6th Annual Duwamish River Festival – SWS Will Be There!

down to the Duwamish Waterway Park, 7900 10th Avenue South in South Park, Saturday, August 27 for the 6th Annual Duwamish River Festival.

Sustainable West Seattle is one of the participants and we’ll be helping set up the festival from 9:00 am that morning and will be tabling and helping out when the Festival kicks into gear at noon through 6:00 pm.

Sign up for the Walk, Bike and Paddle events on Brown Paper Tickers.  This is a special 9:00 am event which begins at Seacrest Park in West Seattle’s Alki neighborhood.  You can walk, bike, kayak or standup paddle from Seacrest down the Duwamish Waterway to the Waterway Park.

The festival is free and will include live music, free lunch, kids activities, interactive booths,kayak and boat rides and more! Arrive in Seattle style and walk, bike, or paddle to the annual festival. Walk/bike/paddle participants receive an event shirt, a refillable water bottle, and a map at the start. Buttons will also be given at the Walk/Bike/Paddle finish line.

The Duwamish River Festival has been a summer favorite event in South Seattle since 2005, attracting hundreds of people each year.

Seattle’s Duwamish River is listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Superfund Site – one of our nation’s most toxic rivers.  The Duwamish River Festival is one way that the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/TAG ensures that River communities can learn about and comment on the River cleanup.

This year’s festival will feature updates on the Duwamish River Superfund cleanup, children’s art activities, kayak and boat tours of the river, local live entertainment and artwork, boat rides, free food, environmental health information, Bert the Salmon, healthy yard care, and more. Attendance is expected to be between 750-1,000 people throughout the day.

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June Community Forum: Developing Sustainable Tourism

Can West Seattle be a more defined partner to promoting regional tourism?

Alki Beach has been nationally proclaimed a key destination beach, but stewardship is needed to insure it retains its neighborhood flavor as a local playground. A “Sustainable Tourism” approach offers the potential to share with visitors the diverse wonders of our peninsula and help create a vibrant and sustainable economic engine for West Seattle businesses.

We’ll be meeting in the Senior Center of West Seattle, 4217 SW Oregon Street, east around the corner from the intersection with California.  Come at 6:30 pm for socializing and bring a light snack or other nibbles.  The program begins  at 7:00 pm and ends at 9:00 pm. Continue reading

First Ever Annual NW Paddling Festival @ Jack Block Park

Join the Northwest Paddling Community on the Shores of West Seattle for the First Annual Northwest Paddling Festival. This is the big development to help get the paddling community together for a celebration of the power of the paddle.

There will have a demo beach, presentation/classroom tents, vending booths, instruction beach, demonstration area, food, fun, and music. Come out if you are an experienced padder or a novice who is interested in learning more about the sport. Rain or shine, sign up here as registration is limited! We are also looking for volunteers, if you would like to give a hand in putting together this event.

Featuring:

  • Sea Kayak and SUP Demo Beach
  • On-Water Instruction
  • On-Water Demonstrations
  • Open Air Paddlesports Market with Vendors
  • Alki Paddling Challenge, Race on Saturday June 25
  • Classroom Presentations and Instruction
  • Music, Food, and Fun!

For more information and to sign up for the challenge race or to sign up for volunteer duties, go to http://northwestpaddlingfestival.com/.

The event is being co-sponsored by Sustainable West Seattle partner Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, the Port of Seattle, the Environmental Protection Agency, Paddle Events LLC, Sea Kayaker Magazine, and West Seattle’s own Alki Kayak Tours.

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October Community Forum: The Past, Present and Future of the Duwamish

Aerial View of Duwamish River

Once a source of livelihood for native people, the river later became a dumping ground for toxic waste and a source of pollution for Puget Sound.

Now local activists are joining with local companies and governments to face up to the incredibly difficult task of cleaning up this river.

Sustainable West Seattle’s monthly Community Forum will feature several of the key individuals involved in this effort who will describe what’s being done and what help is still needed.

Our panel will include:

This event will be at Camp Long, 5200 35th Avenue SW, 7-9 p.m.

(Photo courtesy Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. Photo by Paul Joseph Brown.)

Seattle Central Waterfront Vision Presentations

Seattle Parks Foundation is sponsoring a forum – Reshaping Seattle’s Central Waterfront – with presentations by firms shortlisted for the role of lead designer.

The presentations will take place on Wednesday, September 15th, from  6:00 to 9:30 pm in Benaroya Hall’s S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, 200 University Street, downtown.

With the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle is poised to reclaim its Central Waterfront and reconnect our city to Elliott Bay. The City is now in the process of selecting a design and engineering team to engage the public in developing a dynamic and forward-looking design for the waterfront. As the first step, a range of local, national and international designers have submitted qualifications.

This presentation will be the public’s opportunity to hear the shortlisted designers present their skills, experience and approach to the project. Designers will answer questions from the public. A lead designer will be selected in part based on the quality of their presentation and ability to engage the public. The City will start the design process in October 2010.

This event is being sponsored by the Seattle Parks Foundation.  To learn more about the project: www.seattle.gov/dpd/centralwaterfront, or visit Parks Facebook fan page – Seattle Central Waterfront.

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Annual Potluck with Longboards and Electric Bikes!

Join SWS for our Annual Summer Potluck – at Lincoln Park This Coming Monday….

We’ll set up the grill and provide condiments.  Please bring your favorite summertime dish and your own cup, utensils & plates.

We will be set up in Shelter 3/4 which is very close to the principal restroom facilities on the beach at the south end of Lincoln Park.  See map below for details… Continue reading

Walk the Waterfront with Sally Bagshaw & Feet First

Join the quarterly Feet First Walk & Talk on the waterfront with Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. Come find out about public space plans for the waterfront.

We’ll finish the walk at Feet First with refreshments and the unveiling of the new Feet First website.

RSVP for the walk by emailing yoyo@feetfirst.info by Monday, May 10th. For more information about this event, contact Yoyo Hsieh, Event Organizer or call 206-652-2310

Walk & Talk Schedule

  • 5:15pm  Assemble/Check-in @ Pier 70 near the fountain
  • 5:30pm Departure Time
  • 6:00pm-6:10 pm  Short stop and talk at Mithun by Principal, Mark Shapiro
  • 6:30pm-7:30pm  Reception @ Feet First – Nord Building, 314 First Avenue South in the heart of the Pioneer Square District

If you are not able to participate in the walk, join the reception beginning at 6:30pm at the Feet First office.  Join the Feet First Facebook Group!

For more information call 206-652-2310 or go to the Feet First website www.feetfirst.info