10:09 AM: About 150 runners and walkers participated in this morning’s Beat the Burn 5K run/walk from Jack Block Park, along Harbor/Alki Avenues and back, presented by Port of Seattle firefighters, benefiting a camp for young burn victims.

(That’s the starting siren you hear first – followed seconds later by the runners & walkers)
Kelly Spady was first to finish this morning – as he was at the Alki Beach Run last month.

Kathy Edris was the first female finisher.

But today, unlike most 5K events, the race was just the start of the fun. A festival on the path by the park’s beach is under way till 2 this afternoon, with live music and free family fun, as well as a few things you’ll want to bring $ for (the Lumpia World food truck is here, for starters, and there’s a beer garden). More photos to come, including the Kids’ Dash that just began (added – two photos):

(The littlest Kids’ Dash-ers had some adult encouragement:)

Scroll all the way down this page for the schedule of events.

11:20 AM: Ryker is one of the Northwest Disaster Search Dogs scheduled to give a demonstration at the festival this afternoon (12:45 pm):

The live music is courtesy of Slacker – covering some great oldies (from the ’70s to the ’00s) while we were there:

And you can get a close-up look at Port of Seattle Fire Engine #2:

Kids’ games/crafts, too, and Alki Kayak Tours is on hand with stand-up paddleboards (this is the same beach opened to the public for the first-ever Northwest Paddling Festival they sponsored last year). Again, you have till about 2 pm to go join the fun.

(WSB photo from 2011 Holy Rosary WestFest)
Good thing the sunshine’s not over yet because the late-summer fun isn’t either. In addition to the West Seattle Junction Car Show (co-sponsored by WSB) 8 am-4 pm Sunday, the weekend also brings Holy Rosary School‘s annual WestFest – on the 42nd/Genesee campus, 6-10 pm Friday and 10 am-10 pm Saturday.

We are gearing up to host the season’s premier event for the West Seattle community; come see great local music and talent, eat delicious food, dob a round of bingo, race down the rides, try your luck at the cake walk, climb a rock wall, play games galore, and so much more. There’s a beer garden for adults too — there is truly something for all ages!

Bring your young children early Saturday morning, from 10 am to noon, for “Toddler Time” at WestFest. Avoid the crowds and lines! They’ll enjoy better access to the blow-up rides and games with kids close to their age and ability.

Wristbands for Blow-up Rides
Take unlimited turns on our wide selection of rollicking rides on Friday, 9/14 and Saturday, 9/15 with an activity wristband. Bands are available at for purchase at WestFest on Friday (9/14) for $10 and Saturday (9/15) for $15, or $25 for both days. To allow everyone a safe and fun experience, unsafe or disrespectful behavior on or around the rides may result in loss of ride privileges, up to and including loss of wristband.

Admission to the Cake Walk and Kids’ Games are not included with the wristbands. Blow-up rides are $1 each without a band.

The official WestFest website is here.

We’re into the second half of day 1 of the 2012 Alki Art Fair – with a growing patch of blue sky overhead, and pale blue water as the backdrop. It’s particularly interesting to see artists who focus on the sea, holding court at booths right on the water:

Patri O’Connor, whose work can be found at nearby Alki Arts (and often on the WSB Facebook page!), has a booth just steps away from where Art Fair volunteers are showing this year’s official T-shirt ($18), featuring her design:

That’s Susan Madrid, who’s in the booth right next to the Bathhouse’s waterfront doors, with all the info you need if you’re looking for something or someone. (Inside the Bathhouse, silent auctions are under way – one just ended, and another one is continuing at least till 5 today.) Back to the vendors: Andy Hill is showing and selling sea creatures in handcrafted metal sculpture:

From North Delridge, “Holli with an I” (Margell) is here with her photography:

And kids will find something to do even if they’re not art lovers yet – there was a big crowd around the Seal Sitters‘ table:

And just west of the Bathhouse, Young at Art is here from The Junction (they are moving soon to Fairmount Springs, at Fauntleroy and Raymond) with activities, too.

