(Photo courtesy Arts in Nature Festival)

Nature Consortium has announced another headliner for the upcoming Arts in Nature Festival (WSB sponsor) at Camp Long, now less than three weeks away:

Arts in Nature and the NW Folklife Festival are thrilled to present the band Big World Breaks (BWB), led by Aaron Walker-Loud, to the new amplified “Nancy Stage” (named after festival founder Nancy Whitlock.) BWB has worked with Janelle Monae, Macklemore, Digable Planets, Reggie Watts and other major recording artists, and is comprised of some of the best local Funk, Soul, World Music and Jazz musicians – many of whom are alumni of the internationally-acclaimed Garfield and Roosevelt High School Jazz ensembles.

The 2016 Arts in Nature Festival takes place Saturday, August 20, 11 am-9 pm, and Sunday, August 21, 11 am-6 pm, at Camp Long, 5200 35th Ave SW.

Tickets are $10 per day for adults (or $16 for a weekend pass) and $5 per day for kids 12 & under. Get tickets online here, or buy them at the festival.

A convoy of food trucks including GAI BOX, PICNIC, POP UP and ATHENA’S keeps you energized for art-making, dancing, and nature trail exploring. For an added dose of hoppy happy, Fremont Brewing is providing “beers of distinction” for the beer garden!

Art Installations & Interactions: Interaction ranges from using duct tape-wrapped chopsticks to hammering out a jam on Benson Smith’s “Junk Chime” to physically entering Installation Artist Markel Uriu’s “Bowers” to climbing aboard the converted RV that is YAMS, the Yesler Arts Mobile Studio, providing hands-on art and craft making for all.

A perfect example of the “arts in nature” concept encouraging artists and audience members to engage in active participation is the piece Inner Galactic, created by Maya Soto (choreographer) + Nico Tower (composer/multidisciplinary artist). The “Innernauts” explore the poetry of geology and the magic of time and sediment. They transform a cabin into a fantastical moon-like cave of crystals, craters, stalagmites, shadows and light representing deep matters of the heart using light + shadow boxes, visual design/art installation and original sound composition to create a new interactive sound environment. Visitors contribute through writing and sound-making.

Look for the performance and art schedule on the festival website as it gets closer.

2:24 PM: Another spectacular day at the beach, and you have almost four more hours to go wander the Alki Art Fair. Booths are open until 6:

A food truck and food booths are set up along the promenade and on the street, and music continues on two stages. We’re the sponsor for the “Busker Stage” toward the west end.

Stop inside the Bathhouse to bid on silent-auction items; the official Alki Art Fair T-shirt is on sale outside the Bathhouse; and nearby, you’ll find the Seal Sitters‘ booth – ask them about the first pup this season to turn up on a West Seattle beach, just last night on Alki. Maybe it was here for the Seal Sitters-benefiting Spud chowder deal too.

P.S. One more reminder about the free shuttle from Admiral – details on the Alki Art Fair home page.

9 PM: The fair’s a wrap for this year. We stopped by for a bit this evening, in time to catch some of the show by the final band of the night, The Fuzz:

That’s the east end of the Alki Art Fair on the promenade at the beach, on until 6 pm today with art, music, food, and family fund, all in a low-key, “just hanging out” atmosphere – sit on the lawn by the stage east of the bathhouse and enjoy some of the music (there’s a “Busker Stage” further west on the promenade, too).

And if you’re not riding or walking already – consider the shuttle bus from The Admiral District; it’s how we got down the hill post-parade:

It’s a yellow school-bus marked ALKI ART FAIR SHUTTLE and you can catch it on the northwest corner of Admiral/California, outside the Metro shelter by the Chevron station. Music continues tonight until 9 pm, by the way. While there, get your T-shirt:

And if you buy chowder from Spud across the street this weekend – $1 goes to Seal Sitters, who have a booth at the festival too.

