West Seattle, Washington
04 Friday
If you didn’t get to the Seattle Chinese Garden on Puget Ridge today for the first day of the Peony and Bamboo Festival – good news, you have another chance tomorrow. Thanks to David Hutchinson for sharing photos from today! The lion dance was a Saturday-only feature, but the festival’s namesake flowers and plants will be on view again Sunday for your viewing pleasure:
Tomorrow’s schedule also includes Tai Chi, demonstrations, food, gardening Q&A, and music – see it here.
The garden is on the north side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus on Puget Ridge, off the north parking lot at 6000 16th SW; tomorrow’s festival hours are 10 am-4 pm.
(WSB photo from Alki’s first-ever “car-free day” in September 2008)
Last month, we reported that the city’s “car-free day” events – now called Seattle Summer Parkways – would include a West Seattle date this year, after skipping our area last year. At the time, the date hadn’t been set. Now, it has, according to the official webpage: Sunday, September 25th. That’s a long way off, so details are all but nonexistent, except that the city has posted that it’ll be happening on Alki. Just telling you now so you can get it on your calendar!
(BACKSTORY: The first such event, called “Car-Free Day,” was in September 2008; then for six years, it was scheduled on the same May day as the West Seattle 5K run/walk.)
(Photo courtesy Seattle Chinese Garden)
Looking ahead to next weekend – you might want to set some time aside to visit the Seattle Chinese Garden on Puget Ridge, as the 4th annual Peony and Bamboo Festival will be happening both days, 10 am-4 pm Saturday and Sunday (April 16th and 17th):
This family-friendly event, celebrating two of China’s horticultural treasures, kicks off with a rousing lion dance at 11 am on Saturday. A festival centerpiece is the tree-peony display garden with more than 400 plants of two dozen varieties from Luoyang, China’s peony capital for more than 1,500 years.
Festival activities include talks and demonstrations on plant care, plant sales including unusual varieties of bamboo from specialty growers in Washington and Oregon, cultural entertainment and Chinese artist painting demonstrations, and sale of art and craft items. Plus, Chinese food booths will offer a variety of dishes and snacks. Visit the SCG website Tuesday for the schedule of activities.
Suggested adult donation is $5.
Co-sponsoring next weekend’s festival are the American Peony Art and Culture Association and American Bamboo Society Northwest Chapter. To reach the Chinese Garden, take the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) north entrance at 6000 16th SW.
(Summer Fest ’14 from the air, photographed by Long Bach Nguyen)
Four months until West Seattle Summer Fest – and it’s time NOW for this invitation to artists, businesses, and organizations:
The West Seattle Junction Association is happy to announce opportunities for West Seattle Summer Fest, July 8-9-10, 2016.
Summer Fest is a well-loved community event with shopping, live music, sidewalk cafes, kids’ area, a beer garden, and more. But what makes this event exceptional is the opportunity to connect with our community.
While Junction businesses are well-represented at the event, we invite the greater West Seattle artist, business, and non-profit community to join the event and help showcase what’s special about our neighborhood. Their participation will help give the neighborhood what they want – strong West Seattle representation at Summer Fest.
We are now accepting vendor applications for Summer Fest, and the application deadline is April 1. We are also seeking sponsorship to help us produce the best event possible. Information on both can be found at westseattlefestival.com.
Another big part of Sunday’s West Seattle Harvest Festival success – the biggest Costume Parade yet! How do you get a parade through a crowded festival? Ken Iverson from the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club reveals a big part of the secret:
(Photos courtesy WSARC)
The West Seattle Amateur Radio Club was proud to have 9 of its members provide radio communication and coordination for the 2015 West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival Parade. Members included Jon, KG7WSN, Brian, KG7WRK, Tom, N7OEP, Adeline, KG7EUL, Meredith, KG7EUM [youngest WSARC member but holding a full General Class license], Dave, AF7CW, Jim, WS7JIM, Ken, AB7X and all coordinated by Tammy, WA7TZ who was our ‘net control.’Members with hand-held radios positioned themselves at the beginning, middle and end of the parade, and reported the progress of the parade.