On the east side of the Bathhouse, you’ll find the main stage, with music till about 9 tonight (here’s the full schedule). If you come before the vendors close for the day at 6 (and again 10-6 tomorrow), you can take the free shuttle from the West Seattle High School parking lot – we’ve already heard from one rider who says it’s NOT crowded.

One other frequent question – what about food? Besides the numerous year-round beach businesses, we’ve seen two booths – frozen custard (focused on sundaes) from Peak’s, west side of the Bathhouse, and T-CE’s Barbecue further west, toward the picnic shelters.

ADDED 3:55 PM: Earlier this afternoon, the Log House Museum presented a show of vintage bathing fashions; the models posed just before taking the stage:

The museum itself, by the way, is open noon-4 pm Thursdays-Sundays. And while you’re at Alki tomorrow, the Alki Point Lighthouse is open for tours 1-4 pm (Saturdays and Sundays, through August).

(Troupe Rashaad from Lacey, at Medfest this afternoon)
ORIGINAL SATURDAY REPORT: Steps away from where the West Seattle Grand Parade (WSB coverage here) began just a few hours ago … another big event is continuing till 7 tonight (and again tomorrow). Belly-dancing is the main event at the Mediterranean Fantasy Festival – Medfest for short – in and around Hiawatha Community Center; it’s celebrating its quarter-century anniversary this time! Shopping and browsing are popular too:

Admission is free. Performers and vendors come from all over the region – the schedule is online, but you also can get a program at the festival – browsing the copy we picked up, we’re seeing performers from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, even Rhode Island, as well as here in Washington. There are indoor and outdoor performances, till 7 tonight, and 11-5 on Sunday. The Babylonian Ensemble co-sponsors the festival, along with the Hiawatha Advisory Council (which benefits from the vendor fees, to help pay for center programs).

ADDED POST-FESTIVAL: A Sunday photo shared by Dina Johnson (who designed the MedFest banner in the photo):

Dina says Tiffany, at left, “is a Tribal Bellydancer from West Seattle, one of Troupe Hipnotica’s (very accomplished) students. Saroya, who grew up in West Seattle, has been co-producing MedFest for 25 years now.”

A couple post-West Seattle Summer Fest notes tonight:

The photo is from Prudential Northwest Realty‘s Don Bereiter, who explains the cans in their WSSF booth were part of a game that will help keep a lot of people from going hungry:

I just wanted to point out the HUGE success that Summer Fest was this year. We tried a new approach this year by involving as many kids that would participate. We set up some empty cans to be knocked down with foam rubber Prudential rocks. Each kid received a piece of licorice and we agreed to donate one can of food to the West Seattle Food Bank for each participant. We ended up with 756 kids (some adults, too)!

In lieu of physically donating canned food, we are going to write a check for $378 (756 divided by 2) to the food bank. This way they can use their buying power to purchase more than the 756 cans. My guess would be well over 2000.

Just wanted to share with the neighborhood the good news. I am sure the participants will be happy to hear how much good they did by playing!

We also received a note from James, who wanted to offer this public “thank you”:

I just wanted to thank the Good Samaritan that returned my 8-year-old daughter’s coin purse (Sunday) at the West Seattle Street Fair. My daughter was carrying around $40 in her purse for the fair. We didn’t realize it was lost until we were almost home. We rushed back to the fair, which was shutting down for the year. I backtracked our steps (to no avail). I then went to the event center’s lost and found, happily discovering someone turned it in with every cent accounted for. I am proud to be born and raised here in this community of West Seattle where great people reside!

(Live SDOT webcam looking north on California from Alaska)
11:49 AM: The third and final day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2012 has begun! The weather is getting better by the minute – sun as well as clouds, the mist has (mostly) stopped, just a bit of breeze, lots of people here. One more time, here are the quick info links:

Vendor list and map: 3 ways to view – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map – and if you haven’t shopped the year-round Junction merchants’ sidewalk sales, last chance!
Music schedule: Here
Alaska Stage schedule: Here
GreenLife schedule: Here

One thing you will NOT find in The Junction today – turns out that Rocksport sold out of food and liquor last night, and will NOT reopen today – last night was it. Here’s the sign on their door:

Lots of places you CAN go, though – all the restaurants/bars along both sides of California SW are welcoming Summer Fest visitors with open arms, and many with specials, in addition to the temporary fair-style food booths. More than a few people have asked us about caramel corn – there IS a booth at the far south end of the festival, at SW Edmunds.