(WSB file photo, Alki Art Fair Busker Stage)

The music schedule is out for this weekend’s Alki Art Fair, 10 am-6 pm Saturday and Sunday on the promenade, with music continuing until 9 pm Saturday, 8 pm Sunday. Two stages – the main stage is by the Bathhouse, and we’re sponsoring the “Busker Stage” further west, closer to the picnic-shelter area. See the schedule here. The fair is free to attendees; you’ll find artists showing and selling their work, as well as kids’ activities, a silent auction, and more. Plus: A free shuttle from the West Seattle Bridge park ‘n’ ride and from Admiral Junction – details are on the Alki Art Fair home page.

(Photo by Dina Lydia Johnson from 2015 Medfest – she also made the banner, with which dancer Deann is posing)

In case you haven’t noticed it in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – this weekend brings the 29th annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival, aka “MedFest,” back to Hiawatha Community Center and its south/east lawn areas. Hundreds of belly dancers and musicians will be performing 11 am-7 pm Saturday and 11 am-5 pm Sunday – the dancer lineup is here – on outdoor and indoor stages. Dozens of vendors offer shimmering attire and accessories, and food too (here’s the vendor lineup). MedFest is presented by the Babylonian Ensemble – read up on their history here, and the festival’s history here, and feel like an insider when you get there. No charge to watch the performances, by the way.

(TODAY’S INFO HERE; TODAY’S 1ST REPORT HERE; SATURDAY COVERAGE HERE, HERE; FRIDAY REPORTS HERE, HERE, HERE)

2:34 PM: Final hours of West Seattle Summer Fest 2016 and it seems like EVERYONE, and we do mean EVERYONE, is here. This is your last chance for festival deals, for one thing – above, that’s the Easy Street Records tent, right outside their store, where, according to their Instagram post, you’ll find “3 for $5 LPs, CDs & DVDs. Tons of 45s too.”

Steps away, in the Pet Junction zone outside Next to Nature, you will find the answer to a question that’s been asked for months … “When is The Hydrant opening?” :

It was Summer Fest last year when The Hydrant was announced as “coming soon” for the former Junction Bakery/Coffee to a Tea space. The banner above the window there, in the Pet Junction zone, explains that the proprietors had to deal with a death in the family but that the “place for people and pets” really will be opening.

2:57 PM: While you’re here, don’t miss GreenLife, at the south end of the festival zone. While SeattleTinyHomes.com has been drawing a lot of interest, as we’ve shown you in the past few days, GreenLife has a lot more going on. There’s a petting zoo, for starters, and booths with local groups and businesses focused on sustainability. Among them, Tamsen Spengler from the West Seattle Timebank, who sent us a note talking about networking happening here – her organization, for example, has a new member because of connections they’ve made here: The Urban Homestead Foundation:

We reported on the UHF during recent coverage of the Admiral Neighborhood Association, when they came to talk about their plan for the Genesee Hill ex-substation:

You can catch up with them (and the Timebank) at GreenLife, before 5 pm. And just about anywhere in the festival zone – be on the lookout for impromptu performances:

They’re with Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby, which you’ll find on the south side of the Info Tent/Community Tent. Now, we’re off to check out the 3 pm band, The Swearengens.

3:26 PM: And here they are:

Today’s headline band is coming up at 4 pm – last band of the day – The Dusty 45s. While you’re headed north to the stage, some places to stop – we see Seattle App Academy (WSB sponsor) on the sidewalk outside West Seattle Computers on the east side of California just south of Oregon, and in that same vicinity, the Bella Maps booth caught our eye:

Maps in laser-cut wood!

Meantime, also ahead at 4 pm, your second-to-last chance to get into a We Love The Junction group photo, just north of the Info Tent. And while you’re in the vicinity, take one last look at all the info we have about upcoming summer events (grab a free West Seattle Outdoor Movies button, and make plans to join us for the first movie next Saturday – “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”).

4:21 PM: The Dusty 45s are onstage right now (photos added):

One more reminder – today’s the one day that the festival ends at its official announced closing time; at 5 pm, the breakdown and cleanup begins, so that the streets will be cleared no later than midnight. But first – right at 5 – one last “We Love The Junction” group photo, so if you’re here, come to California and Alaska, by the YMCA and QFC booths, and make it the biggest one of the weekend. Plus – last call for deep-fried PB&Js, gigantic stacks of french fries, elephant ears big enough to sleep on, etc…. (And coconuts or fruit kabobs from QFC across the way.)