You can see our parade video in our as-it-happened Harvest Festival coverage.
P.S. If you’re a local amateur radio operator – you’re welcome to join WSARC’s weekly check-in, tonight and every Monday night at 6:30 pm.
(WSB photo from Sunday, with 4 of the chili contenders, L-R: Todd from Elliott Bay, Amber from Freshy’s, Dave from West 5, Matt from Easy Street)
First of two followups this afternoon on Sunday’s mega-successful West Seattle Harvest Festival in The Junction (co-sponsored by WSB): Full results, including fundraising, from the festival’s chili competition. We reported the winner in our as-it-happened coverage – here are the full results, from Judi Yazzolino at the West Seattle Food Bank:
Thank you so much (to the participants) in our very successful 3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off. The West Seattle Food Bank and the clients we serve are most appreciative. We raised an incredible $2,025 in tastings and single serving sales and $357 in straight donations, for a total of $2582! Now for all of the voting results! Congratulations to Jeremy at Shadowland for taking home the beautiful trophy and bragging rights for a year with 41 votes. Here’s how the rest of the votes came in:
Elliott Bay Brewery with 36
The Westy with 26
Easy Street Café with 20
Husky Deli and West Seattle Brewery with 17 each
Freshy’s with 13
West 5 with 6
Everybody who bought a flight for a $10 WSFB donation got a vote; the participants all donated a huge vat of custom-cooked chili plus somebody to serve it, so it was a big contribution, and everyone was a winner, really, with the competition’s popularity – “where’s the chili?” was the most frequently asked question in the info booth.
10:16 AM: We’re in the heart of The Junction – middle of Walk All Ways at California/Alaska – and the West Seattle Harvest Festival is under way! From our spot, if you look north, it’s the Farmers Market (above), and if you look south, it’s harvest activities (cast a line at Emerald Water Anglers [WSB sponsor], below):
The activities continue all the way until 2 pm, as does the market; at 11 am, you can buy a flight of chili ($10, goes to the West Seattle Food Bank) and vote for your favorite; at 11:30 am, it’s the Costume Parade from Junction Plaza Park at 42nd/Alaska; at noon, you can trick-or-treat at Junction businesses! In the meantime, stop by our booth for our Halloween stickers, while they last:
In the costumes we’re seeing so far, “Star Wars“ wins the day. We’ve seen new costumes – Kylo Ren from Episode 7) mingled with the classics – Princess Leia in her Episode 4 gown:
And pint-size Wookiees like this one:
Queen Amidala (Episode 1) showed up too:
Finally, a Jedi!
Plus – space, not so long ago and not so far away:
11:02 AM: The chili competition is under way! Get to the KeyBank corner of California and Alaska, donate $10 (all goes to the WS Food Bank), and get samples of the contenders – here’s who made, donated, and is serving chili for the occasion:
Easy Street Café
Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub
Freshy’s
Husky Deli
Shadowland
The Westy Sports and Spirits
West 5
West Seattle Brewing Company
Vote for your fave, and we’ll find out later who won! Activities are continuing, on Alaska and on California south of the Farmers’ Market … and the Harvest Festival Costume Parade is coming up at 11:30, starting from Junction Plaza Park, with the West Seattle High School Marching Band in the lead – it’ll wind through the market and festival. Lots of kids and grownups in costume here from the start:
Check out this ensemble costume:
And luchadores!
(Later – an entire luchador family:)
Business trick-or-treating starts at noon. More to come – we’re reporting live for the duration – but first, stay tuned for parade coverage.
11:39 AM: This is the biggest Harvest Festival Costume Parade we’ve ever seen – by far! – and it’s still winding its way through the market and festival, now heading southbound on the west side of the street. Video:
Longer version, iPhone video via YT:
11:50 AM: Now it’s almost time to trick or treat, as the parade turns the corner eastward onto Alaska and back to the park. Be sure to go see the businesses north of the closed-street zone, too! We still have stickers to give away, and on the other side of our booth is the festival-presenting West Seattle Junction Association team (don’t tell them we told you, but THEY have candy). Speaking of merchants – this is the first Harvest Festival since Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) moved to The Junction, and look who’s at their storefront on the east side of California between Alaska and Edmunds:
And just when we thought we’d seen it all today … we’ve just seen Santa Claus.