Which leads us to a great photo that just came in – an amazing overview of the entire festival zone:

That’s from John Peck of QuickShows.com – they shoot with a mast-cam. Back down here on street level, if you’re looking for any festival information, we’re in the Info Booth with West Seattle Chamber of Commerce ambassadors, plus flyers about a variety of other summer events still to come. And the music has begun – we’ll add video from the first act of the day, Black Bangs, in a few minutes.

1:07 PM UPDATE: As promised, here’s that clip:

So glad to see the weather isn’t keeping anyone away – just as busy as yesterday. Also relatively quiet so far – in the past half-hour or so, we’ve seen Seattle Police Lt. Ron Smith, who’s been in charge of the Summer Fest force, and Officers Luckie and Lucas, and they have nothing major to report. We HAVE heard (mostly via e-mail) from folks pointing out that parking enforcement on 44th is being taken seriously, with towing again today – the “no parking” zones are posted there so buses rerouted from California/Alaska can get through. (Remember there will also be lots of no-parking signs in advance of West Seattle Grand Parade/Float Dodger 5K day next Saturday, too.)

1:44 PM UPDATE: Bunnies!

You’ll see them at GreenLife on the southwest end of the festival zone, alongside Bikram Yoga (WSB sponsor) and east of the Chase drive-thru. This is also a great day to find out why it does NOT have to be sunny for solar power to work at your home/business:

Solar Epiphany is putting on frequent demos at GL. And GreenLife – presented by Sustainable West Seattle and WS Nursery – also is where you can test putting your bike on a Metro bus-style rack (like the one that’s been out in front of Alki Bike and Board (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District, whose proprietor Stu Hennessey is at GreenLife too):

On the north end of the festival zone, near SW Oregon, don’t miss the Art Dive – lots of artists showing and selling their creations.

2:20 PM UPDATE: The SUN is now out. (Check the live cam atop this story – refresh the page if the time stamp isn’t current – for proof.) We just knew the forecast was overplaying the clouds. Meantime, another Summer Fest sight – the impromptu skatepark right behind the Info Booth:

A popular question at the Info Booth today – where are the community organizations, like Seal Sitters or West Seattle Be Prepared? They’re time-sharing at the community spot over near the ex-Petco. Meantime, we’ve been hanging out in the Info Booth with WS Chamber ambassador Don Bazemore, who’s been talking to people about his glam-rock group’s next gig – Matt the Hoopla (after playing Ballard Seafood Fest last night) plays the Alki Art Fair in two weeks, July 28th.

3:18 PM UPDATE: Still time to get here for the final performances/demonstrations of Summer Fest – Hobosexual is the last scheduled music act, on the California Stage at 3:45 pm. At GreenLife, Backyard Beer Making is the last scheduled demonstration/workshop, 4 pm. Meantime, here’s a music clip from earlier – the Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band was on the Alaska Stage earlier this afternoon:

4:45 PM UPDATE: Festival’s waning minutes – and the first missing-child report of the entire three-day festival (hopefully the last!) has just happened – 5-year-old boy reunited quickly with mom after, we’re told, he walked up to a police officer at California/Oregon.

4:52 PM: Second lost-child report, also a 5-year-old boy, Ben, blonde, gray T-shirt. Police and festival staff are searching. Meantime, if you have lost any items during the festival – the official lost/found was at the festival office, on California SW next to the now-ex-Super Supplements (they just opened their new Morgan Junction location this past Friday).

5:00 PM: Festival closing time. Some of the vendors may linger – the food booths near the info booth still seem to be in action – but before too long, some of the load-out will begin. It usually takes several hours for breakdown, so the streets will remain closed for a while. **2nd lost child found.**

ADDED 11:56 PM: A few photos shared with us post-festival – first, Eric took this one of Ben Harwood from Hobosexual, performing this afternoon:

And from Jana, a montage of tiny participants in the West Seattle’s Got Talent showcase held at the Alaska Stage:

Festival breakdown wasn’t done yet when we passed through The Junction about two hours ago, but the California/Alaska SDOT cam shows the streets are clear now. Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the Info Booth to say hi – we had a terrific time and hope you did too.

