contest. Contest winners are based on the audience applause-o-meter as certified by the Master of Ceremonies.
This year The Bark is sponsored by Ventana Construction, with prizes provided by Pet Elements and Puddles Barkery. We gratefully acknowledge them for their support.
Find more festival preview info in our calendar listing.
(WSB photo from 2018 Morgan Junction Community Festival)
West Seattle’s next summer festival is one week away! The Morgan Junction Community Festival takes over Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW) and vicinity next Saturday (June 22nd). In this preview – the vendors!
The festival features more than 30 vendors this year, some new, many returning, who are mostly from West Seattle neighborhoods. They will be in the parking lots behind Zeeks and Whisky West and on Beveridge Place and Eddy Street (south and north of the park). Handmade jewelry and crafts by local artisans make up the majority of for-sale items. A variety of commercial vendors will be there to provide information on their services and/or products. Community and local government organizations look forward to informing festival attendees about their activities and how to become involved. Cal-Mor residents will be selling bottled waterm with proceeds going toward their recreation fund.
New Morgan Junction Business
Paper Boat Books
Community/Government Organizations
Seattle Parks and Recreation – will showcase draft plans for the park extension, based on feedback from a survey they conducted during last year’s festival
Seattle Police Department
West Seattle Democratic Women
34th District Democrats
Seattle Public Library
West Seattle Food BankEdibles (more food annoucements in a separate preview!)
Blue Bird Ice Cream
Dolcetta Artisan Sweets – handcrafted chocolates, caramels
Indulge Desserts – local cake and cupcake specialty bakeryFor Kids
West Seattle Leaps and Bounds – Children’s therapy information
Counter Force – Takewondo Martial Arts information
Church of the Nazarene – gamesHandmade Crafts/Jewelry
Ginger Jewelry Design
Penguina Designs
Lelia Rae Handbags
Perch Paper Goods
Rich and Pam Thompson
Wendy Sloneker, Green Gift HandkerchiefsPets
Puddles Barkery – dog treats
Mud Bay – pet food and suppliesServices/Lifestyle
Smith Brothers Farms
Intuitive Art Seattle
Just in Case – Disaster Preparedness Services
Nepenthe Massage and Boutique
Vibrant Magazine (Unified Outreach)
West Seattle Electric and Solar
Pathway Desigh & Construction
Wellness
Super Supplements
Good Med Direct Primary Care
De Sautel Chiropractic
Seattle Allergy Natural SolutionsDistrict 1 City Council Candidates
Lisa Herbold
Brendan Kolding
Phil Tavel
As a festival co-sponsor, we’ll be there too, for as-it-happens coverage. More festival info in our calendar listing!
With nine days to go until this year’s Morgan Junction Community Festival (10 am-4 pm Saturday, June 22nd), it’s time to rev up the previews. First, a longtime hallmark of the free festival – chances to get creative. Here are some of the highlights, as announced by organizers:
New! Art Zone specifically created for tweens, made possible by a SPARKS Department of Neighborhoods grant.
For the past 12 years, the Festival has offered arts and crafts activities geared to younger children with around 100 children participating each year. The festival committee explored expanding art activities to appeal to middle-school kids and applied for and received the grant, which will pay for the art materials and art zone setup.
K-8 art teacher Dani Myers from St. Francis of Assisi School in Burien has designed a program of six fun art projects and encourages all tweens and teens to participate. These projects are: paint pouring, a mesmerizing technique that creates designs as you pour specialized paint on a surface to create beautiful colors and designs; watercolor painting, discover basic techniques to paint small landscapes and skyscapes; printmaking, make multiple copies of an image you’ve created using a simple block printing process; use plaster gauze and paint to create a simple sculpture; and create a work of art you can play with too with fluffy colorful slime. And the best news is, no prior art experience is necessary, just get involved and have fun!
Also:
The arts and craft zone with projects for younger children starts at 10:00 and continues until 4:00.
The Spatter of Morgan starts at 1:15 and wraps up at 2:30 in the park expansion area. Festivalgoers can blast away with pressurized water toys filled with paint to create a colorful, chaotic “mural.”
