Two weeks from today, the newly expanded West Seattle Car Show will be happening in the heart of The Junction. You still have time to sign up if you’re interested in showing off your wheels; this year it’s “open class” – cars, trucks, motorcycles of all years welcome! – an expansion from past years in which registration was limited to “classic” cars only. If you’ve missed our previous previews, the new organizers are Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks (both WSB sponsors), taking over the show in tribute to its founder, the late Michael Hoffman. It’s happening 10 am-4 pm on Sunday, September 14th, and you can go here to sign up now! If you would rather not register online, get your form by e-mailing wscarshow@gmail.com or calling 206.938.8685. (WSB is a WS Car Show sponsor again this year, as we’ve been since it launched in 2008 – see you there!)

Update on the West Seattle Car Show, set for September 14th with Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks (both WSB sponsors) carrying on from its late founder Michael Hoffman: It’s registration time! And, as requested by many, the WS Car Show is now “open class,” meaning there are no longer specific requirements for year, etc. But there’s still a limit – only so many spaces along the streets in the heart of The Junction – so if you’re interested, go here to sign up now it’s first come, first served. (If you don’t want to register online, you can get a form by e-mailing wscarshow@gmail.com or calling 206.938.8685.)

4:23 PM: Final hours of West Seattle Summer Fest 2014 – official end time is 8 pm, but some vendors will close starting around 6 pm, so don’t wait too much longer to come on down. The final few hours tend to involve major mingling – friends and family just hanging around. Our top photo is from GreenLife on the west side of California just north of SW Edmunds, where The Whale Trail has had an interactive art installation going – visitors helping create “West Seattle’s Orca Pod.” Also at GreenLife, Stu Hennessey from Alki Bike and Board has been leading DIY Bikes all afternoon:

Up at the stage, on California north of SW Oregon, The Darci Carlson Band started at 4; we caught part of STAG, the 3 pm band:

And they drew at least one tiny dancer:

Final band of the day will be Billy Dwayne and The Creepers at 6.

Also sighted at Summer Fest … Warren Buffett. Sort of.

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Northwest (WSB sponsor), the newest name for a longtime local company, is part of WB’s family of companies. And its booth is traditionally a place for community giving during Summer Fest – kids can knock over cans, and however many cans get knocked over, they contribute to the West Seattle Food Bank – the tally on the sign is from just a little while ago.

Another number: Almost 400 Seattle Police Foundation tote bags given out by the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network on the west side of the info booth. That’s Deb from WSBWCN at right in our impromptu info-booth pic:

Apparently free tote bags were a somewhat scarce commodity at Summer Fest this year! P.S. We’re here in the Info Booth until about 7 pm.

4:56 PM: Art everywhere at the festival – including impromptu chalk art:

And like the “orca pod” above, there are myriad kids’ art projects that have been under way throughout the festival – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society/Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) booth, celebrating the high bridge’s 30th anniversary, has made one each day:

Next event in honor of the bridge anniversary is tomorrow (Monday, July 14th) night in the Hotwire courtyard (4410 California SW) – a panel discussion at 6:30 pm.

Back here at Summer Fest, on Alaska east of California, not far past the SWSHS booth, you’ll find the West Seattle Hi-Yu booth, and the float that you’ll see in next Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade (and White Center Jubilee Days Parade later that day). Hi-Yu royalty has also been walking around selling the $1 buttons that raise money for the all-volunteer group to keep taking the float to parades.

Prince Hang and Princess Kallie from @wshiyu stopped by, selling buttons & water pic.twitter.com/B5jsWhiOPk

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 13, 2014

Missed the chance to get yours? The Hi-Yu Concert in the Park this Tuesday night (July 15th) on the east lawn at Hiawatha – West Seattle Big Band onstage, free, 7 pm! – is your next chance.

5:59 PM: Booths have the go-ahead to start breaking down, and some are – we’ve been looking north at QFC, selling fruit kabobs, water, and soda all weekend, and they are first to go; YMCA (WSB sponsor) next door, which has had hula hoops and bouncy pads and a stationary cycle for kids to try throughout the weekend, is taking down their sign. More Summer Fest trivia: A vendor that sold bamboo sheets in years past, but wasn’t here this year, has been the #1 most-asked-about vendor here at the Info Booth.

