It’s Election Day, Night Out, and more – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

(WSB photo added at noon: Tisha, Liora, and Benjamin @ West Seattle Stadium ballot van, which had received 100 ballots by 11:30)
ELECTION DAY! Your ballot needs to be in the mail by tonight, postmarked with today’s date, OR turned in at a King County Elections dropbox or ballot-dropoff van by 8 pm. Here’s the list of the latter two options (which do NOT require paying postage, while mailing your ballot DOES) – you’ll find the vans at West Seattle Stadium (off 35th south of Avalon) and Greenbridge (on 8th SW south of Roxbury). If you still need a reason to vote – here’s one – deciding Seattle Proposition 1, a change in the way extra tax money is raised for city parks. That link includes the “ballot title” and basic pro/con statements; the full text of the measure is here. If you’re in White Center or nearby unincorporated North Highline, you have a big ballot measure too, regarding fire district funding. P.S. If your ballot envelope is already “stuck” (ours were), here’s what to do. Tonight’s first and only vote count should be out by 8:15 or so, and we’ll of course report it – the Parks vote here on WSB, the North Highline Fire District vote on partner site White Center Now.

NIGHT OUT! 6-9 pm, it’s block party time, for fun with a purpose – community-building, neighborhood-strengthening, to enhance safety. Preparedness is on many neighborhoods’ agendas, too, as well as crime prevention. Not sure if there’s a party near you? Here are a few notes:

*As previewed here Monday, the Junction Neighborhood Organization invites nearby residents to Junction Plaza Park
*Some local neighborhoods’ events are (voluntarily) map on the Seattle Police website
*For official permission to close your street, you had to have registered with the city before today, BUT if you didn’t, hey, invite the neighbors over to your yard, courtyard, driveway, sidewalk … We’ll be out with live coverage as usual.

Also happening today/tonight:

KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN: Free weekly sessions at High Point Library this month for toddlers/preschoolers 2-5 years old, 1:30-3 pm, details in our calendar listing. (35th/Raymond)

WINE-TASTING CLASS BEGINS: 6 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor); details in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

CANNING-CLASS SERIES BEGINS: 6:30 pm at the West Seattle Tool Library – details in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

LOTS OF LIVE MUSIC! See the individual venues’ listings on our calendar.

(Echinacea at Delridge P-Patch, by Laura Goodrich, shared via WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BALLOT-DROPOFF VANS: Voted yet? Tomorrow is Election Night, so time’s running out; if you send your ballot back by mail, you need a stamp, but if you use a King County dropbox or van, you don’t. Two vans are in our area 10 am-5 pm today and 10 am-8 pm tomorrow – the West Seattle Stadium driveway (enter from northbound 35th just south of Avalon) and the 8th SW business area just south of Roxbury (parked on northbound 8th).

SW ROXBURY MEETING: 6 pm, it’s the second of two meetings for SDOT to outline its proposals for the SW Roxbury Safety Project. As reported here last Thursday night, the west end of the corridor – 17th to 35th – is proposed for “rechannelization,” but that’s just part of a package of plans for the crash-plagued street, all the way eastward to Olson/4th. Tonight’s meeting is at the Greenbridge YWCA. (9720 8th SW)

WEST SEATTLE HI-YU MEETING: As announced by the volunteers who make West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s events and parade float happen:

We look forward to seeing everyone at our next General Meeting, Monday, August 4th. St. John the Baptist Church Hall, corner of 42nd and Hanford, 7 pm. The last month has been a fun and busy one since our Grand Parade including Greenwood, Torchlight and Lake City. In August we will spend some time doing some fundraising and taking applications for the 2015 junior court before our next scheduled parade in September.

All welcome.

AND THERE’S MORE … on our calendar.

(Barred owl, photographed by Mary Metz at Camp Long on Saturday night)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and beyond:

BLUE ANGELS AND SEAFAIR: Please see our preview published overnight. If you’re going to watch the hydros, note that one of the first round of winners spent time in West Seattle recently:

Listening to Channel 7 coverage this morning with awards from Saturday racing, we heard that a heat was won by the Les Schwab Tires/Red Dot hydro on display in The Triangle this week – at which time Stephanie Halcomb brought over her charges from Bright Horizons for the photo above. (And don’t forget, I-90 across the lake is closed one more time, 12:15-2:40 pm.)

BENEFIT BAKE SALE: Two local students are raising money for the Humane Society and the animals it cares for; read about them here. 10 am-3 pm. (36th/Dakota)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, and market management says via Facebook that some vendors are having “sales” today. (44th/Alaska)

LIVE MUSIC IN THE AFTERNOON: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), Keith Cook plays. (5612 California SW)

FIRST-QUARTER MOON: At and before dusk, that’s tonight’s skygazing highlight, from the latest edition of Skies Over West Seattle.

OPEN-MICROPHONE JAM: Every Sunday night in August at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), hosted by Lynn Sorensen – just show up with your voice and/or instrument – details in our calendar listing.