The festival is held in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW). WSB is among the community co-sponsors. More previews to come – next up, why dogs are very welcome at this festival!
Just six weeks until West Seattle Summer Fest 2019 (July 12-14)! The music lineup has just been revealed – here’s the announcement:
Music is once again taking center stage with a stellar line-up that includes some of the best bands in the Northwest. Big names for this event also include Night Beats, Jeremy Enigk, Spirit Award, and Stas THEE Boss. West Seattle’s Ben Jenkins and Troy Nelson, co-founders of Killroom Records, booked the event lineup and had this to say:
“We had a lot of fun rounding up the artists for West Seattle Summer Fest 2019. Showcasing artists that are making a significant impact in our city is something we focused heavily on this year. We also wanted to represent all genres from our vibrant music scene. We’re excited to see this line-up come together!”
In addition to the headliners, festivalgoers can catch more than 24 artists performing on the California main stage Friday through Sunday. The diverse lineup includes artists like Boss Martians, Dyed, Actionesse, and West Seattle Soul.
This FREE 3-day party in the streets celebrates West Seattle as a thriving music and arts community.
In addition to the main stage, check out the Community Stage located in Junction Plaza Park, The Community Stage features local Seattle artists and musicians who are brimming with a wide-variety of talents. At the South end of the festival, the totally unplugged Wooden Instrument Stage will offer buskers, kids’ music and local singer songwriters. Sidewalk cafes, local arts and crafts shopping, gaming tents, kids’ rides, and a beer garden next to the festival stage, means there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Find out more about the music lineup on the official Summer Fest website.
Friday, July 12
3:30 Razor Clam
4:30 Sweet Jesus
5:30 Stas THEE Boss
6:30 West Seattle Soul
7:30 The Grizzled Mighty
8:30 Common Market
9:30 DJ Kurt Bloch
10:00 PolyrhythmicsSaturday, July 13
11:30 Rockaroke
12:30 School of Rock
1:30 Mr. Dinkles
2:30 Pom Pom
3:30 Actionesse
4:30 DYED
5:30 Jeremy Enigk
6:30 Spirit Award
7:30 Night Beats
8:30 JENN CHAMPION
9:30 DJ Mister Moon
10:00 Blackie (Blondie Tribute)Sunday, July 14
11:00 Dance Powered
12:00 Mode Studio Kids
1:00 Projections On A Wall
2:00 FIX
3:00 Frond
4:00 Boss Martians
Not familiar with them all? Want to preview their music? Here’s a YouTube playlist!
In our continuing series of summer event reminders, today we want to be sure your calendar is set for June 22nd – just four weeks away – when the 2019 edition of the Morgan Junction Community Festival takes over Morgan Junction Park and vicinity, just north of the Fauntleroy/California intersection. The 10 am-4 pm festival presented by the Morgan Community Association includes performances – including the ever-popular Bubbleman – art, kids’ activities, vendors, and the Bark of Morgan pet parade/competition, all free thanks in large part to community sponsors (which include WSB again this year). More info as the festival gets closer!
First performance of the day at@westseattlebee pic.twitter.com/BUXtifvyuH
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 18, 2019
10:33 AM: “Hi, bumblebee!” Just heard a young West Seattle Bee Festival-goer greet one of the guests of honor. The festival is under way until 2 pm in and around High Point Commons Park; Lanham Place SW is closed between Sylvan and Graham for the vendor fair, which is just part of the fun. Ella-Bella Bee and The Pollinators are performing in the amphitheater behind Neighborhood House:
First performance of the day at@westseattlebee pic.twitter.com/BUXtifvyuH
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 18, 2019
Interactive music and comedy until about 11! And if you’re here at 11:30, be part of the parade! Meantime, many all-ages activities, from the Urban Skills Survival Fair on the north side of the park…
… to facepainting toward the south end of the vendor fair on Lanham (which is closed to motorized traffic for the festival) …
“Vendor fair” doesn’t fully describe everyone who’s here. A few people are “vending” – you’ll find beekeepers selling honey by the Bee Garden, too – but many community organizations too …
(Community advocate Mat McBride, who is offering info to prospective “do-gooders”)
SFD and SPD as well. And us … stop by for a free WSB refrigerator magnet while they last:
(It’s our first freebie since the ice scrapers many years ago.)