6:43 PM: Here they are, final band of the festival – Billy Dwayne and the Creepers:

Thanks to “Super Dave” for that photo and others of some of this weekend’s performers. Now, one last look at the live cam at California and Alaska:

With vendors’ vehicles to be allowed in at 8 pm, and asked to be done by 10 pm, the roads aren’t likely to reopen before 11 – the permit allows them to stay closed until midnight. If you have to go to/through The Junction late tonight, watch this camera (which you’ll usually find on the WSB Traffic page) to see if it’s open again – we’ll update when we know for sure.

(NEED FESTIVAL INFO QUICKLINKS? They’re in our daily West Seattle highlights list)

Haven’t been to West Seattle Summer Fest yet? This is the third and final day, but you still have lots of time to c’mon down. Never know who you will meet:

Skaters from the new Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby are in the Summer Fest Community Tent until 1:30 pm.

Find them and the following groups under the two white canopies along the south-facing side of Easy Street Records (SW Alaska west of California SW – top left in our photo, above):

10 am-1:30 pm
Environmental Science Center
Southside Revolution Roller Derby
Morgan Community Association
Furry Faces Foundation

(Deb Barker from MoCA)
1:30 pm-5 pm
Twelfth Night Productions
34th District Democrats
Furry Faces Foundation

Another area you’ll want to visit while you’re here is the sustainability/environment-focused GreenLife, with a slate of demonstrations/performances today – canning/preservation is on right now, and here’s what’s ahead:

Noon – Bikes & Greenways
1 pm – Invasive Seeds Prevention
2 pm – City Herb & Medicinal Gardens
3 pm – Solar Energy Systems
4 pm -Illuminatio Dance

GreenLife also has exhibitors and displays to see. And there’s more music at the festival today, too, starting at 2 pm with Carrie Akre – rest of the schedule is here. More festival coverage to come!

12:29 PM: Not EVERYTHING is on a schedule – so if you come to the festival, you’re likely to find something unexpected. Just learned there’s a Zumba demonstration that’s about to start on the main stage. (added – video snippet; Jennifer Cepeda is the instructor)

Photo too!

And if you’ve been worried about the heat, today’s your day – some thin cloud cover is moving in and it’s definitely cooler, especially with the breeze through the intersection here at California and Alaska, where you’ll find us in the Info Booth along with volunteers from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and, on the west side of the booth, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network with tote bags and other items courtesy of the Seattle Police Foundation.

It’s lunch/snack time and we have some notes – there’s cotton candy in the Kids’ Zone just to the west of California on Alaska – and an eclectic array of fair food (with some local vendors’ satellite spots – such as Pizzeria 22 from Admiral) to the east on Alaska.

1:30 PM: If you’re looking for a community group that’s not in the Community Tent, you might find its reps at GreenLife – Seal Sitters and The Whale Trail are both there today. And your furry friends are welcome at Pet Junction, north of Oregon:

(WSB photo by Katie Meyer)
Violet is one of the dogs we’ve spotted here at Summer Fest.

3:01 PM: Common question this afternoon – how much longer does the festival run? Answer: Vendors can start closing at 6 pm if they want to, but vehicles won’t be allowed onto the street to start breakdown until 8 pm. So you have at least three hours to come down – or to come back down! If you haven’t been, we’ll mention it again – it’s not all visiting vendors – local businesses are in many of the booths, like Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) between Alaska and Oregon, where Tracy Corey and staff have offered a quiet place for parents of babies/toddlers to nurse and change:

There’s also a parents’ rest stop at City Mouse Studio, 4218 SW Alaska. Meantime, for the first time during the festival, a lost child turned up here at the Information Booth – quickly reunited with her parents. Moving on to our final as-it-happens festival report next!

