West Seattle, Washington
25 Monday
Ready to take a chair, blanket, and/or picnic dinner to the park for a free concert? You have two chances in the next three nights:
(WSB photo, 2022 Big Band Concert in the Park)
TUESDAY – BIG BAND CONCERT IN THE PARK: 7 pm tomorrow (July 16), High Point
Commons Park (Lanham and Graham) fills with the swinging sounds of the West Seattle Big Band, directed by Jim Edwards. The park concert is a midsummer tradition, sponsored by the West Seattle Grand Parade. This is the 27th year!
THURSDAY – ADMIRAL MUSIC IN THE PARKS, CONCERT #1: 6:30 pm Thursday (July 18), one of this year’s three new venues (plus a new name) for the concert series presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association – this show is at Belvedere Park (3600 SW Admiral Way), with Troy Aylesworth and The Potholes. Also new, you can order a picnic spread in advance from Soirée, to be delivered to the park!
(File photo)
One of West Seattle’s longest-running restaurants has put in an order for a new owner. Luna Park Café owner John Bennett tells WSB that he’s put his legendary burgers-and-breakfast (among other things) restaurant on the market. “It was a tough decision to make after 35 years, but it’s time to pass the torch,” Bennett says. “I am looking for someone who will keep it going as it is for another 35 years or more. The restaurant is doing well and I think someone could step in and take it over without skipping a beat.” He’s keeping it open while it’s on the market so the “new owner can come right in and take over. I’ve got a great staff there and I want to make sure that they can stay and hopefully the restaurant will stay the same.” If somehow you haven’t been, it’s not just about the food and beverages (including famous milkshakes) but also the quirky decor.
(WSB photo, 2023)
(And the history!) If you’re potentially interested, you can contact Bennett at 206-227-1950 or bennettproperties@comcast.net. You can see the listing here.
The report and photo are from Center For Active Living executive director Amy Lee Derenthal:
We were the fortunate recipients of a $18,400 gift from Impact West Seattle and we’re so very thankful for their support of the work we are doing in the community for people 50+. This funding will help pay for the 40+ programs and services we have happening in our building each week. Here’s our new website showing the programming they are supporting: wscenter.org.
Impact West Seattle is a coalition of women in West Seattle who use our collective giving and action to make an impact on the social, economic and environmental issues facing our region. They are always looking for more women to join, and they also meet here at The Center on a quarterly basis. We have a longtime relationship with these women, who are supporting so many of our local non-profits.
A huge THANK YOU to Impact West Seattle for this funding!
You can find out more about Impact West Seattle here. And you can donate to the Center For Active Living any time here.
In this morning’s traffic roundup, we briefly mentioned SFD units blocking part of Harbor Avenue because of a medical response at Seacrest. Though the callout was not listed as a water rescue, we later learned from readers in the area that the person who was treated by SFD medics had been diving. Dispatch audio indicated he was unconscious when brought out of the water around 9 am. Radio exchanges also indicated that he would be taken to Virginia Mason Hospital, which has a hyperbaric chamber. Seattle Fire spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB that the 63-year-old man was assessed as being in critical condition when transported to VM.
Thanks to Stewart L. for the tip and the photo above. Part of the city effort to rein in problems along Alki/Harbor Avenues has been signage, and here’s more. He says these signs were installed Friday or early Saturday at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, which has become more of a hotspot for trouble from stunt driving all the way to murder (two unsolved shooting deaths at or near the park in 13 months).
(WSB photo)
Police have been stationed at the park on some nights as well.
P.S. Our archives remind us that this isn’t the first time signage has been added in hopes of tamping down on some problems at the boat-ramp park.
11:56 AM: Thanks to Tom Trulin for the photos taken today as the years-overdue Lincoln Park South Play Area replacement enters the home stretch. Seattle Parks most recently told us it would be complete this month. Tom’s photos show some of the marine-theme features in the design created with community input six years ago.
This past Friday marked seven years since the old south play area’s shutdown because of safety concerns from wood damage.
At the time in July 2017, Parks said it might take a year to fix or replace the damaged structure. We’re checking to see if they have an official projected opening date yet, now that this appears to be down to the final stages of construction.
4:56 PM: Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor replies, “We are working through some final construction items. We should have a better idea early next week on an opening date.”
