West Seattle, Washington
24 Thursday
(WSB photo from 2019 Float Dodger 5K)
With the return of the West Seattle Grand Parade this summer, a major pre-parade event is coming back too: West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) says it’s reviving the Float Dodger 5K, a fun run/walk on the parade route, round trip from the Admiral District. Registration is open now! Here’s the announcement from WSR:
Float Dodger 5K is back this year on July 23rd. Run or walk the parade route of the West Seattle Grand Parade right before the parade starts. Root-beer floats await you at the finish line. 100% of the proceeds goes to West Seattle Food Bank.
That’s not only proceeds from entries, but also from sponsorships, so the more sponsors they get, the more the WSFB is helped. Sponsor spots are now open, starting at $150. Here’s how to find out more about sponsoring. To register for the 5K – discount pricing until May 1st – go here.
P.S. Another donation that’ll contribute to the event – a beer garden with a donated keg from Good Society!
One month from tomorrow, the West Seattle Food Bank welcomes supporters both in-person and online for this year’s “Instruments of Change” benefit gala. It’s happening on Saturday, May 14th, in-person at 6 pm at the Seattle Design Center in SODO, online at 7:30 pm. This is a fundraiser for the WSFB’s work fighting food insecurity and homelessness. If you attend in person, you can expect happy hour, games, dinner, silent and live auctions, and the program; online, expect a pre-program virtual happy hour with chat games, virtual bidding on the silent and live auctions, and the program. There’s also an option for online guests to have the same dinner delivered that in-person guests will enjoy, from West Seattleite-owned Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering. You can buy your ticket – or register for the free online event – by going here. (WSB is media sponsor for this year’s Instruments of Change.) P.S. Want to donate something for this year’s auction? You can do that here.
(WSB file photo from Loop the ‘Lupe)
Loop the ‘Lupe – four events in one, including an obstacle course – is coming back on June 4th, and you can register for a discount through Friday. Go here to sign up for – and find out more about – the 5K obstacle course, 5K fun run, Senior Saunter, or Youth Dash, all of which will have staggered starts between 11 am and 1 pm on Saturday, June 4th at Walt Hundley Playfield. Proceeds from Loop the ‘Lupe support Our Lady of Guadalupe’s social-service work, including, as explained here, “social outreach programs, including a safe parking area for our homeless neighbors (with support from the Urban League), assistance to immigrant families, visits to elderly shut-ins, rent and utility assistance, and more.” Discount registration continues until just before midnight Friday night, and then the prices go up. (WSB is media sponsor for Loop the ‘Lupe again this year.)
(WSB photo – seen in Gatewood)
The weather may still be hinting at wintry, but it’s time for spring celebrations. West Seattle egg hunts are back this year, and the first starts tomorrow:
FAUNTLEROY EGG HUNT: Again this year, the Fauntleroy Community Association has recruited volunteers to hide eggs, with non-candy surprises inside, around various parts of the neighborhood, at various times, tomorrow (Tuesday, April 12th) through Saturday. Find the boundaries, and info on recycling eggs you find, here.
DELRIDGE EGG HUNT: Seattle Parks skipped egg hunts the past two years but is returning at a smaller scale this year, with one West Seattle hunt, for kids 3-11 – 10 am Saturday (April 16th) at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW).
LINCOLN PARK EGG HUNT: Eastridge Church is again presenting an egg hunt in the south meadow at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), also at 10 am Saturday. They promise thousands of eggs plus “field games and inflatables.”
BEER GARDEN EGG HUNT: At 3 pm Saturday, Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW) will have an egg hunt for kids under 10. If you can, bring a nonperishable food donation for the West Seattle Food Bank.
CHURCH EGG HUNTS ON EASTER: On Easter Sunday, some local churches offer egg hunts after services. We have two on our Easter/Holy Week services list so far and expect to be adding more in the next few days.
Anything to add? Email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Another annual event coming back for 2022 after a pandemic hiatus: Healthy Kids Day at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). The Y has announced that it’s set for 10 am-1 pm Saturday, April 30th, at its main local branch, 3622 SW Snoqualmie in The Triangle. It’s a free event with activities for all ages, and membership is NOT required – it’s open to everyone. Here’s more info on what activities they’re planning – we expect more details as the event gets closer.
(WSB file photo)
We’ve already told you about the weeklong Fauntleroy Community Association egg hunt. Four more have been announced for West Seattle this month. They’ll all be in our calendar soon but first, quick mentions:
THE HERON’S NEST: The outdoor-education site near Puget Park plans a Spring Egg Hunt 1-4 pm Sunday, April 10th. Free, all ages, with other activities including art projects and guided bird/nature walks.
DELRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER: Seattle Parks has just announced a scaled-down list of egg hunts; the only one in West Seattle will be at 10 am Saturday, April 16th, for ages 3-11.
EASTRIDGE CHURCH @ LINCOLN PARK: The annual egg hunt in Lincoln Park’s south meadow, presented by Eastridge Church, is also at 10 am April 16th. 15,000 eggs, Easter Bunny photos, field games, and inflatables are promised; the free event is “designed for families with children through 5th grade.”
OUNCES: A Beer Garden Egg Hunt for kids under 10 is planned at 3 pm April 16th. This too is free.
P.S. West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor)’s popular indoor egg hunt is NOT making a comeback this year, the store has told us.
It’s almost April, so you might be thinking about springtime fun. Some of the community egg hunts that were annual traditions pre-pandemic won’t be back this year, but the Fauntleroy Community Association is proceeding with its multi-day event. Here’s a reminder as well as a final invitation for volunteer help.
It’s almost here! The Fauntleroy Community Association annual Spring Egg Hunt. You can begin keeping an eye out for eggs in the greater Fauntleroy area starting on April 12 and ending the evening of April 16. Volunteers will be hiding them in public areas, no private properties, between 35th Avenue SW and SW Morgan St. and basically Puget Sound. This is a “no candy” event. The eggs will come out on different days, so when you spy one, grab the little ones and have a blast!
After you open the egg and retrieve the surprise inside, we’d love you to post a picture on social media. Also, we encourage you to recycle the eggs at one of 2 bins that will be located at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and Hall up from Endolyne Joe’s, across from the YMCA. Last year we had over 100 eggs returned.
Call or email Candace Blue if you’d like to help. 208-401-8404, leeblue2@hotmail.com
West Seattle hasn’t had a summer outdoor-movie series since 2018 – it wasn’t a pandemic casualty; it went on hiatus for lack of a sponsor. But this year, it’s coming back. The West Seattle Junction Association has announced plans for five Saturday night outdoor movies this summer. Right now, WSJA is inviting you to vote for three movies from this list of 18 possibilities. The movie nights are set for July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, and August 20. Stand by for details including location – past sites, during the previous 14 summers of the movie series, were the Hotwire Coffee courtyard and West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) parking lot.
(WSB file photo)
As promised when we checked in last December on historic Kenyon Hall‘s future plans, Dennis James is returning to play the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ in accompaniment of silent movies next month. Those are two of three live in-person shows just announced by the nonprofit venue. On March 12th, he’ll play at 2 pm for three 1921 films, and then at 7:30 pm for 1922’s “Blood and Sand.” Then at 7:30 pm March 19th, Kenyon Hall will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day weekend with Magical Strings presenting songs, stories, and dances of Ireland. Tickets are $15, $10 seniors and students – request yours ASAP via email at kenyon@kenyonhall.org.
As always, we will start each day this weekend with a list of what’s happening. But tonight we’re pulling out a few holiday highlights for an extra mention:
JOIN A HOLIDAY SCAVENGER HUNT: Final weekend for this scavenger hunt. Organizer Alice Kuder says 23 teams are participating – almost double last year – and it’s not too late to jump in for the final weekend. Here’s another team selfie:
The Winter Wander website explains how to play.
SHOP THE FIRST-EVER HOLIDAY MARKET @ HERON’S NEST: If you haven’t been to The Heron’s Nest – just uphill, and yet a world away, from West Marginal Way – Saturday’s first-ever holiday market, 10 am-6 pm, is a perfect opportunity. Details are in our calendar listing. $1 entry fee. (4815 15th SW)
TAKE YOUR PIC WITH SANTA: Multiple chances this weekend – My Three Little Birds (4736 California SW) will host Santa 11 am-2 pm Saturday; he’s scheduled to visit the Menashe Family Lights (5605 Beach Drive SW) 6 pm-10 pm Saturday (bring a nonperishable-food donation); and you’ll find him at Tram’s Salon (4110 California SW) on Sunday, 11 am-2 pm
HIGHLAND PARK PTA’S COMMUNITY HOLIDAY PARTY: All are welcome to celebrate the season at Drunky Two Shoes (9655 16th SW, White Center) with the Highland Park Elementary PTA on Sunday, noon-4 pm. Santa photos, free cocoa bar for kids, drink specials for grownups, HPEPTA gets part of the proceeds.
SEE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON THE RUN: Finish the weekend with an invigorating and cheery tradition, the annual West Seattle Christmas Lights Run, 4:30 pm from West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) – info here.