11:07 AM: Second hour of the festival! As beautiful as the weather is, do take a minute to peek indoors at Neighborhood House – lots going on in there too!
Woodland Park Zoo is visiting with “animal ambassadors.” And the parade starts soon! Back up by the Bee Garden, student jazz:
Student jazz from Mountlake Terrace playing the @WS_BeeFestival pic.twitter.com/4hTnvXffjX
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 18, 2019
11:48 AM: After a bit of parading …
Bee Festival parade around High Point Commons Park. pic.twitter.com/a2Aysu7nHi
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 18, 2019
… it’s on to the festival’s second half. At noon, at the Bee Garden on the north end of the park, see its founder Lauren Englund do a beehive demonstration! And at the amphitheater on the south end, Laura Love performs with Terry Hunt.
Laura Love now performing at @WS_BeeFestival pic.twitter.com/rJydsfCOOB
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 18, 2019
12:46 PM: That’s Laura onstage. And here’s the crowd Lauren drew:
The bees:
You still have time to get here – it’s on until 2 pm; the map for getting here is on the official festival webpage. Lots more visitors than we remember from years past; thanks to everyone who’s stopped by to say hi!
1:19 PM: Less than an hour left! If you’re here, don’t miss the Urban Survival Skills Fair:
This includes very specific preparedness topics – all the way to how to set up an emergency toilet.
If you couldn’t check it out today, the Urban Survival Skills Fair will make an encore appearance at Delridge Day in August (and a scaled-down version during Field Day at South Seattle College [WSB sponsor] next month).
1:50 PM: We were seconds away from tweeting to observe that no candidates had been sighted at the festival, when District 1 City Council contender Brendan Kolding stopped by.
Our longstanding policy “if candidates stop by our booth, we’ll take their picture” continues this year (our next tabling gig is the Morgan Junction Community Festival on June 22nd).
(Photo from 2018 West Seattle Bee Festival)
Sunshine and 70ish temperatures are in the forecast for the 2019 West Seattle Bee Festival tomorrow (Saturday, May 18th), in and around High Point Commons Park (stretching along Lanham Place S between Graham and Sylvan Way). Here are reasons why you won’t want to miss it:
*You can get your daily exercise with the Honey Run around the park as early as 9 am (no timing, no fee, self-led)
*Vendor Fair – 10 am-2 pm on Lanham, which will be closed to traffic for the festival
*Urban Survival Skills Fair – 10 am-2 pm – see our preview
*Performances – Ella-Bella Bee & The Pollinators at 10 am (interactive kid-friendly music and comedy), Laura Love with Terry Hunt at noon
*Parade – Everyone gets to be part of it (kids, grownups, pets …)! Bee costumes welcome, or just “bee” yourself. 11:30 am, follow the Big Bee from the park amphitheater behind Neigbborhood House on the south end
*Beehive Demonstration – Noon at the West Seattle Bee Garden on the north end of the park, where you can also buy honey from beekeepers and enjoy live jazz
Inside Neighborhood House is where you’ll find even more activities such as Woodland Park Zoo‘s Animal Ambassadors, pop-up sewing, and art/science. And there’s even more – see the official festival website. Free, fun, all ages. We’ll be there too, for as-it-happens coverage, so stop by and say hi.
The peninsula’s biggest party of the year, West Seattle Summer Fest 2019, is in view just over the horizon – July 12, 13, 14 – and the plan is taking shape now, so you have to take action fast if you want to be part of any of this:
(WSB photo from Summer Fest 2016 – community tabling at the Info Booth)
COMMUNITY GATHERING TENT: Nonprofits and neighborhood/community groups are invited to apply for a free spot on the lineup, so Summer Fest visitors can stop by to find who you are and what you do. There may be two tents this year but even all those spots will fill up fast, so don’t wait, go here to sign up.