(Prolific jasmine, photographed by Jerry Simmons)
As the summer fun and summer sun take a brief break this morning, here’s today’s highlight list, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Available different times and locations – here’s the local list.
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor heated-salt-water pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is open noon-7 pm – session times are on the Colman Pool webpage.
LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, since it’s expected to be warm again this afternoon, the 7-day-a-week wading pool will be open today noon-7 pm, in the central upper part of the park near the north play area.
BABY STORY TIME: Bring little ones up to 2 years old to Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), noon-12:30 pm, for story time!
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm at City Hall, the weekly meeting in which councilmembers talk about their plans for the week ahead. Here’s the agenda. Watch live via Seattle Channel.
GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday brings “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
D&D: Weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, first-time players too.
HAND-BUILD CLAY ANIMALS: 6:30 pm at The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW) – registration info is in our calendar listing.
(added) COMEDY TONIGHT: From the folks at Cozy Comedy:
Where: Otter on the Rocks (4210 Admiral Way)
When: 7 pm show start
Who: A comedy show with 3 up and coming feature act comedians; all of which are comedy competition and comedy club veterans!
Link to tickets
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Three places to play on Mondays – 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: All welcome at free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MEDITATION IN ALKI: The Alki Dharma Community hosts meditation at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), 7-8:30 pm.
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE: 9 pm start for Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
If you have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar, please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:24 AM: There’s a car-fire response at Highland Park Way and West Marginal, and per police radio, the response is blocking HP Way both ways. (Added – it was a truck – we passed by and saw the aftermath:)
9:33 AM: Harbor northbound is blocked near Seacrest because of an SFD medical response.
9:59 AM: Harbor has reopened. So has at least one lane on HP Way.
Earlier:
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, July 15. Street closures and bus reroutes for West Seattle Summer Fest are over.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
The forecast: Some clouds, then clearing, high in the low 80s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:27 am, while sunset will be at 9:02 pm.
ROAD WORK
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project has begun; here are more specifics. Fairmount Avenue is now closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, likely into early 2025.
*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.
*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work continues at spots along the southern stretch.
PSA: SCHOOL ZONES
One reader wanted us to remind you that some school-zone beacons – and speed cameras – are operating throughout the summer, and that’s not a mistake.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Back to regular schedules; check for advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route, and the unscheduled third boat may should be back, per WSF.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS (Minus the ones that were still down early today)
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
South Park Bridge:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
12:11 AM: Police are investigating what’s reported as a collision near Westwood Village involving a driver hitting a pedestrian in the 25th/Barton vicinity in the past half-hour, then leaving the scene. The initial description of the vehicle was only “black sedan.” The pedestrian is reported to have a serious leg injury.
12:18 AM: Dispatch has been told they’re taking the victim to Harborview Medical Center.
10:01 AM: SFD tells us the pedestrian is a woman in her mid-30s and that she was in stable condition when transported.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: Here’s the SPD summary:
At 2347 hours, a witness called 911 Dispatch (CARE) to report a vehicle vs pedestrian collision in the 2500 block SW Barton St. Officers arrived in the area and located the victim lying in the roadway with obvious injuries. The witness stated he observed the victim crawling across the roadway when a dark colored sedan struck her and continued without stopping. SFD arrived and treated the victim who was transported to HMC.
The artist who created an iconic West Seattle sculpture is asking for support in his quest to save it from being demolished instead of replaced.
(Photo courtesy Don Fels)
That’s the Paragon, installed more than 20 years ago at what’s now known as həʔapus Village Park and Shoreline Habitat (formerly T-107 Park) along West Marginal Way near the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse. We heard from artist Don Fels over the weekend – he explains that this dates back to when he was the lead artist on the West Seattle Cultural Trail on Alki 25+ years ago – and continued it down West Marginal Way. He picks up the story from there, in the email he sent us explaining why he’s asking for community words of support:
I created three sculptures there, including the Geo-Slice, which tells the geomorphic history of the site, and the Paragon, which features a scaled-down wooden framework of a halibut schooner designed and built in Seattle in 1923. The sculpture is now in mortal danger!
