(QUICK LINKS: Bus reroutes here … Festival music schedule here … festival food options here … kids’ ride hours and pricing here)
(COVERAGE SO FAR: Saturday morning/afternoon, here … Friday night, with music, here … Friday evening, here … Friday morning/afternoon, here)

5:04 PM: Another clear, warm night is on the way at West Seattle Summer Fest 2018! Thanks to Paul Weatherman for the view from dusk last night, looking over the beer garden/main stage zone on California north of Oregon. Today’s music slate continues leading up to headliner Shannon And The Clams at 10 pm. In the meantime, some bonus tunes:

They’re popular – several people stopped by the Info Booth/Tent asking for directions (Verity is on the west side of California just south of Oregon). Here at California/Alaska, a flamenco dancer and musicians wrapped up about half an hour ago:

They mentioned an upcoming show – in Wallingford, not West Seattle, but if you’re interested, here’s more info.

5:26 PM: Another SFD call for aid to the festival – this time to help someone who is reported to have had a seizure. If you are here and need help, of course call 911 first – if it’s something minor, we do have band-aids and sunscreen at the Info Booth/Tent (courtesy of WSB sponsor GoodMed).

6:04 PM: So here’s how things go for the next several hours. First, big night for music – we caught Gypsy Temple a little while ago:

Here’s the schedule. The music stage is on California north of SW Oregon, with the official beer garden right next to it. As for the rest of the festival activities – it’s up to vendor booths whether they want to stay open past 6 or not, so some have closed. The kids’ rides go until 8; the visiting food vendors usually go until then too, and of course many of the year-round venues will run later.

Also – GreenLife continues at the Senior Center (California/Oregon), where you can catch up with Diver Laura‘s “Virtual Salish See” goggles AND at 7 pm, the movie “DamNation” – here’s the trailer:

Haven’t been to GreenLife yet? Here’s the schedule of events at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) for tomorrow. Don’t miss the booths, too – West Seattle TimeBank, Resting Waters, King County Metro, among others.

7 PM: We’re folding up the info tent – back later for music!

(QUICK LINKS: Bus reroutes here … Festival music schedule here … festival food options here … kids’ ride hours and pricing here)
(COVERAGE SO FAR: Friday night, with music, here … Friday evening, here … Friday morning/afternoon, here)

11:34 AM: We’re already into hour 2 of West Seattle Summer Fest day 2, and The Junction is full of people – and pets! At Hotwire Coffee (east side of California SW, just south of SW Genesee), Stanley was one of the first participants in the Furry Faces Foundation fundraiser Paws & Paint (explained in our calendar listing), which continues until 5 pm, today only! Meantime, this is happening inside ArtsWest (west side of California, just south of SW Alaska):

Until 2 pm, you are invited to visit the West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ instrument petting zoo inside ArtsWest. Just found out about it thanks to a question here at the Info Booth/Tent! Which, by the way, we are sharing again today with community organizations/agencies you should stop by to meet – until 2 pm, Seal Sitters are on the south side of the booth, SR3 Sealife Response, Rehab and Research is on the west side.

For any questions you have at the festival, we are on the north side of the booth, West Seattle Junction Association volunteers are on the east side. (We also have info about other upcoming local events – come get flyers about Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, the West Seattle Car Show, WS Outdoor Movies, Tuesday’s West Seattle Big Band Concert in the Park, etc..)

Other highlights as today gets going:
-Until 6 pm, special programming (see the schedule here) celebrating the grand opening of Verity Credit Union (west side of California south of Oregon; WSB sponsor)
-Noon, programming starts at GreenLife in Junction Plaza Park at 42nd/Alaska (schedule here), with a discussion about saving Southern Resident Killer Whales
-12:30 pm, music starts onstage (California north of Oregon), with a School of Rock showcase
-3 pm, adults’ pie-eating contest at California/Alaska (the kids’ contest is tomorrow)

ADDED 12:33 PM: Even more fun …

Here’s the studio those dancers are from. Also, Celtic Dance at 1 pm and Flamenco at 4 pm. Just be in the California/Alaska vicinity to see the magic happen. Elsewhere at the festival right now… go to VAIN (west side of California just south of Oregon; WSB sponsor) for a photo booth benefiting the Senior Center of West Seattle:

1:21 PM: The Summer Fest sights continue:

And we found the wandering “Star Wars” characters. Not stormtroopers after all:

While you wander, it’s not just about the booths – from sidewalk sales to cafés, The Junction’s year-round businesses are going all-out more than ever this year.