NEW STAGES! Summer Fest 2019 will bring more ways than ever for people to perform or present, including a Community Stage in Junction Plaza Park and a Wooden Instrument Stage at the south end of the festival zone. That’s in addition to the Main Stage at the north end. Interested in a spot on any of those stages? Here’s how to apply.
PARTNERSHIP/SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: While the West Seattle Junction Association presents Summer Fest, countless community sponsors/partners help make it possible. (WSB is among them.) These opportunities remain open until May 19th; this one-sheet (PDF) has more info.
(2017 photo courtesy West Seattle Bee Festival)
It’s your chance to “bee” in a parade,among other things – the 7th annual West Seattle Bee Festival is now exactly one month away. 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, May 18th, you are invited to the West Seattle Bee Garden on the north end of High Point Commons Park and vicinity for fun including music, kids’ activities, an Urban Survival Skills Fair, and the aforementioned parade (11:30 am, costumes welcome, everybody follows the Big Bee around the park). See more here and set your calendar to “bee” there.
(WSB photo from 2018 West Seattle Car Show)
Another West Seattle summertime tradition is in danger of driving into the sunset.
The West Seattle Car Show needs new presenters – or else what was the 11th annual WSCS will have been its last.
If you’re interested in taking the wheel, it’s ready to go without much groundwork, promises Todd Ainsworth, who with Chris Christensen (they own Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks, both WSB sponsors) took over the show in 2014 after the sudden death of its founder, West Seattle Junction entrepreneur Michael Hoffman, who launched the WSCS in 2008. It quickly became a popular late-summer event. In 2015, the show moved to the campus of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), whose Automotive Technology program is the beneficiary of money raised by the show (admission has always been free, while participating car owners pay a nominal entry fee, and there’ve bee additional fundraising opportunities such as drawing tickets).
After five years, Todd says, for a variety of reasons, they have to hand it over to somebody new. “We’ve already got the date reserved at the school and whoever it is will basically receive a ‘car show in a box’ to work with,” he says – definitely a strong jump start. He adds that, “Ideally, it would be a local car club or other community-based group” but so far a quiet circulation of the availability hasn’t brought anyone forward so now they’re going wide.
POTENTIALLY INTERESTED? Contact Todd at 206-938-8685 or via email at wscarshow@gmail.com.
Among the sightings at this afternoon’s High Point Play Area celebration – Deborah Vandermar and Karen Berge representing the 7th annual West Seattle Bee Festival. They were helping kids decorate bicycles for the bike parade, and brought “The Big Bee” for the parade too. Karen tells us they’ve just finalized more details for the May 18th festival – including Laura Love (performing with Terry Hunt) 12 pm-2 pm. The festival stretching from the West Seattle Bee Garden (Lanham/Graham) to Neighborhood House (6400 Sylvan Way SW) will also include “animal ambassadors” from Woodland Park Zoo, science and art activities, music/comedy for kids in the morning, bee and beekeeping demonstrations, and much more. It begins with the informal at-your-own-pace Honey Run 9 am and then the festival is in full flower 10 am-2 pm, including the 11:30 am “kids, pets, everybody!” parade. Just eight weeks from today!
(West Seattle Summer Fest photo by Leda Costa for WSB, 2017)
With warm, sunny weather making a guest appearance, spring and summer are on many a mind. If you’re thinking as far ahead as West Seattle Summer Fest – only four months away – this Wednesday afternoon gathering might be of interest. Received from the West Seattle Junction Association, which presents Summer Fest:
If you’re an artist, crafter, interested in Vintage Alley, or have questions about vending at Summer Fest, we’re holding an info sesh on Wednesday, March 20th, 2 pm at the Junction Windermere. Join the Junction as we answer your vendor questions about the biggest festival of the year. If you’re new to festivals or would like additional information about Summer Fest, join us as we answer your top FAQ’s.
The meeting location is 4526 California Ave SW.
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