The sculpture was a broad ranging collaboration between me, the Port of Seattle, the City of Seattle, the Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle City Light and people from the Croatian community of West Seattle. I obtained the plans for the original Paragon, which is still fishing up in Alaska, and then Michael Vlahovich, a third-generation boat builder, whose grandmother lived on the site, built the wooden ‘boat’ with his boat-building students at Bates Technical College.
Under the boat are several panels giving the history of the site- telling how the Native people who lived and fished there were forced out by destruction of the habitat, how immigrants from (the then) Yugoslavia, Greece, and Italy moved in, often squatting, to live and build boats. The Port bulldozed down their settlement, which even though the Port arranged to have the sculpture created on the site, they let me acknowledge in the text I produced for the sculpture.
Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture was charged with maintaining the wood boat structure, which they failed to do. There is now considerable rot and it is infested with carpenter ants. Suddenly, their solution to years of their neglect: tear it down. To counter that very real threat, I am organizing a rebuild of the wooden boat (the steel and concrete structure is sound). In very short order I have garnered support from the Center for Wooden Boats, the Burke Museum, the Port of Seattle, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Allied Arts, and thanks to the great help from Ken (Workman), the Duwamish Tribe. I continue to reach out to other potential partners, and am certain there will be many others.
At present we are planning for a community rebuilding of the boat next year. I would WELCOME volunteers, donations of materials, etc etc. But for now I’m looking to get letters from the community sent to the Office of Arts and Culture from people who want the sculpture to remain and be fixed up. They can be directed to the Deputy Director, Kelly Davidson. Her email is Kelly.Davidson@seattle.gov.
Fels is meeting with her on Tuesday morning and adds, “If anyone feels compelled to write her, it would be wonderfully helpful if they did so before then, so that she sees there is real support to save the sculpture. I want them to take ‘deaccessioning’ (i.e. destroying it) off their agenda. This is very important ASAP, because once they officially stamp it ‘deaccessioned,’ the sculpture goes from being an artwork to a corpse.” If you can spare a moment to email Kelly Davidson, Don adds, please cc him, at donatofels@gmail.com.
ADDED TUESDAY MIDDAY: Here’s the statement we received from the Office of Arts and Culture:
The Office of Arts & Culture envisions a city driven by creativity that provides the opportunity for everyone to engage in diverse arts and cultural experiences. Deaccessioning artworks is always a last resort. The first priority of any public artwork commission is to ensure that there is no risk to the public if the structure were to break apart or collapse.
Don Fels’ Paragon has stood at həʔapus Village Park & Shoreline Habitat since 2001, honoring its surrounding communities. It is one of 400 art works in the Seattle Civic Art Collection, each of which requires maintenance. The Office of Arts and Culture has maintained the structure over the years, however, Seattle’s rainy climate, the passage of time (23 years) and the original materials used in Paragon have resulted in this very natural outcome. We look forward to meeting with Mr. Fels this week to discuss the options for potentially saving the current structure. (Indeed, we will be meeting with Mr. Fels later this morning). That said, the structure is currently a significant safety hazard that must be addressed as soon as possible.
Anytime people are moved by art, we consider our mission successful.That you all feel passionate about this artwork to write to us and save it makes us proud.
Gülgün Kayim
Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
Thanks to Al for sending the photo and report on West Seattle Bike Connections‘ “Little STP” ride today:
Here’s the photo from the end of today’s WSSTP … 27 people, 26 pedalers, and one fantastic time!
As previewed here, the “little STP” is WS Bike Connections’ annual riff off the Seattle to Portland (STP) ride that’s also happening this weekend – this one goes from SW Seattle Street in North Admiral to SW Portland Street in Gatewood, with the option for riders to then go back to The Junction to visit West Seattle Summer Fest.
4:24 PM: Seattle Fire and Police are converging for what SFD has classified as a “scenes of violence” response at 35th/Morgan. Updates to come.
4:28 PM: Police have just told dispatch they haven’t found a victim yet. So the SFD response has been closed. We have a crew en route to find out what the initial report was.
4:32 PM: The initial call appears to have involved gunfire, according to another radio exchange. A K9 team was on their way.
4:37 PM: Police confirmed to us on scene that they’re investigating gunfire but so far no one has been found hit/hurt. They’re investigating on the east side of the 35th/Morgan intersection, which is blocked, so avoid the area.
5:17 PM: Just went through 35th/Morgan on our way back from Summer Fest. The intersection is now fully open, no police in sight.