5:03 PM: And … it’s over. But not before that last group photo – video:

And if you’re wondering why Ladder 11 is at the end of SW Alaska with its ladder extended … just there for festivalgoers to see.

They tell us you’re welcome to stop by for a look!

P.S. Remember that it will be late tonight before the Junction streets reopen and bus reroutes end. We’ll put up traffic cameras later in the evening so you can check, and we’ll keep watch, too.

11:28 PM: Still closed, as shown on the 42nd/Alaska camera (looking west):

When the “road closed” barricades are gone, that means it’s open again.

(TODAY’S INFO HERE; SATURDAY COVERAGE HERE & HERE; FRIDAY COVERAGE HERE & HERE & HERE)

11:30 AM: The last day of West Seattle Summer Fest always goes fast. We’re in the Info Tent again today, with volunteers from the WS Chamber of Commerce as well as team members from the West Seattle Junction Association, which presents the festival every year. In the Community Tent sections (same tent, west and south sides) right now are the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network, West Seattle Wildcats Football and Cheer, Empower Mentoring Network, and the West Seattle Community Orchestras:

Come try an instrument! Then steps away from us, the kids’ rides are in full swing, including this one (Saturday photo):

The all-day ride pass today is $18, a little less than the previous two days, since everything ends at 5 pm. (Single tickets are $1.25 and the rides/bouncy toys – on SW Alaska west of California and in the lot behind Wells Fargo just north of there – cost 1 to 5 tickets each.)

Music starts in an hour and a half – four bands today on the main stage (California north of Oregon):

1 pm – Featherbones
2 pm – Marieke and the Go Get ‘Em Boys
3 pm – The Swearengens
4 pm – The Dusty 45s

12:28 PM: Lunchtime at the fair. If this is your first visit, all the food booths are on SW Alaska east of California – but many year-round restaurants have special carts and/or seating areas out front, just for the weekend, so check them out too! And the fruit kabobs/coconuts are at the QFC stand across from the Info Tent – look for the orange umbrellas. One thing we should mention about the food booths – if you have an allergy, be sure to ask before you buy – a mom called us to say her teenager wound up with something with undisclosed peanuts, and that was a scary close call.

Speaking of scary – if you lose or find a child at Summer Fest, come to the Info Tent and folks here will get the word out and contact police. They’re dealing with one right now – usually these are resolved quickly but if one ever isn’t, we’ll add the info here.

And thanks as always to everyone who’s been stopping by to say hi. Al from West Seattle Bike Connections visited right after the “Mini-STP” got to the festival – and showed off the new WSBC T-shirts:

Today’s your last chance to come down, meantime, and find out about lots of local businesses in one place – many have booths among the visiting vendors. Another WSB sponsor who’s here is GoodMed Direct Primary Care, which is offering a new way to ensure you have access to primary health care:

Come talk to Dr. Ryan Campbell and Dr. Wendy Hueners (both NDs) from GoodMed at their booth, on the east side of California a little ways south of Alaska.

12:51 PM: Getting close to the top of the hour, and the next We Love The Junction group photo at California/Alaska. Look for the banner, which should be unfurled shortly, and for photographer Peder Nelson:

If you miss the 1 pm photo – four more after that, at 2, 3, 4, and 5. Top of the hour also means the music is starting on the main stage.

1:31 PM: Just wandered up to check out the first act, Featherbones:

The beer garden’s next to the main stage. Next up, Marieke and the Go Get ‘Em Boys at 2.

Just north of all that, don’t miss Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), where your editor here just picked up her second Mexi-Mocha of the festival. Cayenne and all. Enhances the wakefulness required for Info Tent duty.