(EARLIER COVERAGE: Saturday report #1 here; Friday #1 here, #2 here)

(WSB photo by Katie Meyer)
That’s Fysah and The Soul Acoustic, performing a bit earlier this afternoon onstage at West Seattle Summer Fest 2014. Here’s the music schedule for the rest of today/tonight, including the festival headliners:

Sweet Jesus (started at 3 pm)
Charms, 4:00 pm
The Fabulous Downey Brothers, 5:00 pm
Spinning Whips, 6:00 pm
Dude York, 7:00 pm
Vox Mod, 7:40 pm
The Moondoggies, 8:00 pm
Vox Mod, 9:00 pm
The Helio Sequence, 9:30 pm

Next up on the stage at GreenLife – the sustainability-focused zone off the west side of California just north of Edmunds – instead of the previously scheduled beermaking workshop at 4 pm, which was canceled at the last minute, Sustainable West Seattle‘s Chas Redmond tells us there’ll be an environmental poetry slam. Meantime, good news – it’s not (so far) as hot as feared – though the 80s aren’t exactly a cold spell, so you might want to know about yet another booth ready to cool you off – WestSide Baby:

So what else can you do at Summer Fest? Get your face painted …

Get a caricature of yourself:

Shop for something you can’t find anywhere else …

By the way – in case you need a reminder – the festival zone will be part of the West Seattle Grand Parade one week from today (11 am start at California/Lander, heading south on California to Edmunds). P.S. Tomorrow – the West Seattle Farmers’ Market IS ON, as always, 10 am-2 pm, at 44th/Alaska, integral part of Summer Fest.

4:45 PM UPDATE: Dinnertime approaches. Yes, you can get fair food – deep-fried PB&J sandwiches, a Krispy Kreme burger, elephant ears, big tangle of french fries – and you’ll also find some local restaurants offering items in the food-stand area, along Alaska from California to 42nd. But what’s even more fun is to experience a favorite restaurant in a new way – with the temporary patios lining both blocks of California – while you’re here.

5:14 PM: Just seen headed eastbound on Alaska:

Most impressive bike rider seen at #wssummerfest pic.twitter.com/AsqQATJluo

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 13, 2014

5:37 PM: Quick clip of The Fabulous Downey Brothers, onstage right now:

And a photo:

(According to their website, you’ll see them in next Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade, too.) Back in the booths, many have games and other reasons for you to stop and say hi – including Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor):

6:25 PM: Summer Fest from the air! Courtesy of Long B. Nguyen:

It’s been fun again today talking to so many people who’ve stopped by to say hi – thank you! We’ll be in the Info Booth until just past 7; the Summer Fest focus then moves on to the stage and beer garden in the north part of the festival zone (here’s the music schedule again). If you’re planning to come tomorrow, remember that it starts an hour later than Friday/Saturday – everything revs up around 11 am on Sunday.

7:24 PM: Thanks to Diane for the reminder – there’s also live music at Elliott Bay Brewery tonight, until 10 pm with The Back Porch Apostles, celebrating EBB’s 17th anniversary.

ADDED: Thanks to Dave for the photo from Dude York‘s performance:

That’s Claire. According to the Dude York Facebook page, their upcoming gigs include the Capitol Hill Block Party later this month. And Saturday night’s last act was headliner The Helio Sequence – thanks to Leroy for this photo:

They’re due back in Seattle in August for a Tractor Tavern gig while touring with Liam Finn. Sunday music at Summer Fest starts with Carrie Akre at 2 pm.

10:17 AM: Again today, we start with the SDOT traffic camera facing north on California at Alaska – right over our HQ at the Info Booth in the heart of West Seattle Summer Fest, where Day 2 continues until 8 pm (with music running later). Here’s the basic Summer Fest map:

We’ll be updating live throughout the day – with this report continuing until we launch the day’s second live chronicle at mid-afternoon. (If major/breaking West Seattle news happens, we’ll of course cover that too.) Festival music starts at noon with reggae band Two-Story Zori. Festival quicklinks are in our daily preview, for starters. More to come!