(Photo by Tiffani Rivera, taken from the Water Taxi on Friday)
After a startling start to the morning, with what you could call “sun-dershowers,” the weather is supposed to make way eventually for a sunny, warm afternoon. First, the Seafair info:

SEAFAIR, INCLUDING BLUE ANGELS AND SHIP TOURS: The Blue Angels are expected to fly around 1:30 pm (could be earlier, though, the airshow times are approximate), with the I-90 closure scheduled for 12:15 pm-2:40 pm. If you are planning to watch their takeoff/landing from the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, which has other special activities scheduled too as part of its “Need for Speed” festival, note that its adjacent parking lot is closed today and tomorrow – this page on the MoF site has parking info. Interested in touring the ships seen in the “parade” back on Wednesday? Here’s that info.

Also from the calendar:

RIPS BREWERS YOUTH BASEBALL RECRUITING SHOWCASES: All day today and tomorrow, and again next weekend, at Southwest Athletic Complex – see the flyer for age breakout; open to players 10u through 18u. (2801 SW Thistle)

BALLOT DROPOFF VAN: Voted yet? It’s not just a sleepy primary – Proposition 1, asking if you want to create a permanent Park District for extra Seattle Parks funding, is a major issue. Tuesday is the deadline to get your ballots in; there are dropoff vans at West Seattle Stadium and in Greenbridge 10 am-5 pm today, as well as 24-hour dropboxes elsewhere in the county – see the list here.

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION: 11 am-1 pm at the Log House Museum, it’s your next chance to find out about volunteering with the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which appreciates help in a wide variety of specialties – read about it here. (61st/Stevens)

WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: The SW Seattle Historical Society is involved with this too! They’re tonight’s spotlight sponsor for “Sleepless in Seattle.” Movie’s free. We hear Quadrato is bringing pizza. Gates open 6:30 pm – bring your own chair/blanket to stake out early (there’s preshow music, too) and money for nonprofit-benefiting raffles/concessions – also for West Seattle Bridge 30th anniversary T-shirts and commemorative coffee, as SWSHS’s bridge-i-versary celebration concludes. Show starts at dusk, 9-ish depending on how clear the sky is by then. Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard. (4410 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Alan Ehrlich performs, 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: “Othello,” presented by GreenStage, free! At Camp Long, 7 pm. (5200 35th SW)

WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: “The Economics of Happiness” screens at 7 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center – details here. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE CASK: Jude performs, 9 pm. (2350 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT POGGIE TAVERN: Pick a song from the hat as Mad Hatterz perform, 9 pm. (4717 California SW)

AND MORE … on our calendar.

Denise Bradshaw shared that sunrise photo, as seen earlier this week from Seacrest, where the sun was right behind Seattle’s tallest building. Now, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, what’s up for the rest of the day/night:

SEAFAIR NOTES: The ships that sailed by on Wednesday are open for tours again today – see the schedule here. Then, of course, as mentioned again in today’s traffic watch, the Blue Angels go up for their “practice” performance, closing the I-90 bridge 12:15-2:40 pm.

(Blue Angels at Boeing Field – photo by Frank Smith)
As mentioned here more than once over the years, you can watch their takeoff from Boeing Field following the ceremonial “walkdown” just south of the Museum of Flight.

And here on the peninsula:

PENCIL ME IN FOR KIDS DONATION DRIVE: Rotary Club of West Seattle volunteers are back at QFC in The Junction today, 3-6 pm, collecting school supplies for kids whose families can’t afford them – details in our calendar listing. (42nd/Alaska)

FRIDAY FARMSTAND: Delridge Grocery‘s third weekly farmstand is happening 4:30-7:30 pm today (here’s our coverage of the launch two weeks ago). (5435 Delridge Way SW)

WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: Dan Raley is the featured author at tonight’s edition of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented first-Friday series at Barnes and Noble/Westwood Village. He’ll talk about his books ‘The Brandon Roy Story,’ ‘Pitchers of Beer,’ and ‘Tideflats to Tomorrow.’ 5-7 pm. (2600 SW Barton)

OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES AT THE MOUNT: First of four Friday night concerts at Providence Mount St. Vincent, outdoors and free, with dinner/drinks available for purchase starting at 5:30 pm, show at 6. Tonight, it’s Danny Vernon‘s acclaimed tribute to Elvis Presley. (4831 35th SW)

TANGO DANCING ON ALKI: 5:30 pm lessons, floor open starting at 6:15, wristband required, as explained in the calendar listing.

CORNER BAR: The pop-up monthly bar/lounge/entertainment event at Highland Park Improvement Club is tonight, doors open at 6, music with The Backporch Apostles at 7, details in our calendar listing. (12th/Holden)

‘LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST’: Free outdoor Shakespeare in West Seattle again tonight, 7 pm at Camp Long, courtesy of GreenStage. (5200 35th SW)

‘CHASING ICE’: Documentary about the vanishing ice sheet, screened at Admiral Congregational Church at 7 pm, plus discussion – details in our calendar listing. (California/Hill)

‘FROZEN’ FRIDAY AT B&N: 7 pm, a celebration of the movie “Frozen,” with, according to Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, “a singalong, reading stories, and doing some super fun (and edible!) crafts. C’mon in, dress up (if you want to), and sing ‘Let It Go’ as loud as you can!” (2600 SW Barton)

EVEN MORE LIVE MUSIC: Dave Holo Trio at Salty’s (5 pm), “Bobcat Bob” at C & P Coffee (7 pm), Scott MK Turner at The Cask (9 pm), The Take Downs (formerly the Flat 5, 9:30 pm) at Feedback Lounge – all four of those venues, WSB sponsors – plus The Benbow Room and Skylark Café and Club – you’ll find all those listings by going to our calendar.