Booths on the north end include Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor), whose booth includes a trivia game. They’re on the east side, north of Oregon, and on the west side, you’ll find WSDOT, talking about the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, aka the tunnel project. For kids, they have a show-and-tell about what kind of soil the tunneling machine has been going through:

For adults – we talked with today’s booth reps about the most frequently asked questions. “When’s it going to be done?” was one; the other, how people from West Seattle are going to get onto and off Highway 99 once the tunnel’s open. For all the times we’ve covered that, one thing we didn’t realize – not only will the Battery Street Tunnel be decommissioned, it will be filled in and filled over, and that will be a north-end connection to the grid.

2:08 PM: Another We Love The Junction walking tour is about to take off from here at California/Alaska, 2:15 pm – hear about the stores in The Junction’s past. The SW Seattle Historical Society just took its 2 pm group shot – each starts with a countdown:

Next one, 3 pm. And we’re about to launch our second and final report of the day to track the last few hours of the festival, which will go by SO fast – it’s sunny, busy, and fun.

Our calendar highlights start with one more day to jump into the biggest West Seattle party of the year:

(Thanks to Sarah for sharing that photo of Truman at West Seattle Summer Fest)

WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST, DAY 3: Today’s festival hours are 11 am-5 pm, and this is the one day that everything does end at the official closing time, so if you’re coming to the festival, don’t procrastinate!

Music lineup (main stage at north end of festival zone, California south of Genesee, first band Featherbones @ 1 pm, last band The Dusty 45s @ 4 pm)
Vendor list
Food info
Kids’ area (free AND fee activities – rides are open until 5 pm, they cost 1-5 tickets at $1.25/ticket or [updated] $18/day pass)
GreenLife (south end of festival zone, California/Edmunds)
Southwest Seattle Historical Society group photos (top of each hour, noon-5 pm) and walking tours (12:15, 2:15, 3:15 pm) activities

At Summer Fest and need info/help/directions/etc.? Come see us and community-group volunteers in the Info Tent, center of California/Alaska, headquarters for our as-it-happens festival coverage.

STREETS CLOSED: The closure zone is on California Avenue SW between SW Edmunds and SW Genesee (with SW Oregon remaining open to east/west traffic), and SW Alaska between 42nd and 44th.

BUS REROUTES: From the Metro “alerts and updates” page, which will be in effect until late tonight (after the festival closes at 5 pm Sunday, breakdown and cleanup usually take several hours):

C Line – here
Route 22 – here
Route 37 – here
Route 50 – here
Route 55 – here
Route 57 – here
Route 128 – here
Route 773 Water Taxi Shuttle – here

Also in West Seattle today:

MINI-STP BIKE RIDE: This is one way to get to the festival – or just to have a fun bicycle ride. West Seattle Bike Connections‘ “Mini-STP” ride – Seattle (Street) to Portland (Street), and then on to Summer Fest. Meet at 9:15 am at Hamilton Viewpoint Park in North Admiral – more info in our calendar listing.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Yes, the market DOES happen during Summer Fest – back in its old location in the lot behind KeyBank, just for one day. 10 am-2 pm. (44th SW/SW Alaska)

WSUU RUMMAGE SALE: 10 am-3 pm are the hours for the second and final day of this legendary rummage sale presented annually by the West Seattle Unitarian Universalists. (7141 California SW)

COLMAN POOL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AGAIN: This weekend’s swim-meet closures are over (until next Friday-Saturday) and the regular Colman Pool schedule resumes, noon-7 pm.

CAT ADOPTIONS: Kitty Harbor is open noon-4 pm today with 47 kittens and 11 adults available for adoption. (3422 Harbor SW)

ALKI LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, your next round of chances to tour the Alki Point Lighthouse free – be there no later than 3:40 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (3201 Alki SW)

SEATTLE OPERA PREVIEW: Lecture previewing Seattle Opera‘s “Count Ory,” 2 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. Free. More info here. (2306 42nd SW)

(TODAY’S INFO is here; FIRST SATURDAY REPORT is here; DAY 1 COVERAGE here, is here, and here)

(Our 4 pm view from the Info Tent)

4 PM: Though technically we’re two hours away from tonight’s “closing time” at West Seattle Summer Fest, most of the action continues on into Saturday night – food and rides into at least the mid-evening, music until about 11:30. But if you want to check out the shopping – both The Junction’s year-round stores as well as the booths – get here sooner rather than later.