10:44 AM: Need a tote bag? Stop by the west side of the Info Booth, where Karen and Deb from the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network also have some tchotchkes courtesy of the Seattle Police Foundation – hundreds of tote bags, coloring books, and more. Also in the booth with us today are volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle. Meantime, local businesses are having sidewalk sales again today, all along the festival grounds – at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), just north of Alaska on the east side of California SW, the hammock’s the thing this weekend:

Click! co-proprietors Frances and John Smersh are in the photo (taken on Day 1), demonstrating. When you’re not resting – maybe you’re on the run. If so, be sure you have signed up for the Float Dodger 5K, preceding the West Seattle Grand Parade one week from today:

West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) is presenting the Float Dodger 5K this year – it benefits the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society – and signing up participants at their Summer Fest booth. Later in the summer, it’s the Alki Beach 5K, benefiting Northwest Hope and Healing, and you can sign up for that at Summer Fest too – here’s the temp tattoo sported by NWHH’s Shari Sewell:

11:29 AM: Teri Ensley of Furry Faces Foundation, which is in the Community Tent today – actually a double-canopied area against the south wall of Easy Street Records at California/Alaska – has a plea for pet owners, given the heat advisory for today:

Please leave your dog(s) at home, in a cool place, with lots of available water. Leaving them in a car, can kill them. Walking them on concrete can burn the pads of their feet…if the concrete is too hot for our bare feet–it’s too hot for theirs. Lastly, keep your dogs out of the sun when you are walking them—they can suffer from heat exhaustion because they are wearing a fur coat.

Here’s who you will find in the Community Tent today – meet local community groups’ reps, find out more about what they do:

10 am-2 pm
Environmental Science Center
SSCC Parent Education Program
West Seattle Be Prepared
Furry Faces Foundation

2 pm -6 pm
West Seattle Community Orchestras
Seal Sitters
34th District Democrats
Furry Faces Foundation

Here are Cindi Barker and Sharonn Meeks from West Seattle Be Prepared (go ask them questions about your nearest Emergency Communication Hub!):

WSCO is bringing its Instrument Petting Zoo – don’t miss that this afternoon.

Meantime, a couple of visitors this past quarter-hour at the Info Booth – Pete Spalding, who’s on his way to volunteer at the West Seattle Food Bank booth (photo added above – don’t miss their raffle!), had a few updates about Delridge Day, which he’s helping organize, August 9th – looks like the “Picnic at the Precinct” SPD features will be combined with the festival again this year, and also, there’ll be a Delridge Day Eve outdoor movie on Friday, August 8th – “The Lego Movie.” Stay tuned for more details on that. Also saying hi, City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – first politician/elected official we’ve seen this Summer Fest.

And reps from West Seattle Hi-Yu – don’t miss their float, and a chance to buy a Hi-Yu button for just $1 to support the festival – on SW Alaska just east of California, near Junction Plaza Park.

12:57 PM: A snippet of Instagram video of today’s first band, Two-Story Zori:

Just about to start on the stage (north of SW Oregon), Sundae + Mr. Goessel, described as “a spirit reminiscent of 1930s pop.” We just returned from another stroll in that direction – noticed the Windermere sidewalk setup has a mister keeping passersby cool:

First mist-er we've seen at #wssummerfest – Windermere on the sidewalk, Calif east side btwn Oregon & Alaska pic.twitter.com/oQAhZH8eII

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 12, 2014

Today, almost every eatery on California SW has an outdoor area set up just for Summer Fest, even ones that don’t have outdoor seating otherwise. So along with the official “food court” area stretching along the south side of SW Alaska east of California – all the way to the corner of 42nd – lots of other options. We noticed that Pagliacci Pizza just north of SW Oregon is offering slices, something not usually on their West Seattle menu.

1:44 PM: Another local business that’s all in for Summer Fest, CAPERS, is grabbing attention on the sidewalk with the West Seattle T-shirt made famous by Eddie Vedder:

Don’t miss GreenLife at the southwest end of the festival zone, presented by Sustainable West Seattle in the parking lot north of Technical Analysis, with a full schedule of demonstrations and a few performances. One that was a hot ticket last year is back at 4 pm today – backyard beer making! (Update: just found out at 2:36 pm that the workshop has been canceled.) Speaking of hot … imagine having to wear a big furry costume in this weather:

Those two were wandering to promote the Sasquatch! music festival.

2:38 PM UPDATE: Other places that will be happy to “mist” you – as well as meet you – the West Seattle Fabric Company booth, for one:

And a reminder that if you are here with a baby and/or toddler and need a place to nurse, change diapers, otherwise get out of the crowd – the Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) booth by NW Art and Frame on the west side of California between Alaska and Edmunds is one place, as is City Mouse Studio and Store at 4218 SW Alaska. Meantime, we’ll be launching the day’s second round of coverage around the top of the hour, after a non-festival-related story or two.