Pegasus Book Exchange‘s $1 sale is a hit. And steps away, Easy Street Records‘ café has extra room because of the temporary sidewalk setup:

Right across California from there, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) has a big sidewalk sale going too – as well as some discounts inside the store:

North of Oregon, the community mural continues to be a work in progress:

And another kind of art continues to be at the heart of the most popular question here at the Info Booth/Tent: “Where’s the face painting?”

Answer: One on each midblock crosswalk hump – plus, you might have noticed on Verity’s grand-opening schedule above, they’re offering facepainting 2-4 pm.

2:45 PM: New group of community organizations here at the Info Booth/Tent:

Endolyne Children’s Choir, West Seattle Be Prepared/Emergency Communication Hubs, and the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club are here now, through 6 pm. On our side of the tent, popular question: Where’s the shaved ice? Answer: By the kids’ rides (same booth as the cotton candy).

3:47 PM: Easy Street changed its marquee this afternoon:

Have we mentioned Easy Street’s huge anniversary sale? Read about it here. Or best of all, just come shop – longtime businesses AND new ones like the one Fleurt (east side of midblock California between SW Oregon and SW Alaska) just launched:

That’s Pili the plant truck aka greenhouse on wheels – part of Inside Wild, launched by Fleurt Collective: “Pili is a mobile plant greenhouse where we offer indoor plants fo sale, plant education, plant matchmaking, and gifts for plant lovers. PILI will be popping up around Seattle throughout the next few months.”

4:26 PM: About to launch the late afternoon/evening coverage. But first – if you’re wondering about an SFD aid response in the ride area, an employee of the company that’s providing rides took ill and is being treated.

Taking the stage to close out the first night of West Seattle Summer Fest 2018 just after 10 pm … The Briefs. They were – briefly – intro’d by one of last year’s Summer Fest headliners, Brent Amaker:

He told the Summer Fest crowd they “deserved” The Briefs. To deliver on that, they jumped right in.

The slate leading up to The Briefs included another Seattle band, Versing:

Both during and between bands, the official Summer Fest beer garden was the place to be:

Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) had a merch tent nearby:

Tomorrow the performances start earlier – with Boom Dance on stage at 11:30 am (the festival resumes at 10) – see the full lineup here.

(QUICK LINKS: Bus reroutes here … Festival music schedule here … festival food options here … kids’ ride hours and pricing here)

5:03 PM: Let the music play! Above, that’s Ellie Strauss, part of the Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) showcase that kicked off today’s main-stage schedule. Right now, BRACKETS is performing; here’s the schedule for the rest of the night, through The Briefs at 10 pm. The main stage is on California north of Oregon; along California, booths might close as early as 6 – the kids’ rides are scheduled to close at 8 tonight.

5:22 PM: Most-recent question here at the Info Booth/Tent was about the Farmers’ Market on Sunday. It’ll happen 10 am-2 pm as always – but in its old spot, the parking lot behind KeyBank. Though the market hours are the same, the festival doesn’t officially start until 11 am on Sunday. But tomorrow – Saturday – it’s another 10 am start, like today. But let’s not get too far ahead! More festival people – West Seattle’s two highest-ranking Seattle Police stopped by earlier:

At right, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis, with new Operations Lt. Steve Strand. His predecessor Lt. Ron Smith was a fixture on site at the festival for years – this is the first Summer Fest since his retirement. Also seen from the info booth, a KING 5 News crew:

Our view also includes the QFC booth, which usually sells relatively cheap cool treats during Summer Fest. This year, the menu board features $3 coconuts, $1 water/soda, and $3 fruit kabobs.

6:03 PM: This is official closing time for vendor booths, so the festival is starting to shift to night mode – that means music, outdoor cafés, and at the Beer Garden, the brews include SOL, aka Parking Lot Pale:

The Beer Junction and Elliott Bay (which brewed the special fundraising ale) are pouring it too. Here’s our preview story explaining it. Speaking of beverages … the new bar behind Be’s is open just in time for the festival, as planned:

That’s Tony Larson – whose joint venture with Jade Nguyen and her family, longtime Be’s proprietors, was explained in our June story. You’ll find The Alley off the alley behind Be’s, east side of California just south of Oregon. If you’re here with a too-young-for-bars group … the rides are running until 8:

The rides are open 10 am-8 pm tomorrow too. Meantime, the music rolls on, with Versing set to start at 6:30 pm.