(WSB coverage of 2012 Summer Fest Friday is here and here)

FIRST REPORT, 1:31 PM: The fog’s gone, the afternoon sun is shining in full force on West Seattle Summer Fest’s second afternoon, as you can see on the SDOT “live” cam that’s right over our HQ in the Info Booth (southwest corner of California/Alaska) with West Seattle Chamber of Commerce volunteers. We’re launching continuous coverage in a moment – but first the quick links for info before you go (or while you’re there!) –

Vendor list and map: 3 ways to browse – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map
Music schedule: Here
Alaska Stage schedule: Here
GreenLife schedule: Here

(added) The Alaska Stage is where Rat City Brass kicked off today’s performances:

GreenLife is on the west side of the south end of the festival zone, just south of Bikram Yoga (WSB sponsor) – and Sustainable West Seattle president Christina Hahs just came by the Info Booth to tell us they’ve got COUPONS you might be interested in – including discounts on Cedar Grove Compost, and 10 percent off the just-moved Greendepot in SODO.

GreenLife is one place where Summer Fest exhibitors are educational as well as fun. Then there’s the community booth along the east side of California SW south of Alaska – where West Seattle Be Prepared‘s Deb Greer and Karen Berge are on duty now, talking with folks about preparedness:

Once again today, the kids’ activities are a big focus of Info Booth questions – if you’re here with little ones, be sure to check out the rides on the west end of SW Alaska as well as everything in the Wells Fargo lot – you’ll even find this – not exactly the Seattle Great Wheel, but perfect for little ones:

2:34 PM UPDATE: The “Guns ‘n’ Hoses” Wing Dome three-alarm-wing contest is over – and the winners are:

That’s the Seattle Police team. They won, four to one, in individual matches like this:

They won $250 – and there was a $125 prize for the Seattle Fire Department team, whose members, we’re told, were from nearby Station 32:

Also here at the heart of the festival, live painting’s happening with artists from Seattle Mural Art, outside Twilight Artist Collective (just around the corner from Easy Street Records):

Twilight also organizes the Art Dive, north of Oregon – don’t miss it! That’s also where you’ll find the West Seattle Hi-Yu float (this year’s theme, “Secret Garden,” preview it before next Saturday’s WS Grand Parade!) Meantime, Hi-Yu royalty and volunteers have been wandering the festival selling buttons ($1, and it supports the program that includes Seattle’s last community parade float!) – and then if they spot someone wearing one, they’re handing out random prizes! Here’s Queen Kayli with one of the winners, Cherie:

More to come!

4:07 PM UPDATE: After a very brief rainshower, which required a tarp for the chalk-art project we’ve been watching for two days …

… it’s dry – with filtered sunshine. The rain didn’t seem to chase anyone away – it’s a steady stream of people. And besides music on the California Stage, there are also lots of performers along the sidewalks, in the middle of the street … and at venues like Red Cup Espresso just north of SW Oregon:

(Thanks to @youngsgtweet for the photo!)

5:08 PM UPDATE: Another hot topic in the info booth: Festival food. Yes, there are fair-style traditions like deep-fried peanut-butter sandwiches, strawberry shortcake, etc:

Some Junction restaurants are also taking it outside their regular spots – Matador and Bang Bar both have a presence in the food zone on SW Alaska, west of California. We spotted Nadia in the crowd; she’s performing at Bang Bar at 6 pm:

Tonight’s official fair hours are till 8, although some booths do close earlier – the music continues till 11 tonight, with The DTs at 6, The Tom Price Desert Classic around 7:30, Alcohol Funnycar around 8:30, and Pierced Arrows last up, at 10 pm. We hear the beer gardens are rocking today, too – they’re by both stages, the Alaska Stage by Junction Plaza Park, and the California Stage on California north of Oregon. We mentioned earlier that there’s music outside the stage, too – Sarah e-mailed to share a photo and more info about something to look for toward the south end of the festival zone:

A fun highlight from the West Seattle street festival was free drumming lessons for kids at Nana Yesman’s African Crafts Booth across from Northwest Art and Frame. Nana Yesman (Aminu Adamu) is a resident of West Seattle and works at PCC Natural Markets. He makes and sells jewelry using beads from his native country Ghana. He also sells other handmade arts and crafts from Ghana, including djembe drums … tomorrow (Sunday) at noon, he is offering free drumming lessons to kids.