(INFO LINKS in our first installment of today’s festival coverage – go here)

That’s a snippet of Squirrel Butter, first band on the West Seattle Summer Fest schedule, performing about an hour ago; right now, Rat City Brass is onstage …

… and music continues until the Yada Yada Blues Band‘s set at 9 pm (see the full schedule here). A breeze has been keeping the festival zone from getting too warm, so far, so don’t be too worried about overheating.

Summer Fest’s roots, of course, are in the Sidewalk Sale – and many shops still have one as part of the festivities. We’ve received this announcement from the nonprofit Discovery Shop, on the west side of California between Oregon and Alaska:

Plants with Pizzazz

It’s a beehive of activity over at the Discovery Shop as their annual plant sale fundraiser is well underway. Shelves are overflowing with a variety of indoor and outdoor plants in unique containers such as toy wagons, old watering cans, even rhinestone shoes. Other containers include beautiful handmade pottery. These one-of-kind creations are only available
during the Summer Fest Sidewalk Sale, now through Sunday. Sales benefit the American Cancer Society.

Lots more coverage to come – hope to see you here!

4:14 PM: Here’s the music schedule for the rest of today – Vaudeville Etiquette is onstage right now (again, there’s one music stage, on California north of Oregon):

And after that:

Killer Ghost, 5 pm
Magic Mirrors, 6 pm
Country Lips, 7 pm
Hobosexual, 8 pm
Yada Yada Blues Band, 9 pm

Also right now, Illuminatio Dance is onstage at GreenLife, which is in the parking lot off the west side of California, just north of Edmunds. That’ll be followed by a presentation about building with reclaimed materials, at 5 pm; here’s the full weekend schedule for GreenLife.

5:25 PM: It’s been busy all day but now of course as more people leave work, the crowd is growing. The kids’ rides will be open until 8, the official end time for tonight, though the music runs later:

With the sun arcing to the west, it’s getting warmer. Lots of beverage options – the QFC booth across from ours is selling $1 water if you don’t bring any of your own. (Just had to buy some after running out of the supply we bought … it’s REALLY icy. Perfect.)

One of our many Summer Fest previews mentioned the pop-up library today in Junction Plaza Park. It’s continuing until 6:

More Summer Fest sights – lots of dogs – all sizes, all shapes, all … spots:

If you’re bringing yours, head up to the Pet Junction zone north of Oregon – a Summer Fest first this year. Speaking of animals … we talked this afternoon with Robin from Seal Sitters and Donna from The Whale Trail. Robin says the pup recently rescued from a local beach is doing OK. Donna is just back from taking The Whale Trail on a road trip including California and says the Southern Resident whales were in the area too – in some cases foraging for fish further south than they’ve been seen before. (Another feature of Summer Fest – endless supply of cool people to talk with, all concentrated in a few blocks for three days)

If you’re coming tomorrow, bring diapers – HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) is collecting for WestSide Baby‘s Stuff the Bus drive:

You can also drop off diapers at HomeStreet’s West Seattle branch (40th/Alaska) during business hours – Stuff the Bus is one week from Sunday, July 20th in the HomeStreet parking lot. Like HomeStreet, some other businesses from just outside the festival zone have booths here – including longtime WSB sponsor Dream Dinners:

Dream Dinners’ year-round location is on the east exterior of Jefferson Square, fronting 41st – that’s where you go to put together ready-to-cook family-style dishes to take home and cook later. At Summer Fest, you can find out more about a variety of local businesses you might not have visited before.

6:30 PM: If you’re coming just to wander .. do note that some vendors leave as early as 6, though they can stay open tonight up until 8 (and the food area might stay open later if people are still buying – that’s the official word festival staff is circulating). We’ll be here in the info booth until around 7, and then back tomorrow morning as the festival opens at 10. In addition to finding particular vendors and other info such as bus reroutes, we also wind up collecting information about other area summertime events, and since the booth has a big banner for the West Seattle Outdoor Movies series, we’ve been fielding questions about it – come get a card with the schedule, or stop by wsmovies.org. First free outdoor movie in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard, one week from tomorrow (Saturday, July 19th) – “Gravity.”