12:37 PM: We are in the heart of trick-or-treating.
The “harvest activities” continue too – art projects, like this one at the booth for Dream Dinners-West Seattle (WSB sponsor):
West Seattle Nursery had a DIY photo booth with harvest/autumn greenery:
“Plinko” was the game in the Westside School (WSB sponsor) booth:
And more costumes!
All around us, we’re seeing friends and neighbors greeting each other – same vibe as West Seattle Summer Fest here in The Junction – glad the weather has held, after an early morning shower.
1:00 PM: Last hour for the festival and the market – if you haven’t been here yet, hurry! We found some street art:
Also just announced: The chili competition winner – Shadowland got the most votes!
In 2nd and 3rd, Elliott Bay and The Westy. They’re still tallying how much money the chili raised for the WS Food Bank. We can verify it was a hit – not only did we get a steady stream of people asking us where to find it, we’re told they sold out of sample flights long before they ran out of would-be voters.
1:29 PM: Half an hour to go. Rabbit Stew is playing old-time Americana right here at California/Alaska, drawing some dancers and toe-tappers now and then:
Many of the market vendors got into the spirit too. Thanks to the folks who pointed out Whistling Train Farm’s themed signs:
2 PM: The festival flew by! Market’s wrapping up too. Thanks to everyone who came to The Junction, everyone who offered activities and treats, everyone in the parade … Adding more photos when we’re back at HQ.
4:32 PM: Just finished adding more photos, above. Here’s the last costumed child we photographed before the end of the festival, with her non-costumed dad:
Sabrina, daughter of County Executive and lifelong West Seattleite Dow Constantine and wife Shirley Carlson, is just two weeks shy of a year and a half old.
(WSB photo from the first Harvest Festival in 2012)
You ARE going to the fourth annual West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival on Sunday, we hope? It’s not just kid stuff. Everybody’s welcome to join the costume parade, vote in the chili contest, shop the Farmers’ Market … the festival is about 37 hours away (not that we’re counting)! Here are your essential festival facts. First, the schedule:
*Early morning-late afternoon: California closed between Oregon and Edmunds, Alaska closed between 44th and 42nd
*10 am-2 pm: Farmers’ Market
*10 am-2 pm: Harvest activities (most booths south of Alaska)
*11 am: Chili competition (fundraiser for West Seattle Food Bank, buy your “flight” – which entitles you to vote – at SW corner of California/Alaska)
*11:30 am: Costume parade from Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska), led by West Seattle High School Marching Band, directed by Ethan Thomas
*Noon: Trick-or-treating at Junction businesses
Next, some of the activities (all free), presented at booths on and south of Alaska:
*Putt-putt golf – West Seattle Eagles
*Spooky tree photo-op – West Seattle Nursery
*Giant Tic-Tac-Toe and hay bales to play in – Hotwire Online Coffeehouse and EQ Fitness
*Cotton-candy maker – Eastridge Church
*Origami and puppies – West Seattle See Dogs
*Scary-face photo ops – WSB
And now, from the festival-presenting West Seattle Junction Association:
Full list of activity providers: Alki Art Fair, Bitter Cherry Tree, City Mouse Store, Cupcake Royale, Dream Dinners, Eastridge Church, Emerald Water Anglers, Endolyne Children’s Choir, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Holy Rosary School, Hotwire Coffee and EQ Fitness, Infinite B Canvas Creations, Pagliacci Pizza, PCC Natural Foods, School of Rock, Snooter Doots, SSC Coop Preschools, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, The Little Gym of West Seattle, The Office Junction, West Seattle Art Nest, West Seattle Blog, West Seattle Calvary Chapel, West Seattle Hi-Yu, West Seattle Kiwanis, West Seattle Nursery, West Seattle See Dogs, WestSide Baby, Westside School
And thank you, sponsors, for helping to produce this event: Bakery Nouveau, West Seattle Blog, Westside School, Curious Kidstuff, Pagliacci, Eastridge Church, Easy Street Records, Elliott Bay Brewery, Swanson & Seepersad Chiropractic & Massage Therapy, WestSide Baby
Forecast so far – cloudy but dry. See you in The Junction on Sunday!