5:46 PM: Just a note, if you’re coming tomorrow (or if you’re in the area tonight), if you stop by here at the Info Booth, we have lots of info about other summer activities. That includes tomorrow’s West Seattle Garden Tour – 9 am to 5 pm! – and White Center Garden Tour – 10 am to 4 pm. And since there’s a big West Seattle Outdoor Movies banner hanging in the back of the booth, we’ve gotten plenty of takers for the WSOM schedule flyers – they start Friday night (July 20th) with a special benefit event for Thrive Through Cancer (the movie is “50/50” – not recommended for young kids) and then the first of six Saturday night movies (July 21st) – “Pretty in Pink,” with Bob “Bobcat Bob” Rice as the opening act. The movies are on the wall in the courtyard next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor).

7:15 PM: Booths are starting to close up; sun from the west is intensifying. Above, the view a few minutes ago from our perch. We’ll be back in the Info Booth tomorrow for day 3, when Summer Fest opens an hour later so everyone can recover from Saturday night – 11 am.

ADDED: A few more Summer Fest Saturday scenes. At GreenLife, Occupy West Seattle presented an open-mike speakout on whether the economy is sustainable. A gallery was shared with us by Dina Johnson, who also spoke:

Dina says she talked “of the massive and skyrocketing gulf between the richest one percent of households (red line) and the rest, creating an unhealthy imbalance in economic and political power – in favor of the super-rich.” She reports 21 speakers in all.

On the main festival ground, WSB contributor Nick Adams shows us a closer look at the mentioned-earlier street art that’s been under way all festival long outside the Verizon megabooth (steps away from our spot at Info Central):

And a vendor with his wares: Hatterdashery’s owner Michael Loeffler, making a hat during the festival:

One more chance Sunday to check the sidewalk sales, see friends and neighbors, enjoy the music … see you there.

Again today, we begin the daily preview with the “live” SDOT cam at California and Alaska, serving this weekend as Summer Fest Cam, as West Seattle’s biggest party of the year continues. Our base is the Information Booth, which would be just offscreen in the lower left of the camera’s view. WSSF is the BIG event today, but not the ONLY one …

WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST LINKS: The official hours are 10 am-8 pm again today, with the beer garden and music continuing for a few hours beyond that. Here again is the festival-zone map:

The “California Stage” is on California SW north of Oregon; the “Alaska Stage” is on SW Alaska east of California. The kid zone is near Wells Fargo, north of Alaska and off 44th SW; GreenLife, with a focus on sustainability how-to’s and demonstrations, is on the south end of the festival zone, west side of California, just north of Edmunds.

Vendor list and map: 3 ways to browse – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map
Music schedule: Here (first performance at noon, Gunn & The Damage Done)
Alaska Stage schedule: Here (first performance noon, Rat City Brass)
GreenLife schedule: Here (first event 11 am, Connie Wurm from West Seattle Nursery talks “Backyard Chickens” – we photographed Sustainable West Seattle president Christina Hahs with a chicken at GreenLife yesterday:)

One more Summer Fest preview note – the “Guns ‘n’ Hoses” police-vs.-firefighters hot-wing contest is at 1:30 pm on the Alaska stage (details on The Wing Dome’s Facebook page).

Also today/tonight:

BIKE HELMET EVENT: At Roxbury Spine and Wellness (28th/Roxbury) – free helmets for the first 200 kids, with lots more going on at this 10 am-12:30 pm event (as detailed here).

‘SAVE THE POLAR BEARS’ CUPCAKE SALE: West Seattle student Sam is selling cupcakes at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) 10 am-1 pm today to raise money for Greenpeace’s Arctic work.