7:06 PM: The evening crowd is wandering around in force, many checking out the food zone just east of us, stretching along the south side of Alaska, east of California.

If nothing there grabs your attention, remember The Junction has many year-round eateries too – both old and new; some have opened since last Summer Fest, like Quadrato on SW Oregon and Terra Cole on California. And then there are the classics, like Husky Deli, home to sandwiches as well as ice cream, with proprietor Jack Miller among the familiar Summer Fest faces:

We’re wrapping up the Info Booth for the night – only one question is still being asked, and that’s “which way to the music?” (North of Oregon on California!)

8:43 PM: Thanks to Dave for sharing photos of one of the anticipated bands – Country Lips:

(added) He also shared this video of their final song:

Last band of the night, Yada Yada Blues Band, is scheduled to start at 9. Saturday music begins at noon with Two Story Zori.

10:16 AM: That’s the SDOT traffic camera pointing north on California at Alaska – right over our vantage point in the heart of West Seattle Summer Fest, which has just officially opened. We’ll be covering it live for the next three days, but you can also count on us for other news coverage, especially breaking news, as it happens, so you won’t miss a thing. First, some info links:

TODAY’S HOURS: 10 am-8 pm
MUSIC: Schedule here; Squirrel Butter is first at 2 pm, Yada Yada Blues Band at 9 pm
FOOD: Local year-round restaurants plus vendor stands on the south side of Alaska, east of California
BABY/TODDLER FEEDING/CHANGING: Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) booth by NW Art and Frame; City Mouse Studio/Store at 4218 SW Alaska
KID ZONE: Rides/bouncy toys/ticket booth are on Alaska west of California; also, activities in the Wells Fargo drive-thru
PET JUNCTION: First-of-its-kind pet zone is on California north of Oregon
VENDOR LIST – here
VENDOR MAP – here (by number, per the list)
GREENLIFE SCHEDULE – here – first event today, Zumba at 1 pm
COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE – here (scroll down)
BUS REROUTES – here

12:01 PM: Two hours into Day 1, lots of fun so far. Lots of shade and breeze, too, so it’s a great place to get out of the heat. While you’re browsing vendor booths, you can snag some shade too – stop and chat with folks like Gina with Snooter-doots:

Rides and bouncy toys for kids are just west of our spot in the Info Booth – they’re on Alaska west of California and also in the Wells Fargo drive-through. Here’s the price list:

Plenty of activities sprinkled throughout the rest of the festival – for example, the West Seattle Y (WSB sponsor) is just north of us, and it’s offering jumping and hula-hooping.

The new Pet Junction area on California north of Oregon has the MaxMobile pet-adoption van, today only:

Throughout the festival, the Community Tent – actually two canopies – can be found on the south side of Easy Street’s corner of California/Alaska, with a rotating list of local community/nonprofit organizations:

Here’s today’s list of participating groups whose reps are looking forward to meeting you there:

10 am -2 pm
Environmental Science Center
34th District Democrats

2 pm – 6 pm
Seal Sitters
West Seattle Girl Scouts
Seattle Parks for All
WS Green Spaces
Friends of Seattle’s Urban Forests

Some nonprofits have their own spots around the festival grounds – among them, the West Seattle Food Bank, which asked us to share an announcement:

Summer Fest is on all weekend and the West Seattle Food Bank is selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win two unrestricted roundtrip tickets on Alaska or Horizon Airlines (no blackout dates) PLUS a 10% discount at 5 fabulous West Seattle restaurants, Christo’s on Alki, Elliott Bay Brewery & Pub, Talarico’s Pizzeria (you could use both of those the day you’re at SummerFest), Menchie’s Admiral & Zeeks Pizza. All proceeds go to help our West Seattle families in need. Stop by and see them and you’ll get a free new cool car window sticker. They’re across from West 5!

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society booth is on the north side of Alaska, east of California, and Seymour History the marmot is on hand until 3 pm with volunteers from the Washington State Historical Society joining SWSHS reps – read more about that here.

Meantime, here in the Info Booth (look for the big INFORMATION sign as well as the WSB banner), service organizations’ volunteers are helping out throughout the weekend too – today, meet reps from the Rotary Club of West Seattle (who also are selling $5 tote bags to raise money for Pencil Me In For Kids, which gets school supplies to kids in need).