6:13 PM: Listening back to archived police radio from around time of this dispatch, we so far have not found descriptions of the circumstances or shooter/s, but a mention that officers found at least four casings, and that “suspects” were last seen southbound on 34th. The incident #, if you have any information, is 24-194122.
ADDED MONDAY: We followed up with SPD, and received this summary:
On July 14, Seattle police responded to the area of 35th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Morgan Street for shots fired at about 4:12 p.m. It was reported one man fired a shot toward another man and they both left the area. A wall of a nearby building had several holes from the gunshots and shell casings were recovered. A King County Sheriff’s Office K9 was called to the scene. No suspect or shooting victim was located.
4:18 PM: Thanks for the tip! A midsize Seattle Fire callout is on scene in the 9200 block of 14th SW. Texter reports, “Fire Dept callout on 14th is a fire on the back deck. Fire escaped the grill and caught deck and nearby tree on fire.”
5:05 PM: The call is closed. We’ll follow up with SFD.
(QUICK LINKS: Music lineup … food/drink info … merchant/vendor info … Kids Zone info … bus reroutes … previous WSB coverage here)
10:20 AM: West Seattle Summer Fest‘s third and final day is on! Managing a festival involves a lot of tasks large and small – above, that’s Stacie Woods, event director for the West Seattle Junction Association (which presents Summer Fest) writing the stage lineup on a chalkboard out front of the Info Booth. We’re on the north side, WSJA volunteers with merch are on the west side, and SPD crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite is back with free steering-wheel locks (32 of them, while they last – they’re going fast!) and other swag until 1 pm.
If you don’t get to the festival today, you can email Jennifer to get one at the precinct. … If you’ve missed previous mentions, the Farmers’ Market is NORTH OF SW OREGON today, since there’s no main-stage music today, just the West Side Stage (in Junction Plaza Park) plus buskers – the band Better As Brass will be starting soon on the east side of California just north of Alaska. More coverage to come – the festival is on until 5 pm today!
11:11 AM: One more reminder – Farmers’ Market vendors are north of Oregon today – one block north of their usual spot. We just strolled through and saw all the usual favorites. Also along the way, the north face painter (there’s also one on the south block, both midblock) – busy!
Bringing your pup to the festival? They can cool off in the mini-pools outside Next to Nature on the west side of California a bit north of Alaska:
11:35 AM: Better As Brass is taking a break (after their last set included street-band versions of Britney Spears‘s “Toxic” and The Eurhythmics‘ “Sweet Dreams”) but will resume playing soon! We recorded a bit of their opening set:
12:01 PM: You have another hour and a half to go contribute to the community mural that Stacey Sterling is leading in Junction Plaza Park:
Stacey tells us you can help paint until 1:30 pm. After that, the mural-in-progress will be available for viewing only, until the festival ends at 5 pm. Also in the park, The Potholes’ second show of the festival is happening right now on the West Side Stage. … Up on the north block (between Oregon and Alaska), east side, look for the West Seattle Food Bank‘s booth to get your $10 raffle ticket that is also a discount coupon for some local venues, as we explained Thursday:
Back here at the Info Booth, SPD has now given away all the steering-wheel locks they brought (but, again, there’s more at the precinct, so contact Jennifer).
1:06 PM: Over at the Kids’ Zone, Tilden School (WSB sponsor) is in charge today:
If you’re just plugging into festival info today – new at the Kids’ Zone are the “foam party” and arcade games (courtesy of West Seattle Arcade, which is hoping to open its new Gary’s Place at 2820 Alki in September). … New shift for nonprofits here at the Info Booth – Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network on the east side….
… and WestSide Baby on the south side.
1:28 PM: Half an hour left to get to the Farmers’ Market, if you’re hoping to shop there today – their hours are the same as always today, until 2 pm, though the location is different. … On the West Side Stage this hour, we caught a bit of Cellobration – whose music is exactly what you’d guess from their name:
2:24 PM: Just two and a half hours left to get here if you haven’t already visited. We’ve enjoyed seeing so many people we haven’t seen in years – so much of our communicating is done via email and texts – and it’s been great to meet more of the people who send photos and tips, which is why we call WSB a community-collaborative news site. (westseattleblog@gmail.com and/or 206-293-6302, text/voice – we’ve had that number since launching WSB as a business in summer 2007). … Casey Freedom, second-to-last musical performer of the festival, is on the West Side Stage right now, and the final band, Annie O’Neill w/ Jim and Beth Wulff, is coming up at 3. … Roaming here at California/Alaska a few minutes ago, the robot you otherwise can visit in the Kids’ Zone (SW Alaska west of California):
The Kids’ Zone also has visitors from the Pacific Science Center today with an engineering-themed exhibit.