As we’ve mentioned before, the Info Tent is the place to stop (our side facing north at California/Alaska) for info on not only this festival, but also much of the upcoming West Seattle summer fun – we have flyers/cards for West Seattle Outdoor Movies (starting one week from tonight!), Alki Art Fair (two weeks away), Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (six Thursday nights starting July 21st), West Seattle Garden Tour (July 17th) … And elsewhere at Summer Fest, you can find out all about other upcoming events. For example, the Float Dodger 5K before the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 23rd:

Sign up for the race at the West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) – Elite Sports and Spine booth on the east side of California between Oregon and Alaska. (In our photo above are Lori McConnell from WSR and Dr. Nate Moore from ESS.)

Also publicized here at Summer Fest – the month-long Stuff the Bus diaper drive for WestSide Baby:

The biggest day is July 24th, when you can bring diapers to “stuff the bus” at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) in The Junction (41st/Alaska), but there are other dropoff spots and drives all month long.

HomeStreet has a booth here at the festival, we should mention … on Day 1, we photographed Eric, Melodie, and Cody:

4:19 PM: Hot toy of the day seems to be a Nemo (you know, Dory’s friend) -themed bubble blaster that also makes a spooky little noise when bubbling. Have seen and heard this in the hands of many a child; not sure of the source, but they are suddenly everywhere. Children in general are abundant, too, as they are in most of West Seattle, as observed King County Executive Dow Constantine at last Monday’s 4th of July Kids’ Parade (speaking while holding his toddler daughter).

Popular questions include “kettle corn?” (short answer: no) and “festival T-shirts?” – that too is a “no” but there are places you can seek West Seattle-themed shirts including Seattle Logo Pro (west of us at California/Alaska) and Shockwave Tees (on California south of Alaska). And a really popular feature – the Tiny Homes display at GreenLife, though the one we’ve seen these past few days isn’t THAT tiny:

5:01 PM: If Summer Fest had a turnstile, we’re speculating this might be the biggest turnout ever. And this is the peak time – late afternoon, Saturday.

(The view from Cupcake Royale, closest recharge spot for our laptop)

Still some sunshine. Doesn’t feel like you have to see absolutely EVERYTHING, because there’s still one more day (and let us mention again, YES, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be happening 10 am-2 pm as always tomorrow – but in the lot behind KeyBank, the one day a year it can’t be out in the street).

5:45 PM: Major hang-around time, now. Shopping time is wrapping up – as we’ve said before, don’t miss the year-round stores as well as the booths. Twilight, on SW Alaska west of California, had cool Seattle-themed art on display today:

At Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) at 4540 California SW – east side, a little ways north of Alaska – stop by the shop to register for a Fatboy hammock giveaway.

Another longtime WSB sponsor, Dream Dinners-West Seattle, is based in The Junction – but a little ways out of the festival zone (outer east side of Jefferson Square), so you’ll find them in a booth here at the festival:

Ask them about festival specials/deals – and check out their current menu here.

6:44 PM: As crowded now as it was at mid-afternoon! Meantime, up at the stage, we got a bit of video of the 6 pm band, Christian Mistress:

Still four bands to go tonight, and music on the GreenLife stage too – see our first report today for both lineups.

7 PM: We’re the last ones out of the Info Tent, folding up for the night, but Summer Fest goes on! Sunday hours are 11 am to 5 pm – and it’s the one day that everything really DOES end at that announced closing time, because hours of cleanup/breakdown will follow.

(TODAY’S INFO here; DAY 1 COVERAGE here, here, and here)

11 AM: One hour into West Seattle Summer Fest 2016, day 2, and it seems like the whole town’s here already. It’s the biggest day of the festival and we’re live in the Info Tent again today with festival updates. Including …

CORONATION: In half an hour (at 11:30 am), West Seattle Hi-Yu will crown Haley Beebe as this year’s Senior Court Queen on the main stage (California SW, north end of the festival zone, between Oregon and Genesee) Update: photo added:

After that, you’ll find Hi-Yu royalty, ambassadors, and volunteers, plus this year’s parade float, on SW Alaska east of California, across from the food zone.