Just nine days until the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival – four fun-filled hours, 10 am-2 pm on Sunday, October 25th, including activity booths (all four hours), a costume parade (11:30 am), business trick-or-treating (noon), and the chili competition benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank – you buy a flight of samples and vote for your favorite! The West Seattle Junction Association has just announced the competitor lineup:
Easy Street Café
Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub
Freshy’s
Husky Deli
Shadowland
The Westy Sports and Spirits
West 5
West Seattle Brewing Company
Each competitor is bringing and donating 2 1/2 gallons of chili, and it goes fast, so don’t miss it at 11 am during the festival – one week from Sunday! – on the southwest corner of California/Alaska. (WSB is among the festival co-sponsors again this year, and we’ll be among the activity providers again too – see you there!)
3:17 PM: At the 2015 Fauntleroy Fall Festival, the sound of birdhouse building (video above) is mingling with the sound of music (video below):
Lots to do AND lots to see – kids can also make salmon hats (don’t forget to wear them to help drum the salmon home next Sunday – more on that later):
As is the petting area, behind the schoolhouse:
The festival is in full swing, until 5 pm, with a huge array of fun for all ages, in the 9100 block of California SW.
4:26 PM: The afternoon has gone by in a blink. Still half an hour for you to get here – and, among other things, hear and see the West Seattle Big Band:
And you can grab a snack – maybe call it early dinner! WSB sponsor Endolyne Joe’s is here, with pork sliders, in the church/Y parking lot:
We couldn’t resist buying a bowl of the curried butternut-squash soup that Tuxedoes and Tennis Shoes is dishing out outside The Hall at Fauntleroy (its event venue) – awesome. The full festival menu is here. More photos later!
ADDED 8:41 PM: As promised, more photos! The Seattle Fire Department brought Engine 37 from Sunrise Heights:
The Fauntleroy Community Association booth had bubbles:
Pumpkin-decorating is a festival tradition:
So is salmon-hat-making, as mentioned above – here’s Judy Pickens, wearing her “Fauntleroy Creek watershed steward” and “volunteer” hats, helping a young festivalgoer put on her salmon hat:
If you brought home one of those – wear it to the next big Fauntleroy event, at which you’re certain to see Judy – the annual drumming to call the salmon home, at the Fauntleroy Creek overlook (across from the ferry dock), 5 pm next Sunday, October 18th. Judy, by the way, also was a winner in the cake-decorating contest:
Along with her autumn-leaves cakes, other winners included Charlie Perry, with this spider:
(Spiders were a popular theme, but none quite like that one.) Ann Dawson‘s scarecrow cupcakes were winners too:
As was Abigail Dwyer‘s basket of Reese’s Pieces:
And the beginners’ award went to Claudi Levy, for banana bread – sorry we didn’t get a photo! By the way, if you want to vote on the cakes, be sure to get to the festival early next year:
A whole ‘nother batch of cakes was available for the subsequent Cake Walk – kind of like musical chairs, but with cakes:
The festival is volunteer- and donation-powered. This was the festival’s 13th year; see even more of the fun at the official FFF FB page.
(WSB photo from 2014 Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
One week from today, you’re invited to spend Sunday afternoon, October 11th, at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, three hours full of fun for all ages. As usual, the venues are in and around the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, Hall at Fauntleroy, and Fauntleroy Church/YMCA, 9131 and 9140 California SW. Here’s the official schedule, forwarded by Judy Pickens:
P.S. If you’re interested in contributing a cake to the Cake Walk – go here to see how that works. And if you haven’t been to the FFF before – check out WSB coverage from last year.