AND THAT’S STILL NOT ALL … see other listings on the WSB calendar.

Another beautiful crescent-moon dusk last night – this time, the photo is courtesy of JayDee. Our calendar highlights include several ways you can enjoy what’s forecast as another perfect evening tonight:

DINNER WITH ‘ELVIS’: Acclaimed Elvis Presley tribute performer Bret Wiggins headlines a benefit dinner tonight at the Senior Center of West Seattle – happy hour at 5:30, dinner at 6, show at 6:30, details (including reservation information) here. (Oregon/California)

SW ROXBURY SAFETY PROJECT MEETING: 6 pm at Southwest Branch Library (upstairs meeting room), be one of the first to see what the city is proposing to help make SW Roxbury safer. Here’s our original preview. (35th/Henderson)

DUWAMISH RIVER KAYAK TOUR: 6 pm, the first of this year’s community kayak tours with the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. No kayaking experience required! Tour departs from T-107 Park in West Seattle. RSVP details and other info here. (4700 W. Marginal Way)

CASPAR BABYPANTS AT HIAWATHA: West Seattle’s own kid-rock star is onstage tonight for the second of six Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association (with co-sponsors including WSB). 6:30 pm, bring your own blanket/chair to the sprawling lawn on the east side of Hiawatha Community Center – admission is free. (2700 California SW)

SHABAZZ PALACES: Another free concert, this one in-store at Easy Street Records in The Junction, which declares, “Absolutely no one like them on the planet….new album on Sub Pop out this week is called ‘Lese Majesty’.” 9 pm; Facebook event page here. (California/Alaska)

DAUGHTERS OF THE DEAD SEA: Local rockers onstage tonight at the Benbow Room in The Admiral District, 9 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

SOMETHING FOR THE CALENDAR? If it’s a West Seattle/White Center/South Park event, please send us info in plain-text e-mail (NOT in an attachment – thanks!) at least a week in advance for calendar consideration – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

P.S. – WHAT’S *NOT* HAPPENING: We previously mentioned that the USS Constellation was expected to pass West Seattle today, under tow to be broken up in Texas. Not happening today, per the Kitsap Sun.

Before we get to the events … first, the sights:

(Tuesday evening photo by Christopher Frankovich)
Just in case the crescent moon looks like that again tonight, go see the sunset. But even here in the daytime, the morning fog has made things pretty spectacular:

(Wednesday morning photo by John Skerratt)
And so much yet to see today! (And to hear – as a loud flyover reminded us, while we typed those very words …)

SEAFAIR PARADE OF SHIPS/FLIGHT: We’d recommend watching (from Alki Point eastward) starting around 1 pm from here, though 1:45 pm is the official downtown time. Here’s the guide we published last night. As noted there too, we’ll update in all our channels, here as well as social media (the icons atop the right sidebar are linked), when we see it begin. (P.S. As that same story notes, one Blue Angels jet is out on VIP flights today, too, between 11 and 5. *Added – the Museum of Flight‘s Instagram clip from the first takeoff*)

(Also added – thanks to Gary Jones for sharing the view as the Parade of Ships fleet heads out of the bay:)

From the rest of the calendar:

CLASSIC MOVIE AT THE SENIOR CENTER: Today it’s 1934’s “The Purchase Price,” 1 pm, Nucor Room at the Senior Center of West Seattle – details in our calendar listing. (Oregon/California)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Fourth of 12 Wednesdays this summer/fall when you can visit the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand 4-7 pm to buy organic produce grown by local gardeners, just steps away. (32nd/Juneau)

34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS’ PICNIC: From 34th Dems chair Marcee Stone-Vekich:

Please join us for a beautiful Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. at our annual picnic. We’ll be in Lincoln Park at Beach Shelter No. 3 near the Fauntleroy ferry dock. We will provide the barbecued burgers, hot dogs, and veggie options with all the trimmings (including non-alcoholic beverages). Please bring a dessert or side dish. Enjoy your fellow democrats and elected officials and candidates.

FOR MORE … today, tonight, and beyond … see our calendar.

(Photo by Laura Goodrich, shared via Flickr)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

SPOKE AND FOOD: Bicycle to dinner tonight! More than a dozen venues around the city are donating part of tonight’s proceeds to the Outdoors For All Foundation as part of the annual Spoke and Food fundraiser – dinner, 5-10 pm. West Seattle’s participating venue is Marination ma kai (WSB sponsor) at Seacrest; White Center has Proletariat Pizza.

JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: Unlike many neighborhood councils, JuNO *is* meeting this month, and you’re invited, 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle. JuNO director René Commons says, “We will be discussing plans for the Neighborhood Night Out August 5th at Junction Plaza Park & our agenda for the fall. Hope to see you there!” (Oregon/California)

PUNK ROCK AEROBICS: New session starts tonight at Alki Community Center, 6:45 pm – all sizes, fitness levels encouraged. Details in our calendar listing. (5817 SW Stevens)

LOTS OF NIGHTLIFE: Music, trivia, karaoke, bingo … see the individual listings on the calendar!

TWO MONTHS FROM TODAY … is the September 29th deadline to apply to be part of this November’s Fauntleroy Fine Art and Holiday Gift Show. Interested? Info’s in our listing.

If you haven’t already checked the calendar:

(Added: WSB photo of Katherine Pryor at WSFM just as her hour was concluding)
AUTHORS AT WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: “Readers to Eaters” presents two local authors at the WSFM today – until 11 am, it’s West Seattleite Kim O’Donnel with her “Meat Lovers’ Meatless Cookbook“; 11:30-12:30, it’s Katherine Pryor (from Magnolia) with the kid-geared “Sylvia’s Spinach.” The market itself is on until 2 pm as always. (44th/Alaska)

EXPLORE THE BEACH: The tide is low enough for exploring today (-0.6 at 11:53 am), so volunteer beach naturalists are back at Constellation Park and Lincoln Park, 11 am-1:30 pm.

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Perfect weather to tour Alki Point Lighthouse – note that there are no tours next weekend because of Seafair, so after the 1-4 pm tour window today, only half a dozen chances remain, later in August. (Alki SW/Beach Dr. SW)

(Thanks to Karen for the photo from Saturday night’s GreenStage production at Lincoln Park)
FREE OUTDOOR SHAKESPEARE: GreenStage presents “Othello,” 3 pm at Lincoln Park; details in our calendar listing. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

WEST SEATTLE GREEN SPACES COALITION: The group continuing to work on the future of the “surplus substations” in this area meets at 3 pm, Southwest Branch Library; details in our calendar listing. (35th/Henderson)

PIANO-MANIA AT KENYON HALL: That’s how the historic concert venue bills Radoslav Lorkovic‘s performance at 7:30 tonight:

Radoslav first came to our attention as the coy keyboardist for Ronny Cox. A few months ago he wowed the audience at Kenyon with his remarkable talent as composer and singer, and we invited him to come back whenever he can. Luckily for us, he’s on the west coast again this month, and has agreed to return to the hall.

E-mail kenyonhall@earthlink.net for your reservation. (7904 35th SW)

(Mid-July low-tide photo by Trileigh Tucker)
Last weekend, it was wall-to-wall events around West Seattle. This weekend, not so much, but Seafair’s big Torchlight Night has West Seattle ramifications too. So we’ll start there:

TORCHLIGHT TRAFFIC ALERT – VIADUCT CLOSURE TONIGHT: We’ve been reminding you for a week; now it’s here – the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct closes 5:30-7:45 pm (times approximate, and we know the SDOT readerboards say until 8 pm) for the Torchlight Run. If you’re going downtown, remember 4th Avenue closes tonight for the parade itself – all the traffic effects are detailed in this citywide roundup.

TORCHLIGHT FANFEST: Starting at noon, you can go to Seattle Center and get an early look at the floats (participants include the award-winning West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float, of course) starting at noon – details here.

TORCHLIGHT PARADE: Starts near Seattle Center at 7:30 pm and heads south on 4th Avenue (till almost the end) – the lineup and map are here. Scheduled West Seattle participants include the aforementioned Hi-Yu float (toward the end of the order) and County Executive Dow Constantine. (Are you in the parade too? Please let us know so we can watch for you – editor@westseattleblog.com)

Now, as for what’s happening in West Seattle today/tonight:

BENEFIT CAR WASH: West Seattle High School‘s 2014-2015 Cheer Squad is washing cars again today at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) 10 am-3 pm to help pay for uniforms and camp. (35th/Webster)

LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Though the tide is not THAT low today, it’s still low enough for exploration – -0.8 at 11:19 – and you’ll find volunteer beach naturalists at Constellation Park and Lincoln Park beaches 10:30 am-1 pm.

CATS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU … at the Friends of the Animals Foundation cat/kitten adoption event, 11:30 am-3:30 pm at Next to Nature in The Junction. (4543 California SW)

WSHS ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME: The first-ever West Seattle High School alumni basketball game and showcase starts at noon and runs through 5 pm – details in our Friday preview. (3000 California SW)

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Just a few more chances this summer to tour Alki Point Lighthouse – no tours next weekend because of Seafair, so it’s this weekend 1-4 pm both days, and then a scant few weekends in August. (Alki SW/Beach Dr. SW)

SALSA ON ALKI: 5:30 pm lesson, 6:30 pm dance, by Statue of Liberty Plaza; details in the calendar listing. (61st/Alki SW)

WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES, WEEK 2: Spice up your Saturday night with “Spice World” – yes, the Spice Girls‘ mid-’90s movie is feature #2 in this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies series! Gates open at 6:30 pm at the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard; preshow fun long before the movie splashes onto the screen at dusk (still 9-ish). Free, but bring a few $ for charity-benefiting raffle and concession if you can. WSB is media sponsor for the series and we’ll see you there! (4410 California SW)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Tonight, Greenstage presents “Love’s Labour’s Lost” in Lincoln Park, 7 pm. Free! (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, look for the signs)

MORE! Just check the calendar directly.