12:46 PM: In the background on the block between Alaska and Edmunds, the unmistakable sound of work continuing on the two under-construction projects, including 4730 California at midblock:

We got a tip that the contractor, Compass, is offering cool drinks, and stickers, so check it out if you pass that way. That project has topped out, which means shade where it didn’t exist before.

1:30 PM: When you are at Summer Fest, don’t miss GreenLife – it’s tucked in the parking lot on the west side of California just north of Edmunds (east of the Chase ATM drive-thru). Sustainable West Seattle is managing it again this year, with local sustainability-focused businesses participating, onstage performances and demonstrations and … chickens!

And next to the Info Booth, a pigeon sighting – the official art for this year’s Summer Fest posters etc. is also a photo-op station (that’s West Seattle Junction Association director Susan Melrose at left):

Also getting into the festival spirit – Seattle Police assigned to Summer Fest patrol. Officers Steiger and Dobson met up with West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty:

More to come – we’ll be launching the second round of as-it-happens coverage around 3 pm, after a couple of non-festival news notes.

West Seattle Summer Fest is almost here – it starts 10 am tomorrow (Friday), and once again, we need to remind you that the Junction streets close TONIGHT at 6 (details, including bus reroutes, are here – and “Summer Fest Eve”/Art Walk info for tonight is here). We still have lots to share in advance. Some quick points this afternoon:

COMMUNITY TENT: One of the schedules you might not have seen yet is for the neighbors you’ll meet at the Summer Fest Community Tent, just west of the Information Booth at California/Alaska (where you’ll find us again this year). So many of the people you’ll meet at the Community Tent are busy all year doing good work, almost always on a volunteer basis, to make West Seattle an awesome place, so go say hi, meet them, thank them, ask questions … The lineup, coordinated by the fine folks at Furry Faces Foundation, is toward the end of this page. (P.S. During Furry Faces’ official time in the tent, they’ll be offering pet-ID tags, among other things.)

WSCO’S ‘INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO’: West Seattle Community Orchestras will be at the Community Tent (see the schedule) with an “instrument petting zoo” so that young prospective musicians can get a firsthand look.

FAMILY REST STOP AT CITY MOUSE: At 4218 SW Alaska (just east of California), City Mouse Studio and Store is again open during Summer Fest with “a place to feed, change, and escape the heat,” according to proprietor Donna Ryan.

DONATE DIAPERS AT HOMESTREET BANK AND ITS BOOTH: Melodie from HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) has a Summer Fest update:

All weekend long we will be accepting diaper donations for WestSide Baby’s upcoming Stuff the Bus Event (7/20). HomeStreet Bank will accept donations at our booth in vendor row and also at the Branch during normal business hours. We will also be helping folks keep cool by giving out free Otter Pops in front of the branch (located at the corner of Alaska and 41st), while supplies last.

HomeStreet’s booth in the heart of the festival grounds is #148.

‘CYCLELUNG’ AT AAA BOOTH: From AAA-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – they’ll be at Summer Fest too:

People can stop by our booth (#) to learn more about all of AAA’s great services and enter to win a prize. You can also spin our prize wheel and receive a giveaway. Plus, on Saturday, AAA will host the CycleLung to promote the ALA Bike Around the Sound presented by AAA. The CycleLung is interactive art where a person can pedal a stationary bike to get lungs (a series of light bulbs) to light up. The piece of art is made up of bicycle parts. We look forward to seeing everyone at Summer Fest.

Those are just a few updates – you can browse/search the vendors list, review the vendors map (zoom in to see each booth number), the music schedule, and more, on the official Summer Fest website. For the seventh year, we’ll be in the Information Booth (at walk-all-ways, California/Alaska), with volunteers from the West Seattle Chamber, Kiwanis Club, and Rotary Club, ready to answer questions and say hi. We’ll also have Summer Fest updates, photos, videos, and general info here on the site “live” all three days (plus WSB’s social-media channels – see the links atop the right sidebar). See you at Summer Fest!

Now just two days until West Seattle Summer Fest – and the countdown continues with news for parents of babies and toddlers: Again this year, Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) wants you to know that its booth “will have a cozy place for moms to nurse their babies and for parents to change diapers … We’ll be located right across from Northwest Art & Frame as usual.”