(WSB photo: Serving up Harvest Festival chili tastes for judges – that means you! – during 2014 festival)
Which West Seattle restaurant will win this year’s Harvest Festival chili competition, delighting tastebuds and raising money for the West Seattle Food Bank? Just announced – the field is open for entries:
The West Seattle Junction Association is sponsoring a fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank at our 4th Annual Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 25th. Our neighborhood restaurants will bring their best pot of chili and compete for bragging rights of Best Chili at Harvest Festival – 2015. It’s free for restaurants to enter. The West Seattle public will vote by buying a flight of chili and choosing their favorite! 100% of the donations collected will go to the West Seattle Food Bank to help our community. In the past two years, this competition has raised over $4500 for the food bank!
Some logistics and rules to enter. Participants must:
* Be a West Seattle business.
* Bring 2.5 gallons of hot chili made in commercial kitchen. We’ll have chafing dishes but bring it hot!!
* Provide a chili server who has a current Food Handlers Card. Restaurant owner, lead chef, or manager preferred.
* Be ready to serve at 11 am! With 2.5 gallons of chili, we’ll be able to serve over 100 flights and the competition will be done by 1 pm.
* We have room for only 9 competitors. First come, first serve, don’t delay.We’ll provide everything else. To register, please e-mail susan@wsjunction.org with your business name, contact person, and agreement that rules will be followed. Deadline Friday, October 16th.
Last year, West Seattle caterer Deano’s was the winner; the year before that, Husky Deli.
P.S. Along with chili, trick-or-treating (at noon and not a second sooner) is part of the Harvest Festival, as is the costume parade (now confirmed – West Seattle High School Marching Band will lead the way again!), harvest activities, and the Farmers’ Market, all happening in the street in the heart of The Junction, 10 am-2 pm Sunday, October 25th.
(WSB photo, 2014 Harvest Festival)
It’s on! Fall’s biggest festival returns to The Junction in just six weeks. And it’s time now to jump in if you’re interested in providing an activity – and/or sponsorship – for this year’s Harvest Festival:
The Junction’s Harvest Festival will be Sunday, October 25 from 10 am till 2 pm. You’ll find the West Seattle Farmers Market in its new permanent location on California Ave, community groups and businesses offering kids’ projects, the costume parade at 11:30, and trick-or-treating starting at noon.
If your organization or business would like to help create a wonderful day for West Seattle families by offering a “Harvest Activity,” please visit the event’s announcement page for an application.
You also can support this beloved community event through sponsorship! Find it on the same page.
If you’d like to volunteer at the event, please email Junction Association Director Susan Melrose at susan@wsjunction.org
New here? Check out our coverage from last year – the 3rd annual Harvest Festival – or the year before.
(WSB photo from 2014 WestFest)
Just announced – the schedule for Holy Rosary School‘s WestFest next Friday and Saturday:
WestFest is almost here and it’s going to be FABULOUS! Come and join us at Holy Rosary School (4142 42ND AVE SW) from 6 pm-10 pm on Friday 9/18 and 10 am-10 pm on Saturday 9/19!
· Last call for discounted wristbands! If you haven’t yet purchased yours yet, stop by the Holy Rosary School office (at the above address). Prices do go up at the event, so get yours now!
· BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: TODDLER TIME!
Bring your preschoolers to Toddler Time at WestFest! Holy Rosary is bringing the Carnival of Community to our younger West Seattle residents this year! From 10 am-12 pm on Saturday, they can enjoy a discount on 3 rides exclusively for them! We are also featuring a clown who will twist up creative balloon animals. There are a lot of food options to add fuel to all this activity, so stick around for lunch and treats too! At 3:00, enjoy Raymond the Magician!· We brought the book sale back, so bring your family and friends to WestFest to browse! You can “Fill A Bag For $2, Or A Donation” during the last 2 hours of the sale (4 p-6 p) on Saturday.