HELICOPTER AIRSHOW AT MUSEUM OF FLIGHT: West Seattleite Jen Boyer is show director, and shared the photo above, of the Apache that arrived yesterday for the American Heroes Airshow. Here’s our full preview; here’s the info on the MoF website. 10 am-3 pm, free.

SSCC PLANT SALE: Support the Landscape Horticulture Program at South Seattle Community College by purchasing plants today, 11 am-3 pm (details in the calendar listing)

NEIL YOUNG SONGS AT C & P: 6-8 pm, Harvest Moon performs at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW).

SECOND-TO-LAST SHOW FOR ‘XANADU’: Also in The Junction along with Summer Fest – “Xanadu” at ArtsWest ends its run Sunday, and tonight the young performers take the stage at 7:30 pm.

SUMMER FEST AFTERPARTY: Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction has live music again tonight as “the official WSSF aftershow party” venue – tonight at 9:30, it’s ‘One Man Banned’ Aaron Daniel, who defies description – you just have to see him in action.

And that’s only part of what you’ll find on the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar.

(See our 1st ongoing afternoon report here)

Now that we’re into the first evening of West Seattle Summer Fest, the music plays a bigger role – and there’s lots of it. Above, the Dolly Rottens played in the late afternoon. Their first show as an all-girl band, per their Facebook page.

(Photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
Right now, Caspar Babypants is on the Alaska Stage. Before he played, we photographed him with (right) artist Kate Endle and their friend Zoe (left):

(added) Here’s video of CB’s first song, “My Flea Has Dogs”:

And at 8 pm, rising star Star Anna performs (California Stage). Lots of street music as well – we’ve seen drummers, strummers, and more. Big occasions for Junction businesses, too – Elliott Bay Brewing is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and proprietor Todd Carden tapped a keg of special ale:

Along with year-round Junction establishments where you can get something to drink or eat, there are two beer gardens, one near each stage, are open too. We’re still in the info booth at California/Alaska till the vendors shut down for the night around 8 (with the music continuing a few hours beyond).

8:05 PM: The booths are now officially closing – you might find some stragglers; we’re folding up the info booth too, but we’ll be back here same hours tomorrow, 10 am-8 pm. We’re off to check out Star Anna (watch for video – and we have one more Day 1 roundup of photos in the works, too, along with a look ahead to tomorrow). Again, the bands and the beer gardens continue for a few hours more – as do your year-round drinking/eating places, several of which have special outdoor zones for the festival.

ADDED: A few more scenes from earlier on Saturday, all photographed by WSB contributor Nick Adams. First, the crowd:

The fun – 3-year-old Peter Ahern, in the kid zone:

And yet there’s always a chance to find a place of your own – Linda Lee found one while listening to music from the California Stage:

Near the stage, the West Seattle Eagles had pulled pork going on a big grill – Frank Wilkerson was tending it:

Looking for bird condos? That’s what Mike Cronk was taking back to his Mike’s Workbench booth:

Also from the vendors roster … Dean Mollen tunes a hand-made cigar-box guitar at Soul Cat Guitars –

If you’re looking up a particular vendor, the vendor list linked on this page of the Summer Fest website has weblinks for many of this year’s participants.

12:43 PM: The weather is calmer and the crowd keeps growing at West Seattle Summer Fest, with day 1 well under way – and we’re live in the Information Booth again this year; drop by to say hi, pick up the festival flyer, a free West Seattle Art Walk button, a West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Resource Guide, postcards and mini-flyers for other summer fun (WS Outdoor Movies, Delridge Day, the WS Junction Car Show) … The info booth is on the southwest corner of California/Alaska this year, right outside KeyBank, front row to everything. LOTS of people here so far. Here again are the handy info-links:

Vendor list and map: 3 ways to browse – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map
Music schedule: Here
Alaska Stage schedule: Here
GreenLife schedule: Here

On the Alaska Stage right now, first event of the day – a West Seattle Hi-Yu presentation, including royalty like Queen Kayli, who had her umbrella handy earlier just in case:

The number one question is always – where’s the kid stuff? Again this year, it’s on the west side of the festival zone, in the Wells Fargo parking lot, under the WF drive-thru (that’s where Pathfinder K-8 and Curious Kidstuff are sponsoring art activities and facepainting). The ticket booth for the kids’ rides is right next to one of them, the scrambler-type ride, on the west side of the western food zone along SW Alaska.