3:20 PM: Last musical act of Summer Fest (not counting the scattered buskers), Annie O’Neill with Jim and Beth Wulff, is onstage at Junction Plaza Park right now:
Meantime, the biggest food-related question we’ve received is where to find Dirty Dogs. They’re up near California/Oregon, where you’ll find a few additional food vendors beyond what’s in the “official” food zone on Alaska east of California. Another big food question – where to find ice cream – one local option is the Shug’s cart in the official food zone (visiting from Shug’s Mini at California/Charlestown); Seattle Pops is over in the Kids’ Zone; there are others too.
4 PM: Final hour of Summer Fest 2024! We just took one more stroll through the vendors. Stopped again at the Author Event Network booth (west side of the block between Oregon and Alaska), which – as we mentioned in Friday coverage – has been hosting independent authors all weekend. There right now – Irina Van Patten and Guy Morris.
You can read about Irina’s books here – she’s written memoirs about being an immigrant – and Guy’s books – which he describes as “intelligent thrillers” – here. … Not far from the Author Event Network booth, a nice shaded place to sit and enjoy a beverage – The Beer Junction:
If you’re here – music’s done – but the vendors and food/drink are still open for business!
4:58 PM: A final view looking north from California/Alaska:
It’ll take at least several hours to break down all the booths, cables, signage, and everything else that it took to build a festival, so the streets through the heart of The Junction will remain closed until late tonight. Thanks to everyone who was part of the festival, whether a vendor, visitor, volunteer, production crew member, and/or Junction business owner/staffer … it’s been another fun three-day extravaganza!
Jenny reports this happened at her home in Highland Park:
July 13 @ 1:00 AM we were woken up to a guy rattling our front door (our bedroom window is next to the front porch). The door was locked, however. He threw the door mat off the property and left a malt liquor can behind after throwing up on the porch and yelling in apparent frustration. We have video of his face and attempt to open the door, which I have attached here.
We don’t have the permanent # yet but the initial one is T00005609.
8:35 AM: Terence emailed to report that as of less than an hour ago, “There are three orcas in Elliott Bay swimming southbound past the grain terminal toward the central waterfront. Currently about 100 yards offshore.” Let us know if you see them!
8:38 AM: Just a moment after we published that, Kersti Muul texted reporting a large group of transient orcas midchannel off Eagle Harbor (Bainbridge Island), southbound.
12:28 PM: Thanks to everyone for all the updates in comments! We also got a text from Chris Frankovich a short time ago, reporting orcas southbound past the Arroyos. Also, Courtney sent this video via X/Twitter:
Orcas spotted in the Sound off of @westseattleblog ✨@komonews @seattletimes pic.twitter.com/PMGpo2IAMR
— courtney ✺ (@digitallylee) July 14, 2024
3 PM: Thanks to Dan Ciske for sending a pic from Alki:
4:41 PM: Thanks to Robin Sinner for these photos from Constellation Park:
We begin with the final day of West Seattle Summer Fest and its adjunct event:
(West Seattle’s most-famous marquee, photographed Saturday morning)
FINAL DAY OF WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: 10 am to 5 pm today, and 5 is when everything ends – music, shopping, dining, games – and breakdown begins. So even if you’ve already been, come back and see what you missed – maybe a sambusa and sushi burrito, washed down with light-bulb boba tea, and an elephant ear for dessert? Anyway …
Stage – No main stage on Day 3 but the West Side Stage in Junction Plaza Park has music and more – lineup here.
Meditation – Before the West Side stage music, at 10 am Maari Falsetto will lead another free meditation/gong bath session
Sidewalk Sales – Many of the year-round Junction merchants have laid it all out for you, literally – see what they’ve got!