· We are proud to announce our 2015 Stage Lineup:
FRIDAY
6:30 PM Comerford Dancers – Celtic Arts Northwest
7:30 PM Ruby-Seattle U Redhawk
8:30 PM Inner VoicesSATURDAY
10:30 AM Toddler Time Tunes w/Friendly Clown
12:00 PM Mode Music Studio- Student Performances
2 :00 PM lo: Eclectic Mix Live Music
3:00 PM Raymond The Magician
4:00 PM Cavalcade of Pets! – Step right up and introduce your animal on center stage
5:00 PM Intermission
6:00 PM West Seattle’s Got Talent – Who’ll take the prize?
7:00 PM Mode Music Studio- Rock Bank
8:15 PM Raffle Winners Announced!
9:00 PM Acid Tounge· You can also play some bingo, try many delicious food options and treats, proudly wear a WestFest shirt, try your luck at the Cakewalk, play games and enjoy the rides—there are too many activities and choices to name them all! Come and experience all the Carnival of Community has to offer your family!
That’s one of dozens of short poems on cards lining a path into Camp Long as you enter this weekend’s Arts In Nature Festival, presented by the Nature Consortium. It’s on until 9 tonight and again from 11 am-6 pm tomorrow, and it’s a chance to immerse yourself in art experiences of many kinds, from words to music to ethereal creations woven between tree branches:
You might find performance artists wandering the grounds, like this otherworldly duo:
We first encountered them by a work in progress that’s unfolding all weekend long:
The painting started between two trees and will grow, we were told, to show how the built environment is obscuring nature and greenspaces; go see for yourself by the cabin between the north end of the meadow and the south side of the pond. Some of the comforts of civilization, though, are lining the central meadow – food trucks including the vegan Luchador Taco Company:
There’s a beer garden behind Camp Long’s historic lodge, too. Wander the grounds and you’ll find something to see, do, or hear, almost everywhere – at the small amphitheater on the south side of the meadow, we found these musicians:
Be sure to take several turns around the festival grounds – you might miss something behind a curtain or around the bend, first time you pass. Here’s the full schedule; ticket information is here – online sales are over but you can pay at the tent just past the gates of the park, which is at 5200 35th SW.
Looking ahead to fall’s first festival in West Seattle – Holy Rosary School’s WestFest, four weeks away, is putting out a call for volunteers to entertain festivalgoers. Tiffany (a volunteer herself) is in charge of lining up stage entertainment and says, “We could use bands, musicians, magicians, etc. WestFest is Friday, September 18th, 6 pm-10 pm, AND Saturday, September 19th, 10 am-10 pm.” If you’re interested, please e-mail Tiffany at westfeststage@outlook.com.
(Owl puppet from 2011 Arts in Nature Festival Species Parade)
Music, dance, art, nature, a beer garden, food trucks, and the Species Parade — it’s all in the works for Camp Long next weekend, as West Seattle’s own Nature Consortium brings back the Arts in Nature Festival, 11 am-9 pm Saturday and 11 am-6 pm Sunday (August 22-23). After taking a year off while the organization changed leadership, with Merica Whitehall succeeding founder Nancy Whitlock as executive director, NC invites you to explore the festival’s big slate of activities, which you can preview here – be sure to follow all four tabs, Saturday, Sunday, all weekend (where you’ll find the food trucks listed, including Full Tilt Ice Cream and FT’s new venture, vegan Luchador Taco Co., plus Thai-U-Up, a frequent sight at Roxbury/30th, and Highland Park-founded Athena’s), and “around the next corner.” Arts in Nature is a festival where you can participate and experience, as well as watch and listen. Proceeds support the nonprofit Nature Consortium’s work, restoring the West Duwamish Greenbelt as well as offering arts education to youth; you can buy tickets in advance online.
P.S. Want to enjoy the festival for free? Volunteer!
11:29 AM: Sunbreaks and a pleasant breeze are gracing the opening hour of this year’s Delridge Day festival, presented by VIEWS (Visualizing Increased Engagement in West Seattle). Come join hundreds of your neighbors at Delridge Community Center Park and enjoy live music …
That’s Quarter Past 8, first of today’s four bands. The stage is next to the community center, where you’ll also find two food trucks in the driveway:
Two food trucks at Delridge Day – @314PIESeattle and Yummy Box pic.twitter.com/TpVdlNiiCA
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) August 8, 2015
More to come!