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:

VOTE UNTIL 1 PM: The Major League Soccer Community MVP voting continues until 1 our time today, and West Seattle Cup organizer Terry Kegel remains in the running. Our previous story includes the link.

PENCIL ME IN FOR KIDS DONATION DRIVE: PMIFK collects and buys school supplies to help kids in need, and even though it’s the middle of summer, donations are needed now to make sure everyone’s set for next school year. 3-6 pm today, you can donate supplies and/or cash to Rotary Club of West Seattle volunteers who will be at QFC in The Junction; details in our calendar listing. (42nd/Alaska)

FRIDAY FARMSTAND: Delridge Grocery‘s second weekly farmstand is set for 4:30-7:30 pm today (here’s our coverage of last week’s launch). Here’s what DG’s update says will be available:

Strawberries
Peaches
Nectarines
Raspberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Apricots
Beets
Kale
Collards
Salad mix
Cabbage
Spring onions
Chard
Zucchini

The stand is right next to the sidewalk at 5435 Delridge Way SW.

BAND JAM: As previewed here earlier this week, more than half a dozen marching bands participating in tomorrow night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade will be tuning up with the free-and-open-to-the-public Band Jam tonight at Southwest Athletic Complex, 6:30 pm. (2801 SW Thistle)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Tonight, Greenstage presents “Othello” at Lincoln Park – free! 7 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

LIVE MUSIC: Salty’s, C & P Coffee, The Cask, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsors), Skylark Café and Club, Benbow Room all have listings for tonight – see them by going directly to our calendar.

Thanks to Myrtle for sharing the Wednesday afternoon double-rainbow view! Perfect promise of more summery weather returning – in time for tonight’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show, and more:

SAVE LIVES: Be a blood donor – today, with the Bloodmobile at the Clock Tower Plaza on the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, 10:30 am-4:30 pm, with a 12:30 pm-1:30 pm break. More in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

MISSIONmoto CELEBRATION: Afterschool program celebrating its success with youth rebuilding a classic motorcycle, 3 pm at Southwest Youth and Family Services – details in our calendar listing. (Delridge/Alaska)

‘SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA’ KICKOFF: Summery weather is scheduled to return just in time. 6:30 tonight on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center, it’s the first of this year’s six Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with sponsors including WSB. Free and fun – bring dinner, family, friends, chair/blanket, and enjoy the music of Eclectic Approach. P.S. Little ones? Note that Caspar Babypants is up next week, on 7/31. (2700 California SW, but on the Walnut side)

INTERESTED IN SOLAR POWER? Solarize Southwest has a workshop in West Seattle at 6:30 tonight, Dakota Place Park. (California/Dakota)

LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST: 7 pm, Greenstage presents Shakespeare’s comedy at Lincoln Park – details in our calendar listing. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

EVEN MORE … for today/tonight, if you check our calendar!

(Busy marine traffic off Alki Point; photo by Danny McMillin, shared via WSB Flickr group pool)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:

FREE ENTERPRENEURS’ MEETUP: Noon-1 pm today at West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction – drop by with your lunch plus “new ideas, old ideas, and business cards” and meet other entrepreneurs. (6040 California SW)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Third of 12 Wednesdays this summer/fall when you can visit the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand 4-7 pm and buy organic produce that was grown just steps away. (32nd/Juneau)

GROUP RUN & BROOKS HAPPY ISLAND: 4 pm, “Brooks Run Happy Island” is at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), and there’s a group run planned at 6 pm – details here. (California/Charlestown)

FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE (HEARTS) COMMUNITY INVESTORS: 7 pm tonight, come to the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse to find out more about a new community-investment plan to help with the next round of upgrades and repairs as the schoolhouse moves toward its future as a fully functional community facility – here’s our preview. (9131 California SW)

MUSIC BINGO AT THE CASK: 7 pm at The Cask (WSB sponsor), guess the songs, play the game! Details here. (2350 California SW)

MORE NIGHTLIFE … live music, trivia, karaoke, more, all in separate listings on our calendar.

Thanks to Mark Wangerin for sharing that photo of a brightly colored bird on this gray (so far) day – he explains, “House Finches are common yard birds in WS, often seen at seed feeders.” Today’s calendar highlights include four options for tonight:

KURT LINDSAY, LIVE: 5:30 pm, Kurt Lindsay is tonight’s featured musician at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) – no cover, no minimum, yes view. (1936 Harbor Ave. SW)

FAMILY STORYTIME: Delridge Branch Library has a tale to tell you at 7 tonight; details in our calendar listing. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

BLUES TO DO, LIVE: Tuesday = Blues-day at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), as Blues To Do continues, tonight featuring Jr. Cadillac Mini, 8 pm. (6451 California SW)

STARLIGHT SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: 9-11 pm at Shadowland in The Junction; details in our calendar listing.