‘WE LOVE THE JUNCTION’: Come write down why you love The Junction, on the blackboard at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s booth – here are photos of what some festivalgoers wrote on Friday. And be part of 360-degree photos and walking tours with SWSHS executive director Clay Eals and other local experts:

The photos are happening at the top of each hour, noon-5 pm, and the tours, at 12:15, 2:15, and 3:15 pm – find the SWSHS booth on the west side of California just north of Alaska, across from Easy Street Café.

TODAY’S MUSIC: Here’s today’s lineup on the main stage (north end of festival):

(The Hollers include, center, Frank Gross of Thunder Road Guitars [WSB sponsor])

Noon – The Hollers
1 pm – Danny Newcomb and The Sugarmakers
2 pm – Tomten
3 pm – Donormaal
4 pm – Draemhouse
5 pm – Crater
6 pm – Christian Mistress
7 pm – Bread & Butter
8 pm – Hobosexual
9 pm – Pillar Point
10:30 pm – Grace Love & The True Loves

HIGHLIGHTS ON THE GREENLIFE STAGE … which is at the south end by California/Edmunds:
Noon – Indian dance performance
1 pm – Dance: Odissi By Urvasi Dance Ensemble
2 pm – Discussion of growth/development
4 pm – Electric-bike demonstration
4:30 pm – Music with Aji Piper
5:30 pm – Poetry with Raven Matthews x DoNormaal
6 pm – Music with Richie Dagger’s Crime
7 pm – Music with Sendai Era
8 pm – Music with The Brodcast

11:42 AM: Not EVERYTHING is on the schedule – wouldn’t be a festival without some unscheduled performances, and one is happening right now just east of our Info Tent HQ, with D&G Dance Beatfeet:

11:56 AM: The youth-led #BlackLivesMatter demonstration is about to start – looks like at least 50 people gathering on the west side of California/Alaska.

Organizer Lashanna Williams just spoke briefly to invite people to join.

They’ll be photographed by the same crew that is about to take the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s first group photo, Clay from SWSHS then announced.

12:15 PM: The demonstration is still going by – with more people joining as they proceed around the festival’s perimeter.

We’ll have more photos later. Meantime, Deb Barker is taking off on the first SWSHS walking tour from right in front of the Info Tent.

12:58 PM: The demonstration just ended with a gathering at California/Alaska, where it began – here’s our Instagram video panning across part of the group:

“Carry peace through your day,” Lashanna urged them, in closing.

1:20 PM: While the clouds have moved back in, we’re seeing some blue sky to the west. All the same, if you haven’t been here yet, you might consider bringing a jacket or sweater.

3 PM: Crazy busy! Part of what we checked out last hour – a panel discussing West Seattle growth and development at the GreenLife Stage:

Lots of viewpoints on how our community can and should grow. Next up on the GL Stage – 4 pm, electric-bike demo with Alki Bike and Board. Our coverage continues shortly in today’s 2nd report …

(WSB photos. Above, singer Emily Nokes)

A near-perfect first day for West Seattle Summer Fest 2016, with Seattle’s own Tacocat taking the stage to wrap it up, delighting a curb-to-curb crowd in The Junction’s streets.

(Drummer Lelah Maupin)

Their set included a song all too appropriate for our Jultober weather, “Bridge to Hawaii,” and one for X-Files fans, “Dana Katherine Scully.”

(Tacocat’s Eric Randall in left background, Bree McKenna in right foreground)

Introducing Tacocat was West Seattle’s own Brent Amaker:

Saturday’s music lineup starts at noon with The Hollers, includes Hobosexual at 8 pm, and runs through Grace Love and The True Loves at 10:30 pm.