6:38 PM: Speaking of tomorrow – stop by GreenLife in Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska) and check out #VirtualSalishSee with “Diver Laura” James, starting around 2 pm:

GreenLife’s not done for the night tonight, though – you’re invited to a singalong in the park at 7 pm.

8:14 PM: We folded up the last section of the Info Tent about an hour ago to head to HQ for a while – planning to be back for tonight’s music headlines. Meantime, Alex e-mailed to suggest we include one more photo of SPD at Summer Fest – this one tweeted by Meeples Games (which has a booth on the west side of the south block):

Summer Fest is full of characters, so to speak. And thanks to the many people who stopped by to say hi today – as well as those who stopped by just looking for info – this is the 11th year that we’ve been honored to help in the info tent/booth (we’re an official Summer Fest media sponsor, too).

(QUICK LINKS: Bus reroutes here … Festival music schedule here … festival food options here … kids’ ride hours and pricing here)

11:51 AM: We are already approaching the third hour of West Seattle Summer Fest 2018 – and what you see above is part of what’s new this year: Giant games, on the east side of California SW, just north of SW Oregon, free for anyone, any age, to play. If you’re not ready to play, browse the year-round merchants’ sidewalk sales and visiting vendors and see who and what’s here. A couple places that caught our eye during our first stroll:

Those booths are both on the south block of California SW, between Alaska and Edmunds. (The Living Computer Museum itself is in nearby SODO – we are definitely making a note to visit sometime soon!) On the east side of that block, you’ll find these two WSB sponsors next to each other:

Talk to GoodMed about their unique plan for helping you and your loved ones stay healthy; talk to Westside School about the preK-8 programs at their campus in Arbor Heights. We’ve noticed MANY WSB sponsors at the festival and we’ll spotlight more through the weekend. Whether you’re new to West Seattle or a longtime resident, this is a great time to discover and celebrate what’s local. And to just plain celebrate – if you’re doing that with the little ones, note that the ride-ticket booth is on SW Alaska, east of 44th SW:

This is the best time to wander the festival – the scheduled events haven’t yet ramped up – first music on the main stage is a Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) showcase at 3:30 pm – you’ll also see the folks from Mode at the mentioned-above Giant Games zone. More to come!

P.S. Yes, that’s the Guardian One helicopter that just looped over the festival a couple times. Haven’t seen them over here in a while!

12:33 PM: Lots of people here already – including a West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) tour group of sorts:

That’s one corner of the view from our spot in the Info Booth (aka Info Tent), one place where you’ll also find community groups/organizations/agencies – here’s the schedule. Others are scattered throughout the festival – for example, if you have questions about Sound Transit‘s West Seattle light rail, ST is here …

So is the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project, aka viaduct-to-tunnel, asking the big question of whether you’re ready for that big closure when the switchover is made, likely this fall. Both those transportation agencies are in the main row of booths on California SW; wander a bit east on SW Alaska toward Junction Plaza Park and you’ll find the GreenLife zone, with even more community organizations, including the West Seattle TimeBank. GreenLife programming (here’s the schedule) starts at 1 pm, with a welcome from the Duwamish Tribe, followed by a discussion of Native issues.

1:12 PM: That’s been delayed. But there are many reasons to visit GreenLife, focused this year on the health of Puget Sound and other Salish Sea waters. Including the orca ride:

(Several people have asked us about PCC [WSB sponsor] – they’ll be at GreenLife tomorrow, we’re told.) Also on the central-east stub of the festival zone – SW Alaska east of California – you’ll find classic fair food, including elephant ears. Roasted corn, too! If you’re looking for cotton candy – a popular question many years – that’s over next to the kid-rides ticket booth on the west side of SW Alaska.

2:43 PM: For everyone who asked – the official festival Beer Garden (up on California by the West Seattle Eagles HQ and the main stage, north of Oregon) is now open. Meantime, Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail – which has a booth this year, west side of California between Oregon and Alaska – tells us that the Southern Resident Killer Whales’ J and K pods have just returned to the San Juans, first K-pod visit there since March.

