Beacon Hill Blog

A busy Beacon weekend ahead

It’s a busy weekend this week, particularly on Saturday morning. Take your pick from several events, including:

Saturday:

The Seven Hills Seattle and Scandinavian history walk starts on Queen Anne Hill at 9 a.m. and finishes right here on Beacon Hill. Information here.

Fire Station #13 Open House from 11-1 p.m. will celebrate the station’s reopening after renovation. All are welcome. Information here.

Franklin Arts Festival from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m will feature music, art, and food for the whole family. Information here.

Beacon Hill animator Tess Martin’s short, Hula Hoop, will play at SIFF Cinema Uptown at 10 a.m. as part of the Seattle Times and SIFF 3 Minute Masterpiece contest. Admission is free. Information here.

Sunday:

All are invited to a Lewis Park work party to assist in improving the park. These volunteer events are every first and third Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. at the park, 12th Ave S and Golf Dr S. Tools, gloves, water, and refreshments are provided.

A bit later in the day is a cooking demo at El Centro de la Raza with chef Vincent Rivera of Jazz Alley, who will demonstrate how to cook carnitas, pozole, and ceviche. Information here.

And finally, the ROCKiT Community Arts board meeting is Sunday from 1-3 p.m. at the Garden House, 2336 15th Ave. S. The meeting is open to the public.

Tags: festival, film, fire station, franklin hs, history, rockit space, seattle history, walking tour

Franklin Arts Festival raises funds with music, art, and food

Just down the hill, the annual Franklin Arts Festival returns this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Franklin High School, 3013 Mount Baker Blvd. The festival will feature student performances including the steel drum band, kung fu team, jazz band, Quaker band, and lion dancers, along with displays of visual art, ceramics, and wood arts. Franklin High School is celebrating its centennial this year; it opened in September 1912 as the second purpose-built high school in Seattle.

Student clubs will sell a variety of items including heirloom tomato and vegetable plants, woodcrafts, notecards featuring student art, and original ceramic “Quaker cups” hand-thrown and fired by Franklin alum and artist Francis Roque and glazed by Franklin students. Refreshments will also be for sale.

The festival raises funds to benefit Franklin’s art, drama, and music programs and student clubs.

Tags: festival, franklin hs

Taste of Van Asselt needs vendors, musicians

The folks organizing the Taste of Van Asselt event this summer have issued a call for vendors and musicians. The event is Saturday, July 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Van Asselt Community Center, 2820 S. Myrtle St. on South Beacon Hill.

The cost is $35 per food or arts and crafts vendor, and each vendor must have a Seattle business license. The deadline for registering is Wednesday, July 11. Sound like something you’re interested in? Call 206-386-1921 for more information or to register.

Volunteer musicians are also needed for the event. Interested musicians should call 206-512-5281.

Tags: taste of van asselt, van asselt community center

New, improved fire station reopens with public celebration

Mark your calendars for a family celebration on Saturday, May 19 from 11-1 p.m., when the newly-remodeled Fire Station #13 holds a dedication and open house, sponsored by the Seattle Fire Department and by the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27. The event will include tours of the fire station, a chance to meet your local firefighters, activities for children, and refreshments.

The station, a Mission Revival-style building constructed in 1928, is a designated Seattle Landmark. From the outside, it looks much the same as it has for 84 years. But inside, it now has expanded square footage, improved decontamination facilities, increased equipment storage, an improved fire alarm and sprinkler system, and a new kitchen. It also has a new roof, an emergency generator, and it has been given a seismic upgrade. Fire crews were temporarily relocated to Station 14 in Sodo for several months during the remodeling project.

The building was previously renovated and expanded in 1987, and received emergency seismic repairs after the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

Station 13 is located on the southwest corner of Beacon and Spokane, at 3601 Beacon Ave. S.

Tags: fire station, open house

This weekend: Cinco de Mayo fun at El Centro

Not sure yet what to do this weekend? Join the celebration as El Centro de la Raza hosts their 7th Annual Cinco de Mayo festival on Saturday (tomorrow!), May 5, from 1-5 p.m. at El Centro, 2524 16th Ave. S. Admission is free and the whole family is welcome. There will be music, children’s activities, prizes, and craft and informational booths. There will also be traditional Mexican food for sale.

Performances will feature Ameyaltonal Danza Azteca, Ofelia Alanis-Torres, Seattle Fandango Project, Mariachi Seattle Azteca and a desfile cultural (cultural parade).