Check out our Holiday Guide for much more, this weekend and beyond – and let us know if you have something special going on and we don’t have it listed yet – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Just a few days until registration opens for classes and programs at city-run community centers in West Seattle (and citywide). Here’s one set of classes Seattle Parks wants you to know about:
Get into shape and meet new friends! Seattle Parks and Recreation is offering in-person fitness classes at local community centers this winter, including its Lifelong Recreation for Adults 50+.
Here are several winter offerings; each class title is linked to a page with online registration and more information. Classes begin Jan- Registration opens December 14 at Noon. Register here or call 206-684-5177.
Aerobics
Fitness
Line Dance
Pickleball Skills 101
Yoga
=ZumbaAND MORE! See full winter brochure.
Scholarships are available if you need help with the fees.
(First trick-or-treater!)
10:00 AM: Two big events are happening in The Junction in the next four hours – the West Seattle Farmers’ Market in its usual place, California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska, and West Seattle Junction Harvest Fest trick-or-treating along the sidewalks throughout the business district. See the map of “treat stations’ here – and look for merchants giving out treats, too. This all goes until 2 pm – we’re on scene at the plaza on the southwest corner of California/Alaska, and we’ll be adding photos and updates.
10:40 AM: Steady stream of trick-or-treaters. Our 150 granola bars are almost gone and it’s on to the candy. Take a look at eveeybody participating all around The Junction – there are photo booths and other fun features here and there And lots of costume-watching.
11:20 AM: Lots of polite kids as well as tiny ones being taught by their parents to say “thank you.” Good job, everybody!
12:10 PM: Candy hasn’t run out yet. We have some non-candy treats too, courtesy of the Junction Association:
Spider rings and neighborhood pins, while they last.
12:49 PM We have seen hundreds of costumes – dinosaurs are popular, Star Wars is still going strong, lots of other space/sci-fi/fantasy characters, even the Time Variance Authority from “Loki”:
Another hour left to get here!
1:27 PM: Crisis – we might run out of candy before 2 pm arrives. Will bring more last year. Still a steady flow of families through The Junction.
1:33 PM: Saved by the bag:
Looks like we’re good until 2 pm after all. Will add more photos later. For other Halloween happenings today/tonight, see today’s preview, plus the list (and the decoration locations) in our Halloween Guide!
ADDED 9:04 PM: More photos, as promised, from the first Junction trick-or-treat event in two years.Many local businesses joined in – including some (like us) who aren’t located in The Junction but got a chance to set up and take part – like North Delridge’s Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor):
Sound Painting Solutions had a dinosaur offering mini-pumpkins:
The Junction merchants themselves were amply represented – like Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor):
Outside Menashe and Sons Jewelers, we found many members of the family:
Pegasus Book Exchange was in:
In the costume-creativity category, another sighting:
And a few more cute pups:
Now on to the holidays!
3:26 PM: The first of four local business-district trick-or-treating events is happening now! Wander around The Admiral District before 6 pm to show off costumes and get treats. Above, the scene inside Alki Bike & Board; below, candy and cider at Arthur’s. . More photos to come.
3:52 PM: Walking around to check on participation – the block of California north of Admiral, both sides; south of Admiral, to Safeway on the east side and to Fit4Mom on the west side. Also a few on the south side of Admiral east of California.
5:39 PM: Here’s some of who we saw – at Circa:
At Bebop Waffle Shop:
At Brookdale:
At Brent Amacher State Farm:
And other sightings in the first hour:
See our West Seattle Halloween Guide for other business-district trick-or-treating in the next two days – starting with Alki Beach, 10 am-noon Saturday!
With Halloween now six days away, the West Seattle Junction’s weeklong Harvest Festival is on – starting with the Scavenger Hunt! Here’s an update from the Junction Association:
What flies above but haunts below? You’ll need to figure out this clue, plus 12 more to get the goods during the second annual Harvest Fest Scavenger Hunt. Beginning today (Monday, October 25th), pick up your scavenger hunt map from participating businesses. Or, if you purchase a tote bag, the scavenger hunt map will be included. Here’s part of it (the official version also has the clues):
Harvest Fest Totes for Kids – The Junction is bringing the joy of Harvest and Halloween in one special tote. Each box has a seasonally themed or musically themed craft, individually wrapped Halloween treats, and a special surprise from the Junction! $35 each ($45 value). UPDATE: There are seven remaining tote bags! Email the Junction at info@wsjunction.org for yours. Pick up at the Junction office (located above Shadowland) – we will email you an invoice to pay via credit card.