3:16 PM: Two more WSB sponsors who are here – on the northeast corner of California/Alaska, not far from their bricks-and-mortar studio, Fitness Together West Seattle:

They have a Summer Fest special going on – ten personal training sessions for $500. And in the booths on California, visiting from Delridge (and Burien!), it’s Camp Crockett:

Speaking of dogs, if you bring yours and s/he needs to cool off, check out the Pet Junction zone by Next to Nature along the west side of California just north of Alaska:

We’ve been here six hours now and can attest to the fact that it’s not too hot – nice breeze here in the heart of The Junction (of course, we have some shade). Meantime, music is about to start up at the main stage, and we’ve heard that philanthropist Adah Cruzen is visiting the Southwest Seattle Historical Society booth on the east side of California just south of Alaska starting at 4 pm. We’ll be launching our second report – the afternoon-evening edition – shortly!

(For Metro bus reroute info in The Junction through Sunday, look here)

6:40 PM: The streets in the heart of The Junction didn’t close earlier than usual after all … but they’re closed now and West Seattle Summer Fest Eve, combined with the July WS Art Walk, is on!

Impromptu fun is happening in the street as well as planned activities like chalk art:

See our morning preview list for locations where you’ll find chalk art tonight (as well as the WS Art Walk venue map/list and more). Lots of setup under way – from sidewalk cafés to sidewalk sales, including the official farewell banner at Terjung’s Studio of Gifts:

If you missed it when we published it last week, here’s our story about Gregor Terjung‘s decision to retire and close the shop after half a century. Come to The Junction and celebrate your neighborhood, tonight through Sunday! Bubbleman is happening on California south of Alaska right now and a lot more is in store … updates to come.

7:18 PM: If you saw the Junction website mention of a 7 pm surprise on West Seattle Summer Fest Eve – this was it:

(added) This was led by popular local dance-fitness instructor Jennifer Cepeda of DancePowered, who’ll be leading a class on the main stage at Summer Fest Sunday morning at 11 am.

Thanks to Pamela for sending a longer clip:

What next? More music and art! We spotted another chalk creation in progress outside Cupcake Royale:

8:05 PM: Outside West 5 (WSB sponsor), the Yadda Yadda Blues Band is this year’s featured Summer Fest Eve band:

And at California/Alaska, lots more art – both to admire and to co-create, including the community mural that’ll be happening throughout the weekend:

11:14 PM: We’ve added more photos and video above. Remember that the streets are now closed until late Sunday night – the festival ends at 5 pm Sunday but breakdown and cleanup take several more hours. SW Oregon is open for east-west travel, but otherwise California is closed between Genesee and Edmunds, and SW Alaska between 42nd and 44th.

This year’s West Seattle Summer Fest is ever closer, and our previews continue! This time, three reasons to explore the corners of California/Oregon on the north side of the festival zone:

ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER – A RAFFLE! Here’s what you’ll be going for, and the explanation:

Once again, West Seattle Quilters have made a quilt to support the West Seattle Senior Center. Raffle tickets are $1 each and sales begin July 13 at West Seattle Summer Fest outside the Stop ‘n’ Shop. After Summer Fest, you can purchase raffle tickets at the Senior Center reception desk. All the ticket money goes directly to the Senior Center.

The drawing for the winner of this year’s quilt will be held on Friday Sept. 28, 2018, at 8:30 pm during Rainbow Bingo. You don’t need to be present to win.

The handmade quilt is a months-long effort by 28 people. This year’s quilt is titled “Stained Glass,” and the design features fractured squares that shimmer against a modern gray backdrop. This throw-sized quilt is the perfect size for your sofa or a nap!

West Seattle Quilters meet at the Senior Center on the first and third Mondays of the month at 7pm to share quilting ideas and projects. Quilters of all ages, abilities, and quilting styles are welcome to join us!

And right across the street from the Senior Center, just south of the southwest corner of California/Oregon …

VERITY CREDIT UNION GRAND OPENING WEEKEND: The Junction’s new branch of Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor) is celebrating its grand opening throughout Summer Fest, and has this schedule of events planned at its new storefront:

Friday, July 13
11:00-1:00 caricature artist
1:30-3:30 face painters
4:00-6:00 Elijah Dhavvan

Saturday, July 14
10:00-12:00 caricature artist
12:00-2:00 Champagne Honeybee
2:00-4:00 face painters
4:00-6:00 The Whole Bolivian Army

Sunday, July 15
11:00-1:00 caricature artist
2:00-4:00 Katie Kuffel

GIANT GAMES: And on the northeast corner of California/Oregon, one of this year’s new Summer Fest features – Giant Games! The festival website has the list of 11 games you’ll be able to play for free. Another reminder that festival hours are 10 am-6 pm Friday and Saturday – music and beer garden running later both nights – and 11 am-5 pm Sunday. Still more previews on the way!