NOON: Hour 2! The skating competition is back this year, and from our booth, we can hear the cheers from the skatepark a few yards away – if you’re not competing, go watch, and cheer!
You can also find out more about a variety of community organizations and projects – for starters, you can talk with city reps about the Delridge Action Plan and the upcoming Find It/Fix It Walk:
Don't miss the @CityofSeattle booth at Delridge Day, including info on 10/3 Find It Fix It walk pic.twitter.com/GswxRpswUB
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) August 8, 2015
You can also come sign up for an ORCA or ORCA LIFT card, find out about becoming a member of the Delridge Grocery Coop (WSB sponsor), and talk with organizations including South Seattle Co-op Preschools (next to our booth), West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network, West Seattle Be Prepared, West Seattle Food Bank (buy a raffle ticket), 34th District Democrats, West Seattle Democratic Women, West Seattle Timebank, and that’s just one row – we have to wander over to take a look at row 2 soon!
12:28 PM: Current Delridge Day visitors include Mayor Murray and Police Chief O’Toole:
And the music continues:
Back over at the Community Center, if someone in your family needs a backpack for school – just go inside! A backpack giveaway is on until 3 pm.
1:30 PM: Time is flying here at the festival – so many cool people. Here are two of them – Seattle Police Explorers, and twin sisters, Christina and Rebecca:
One more reminder that the police “Picnic at the Precinct” is part of Delridge Day again this year and is over on the 26th SW side of the park, including free ice cream, so don’t miss the chance.
(At right, Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith, pitching in with ice-cream operations.) Also here: Straight Blast Gym (WSB sponsor), which is headquartered here in North Delridge – we recorded a quick Instagram clip of the demonstration under way at SBG’s booth:
Straight Blast has classes and programs for all ages. Speaking of spanning age groups – West Seattle Community Orchestras are all about that too, and they also are here:
WSCO’s new season will start in the fall – watch for information on how to join.
2:01 PM: Last hour already! Still time to come down and check things out. More skating!
And more music.
3 PM: The festival’s wrapping up. We have lots more photos – will either add them here after we get back to HQ, or possibly a second report. Thanks to everybody who came by and said hi!
ADDED 12:44 AM: Our additional photos made more sense as part of this report, so they’re added throughout, including, below, a few more of the people who stopped by – first, we always photograph candidates who stop by our booth at festivals, and today there were two – City Council District 1 candidate Shannon Braddock:
And School Board Position 6 candidate Leslie Harris:
Patricia London, a new WSB sponsor via her Independent Living Skills/Etiquette Factory classes, also stopped by:
So did Southwest Precinct Captain Pierre Davis, seen below with Deb Greer and Karen Berge of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network:
WSB was among the sponsors of today’s festival. Presenting organization VIEWS plans to donate a portion of festival fees to the scholarship fund at Delridge CC.
The 10th annual Delridge Day festival is less than 24 hours away. VIEWS, the organization presenting the festival again this year, shares more about what you’ll find during the 11 am-3 pm festival at Delridge Community Center Park/Skatepark. From the final pre-festival announcement:
*A large vendor area, food trucks where you can grab a bite to eat [awaiting names], kid- and family-friendly field games, bouncy houses, the wading pool …
(WSB photo from Delridge Day 2013)
*Alki Bike & Board-hosted competition at the Skatepark: Registration starts 9:45 am; cash/product prizes. “At 11 am – 12 and under will begin the skate competition, followed by men’s 13 and over at noon, then at 1 pm women’s 13 and under will take center stage. At 2 pm get ready for the pro/am main event, and at 3 pm the awards and all-star best trick competition will begin.”
(WSB photo from Delridge Day 2014)
*”With the continuing support of The Seattle Police Foundation, the Southwest Precinct Picnic will be back for the third consecutive year. The Seattle Police Department plans to make many officers and units available. Last year, they brought cars, a canine police officer, mounted patrol, a Bomb Squad robot offering candy, and free ice cream and popcorn.”