Kids Zone – Tilden School oversees it today! Games including arcade machines, foam party – all that’s free (schedule’s here), and/or for $ (you can buy in advance), bounce on the big inflatables, SW Alaska east of 44th and in the lot behind KeyBank
Create art – Painter Stacey Sterling is again guiding a sea-theme community mural; find her in Junction Plaza Park
In the Booth – Our coverage continues today from the Info Booth and we’re joined by SPD and Seal Sitters, among others (scroll down this page to see who’s there today). See you in The Junction!
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: As we reminded you again last night, it’s a block north of the usual place, just for today, on California SW north of SW Oregon, same hours – 10 am to 2 pm – same amazing peak summer produce plus lots of other food and beverages.
Also today, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar
LITTLE STP BIKE RIDE: It’s an alternate way to get to Summer Fest, among other things – 9:15 am, riders meet at Hamilton Viewpoint Park for the annual “Little STP” ride, from California SW and SW Seattle in North Admiral to California SW and SW Portland in Gatewood, then doubling back partway to Summer Fest. More info in our calendar listing!
ADMIRAL CHURCH FOOD DRIVE: Continues today – drop off nonperishable-food donations at the church (4320 SW Hill) 9 am-noon.
PLUNGE INTO THE SOUND: At 9 am, you’re welcome to join a group plunge into Puget Sound off Alki – meet at Statue of Liberty Plaza (61st/Alki).
WESTIES RUN CLUB: 9 am, meet at Bel Gatto (9253 45th SW) for the Sunday run.
BENEFIT JEWELRY SALE: In Georgetown but they’d love to have support from West Seattle:
Come to Georgetown for the jewelry sale of the summer from 10 am – 4 pm at 5628 Airport Way South in Seattle! Benefiting women’s shelters in Washington State, we are selling HUNDREDS of pieces of previously loved jewelry at GREAT PRICES that has been carefully refurbished by our volunteers. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, rings, and watches! From silver and gold to vintage, high-quality costume, and bling! Feel free to bring a friend and spread the word! To find out more about WSJP and how your participation in this sale can make a difference, go to our website at womensshelterjewelryproject.org
MOON ROOM SUMMER SALE: 20 percent off again today, in the store (5902 California SW; WSB sponsor) and online at moonroomshop.com – open 11 am-5 pm today!
YOU CAN HELP: Donation drive at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds):
Alki UCC Donations Drive Sunday, July 21
11:00 am to 3:00 pm, Front CourtyardWe need Kid Food!
Kids are out of school and many no longer have daily meals. Needed: mac and cheese, applesauce/fruit cups, juice packets, peanut butter, tuna, canned spaghetti, hot dogs, etc.
Non-perishable food basics, outdoor gear and men’s work clothes are also needed.
Your donations of food, clothing and outdoor gear are distributed through the Westside Interfaith Network (WIN) Saturday lunch, hosted in White Center.
Deepest gratitude to our community for your generous support of our neighbors in need.
ROCK GARDEN DEDICATION: Happening around noon at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th and Myrtle, southeast corner of the intersection):
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish will be dedicating its new rock garden on 35th Avenue SW this coming Sunday, July 14, 2024 after the 11:00 a.m. mass. This project began a year ago when the OLG Life, Justice and Peace Commission wanted to ensure that everyone felt welcome at the parish. Parishioners were asked to write down in one to four words – any words – that they wish to identify themselves with. These identification words were gathered together and painted onto rocks by both parishioners and school students throughout the year. This Sunday, we will place these painted rocks into a special area in front of our parish. We are a diverse community, and each stone in this garden is a reflection of who sits in our pews, who attends our school, and who you can consider your neighbor here at OLG. All are welcome. There will also be coffee and donuts available for everyone following the rock garden dedication.
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor heated-salt-water pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is back open to the public today, noon-7 pm – session times are on the Colman Pool webpage.
LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, the season continues for the only city-run wading pool in West Seattle that operates seven days a week, noon-7 pm, in the central upper part of the park near the north play area.
OPEN HOUSE: Deeds Health, on the north end of The Junction (4141 California SW), invites you to an open house at their new clinic, noon-5 pm.
<ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS : Reminder that the historic Alki Point Lighthouse is open to the public today for free tours, 1 pm-3:45 pm, Alki Avenue SW & Point Place SW.
SOCCER: Last home match for Junction FC, vs. Ballard FC, 1 pm, at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), tickets available online.