Continuing to count down to this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest, this Friday-Sunday in the heart of The Junction, it’s time to talk food! As WS Junction Association (the merchants’ organization that presents Summer Fest) executive director Lora Swift explains, “We’re focused more and more on the incredible food you can find right here in The Junction. With each restaurant offering table service, fair specials, plenty of seating, and front-row people watching, grabbing a bite at Summer Fest has never been better or more delicious.” The first list below is year-round food/beverage businesses with “extended service” during Summer Fest – in most cases that means temporary outdoor cafés:

Easy Street Records
Elliott Bay Brewing Company
Supreme
Great American Diner & Bar
Falafel Salam
Vine and Spoon
The Lodge Sports Grille
Pizzeria Credo
Maharaja
Kizuki Ramen
Seattle Fish
The Beer Junction
JaK’s Grill
West 5
Pecado Bueno
Ma’ono
Shadowland
Coastline Burgers
Talarico’s
Bin 41

Some – like West 5 (WSB sponsor) – get going with their outdoor café on Summer Fest Eve, so come down tomorrow evening and wander! Meantime, for festival days Friday-Sunday, here are the vendors you’ll find with booths/stands on SW Alaska:

Monster Dogs
3 Little Sisters Filipino Deli
Ray’s Food
Frelard Tamales
Bang Bar
Matador West Seattle
Pecos Pit Bar-B-Que
Tasty Craves Roasted Corn
Kenyan Kitchen

Official festival hours are 10 am-6 pm Friday and Saturday – with music and beer garden running later those nights – and 11 am-5 pm Sunday. But “extended service” also can mean added hours, so wander when you’re at the festival and see what you find! More previews to come …

West Seattle Summer Fest is almost here – the streets in the heart of The Junction start closing at 4 pm Thursday for setup and Summer Fest Eve festivities, and then starting at 10 am Friday, it’s on! We’ve been previewing various features of the festival – and right now, we want to call your attention to the question mark on the map above, at California/Alaska. That’s the Information Tent, but as always, it will be more than “just” festival info. It’s also where WSB is headquartered during Summer Fest, for as-it-happens coverage – and it’s also where community organizations/public agencies have free space so you can get community info! Here’s who will have reps there this year and when you can stop by to talk with them:

Friday, 10 am-2 pm

Girl Scouts of Western Washington
Seattle Public Schools Head Start

Friday, 2 pm-6 pm

Neighborcare Health
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer with American Cancer Society Seattle

Saturday, 10 am-2 pm

Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network
SR3 Sealife Response, Rehab and Research

Saturday, 2 pm-6 pm

West Seattle Be Prepared
Endolyne Children’s Choir

Sunday, 11 am-2 pm

Seattle Police Department
Seattle Subway

Sunday, 2 pm-5 pm

Southwest Youth and Family Services
West Seattle Rotary Service Foundation

You’ll also find some community orgs at GreenLife in Junction Plaza Park, too.

Later today (Wednesday) – more previews – including Summer Fest food! (And you can browse the festival website for tons of advance info, too.)

Festival hours are Friday 10 am-6 pm, Saturday 10 am-6 pm, Sunday 11 am-5 pm, with music and beer garden running later the first two nights. See you at Summer Fest!

West Seattle Summer Fest 2018 is just a few days away! The streets in the heart of The Junction close at 4 pm Thursday for setup and Summer Fest Eve fun – then West Seattle’s biggest party of the year starts at 10 am Friday. While the year-round Junction merchants, restaurants, and bars are the stars of the show – most with something extra during the festival (outdoor sales, sidewalk cafés, etc.) – 110+ visiting vendors (and organizations) will have booths too, and tonight, while the list is in the process of being added to the official Summer Fest website, we have the names (after the jump if you’re reading from the WSB home page):

Read More

(WSB file photo – one of WSJA’s 4 free-to-shoppers lots)