*Music (as previewed earlier this week):
11:00 am – Quarter Past 8 – rock
Noon – Ellis Brothers – jazz
1:00 pm – Yesod – psychedelic world music
2:00 pm – Oldies But Goodies – classic Rock/R&B
Again, Delridge Day is 11 am-3 pm tomorrow in the Delridge Community Center’s park at Delridge/Genesee – WSB is among the sponsors and we look forward to seeing you there again this year.
(Photo courtesy VIEWS)
The banner is up and the final-week countdown is on – Saturday, August 8th, you’re invited to Delridge Community Center/Park/Skatepark for the Delridge Day festival, presented by VIEWS. It’s a full day of excitement packed into four hours, 11 am-3 pm. For the first time in a few years, this year’s festival will include a skate competition, presented by Alki Bike and Board; whether you want to skate or just watch, that’ll be high-energy fun. Field games, a bouncy house, community groups, vendors … plus the Seattle Police Foundation is again sponsoring “Picnic at the Precinct” as part of the festival, with visiting police officers and vehicles, and free ice cream. The park’s at Delridge/Genesee – see you there!
P.S. On Delridge Day eve, Friday, August 7th, at 7:30 pm, you’re invited to a free outdoor screening of “Big Hero 6” in the park, presented by Delridge Community Center and Southwest Youth and Family Services.
(WSB photo from 2013 Alki Art Fair)
Another full weekend of summer fun ahead – with highlights including the Alki Art Fair, on the boardwalk tomorrow and Sunday. Along with artists/vendors under canopies, you’ll find live music on three stages, two by the Bathhouse and one on the boardwalk. The schedule is still being finalized, festival organizers tell us, but some acts/times are listed here. You can also visit Seal Sitters at the Alki Art Fair, and they tell us Spud is giving their group $1 of each chowder sale during the festival. Speaking of food, here’s what the festival says about its vendors:
Lemongrass Restaurant will be offering a variety of Asian food, David and Sons Kettle Corn – Pop! will be offering Kettle Corn, mini donuts and slushies, Baskin Robbins will be offering ice cream, JJFROYOGO will be offering a variety of soft serve yogurt and ice cream products.
The festival runs 10 am-6 pm both days, with music until 9 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday, so you have the opportunity to have dinner at the beach, too – you might consider making reservations at our two WSB sponsor restaurants at the beach, Phoenecia and Cassis.
Back to what’s offered at the fair: Check out the silent auction and a children’s art activity area for make-and-take arts and crafts. And if you aren’t already planning to walk, run, bus, bike, or paddle to Alki Art Fair, here’s another option – the shuttle bus – different route this year:
A free shuttle bus will be running both days 9:30 – 6:30 from the Park and Ride area under the SW Spokane Street bridge up Admiral stopping at California to the Alki Art Fair and circling back about every 1/2 hour to expand our parking options.
A few more details are on the festival website.
With today’s warm weather, it’s not much of a stretch to feel positively Mediterranean at Hiawatha Community Center‘s park. Of course, the annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival‘s dancing, costumes, music, and backdrops all help. We stopped by briefly after the West Seattle Grand Parade for a few photos – there’s so much going on, even a short visit will immerse you in the exotic ambience. That includes a lawn full of vendors:
Along with dancing on the outdoor stage, it’s happening in the gym, too – here’s the lineup of continuous appearances. And inbetween applauding the artistry of the dancers, you can browse and buy all manner of adornment:
The festival – MedFest for short – is on until 7 pm today, and continues 11 am-5 pm tomorrow, no charge for admission. It’s in its 28th year and is presented by the Babylonian Ensemble, whose members explain here how it was created 28 years ago.
(WSB photo: Rachel George dancing at 2014 MedFest)
Once again this year, right about the same time the West Seattle Parade heads south from California/Lander, nearby Hiawatha Community Center starts shaking with this year’s Mediterranean Fantasy Festival, MedFest for short. It’s two days of dancing on outdoor (east lawn) and indoor (gym) stages, plus vendors and food, free admission – 11 am-7 pm Saturday and 11 am-5 pm Sunday. The list of who you’ll see and when starts here.
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