You can also find the booth number for Nurturing Expressions (and any other local business or visiting vendor that’s part of the festival) on the online directory here – then find the number on this map. And during the festival, we’ll be in the Information Booth for the seventh year, right in the middle of California/Alaska, so if you can’t find something/someone, we and the community-organization volunteers joining us will do our best to help. Festival hours are 10 am-8 pm Friday/Saturday (with music running later) and 11 am-8 pm Sunday.

By this time next weekend, we’ll be right in the middle of West Seattle Summer Fest, the peninsula’s biggest party of the year. So this weekend, the countdown continues, with our spotlight tonight on the schedule for live music, with 25 acts featured over the festival’s three days (Friday-Sunday, July 11th-13th).

The basics:

*One stage, toward the north end of the festival zone, on California SW north of SW Oregon (“CA” on map, above)
*Free
*Music starts at:
—-2 pm Friday (last band @ 9 pm)
—-Noon Saturday (last band @ 9:30 pm)
—-2 pm Sunday (last band @ 6 pm)

On the Summer Fest website’s music page, click on any act’s name to go to a website or Facebook page with more info. And note the beer garden’s right by the stage – but you can also enjoy beverages and food at The Junction’s year-round restaurants and lounges, some of which set up temporary outdoor-seating areas just for Summer Fest.

We’re counting down to West Seattle Summer Fest 2014 – presented by the WS Junction Association Friday-Sunday, July 11-13 – exactly one week away. This time, a quick infobit – the fun unofficially starts on what we like to call West Seattle Summer Fest Eve, when the streets close in the heart of The Junction on Thursday night, July 10th. The shutdown is technically for setup, but for years now, it’s also facilitated a whole lot of fun right in the heart of California SW – it’s the July West Seattle Art Walk (6-9 pm – previews next week), for one thing, and participants usually turn it up for this one. Then there’s the annual appearance of Bubbleman, out in the street in all his glory, courtesy of Elliott Bay Brewery. And somebody usually has live music in the street – usually more than one somebody. So plan to come down to The Junction not just for Summer Fest July 11-13 (co-sponsored by WSB), but also for Summer Fest Eve and Art Walk next Thursday.

Just 9 days to go until the year’s biggest party, West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB) – July 11th, 12th, 13th, closing the streets to vehicles and opening them to fun in the heart of The Junction. Today – news from the West Seattle Junction Association, which presents WSSF, that the first day of Summer Fest will feature the festival’s first-ever “pop-up library”:

West Seattle Summer Fest will host Open Air in Junction Plaza Park on Friday, July 11 from 10 am to 6 pm. The Seattle Public Library will bring a pop-up library outdoors (a kind of outdoor reading room, complete with book
tower and benches) where guests can check out books and DVDs from our mobile collection, take a break with a magazine, and chat with librarians (among other things). You can visit their landing page for a bit more information.

In addition to the above, Open Air provides hotspots with free wi-fi access and charging stations for visitors. On site librarians are particularly interested in signing up visitors for library cards and showing them the range of ebooks, downloads, and databases offered by the library.

You can browse more advance info on Summer Fest – including the music schedule and vendor list/map – by going to the official website.

The year’s biggest party, West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB), is 11 days away – July 11th, 12th, 13th, closing the streets to vehicles and opening them to fun in the heart of The Junction. We’ll be counting down daily/nightly with info – tonight, Sustainable West Seattle‘s preview of the 4th annual GreenLife festival-within-a-festival:

The GreenLife Stage is sponsored by Alki Bike and Board and features 3 days of sustainability demonstrations. Topics include: Building with Reclaimed Materials; Backyard Beer Making; and Home Canning and Preservation. We are also excited to have performances of the highly acclaimed Illuminatio Dance on Friday and Sunday afternoons.

The GreenLife area is sponsored by West Seattle Nursery and is located in the parking lot (east of the former Chase drive-through), off California Ave SW and SW Edmunds St. For more information and to view the schedule, please visit wsjunction.org/summerfest/green-life

You can explore other SummerFest infolinks from the festival’s home page at wsjunction.org/summerfest.