LAURE STRUBER PIANO TRIO: 2 pm doors, 2:30 pm concert at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW) – ticket link in our calendar listing.
GONG BATH & NATURE MEDITATION: 7:30 pm at Lowman Beach Park (7017 Beach Drive SW) – ticket link’s in our calendar listing.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Enjoy Sunday night music with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8-10 pm.
Organizing and/or publicizing something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basics – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
We’ve mentioned this in West Seattle Summer Fest coverage already but wanted to spotlight it one more time: The West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be one block north of its usual place tomorrow (Sunday, July 14) because of the festival. The main stage and beer garden will be broken down after tonight’s festivities, and that block – California north of Oregon – is where you’ll find Farmers’ Market vendors tomorrow. Same hours – 10 am to 2 pm – while the festival continues concurrently (and then until 5 pm) on California between Oregon and Edmunds and on Alaska between 42nd and 44th. The market will return to its usual place next weekend (on July 21).
5:30 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent the photo. SFD is on scene right now, responding to that vehicle fire in the 2900 block of (corrected) Walnut. They put it out quickly, we’re told – here’s another photo:
We’re checking on injuries.
6:19 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says no one was hurt. Their investigator was not sent, so it apparently was not suspicious in orgin.
(QUICK LINKS: Music lineups … food/drink info … merchant/vendor info … Kids Zone info … bus reroutes … our first Day 2 report … our Day 1 coverage)
(Live view from SDOT camera at California/Alaska)
5:22 PM: Night 2 of West Seattle Summer Fest has begun! Vendors are open until at least 8; music continues until 11 on the main stage (California north of Oregon), until 7 on the West Side Stage north of the food zone (42nd/Alaska) – lineups are here. If you’re looking for dinner, the food vendors are listed here, most on SW Alaska east of California – you’ll also want to stroll the rest of the festival grounds, as some year-round restaurants and bars have temporary sidewalk cafés and/or special vending booths out front. … Community nonprofits have rotated again here in the Info Booth – we have a crew from the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor):
They’re on the east side of the booth (with swag bags!) and on the south side, it’s the Morgan Junction All-Wheel Association – come talk with them about the future “skate dot” in Morgan Junction Park:
6:30 PM: We’ve been up to the main stage to get some video of Chimurenga Renaissance (added).
The beer garden, next to the stage (which is on California north of Oregon), is hopping:
Remember that there’s NO main stage tomorrow (Sunday) – that area will be the temporary home of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market. …. Around the festival, just look for the picket fencing to find your nearest sidewalk café – here’s the one outside Snapdragon at California/Oregon:
We mentioned dinner … if you’re up for something from the grill, go see Jack and the Husky Deli crew:
Looking ahead to tomorrow, we said hi to Maari Falsetto from Inner Alchemy – she’s leading another free meditation session from the West Side Stage on Sunday morning, 10 am (we had a photo of this morning’s session in our first Saturday report).
Play ball! The DubSea Fish Sticks (whose season continues at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center) have reps here to talk to you about baseball:
Other festival sightings – balloon creations, delivered by multiple balloon artists:
(Photo by Curry Gibson)
7:43 PM: The West Side Stage is shut down for the tonight but tomorrow it’ll be the one and only place to find live festival music. Tonight, though, the main stage goes out big. In the past hour, we stopped by for a bit of M. Krebs:
Still ahead – 8:00, Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army; 9:00, Walking Papers; 10:00, Sonny & The Sunsets.
8:01 PM: The Info Booth is wrapping up (as are many vendors) but we’ll be back tomorrow, 10 am-5 pm, for the festival finale. Enjoy tonight’s music if you’re staying. Thanks to all the cool folks who have stopped by to say hi!
Among our visitors at the West Seattle Summer Fest Info Booth today – Seafair Clowns, perhaps doing a little scouting for next Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade. At 11 am on July 20, the parade starts rolling south on California SW from SW Lander in Admiral to SW Edmunds in The Junction. Come early and watch the Float Dodger 5K along the parade route starting at 9:30 (or better yet, run/walk in it). The clowns are among dozens of groups, organizations, schools, and others that you’ll see in the parade, celebrating its 90th anniversary this year! As we’ve reported, the state championship-winning West Seattle High School baseball team will be grand marshals, and the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community – another honor that gets you a ride toward the start of the parade – goes this year to Bianca Thomka and Neil Duncan. We’ll have more parade previews in the week ahead.