Another area you might miss if you’re not looking for it – GreenLife on the south end of the festival zone – where we found Stefan Hansmire of Ncompass (WSB sponsor) with Chas Redmond and Bill Reiswig of Sustainable West Seattle:

Oh, and this just in – beer gardens open at 2!

2:07 PM: Sun’s out and the activity zones are all in full swing. Some highlights coming up:
Bubbleman (who performed in the street last night) is at the Alaska Stage at 3:45 today; that’s also where you’ll find Caspar Babypants at 6:30 tonight.

3:12 PM: Along with the sidewalk sale outside year-round merchants, the vendor booths in the middle, you’ll also find lots of local nonprofit organizations – like Northwest Hope and Healing, promoting next month’s Alki Beach 5K:

And Seal Sitters:

And speaking of critters … we met Morgan‘s mohawk-sporting Pomeranian, Bogie:

You never know who you’ll see.

4 PM: This is the Summer Fest breakout treat so far (well, besides the deep-fried peanut-butter sandwiches) – coconuts:

Young coconuts, for sale on the north side of the California/Alaska intersection – $3 each or 2 for five bucks. (That’s Jarred Shelton in the photo.) They’ll cut them open for you here – and you can also find them, not cut, at QFC (whose booth they’re in. Steps away, at Cupcake Royale, their ice-cream cart is debuting:

Small scoop about $3, regular scoop about $4. For a more adult type of treat, head to one of the beer gardens – one by the Alaska stage, one up by the California stage:

Feedback Lounge is managing the one by the Alaska stage. Co-proprietor Jeff Gilbert stopped for a photo earlier with West Seattle Junction Association director Susan Melrose:

Summer Fest is on till 8 tonight (with bands and beer gardens running a few hours beyond that) – and of course continuing Saturday and Sunday. We’re in the info booth for the duration … thanks to everyone who’s stopped by to say hi so far – it’s always great to meet you.

7:20 PM NOTE: We have some evening coverage going in a separate story.

Some updates as our countdown to West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB) continues!

JUNCTION STREET CLOSURE REMINDER: Tomorrow (Thursday) night at 6 pm is when California is scheduled to close from Oregon to Edmunds, along with a section of California just north of Oregon (which itself remains open to west-east traffic), and Alaska between 44th and 42nd. Which paves the way for …

SUMMER FEST EVE IN THE STREETS! As previewed here last Thursday, the Yada Yada Blues Band outside West 5 and Bubbleman outside Elliott Bay Brewing Company are just part of the Thursday night fun. There’s also …

SUMMER FEST EVE ART WALK: Venue/artist previews are up now at wsartwalk.com. (While The Junction’s venues will be in Summer Fest Eve mode, there are of course many venues in other parts of West Seattle too, so you can roam the peninsula on what promises to be a gorgeous night.) One special Art Walk highlight …

HOTWIRE CELEBRATES ITS TENTH! During the Art Walk, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse – WSB’s first-ever sponsor – will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Read about their plans on the Junction Association website.

AND THEN THERE’S THE ACTUAL FESTIVAL … First day of Summer Fest is Friday (you can take the day off, right?), with official hours 10 am-8 pm, but music and beer garden running later. Here’s the music lineup (first act is at noon Friday); here’s the vendor lineup/map; here’s the schedule of demonstrations at the GreenLife zone; kids-activities info is here; and remember your favorite year-round Junction merchant may well be having a sidewalk sale – WSB sponsor J.F. Henry is starting its sale tomorrow.

NOTE FOR PARENTS WITH LITTLE ONES: Donna Ryan says her City Mouse Studio and Store will again be a “Parents’ Rest Stop” during Summer Fest: “We will be opening up the studio space again this year for parents of little ones to nurse, feed, change, relax, and break from the heat.” City Mouse is at 4218 SW Alaska, just steps east of California.