MORE … on our calendar!

West Seattle photographer/pilot Long B. Nguyen flew over the Alki Art Fair on Saturday. The fair’s second day is one of today’s highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. But first:

WEST SEATTLE GARDEN TOUR: Buy a ticket book and you can tour nine fab local residential gardens 9 am-5 pm today, including – as noted here Saturday – that of world-famous photographer Art Wolfe, who will be there to meet visitors and sign books. Noon lecture with Susie Egan at The Kenney (WSB sponsor). Ticket-book locations on the right side of the WSGT home page – the tour sites are listed and mapped in the ticket book. Proceeds benefit local nonprofits (including the raffle held during the tour!).

Speaking of local nonprofits – today is a HUGE donation drive for one:

WESTSIDE BABY ‘STUFF THE BUS’ DAY: Every year, the day after WestSide Baby‘s bus rolls down the West Seattle Grand Parade route, the family-assisting agency collects tens of thousands of diapers for babies/toddlers in need. The main dropoff spot is HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) at 41st/Alaska, but there are lots of other spots you can drop off diapers too – see them here. Safeway stores also are offering deals on diapers, with on-site dropoffs. The HomeStreet site is open 10-2 – bring the kids and they can honk the bus horn.

ALKI ART FAIR, DAY 2: Second day for local artists to set up along the boardwalk at the west end of Alki Beach Park and show/sell their wares. Music and food, too. Today’s hours 10 am-6 pm, with music and food running later (check the schedule on site); free shuttle from West Seattle High School. And look for Seal Sitters at the art fair – read about their activities here, including a chance to raise money for them by dining nearby while you’re on Alki.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, in The Junction, with summer produce reaching its peak. (44th/Alaska)

MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FESTIVAL, DAY 2: 11 am-5 pm, “MedFest” features belly dancers on two stages (no admission charge) at Hiawatha Community Center. Performance schedule here; vendor map/list here. (2700 California SW)

AUTHOR SIGNING: 1-3 pm at Barnes & Noble Westwood Village, Barbara Jean Hicks, author of “Frozen: A Sister More Like Me,” will be signing. (2600 SW Barton)

WHITE CENTER JUBILEE DAYS: Live music 11 am-6 pm as part of the WCJD street fair on 17th between Roxbury and 100th – info here.

JAMTIME: Live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 1-3 pm. (5612 California SW)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Greenstage‘s “Backyard Bard” version of “Comedy of Errors,” 3 pm at High Point Commons Park, free. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

JOSH HARTY & ANDREA PETERMAN: 7:30 pm, they’re onstage at Kenyon Hall – details in our listing. (7904 25th SW)

AND THAT’S NOT ALL … see everything by going to our calendar.

(Added 9:31 am – Holy Rosary parade entry waiting at the start of the route)
A cloudy start to the day, and a bit of drizzle as of just before 8, but don’t let that keep you home – the overall rain chance is low, and the big events today/tonight are rain or shine! First, remember that California will be closed by 9 am from Admiral Way south to SW Edmunds for the first two big events (earlier on the north side of the route – and before catching a bus, check the reroutes here), continuing until 1 pm or so:

FLOAT DODGER 5K: Last-minute signups start at 8, race starts just after 9:30 from just outside race-presenting West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor). Fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. (California/Charlestown; course map here)

WEST SEATTLE GRAND PARADE (AND KIDDIE PARADE): The parade begins with the motorcycle drill teams – Seattle Police and Vancouver (BC) Police – leaving California/Lander and heading south at about 10:30 am. Then at 11 am, the rest of the parade follows; also at 11 am, the Kiddie Parade leaves from California/Genesee – all welcome to participate, just start staging there around 10:30 am. End of the parade route is California/Edmunds in The Junction. Starting this year, the Rotary Club of West Seattle is presenting the parade; Grand Marshal is Medal of Honor-winning ret. Col. Bruce Crandall; Orville Rummel Community Service Trophy winner is longtime community advocate/volunteer Earl Cruzen, who will be represented by wife Adah Cruzen; West Seattle personality Marty Riemer announces the parade for the first time, from California/Alaska in The Junction. Free and fun. (Route map)

Also:

DUWAMISH HERITAGE DAY: 10 am-5 pm, events at the Duwamish Longhouse – details in our calendar listing. (4205 W. Marginal Way SW)

ALKI ART FAIR: On the promenade, both sides of the Bathhouse, art, music, and food, both days this weekend, starting today at 10 am; booths until 6, music until 9 (no schedule online as of last website check, but you should find one onsite). Shuttle from West Seattle High School parking lot. (61st/Alki)

‘COFFEE WITH A COMMISSIONER’: 10 am-11 am, meet a member of the city’s LGBT Commission at Caffé Ladro in south Morgan Junction for “Coffee with a Commissioner,” to discuss issues, concerns, ideas, questions relating to city resources or policies regarding LGBTQ and ally Seattleites. (California/Myrtle)

MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FESTIVAL: In and around Hiawatha Community Center, belly-dancing performances, vendors, food, both days this weekend, starting today at 11 am – today’s dance performances (until 7 pm) listed here; vendors listed/mapped here. (2700 California SW)

WHITE CENTER JUBILEE DAYS: While West Seattle is celebrating a big day, so is our southern neighbor, including a street fair on 17th (closed between 100th and Roxbury) and a 2:30 pm parade (16th SW from 112th north to 100th). Details at jubileedays.org.

WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: First of six Saturday nights this summer with free outdoor movies in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard – bring your own chair/blanket, and $ for raffle prizes/concessions that raise money for nonprofits. Tonight’s movie: “Gravity.” Gates open 6:30 pm, movie at dusk (9-ish) – don’t be late, as the courtyard usually fills up. (4410 California SW)

WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1974 REUNION: 6:30 pm. Signup deadline is past but if for some reason you missed all the announcements – here’s our calendar listing.

NIGHTLIFE … live music and more; see the listings on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar.

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

HIAWATHA FUN FEST: Noon-3 pm, carnival games, bouncy toys, West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court royalty (added: they plan to dance between noon and 12:30 pm, and also will have tiara/sash for other kids to try on), and more at Hiawatha Community Center. (2700 California SW, but the events are usually on the east lawn, alongside Walnut)

DELRIDGE GROCERY’S FIRST FRIDAY FARMSTAND: The group working toward a co-op grocery store in North Delridge debuts its weekly farmstand today. From an e-mail preview, here’s some of what they expect to offer:

From Okanogan Producers Marketing Association – awesome organic producer coop in Okanogan:
– peaches
– apricots
– cherries
– blueberries
– raspberries

From Seattle Tilth Farm Works – amazing incubator farm in Auburn:
– Romaine lettuce
– cabbage
– collard greens
– kale

From City Grown Seattle <> – hyper-local urban farm in South Park and Ballard:
– green onions
– Swiss chard

Live music, too. 4:30-7:30 pm. (5400 block of Delridge Way, south of library)

HPIC FREE MOVIE: Doors open at Highland Park Improvement Club, 6:30 pm – details in our calendar listing. (12th/Kenyon)

NIGHTLIFE! From live music at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) starting at 5:30 pm, through comedy, music, and deejaying at other venues, see all the listings on our calendar.

(Seals on driftwood off West Seattle’s shore earlier this week – photo by J&R)
Just floating along toward the weekend – and, as previewed here Wednesday, what a weekend it will be. Not to look past today/tonight, though, since you might want to know about the following:

TAXES TO AVOID METRO CUTS IN SEATTLE? Next discussion by the City Council, sitting as the Transportation Benefit District board, is 2 pm today at City Hall – agenda here. (4th/5th/James/Cherry)

FUN WITH SCIENCE! For ages 4-12, 2-3 pm at Southwest Branch Library, explained in our calendar listing. (35th/Henderson)

TAI SHAN, LIVE AT THE LIBRARY: 6 pm outdoor concert by Tai Shan at the West Seattle Branch Library – details in our calendar listing. (2306 42nd SW)

WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE 11-12 ALL-STARS: 6 pm at Bar-S, their next must-win state-tournament game is against Pacific. (64th/Admiral)

DESIGN REVIEW FOR 2626 ALKI SW: As first announced a month ago, tonight is the second “early design guidance” meeting for a three-story commercial/residential project (two retail/restaurant spaces, 13 apartments, 23 off-street parking spots) proposed at 2626 Alki Ave. SW. Preview the design packet here. Meeting’s at 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (Oregon/California)

CLASSICAL-GUITAR OPEN MIKE: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing. (5612 California SW)

FLAMENCO! Flamenco music and dancing and an authentic Spanish buffet, tonight at Luso Food and Wine in downtown White Center, 7 pm – details in our calendar listing. (9614 16th SW)

(Wednesday morning fog, looking toward Harbor Island; photo by Eileen McHugh)
Busy calendar for today/tonight – just some of the highlights:

FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: Bring the kids to the West Seattle (Admiral) Branch of the Seattle Public Library and firefighters will read to them this morning! 10:30 am. (2306 42nd SW)

CHEER THE 11-12 WSLL ALL-STARS: The West Seattle Little League 11-12 All-Stars continue on in the state tournament they’re hosting at Bar-S, after a dramatic win last night. They’re playing again today at 3 pm. (64th/Admiral)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Second of 12 Wednesdays this summer/fall when you can visit the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand 4-7 pm and buy organic produce grown next to it. (32nd/Juneau)

FUNDRAISER FOR MT. RAINIER SEARCH AND RESCUE: Mountain-climbing legend Jim Whittaker is now part of this event at West 5 – details here – with raffle items including this bike:

Stop by 6-9 pm, have a beer, help the climbing rangers’ program. (4539 California SW)

CAREER IN REAL ESTATE? Find out if it’s for you by visiting the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate (WSB sponsor) event at 6 pm – details here. (4700 42nd SW)

(Tuesday morning fog; photo by Laura Goodrich)
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S QUARTERLY MEETING: 7 pm at The Kenney (WSB sponsor). Agenda includes a recap of the Morgan Junction Community Festival, updates on nearby development projects, the California/Fauntleroy intersection, Metro Route 128, Coalition for an Affordable Livable Seattle, Morgan Junction Business District, and more. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

MUSIC BINGO AT THE CASK: 7 pm at The Cask (WSB sponsor), guess the songs, play the game! Details here. (2350 California SW)

COMEDY AT THE FEEDBACK: West Seattle’s Mona Concepcion hosts tonight’s bill at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm – featured comics listed here.