Harvest Fest Adult Totes – SOLD OUT
Go here for other Harvest Fest details, including online Haunted Trivia this Friday, and Junction Trick-or-Treating on Sunday, 10 am-2 pm outside businesses along the sidewalks, plus bonus treat stations (including the KeyBank Plaza, where we’ll have a booth too).
Though the full West Seattle Monster Dash 5K is “virtual” again this year, the in-person Kids’ Dash/Family Fun Event is happening right now, until 1 pm. We were at the White Center Cooperative Preschool play area (10806 12th Ave SW) for the first of several “dashes” they planned to run today.
This is a chance to show off your costume. Parents too!
There’s a registration fee, which benefits the nonprofit West Seattle Cooperative Preschools, and includes a Monster Dash T-shirt.
Follow the signs to the back of the school and you can’t miss the canopies. Kids can do crafts as well as participate in the dash (five laps around the sport court).
P.S. As noted in our morning preview, there’s still time – through Halloween – to register for the virtual 5K and enter the drawing for a jersey that the Sounders fan in your life would love. (Here’s how.)
The photo’s from Mary, one of the latest contributors to the list of decorated houses in the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide. Going into what you might call Hallo-weekend #1, we’ve got places to do and things to see. We’ve added more events as well as decoration locations. This weekend’s events include:
SATURDAY
Monster Dash Family Fun Event/Kids’ Dash
Our Lady of Guadalupe Halloween Carnival
SUNDAY
Fauntleroy Fall Festival (RSVP required)
Trick-or-treating at Combat Arts Academy (RSVP required)
We’re still adding events and decoration locations as we hear about them – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
This year’s West Seattle Monster Dash – supporting West Seattle Cooperative Preschools – is both a virtual 5K – happening right now! – and in-person kids’ dash/family-fun event next Saturday, and organizers have a new incentive:
The 10th annual Monster Dash 5K and fundraiser to support West Seattle Cooperative Preschools is in full swing, and we have prizes for you! We are so excited to announce the giveaway of a 2016 Jersey signed by Gustav Svensson, generously donated by the Seattle Sounders. Let us know what winning this jersey would mean to you or the special Sounders fan in your life. To be eligible to win
1.) email your story by October 31st to: westseattlemonsterdash@gmail.com AND 2.) support Monster Dash by participating in one of the following ways:
Virtual 5K: Register HERE and run anywhere! Be sure to come back and log your time by October 24th – top male and female finishers receive $50 gift cards to Super Jock ‘N Jill. Registration includes a 10th anniversary Monster Dash t-shirt.
Kids Dash and Family Fun Event: Held at White Center Co-op Preschool on October 23 from 10 am – 1 pm. Join us for a staggered-start dash (beginning roughly every 20 minutes), kids’ crafts, and a themed photo backdrop. Costumes encouraged! Price includes a 10th anniversary Monster Dash t-shirt. Event registration is limited to children 12 and under. Registrants of the Kids Dash will be put into a drawing to win a month of free classes courtesy of the Little Gym, four tickets to the Seattle Aquarium, and more!
Donate: You can donate directly to our event, or help boost our cause by setting up your own fundraising page. The top fundraiser wins a cocktail kit and a $50 gift card to The Westy. Raising $100 or more earns you a free 5K registration (note: must register for the 5K prior to setting up fundraising page.) Donations will be accepted through October 31st.
Though this year’s West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival is again scaled down from the full pre-pandemic in-the-street celebration, one activity will be back this year – business-district trick-or-treating.
While the West Seattle Farmers’ Market continues in its usual spot on Sunday, October 31st, 10 am-2 pm, participating businesses will offer trick-or-treating along the sidewalks during that same time period. The West Seattle Junction Association plans additional candy stations, too.
While the ore-pandemic tradition of Harvest Festival activities and games on a bonus block of open street will NOT be back this year, WSJA is again offering you a chance to support local businesses by ordering tote bags – kid and adult versions are available here until they sell out. WSJA thanks tote-bag buyers from previous pandemic-era festivals – so far those sales have “infused $95,000 back into the local Junction businesses in 2020-21,” the organization says.
P.S. Harvest Fest plans also include a Scavenger Hunt and Trivia Night – details on the official webpage.
Registration is open for this year’s West Seattle Monster Dash Virtual 5K and in-person Kids’ Dash:
Monster Dash Virtual 5K
Benefitting South Seattle Cooperative Preschools
October 15-24, 2021
Register here (runsignup.com)Join Monster Dash enthusiasts from all over the globe as they participate virtually in this year’s 10th Annual Event. Participants can complete the Virtual 5K wherever and whenever they like! 5K registration includes a t-shirt featuring our iconic Monster.