(Our first Friday report on Summer Fest is here)

4:09 PM: Things are just ducky as the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2016 moves toward evening. (You’ll find the birds, along with pigs and goats, at GreenLife on the south end of the festival zone.) The main-stage music has begun, too – it started with the 3 pm performers from School of Rock:

Nastybits is playing now, with Braindrain at 5, and of course headliners Tacocat tonight at 9:30.

If you’re down here, you might be looking at all the opening-soon restaurants and wondering what’s new. We broke the news earlier this week that Dumplings of Fury is planning to open July 20th. That’s one day after the scheduled opening of Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery – not in time for Summer Fest, but we just found out that Shelby’s is offering sneak-peek tours the next two days, 10 am-6 pm Saturday and 11 am-5 pm (which are the official Summer Fest hours, too). They won’t be able to serve food or ice cream until they officially open, though.

Something else that’ll be big the next two days – the 360-degree group photos to be taken here at California/Alaska by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, whose booth is right across from Easy Street Café:

SWSHS is also offering walking tours. See the schedule in our story from Friday.

5:52 PM: Biggest question right now – when’s closing time tonight? Booths are supposed to stay open at least until 6 pm. Some will be folding up then – some will stay open later, and again, the music continues well into the night. Despite a cloudy/showery forecast, the weather’s been great all day, and so have the people.

The food booths are usually going strong through dinnertime. If you’re into total festival food, look for the Deep Fried PB&J booth, and consider the deep-fried Nutella and banana sandwich ($7). And if you’re planning to come tomorrow, some unique shopping:

Earlier we mentioned that shops from outside The Junction often book Summer Fest booths to introduce themselves to more West Seattleites – that sign, across from the Fitness Together (WSB sponsor) building north of California/Alaska, goes with Mystery Made, whose brick-and-mortar shop is in Admiral. Continue further north, and you can find “badass barware” in this trailer:

It’s on California north of Oregon. Speaking of beverages – Bin 41‘s wine garden is now open outside their shop on the southwest corner of California and Alaska; the official festival beer garden is by the stage on California north of Oregon; you’ll also find other festival-only outdoor areas including at The Beer Junction just south of California/Oregon.

P.S. If you’re coming tomorrow or Sunday, another reason to stop by here at the Info Booth – by day’s end we now have info you can peruse about a variety of other big West Seattle summer events – WS Outdoor Movies (which start one week from tomorrow), Alki Art Fair (two weeks away), Hi-Yu events, even a poster for the West Seattle Food Bank‘s “Grand Affair” benefit coming up September 16th. Or, just wave as you pass – thanks to all the fine folks who have come by to say hi today/tonight already. We’ll be in the info booth until about 6:30, and then heading out for a break before coming back in time for the later musical acts.

6:48 PM: We haven’t left just yet – still plenty of people circulating. While as we mentioned the “official” closing hour for booths was 6 pm, some stay open – including food vendors, and rides are still running too (as mentioned earlier, tickets are $1.25, with ride prices from 1 to 5 tickets, and a day pass is $20 – there was a $45 three-day pass but kind of too late for that now – update, rides run until 8 pm). Biggest question this hour, “which way to the main stage?” Answer: North end of the festival zone. Acapulco Lips is up at 7, Chastity Belt at 8, Tacocat at 9:30.

Snack tip for tomorrow: We’ve spent the day staring across the intersection at QFC’s tent, which again this year has fruit kabobs, water, and coconuts. Water’s $1, fruit/coconuts are priced $3-$4. They’ve closed down for the night now but will be back tomorrow under the orange umbrellas.

11 AM: One hour into the first day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2016, and the sun has arrived in The Junction, along with festivalgoers of all ages:

The preschoolers were stopping by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) tent, where there’s hopscotch as well as information about the expansion project. They’re right across from our spot in the Summer Fest Info Tent – info on the north and east sides, community groups on the west and south sides.

The Kid Zone is in the Wells Fargo lot north of Alaska (look for free activities in the WF drive-thru) along 44th, and also on Alaska west of California, where you’ll find the ticket booth:

We checked on prices first thing, after a reader question. Ride tickets are $1.25; a day pass is $20; all three days, $45. The ride-ticket booth is also where you’ll find cotton candy, which we’re often asked about; most food is on the other side of Alaska, between California and 42nd, but also look for sidewalk specials in front of year-round Junction eateries

The main stage is at the north end of the festival zone on California, between Oregon and Genesee, with the beer garden nearby; it opens when the music starts at 3 pm with School of Rock – tonight’s headliner, Tacocat, plays at 9:30.