MORE NIGHTLIFE! (etc.) … on our calendar.

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! Another warm day ahead. No traffic trouble in the area so far. Two weekend reminders to repeat again today and each day until the weekend:

WEST SEATTLE GRAND PARADE CLOSURES: Saturday morning, California will be closed south of Admiral, south to Edmunds, for the parade. Staging zones will be on side streets along both ends of the route, so watch for, and heed, no-parking signs that day. Bus reroutes, too (check your route here).

ONE WEEK OF I-90 LANE CLOSURES … westbound 90, starting this Friday – details here.

DOWNTOWN BUS REROUTES THIS WEEKEND … because of road work; check your route here.

ADDED 9 AM: Checked on The Junction and California midblock between Alaska and Edmunds is down to one lane each way again because of construction work, with no parking on the west side of the street (which does have a “free parking” lot behind it).

(Photo by Don Brubeck, Seacrest Pier as seen from Alki Trail)
It might be a sweater morning, but the forecast promises a sunny afternoon. Three highlights for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

POLLINATOR WORKSHOP: Learn about bees – and more – today:

The Urban Pollination Project (UPP) will be offering free pollinator identification workshop for kids or adults, at Delridge P-Patch garden, 3-4 pm. UPP is a non-profit citizen science initiative from the University of Washington, and their goal is to help get people excited about pollination, bees, and how local food depends on this amazing process. UPP will do a free 60-minute workshop. They will bring photos and specimens to help us learn to recognize our local pollinator biodiversity, talk about some of the fascinating life histories and adaptations of our local pollinators, and walk through the garden to identify them at work on our plants!

(24th SW/Puget)

LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT: The West Seattle Little League 11-12 All-Stars won yesterday at the state tournament WSLL is hosting at Bar-S, so they’re playing again tonight, 6 pm. (64th/Admiral)

CONCERT IN THE PARK – WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND, FREE! Bring friends, family, picnic dinner, etc. to the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center at 7 pm for the FREE annual Hi-Yu Concert in the Park with the West Seattle Big Band. Always an awesome night of music. BYO chair/blanket. (2700 California SW is Hiawatha’s official address, but the concert zone fronts Walnut)

BELLY DANCING: Get in gear for this weekend’s Mediterranean Fantasy Festival at Hiawatha by checking out bellydancing in West Seattle tonight. It’s the monthly Alauda showcase at Skylark tonight, 7:30 pm, free. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

LOTS MORE for today/tonight on the calendar – see it all here!

(Anchor/Luna Park photo by Daniel Casey)
Busy Monday … on the way to another summer-event-filled weekend … but there are a few calendar highlights we wanted to mention before we get too much further into this day:

LOW-LOW TIDE: Until 2:30 pm, volunteer beach naturalists are out again at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, with the tide out to -2.6 at 12:54 pm.

TEEN RUNNING GROUP: High-school or college-age runner? 5 pm Mondays at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), meet up with others and get going! Free. Details here; there’s a Facebook group too. (California/Charlestown)

WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY: On this date in 1984, the high-level bridge was dedicated. At 6:30 tonight, an all-star panel will share memories and thoughts in a special (free!) event in the courtyard of Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) – details on the Southwest Seattle Historical Society website; panelists include former mayor Charles Royer, former port commissioner Jack Block, city councilmember Tom Rasmussen (who worked as an assistant to the bridge’s honorary namesake Councilmember Jeanette Williams), engineers who worked on the bridge project, and more. Here’s the program, topic-wise, per SWSHS’s Clay Eals, who will emcee/moderate:

OVERVIEW

ATTEMPTS BY CITY TO FUND A NEW BRIDGE PRE-1978

ATTITUDE OF WEST SEATTLE TOWARD BRIDGE PRE-1978

LAUNCH OF SECESSION CAMPAIGN: MARCH 29, 1978

THE SHIP HITS THE SPAN: JUNE 11, 1978

QUICK REACTION TO OBTAIN FUNDS FOR NEW BRIDGE

DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, DETOURS 1980-1984

THE FATE OF ROLF NESLUND

OPENING OF NEW BRIDGE 1983-1984

IMPACT OF THE BRIDGE 30 YEARS LATER

(4410 California SW)

NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL – IN THE PARK: Summertime and the NDNC takes its meetings on the road. Tonight – find them at Dragonfly Pavilion, 6:30 pm. (26th/Dakota)