(QUICK LINKS: Music lineups … food/drink info … merchant/vendor info … Kids Zone info … bus reroutes …and ICYMI, our Day 1 coverage)
11:11 AM: What you see in that photo is the answer to this morning’s most popular question at the West Seattle Summer Fest Info Booth so far – “where’s the foam party?” It’s part of the Kids’ Zone, in the lot behind KeyBank (and yes, there’s also an area where kids can rinse off the foam before proceeding with the rest of the festival fun). It’s one of this year’s new features. Here’s the festival map:
The main stage on California north of Oregon has just started today’s music schedule:
The A-board with both stages’ schedules is right in front of the Info Booth in the heart of Walk-All-Ways. We should note that what you WON’T find here today, since a few visitors have asked, is SPD and the steering-wheel locks we mentioned Friday – SPD is due to be here in the booth again Sunday at 10 am. Here right now, we have the Emergency Communication Hubs – learn about the one nearest to you, or how to set one up if your neighborhood.
Also, Junction volunteers continue selling festival merch – but if you want a T-shirt, those are being custom printed at the Mobile Apparel booth a short ways north of SW Alaska (you can see it from here).
Coming up at noon right by our booth – Jennifer Cepeda and the DancePowered performance! … Up at the main stage, Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) was first up with a showcase, including this group It’s All Happening:
At the West Side Stage, which is actually on the festival’s east side at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska), the schedule began with meditation led by Inner Alchemy‘s Maari Falsetto:
NOON: Important bulletin – Elliott Bay Brewing is back up and running after the power outage that forced them to be closed for the entire first day of the festival. As proprietor Todd Carden says – while trying to maintain a positive outlook – what a day to be hit like that. But they’re open now!
So go have a beer, and/or a burger, and help them bounce back. … Not far from EBB, ArtsWest is hosting the West Seattle Community Orchestras – go test an instrument!
Another popular question: Anyone have free water? Answer: Yes – Masonic Lodge #152‘s booth up near California/Oregon.
12:45 PM: Here’s our video of the DancePowered performance! (That’s leader Jennifer in the beanie.)
Next up, the Comerford School of Irish Dance, also here at California/Alaska. (Video added:)
1:23 PM: If you haven’t been to the festival for a sip or a bite yet, remember that this festival is making Summer Fest history:
Reusable cups, bowls, plates, other serviceware are in use by festival vendors plus the beer garden, in the largest-scale event yet in Seattle to do this! … We’re catching up with more WSB sponsors here at the festival. Canna is a major festival sponsor too, co-presenting the main-stage music, and you’ll find their booth just south of Walk All Ways:
That’s Canna medical consultant Kayla. … On the block north of Alaska, STS Construction Services has a booth, where we found Donavan and Kellen:
Nonprofits have rotated here in the Info Booth, so for the next few hours we have The Whale Trail – whose Donna Sandstrom points out that tomorrow is the 22nd anniversary of the event that inspired her advocacy, the rescue of orphaned orca Springer (about which she’s also written an award-winning book):
The Whale Trail is on the east side of the Info Booth – with whale cards, a species guide, and more swag – while the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is here on the south side for the next few hours.
Music continues on both stages – here’s a bit of Novacrome:
2:43 PM: More of who you’ll find at Summer Fest – the first-year pre-pro soccer club Junction FC has reps on site at the Kids’ Zone today – the day before the club’s final home match of the season:
Also at the Kids’ Zone – learn about robotics:
2:53 PM: If you’ve lost or found an item here at the festival, bring it to the Info Booth, where the official lost-and-found is (check in with the Junction volunteer/s on the west side of the booth).
4:38 PM NOTE: We’ll launch evening coverage soon.
More Summer Fest coverage to come!
Cate is hoping someone’s seen her car, stolen from Upper Fauntleroy:
We had our car stolen from our driveway sometime between 4 pm yesterday to 9 am today. It’s a 1999 Land Cruiser. We live (in the 8400 block of) 42nd Ave SW. We reported it to the police already. 436WJC.
We’ll add the police-report number when we get it. (Update: It’s 24-192737.)
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