Here’s info on the in-person event, also a benefit for the co-op preschools:
Monster Dash Kids Dash & T-Shirt Pick-Up
Saturday, October 23, 2021
10 am – 1 pm
White Center Co-op Preschool
10806 12th Avenue SWCome race around our Monster track, create Halloween arts and crafts, and pick up your Monster Dash t-shirt. Wear your costume and pose in front of our photo booth! Kids Dash registration includes a t-shirt featuring our iconic Monster.
(Same registration link.)
Learn! Build! Compete! If you have an 8th- through 12th-grader in the family who is interested in robotics, SkunkWorks Robotics invites you to an open house Saturday afternoon.
Skunk Works Robotics is a team for 8-12 graders who want to work hard, have fun and build competitive robots. We are having an open house on October 2nd at 1 pm at the former Beverly Park Elementary at 11427 3rd Ave S. in north Burien.
Skunk Works has been competing for 16 seasons and has won multiple awards including 3 last season: Excellence in Engineering Award, Designer’s Award and the Skills Competition Award.
The organization draws from all over the region and usually has participants from several school district. Here’s the open-house flyer.
The Kindie West family-music concert series is returning to the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, two Sundays a month, October through March. The artists are part of Kindiependent, “a collective of like-minded musicians who are passionate about cultivating a vibrant kids and family music scene in the Pacific Northwest.” Here’s the lineup:
October 24 and January 9 – Dani and the Bee
November 7 and January 23 – The Not-Its!
November 21 and February 6 – Harmonica Pocket
December 5 and March 6 – Johnny Bregar
December 19 and February 20 – Eli Rosenblatt
Doors open at 10 am, shows are at 10:30, lasting about an hour. These are ticketed shows, with an admission charge for everyone 6 months and up, but they’re offering discounted family passes too. Free parking behind the schoolhouse; COVID guidelines will be followed.
From today’s preview list – the Dream Dinners West Seattle (WSB sponsor) outdoor open house is happening until 8 pm at 4701 41st SW! The free bites available when we stopped by included arroz con pollo and M&M cookies. If you get there before 7 pm, you can enter a prize drawing. Proprietors Meghan and Mark Hogan are fundraising for Treehouse, which helps foster kids.
Here’s how to join DDWS in helping Treehouse:
1) DONATE TO OUR TREEHOUSE FUNDRAISING PAGE
2. PURCHASE DREAM DINNERS – FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES & MUCH MORE
We are offering 3 medium Family-Size meals in which each meal serves 2-3 people for $50. We will give back $10 to Treehouse to purchase more essential school supplies, school clothes, extra-curricular supplies for art, sports, musical instruments, acting, bikes and more.
PLEASE SELECT A DINNER PICK-UP DATE & TIME:
Click the link to sign up & select your 3 family-size meals.
We request 24-hour advance notice to prepare meals. Please sign up before dates below.Thursday, September 23rd from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm dreamdinners.com/session/899385
Friday, September 24th from 12 pm -1 pm dreamdinners.com/session/899386
Saturday, September 25th from 10:30 am -11:30 am https://dreamdinners.com/session/899387
The Senior Center of West Seattle invites you to be part of its annual fundraising breakfast – online again this year – and enjoy some morning magic. Just one week away – 8 am Tuesday, September 28th – here’s the announcement:
You are invited to join the Senior Center of West Seattle, as we celebrate 50 years of services to the West Seattle community.
To protect your safety, we’ve made the decision to hold our event virtually again this year, given the increasing rates of the Delta variant of COVID-19. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a great time celebrating our community’s seniors!
Our program will feature world-renowned Magician Nash Fung. (You can get a sneak preview of his tricks here.) Plus, we’ll look back on 50 years of history serving seniors in the West Seattle community and share how you can help us shape the future of the Senior Center.
Join us from anywhere in the world for this fun virtual event, by yourself or safely gathered with friends and neighbors. You can also make an early donation to help us reach our goal of raising $100,000 by the end of September. If you make a gift of $250 or more before the event you’ll get a delicious breakfast delivered to your door to enjoy that morning.
Register online: Reserve your free tickets here.
As you know, the Senior Center is a vitally important community asset that promotes mental, emotional and physical health as we age. Your support ensures the programs, services and critical outreach seniors are counting on continues in the coming year.
You are part of helping our community stay connected during these turbulent times.
Though this event is virtual, the Senior Center is open again for some services and events – it’s at 4217 SW Oregon in The Junction.
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