There’s also a stage at the south end of the festival zone, on California at Edmunds; that’s part of GreenLife, presented by Sustainable West Seattle:

Music and other performances/demonstrations are planned all weekend, starting around 2:30 today. And between the two stages – dozens and dozens of vendors, exhibitors, organizations. If you’re looking for someone in particular and can’t find them, come to the Info Tent and we’ll do what we can to help.

11:57 AM: Looking for lunch? Here’s our Instagram video of a quick walk past the main food zone:

Also look for sidewalk cafés and stands outside the year-round Junction eateries (the restaurants are all open too – except for Azuma Sushi, closed for vacation). And Screamin’ Sicilian is handing out FREE pizza samples on the northwest corner of California/Alaska.

Other businesses and groups are on the east side of Alaska, across from the food vendors, including West Seattle Hi-Yu, where you can take your photo with the “Around West Seattle” float, which was getting a touchup when we walked by:

You can meet the Hi-Yu Teen Ambassadors and royalty, too – we stopped by to say hi to Junior Court Princess Stephanie and friends when we arrived:

And come see Haley Beebe be crowned Senior Court Queen on Saturday at 11:30 on the main stage.

1:12 PM: Though many Summer Fest vendors are from outside the area, it’s also a great chance to come find out more about local businesses and organizations. For one, as we’ve mentioned, you can check out the local year-round eateries, some with special setups on the sidewalk, some without – we just heard from Itto’s Tapas just north of the festival zone, at California/Genesee, and they’re opening early today, at 2 pm.

Summer Fest is also a chance for businesses from outside The Junction to come show off. Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) from south of Admiral has a booth:

We’ve also seen Avalon Glassworks, from Luna Park, which has Summer Fest specials every year.

1:46 PM: You can also learn about local nonprofits at Summer Fest. Some are in the “Community Tent,” which is actually half of the Info Tent at California/Alaska:

Right now, Neighborhood House, West Seattle Garden Tour, and BeSMART are on that side of the tent, talking with people who stop by. Throughout the festival zone, you will find other nonprofits with booths including West Seattle Food Bank – where you can buy raffle tickets for $5 that get you discounts at four local eateries even if you don’t win the raffle – West Seattle Helpline, West Seattle Timebank, WestSide Baby – some are in the GreenLife area by California/Edmunds. Speaking of nonprofit – members of the West Seattle High School Band just set up under the Easy Street marquee.

More to come!

Happy Friday! Rain or shine, the biggest party of the summer is on:

(Live SDOT traffic camera, east edge of the festival zone – road closure & bus reroute info here)

WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: Day 1 runs 10 am-6 pm, but the music runs well past then – it starts on the main stage (California north of Oregon) at 4 pm, with tonight’s headliner Tacocat at 9:30 pm – see the full music lineup here. … We’ll start reporting on what’s up and who’s where once we’re in place at the Info Booth at California/Alaska, but here are some other links that might help for starters:

Vendor list
Food list
Kids’ area (free AND fee activities – update: $1.25/ticket, $20/day pass, $45 three-day pass)
GreenLife (south end of festival zone, California/Edmunds)
Road closure/bus reroute info

Again, watch for live festival coverage here after things get going post-10 am. Also happening today/tonight:

COLMAN POOL CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC … because of a swim meet.

WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: 5 pm at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, journalist Eric Wagner and photographer Tom Reese talk about their collaboration “Once and Future River: Reclaiming the Duwamish.”:

The monthly author presentations comprising WWWS are presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. (2800 SW Barton)

OUTDOOR SHAKESPEARE: 7 pm at the amphitheater behind Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, it’s the Greenstage Backyard Bard version of “Twelfth Night.” Free. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

TX TRUMBO: Singer-songwriter live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)