Continuing our countdown to West Seattle Summer Fest – next Friday, Saturday, Sunday (July 13-14-15) in The Junction – tonight, we’re talking beer. Specifically, a new beer that will make its debut at Summer Fest: SOL (Save Our Lots) Parking Pale! We’ve reported before on the challenge facing the West Seattle Junction Association in continuing to offer free parking; the land it’s on, owned by Trusteed Properties and leased to WSJA, continues to increase in value and therefore property tax, which is passed on to the local businesses who comprise WSJA, under terms of their lease. After an appeal, they’ll get a bit of a reprieve, but that won’t last, so a fundraising campaign is launching, and SOL Pale is part of it. Elliott Bay Brewing Company has brewed it, described as “a hybrid, somewhere between a session style pale ale and a hazy light wheat” with a “citrusy aroma and quaff-ably refreshing finish.” For starters, it’ll be available at Elliott Bay and The Beer Junction; watch for more news about it as Summer Fest approaches. P.S. If you’re not a beer drinker, WSJA is accepting donations for the lots online, too.

That’s the official 2018 map for West Seattle Summer Fest, which will be wrapping up Night 1 right about this time one week from now (Friday, July 13th), with The Briefs scheduled as last act of the night. If you’ve been to the festival in recent years, you’ll notice the basic layout is the same, with a few changes – for example, the newly added (free!) game zone will be on the east side of California/Oregon. The California Stage at the north end of the festival zone is where all the entertainment listed here will happen. And if you get lost or have a question – come see the West Seattle Junction Association staff (and us!) in the Information Tent, marked on the map by the big question mark in the heart of what’s Walk All Ways the rest of the year. Summer Fest hours are next Friday and Saturday, 10 am-6 pm (music and beer garden running later), plus Sunday, 11 am-5 pm, with the streets in the heart of The Junction closing at 4 pm Thursday to get going with setup and Summer Fest Eve. More previews to come!

(SDOT cam image captured during 2017 West Seattle Summer Fest)

Now that the 4th of July is past – we’re stepping up the countdown for West Seattle Summer Fest, the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, now just eight days away! (Seven, if you are starting with Summer Fest Eve, the Thursday night pre-festival fun – here’s our newest info on that.) We talked with Lora Swift of the West Seattle Junction Association – the merchants’ organization that presents Summer Fest (with co-sponsors including WSB) – to see what’s new this year. Here’s a taste:

-More local restaurants/bars with outdoor cafés – at least 26 at last count, Lora told us! – so the focus is on local food/beverages, with fewer outside vendors
-More activities for teens and tweens
-Giant games
-More signage to point you to the basics, like restrooms
-The music stage will be a bit further north, still on California between Genesee and Oregon
-Shade tents set up around the festival if you need to take a break from the sun ‘n’ fun

Lots more info to roll out, but we’ll start with this. Festival hours are Friday (July 13th) and Saturday (July 14th), 10 am-6 pm, with music and beer garden running into the late evening, plus Sunday (July 15th), 11 am-5 pm. Since the festival takes over California from Genesee to Edmunds, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on Summer Fest Sunday will be back in the 44th/Alaska parking lot where it got its start (usual hours, 10 am-2 pm). Music lineup is here; pricing and hours for the kids’ rides is here; other info soon!

(WSB photo, Summer Fest Eve 2017)

Just confirmed by Lora Swift at the West Seattle Junction Association – the ever-effervescent Bubbleman will be back for Summer Fest Eve on July 12th, two weeks from tonight. He’ll perform in the heart of The Junction, at California/Alaska, that night at 6:30 pm, after the streets are closed for festival setup. Even if you’re not much for bubbles, Summer Fest Eve has long been a great time to come wander the streets, and this year there’ll be more going on than ever. Many restaurants and bars will be setting up their outdoor spaces – more than two dozen this year! – including West 5 (WSB sponsor), which is continuing its 15th-anniversary celebration, and will bring back the Yadda Yadda Blues Band.

Summer Fest Eve also is West Seattle Art Walk night, and will include extra artistic touches including the start of a community mural project that will last for the entirety of Summer Fest – look for it near California/Oregon, with artist Stacey Sterling there to guide you. Artists will be creating chalk art on the streets during Summer Fest Eve, too.

P.S. Want to be a busker during Summer Fest Eve, or any other time at the festival (Friday-Sunday, July 13-15)? You get priority for time slots and designated locations if you sign up in advance – the form is live now!