Tags: cinco de mayo, el centro de la raza, festival

Swingin’ sounds coming to Beacon Hill

Music fans will want to swing on over to the Garden House over the next couple of weekends to enjoy two musical events presented by ROCKiT Community Arts.

This Sunday, May 6, at 6 p.m. the Sunday Folk Club brings Charlie Beck to the Hill to perform acoustic American roots music, traditional old-time country, and blues. Hear some examples of Beck’s music here. This show is a release party for Beck’s new CD, Leave on the Light.

HopSkipJump will open with new and old fiddle tunes. Admission is $5, free to ROCKiT members and kids 12 and under.

The following Saturday, May 12, at 7 p.m., it’s swing time for everyone with the 2012 Beacon Rocks! Swing Dance Fundraiser. Savoy Swing Club Performance Troupe will put on a demo, followed by a short swing dance lesson. Then the rest of the evening will be your chance to show off your moves to lots of swing music. There will be refreshments and raffles, and all funds raised will go to support the 2012 Beacon Rocks! music series.

All ages are welcome. Admission is $15; kids 12 and under by donation.

Tags: fundraiser, music, rockit space

Tai chi, soccer, fundraising, and more on this weekend’s events calendar

There are lots of activities on the Hill this weekend to keep you busy, from soccer and tai chi to urban redevelopment and high school fundraising. Here goes:

Today (Friday) from 1-2 p.m. is the unveiling ceremony for the new community tile mosaic mural at Beacon Hill International School. Details are here.

Saturday is a busy day, starting at 9 a.m. at Jefferson Park where neighbors are meeting for a pick-up soccer game. “Bring friends and play some soccer with a great view,” they say. Details are on Facebook.

An hour later at Jefferson Park is a local version of the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day event, from 10-noon and sponsored by Wise Orchid Martial Arts. There will be a free qigong and tai chi class and demonstration, followed by a group lunch. Information is on Facebook.

Also on Saturday from 10-noon, El Centro de la Raza is hosting a community open house to present the finalist design teams for the redevelopment of El Centro’s south lot. The south lot currently contains a parking lot, but is planned to contain a mixed-use transit-oriented project with housing. Details are here.

Then on Saturday night, head over to the South Seattle Community College campus in West Seattle for the Cleveland High School Red and White Night Soaring Eagles Auction from 5:30-9 p.m. and help the high school on the Hill raise $10,000. Information is here.

Tags: bhis, cleveland hs, el centro de la raza, fundraising, jefferson park, redevelopment, soccer

Bouncy fun promised at Van Asselt CC Family Fun Night

Kids under 10 and their parents are invited to Van Asselt Community Center for Family Fun Night on Friday, May 4 from 6-8 p.m. Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Van Asselt Advisory Council are sponsoring the event, and promise bounce houses, arts and crafts projects, a movie, and themed activities for Cinco de Mayo weekend.

The event is $3 per child, and snacks and light refreshments will be provided. This is the first of a series of Family Fun Nights this year, which will be held on the fourth Friday of each month through August.

Van Asselt Community Center is located at 2820 S. Myrtle St.

Tags: children

Try lawn bowling at free summer events

The weather yesterday and today makes summer seem a long time off. But it’s coming soon, and the Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club wants you to make note of some of their summer events.

Friday Night BBQ and Bowls will happen each Friday night from June 1 through August 31 (except for July 27), from 6 p.m. until dusk. This event is free, and open to anyone interested in trying lawn bowling. No experience or equipment is needed — just bring flat-soled shoes and something for the grill. Donations are welcome; alcohol is not.

On the Fourth of July, the Club is holding its annual Ice Cream Social and Bowls event from 7 – 10:30 p.m. This event is also free and open to anyone who is interested. Bring flat-soled shoes, and don’t bring any alcohol — it’s not allowed at this public event. Everything else is supplied by the Club.

The Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club is located at 4103 Beacon Ave. S. The Club is an all-volunteer non-profit organization, founded in 1942.

Tags: jefferson park lawn bowling club, lawn bowling

Be prepared! Free Red Cross presentation this week at St. George School

St. George School and the American Red Cross are holding a free disaster preparedness presentation this Thursday, April 19, from 6-7 p.m. at St. George School, 5117 13th Ave. S.

Topics covered at the hour-long interactive presentation will include:

• Information on local disasters
• What to do during an earthquake
• Fire safety tips
• How to plan your escape routes
• Items to put into a disaster kit
• …and more.

All are welcome to attend. The event will be held in the school hall.

Tags: disaster preparedness, st. george school