Darrell Drew has run the Magnolia Summerfest Children’s and Seafair Parade for 38 years. The low-key Drew, in charge of a thousand moving pieces, has it pretty well figured out.
What would a parade be without a few hiccups, though? Last year there were a few, but maybe not this time around. “There won’t be any gaps or back-ups like last year,” Drew said.
This year’s festivities take place August 3 and August 4, on the Magnolia Ballfield. The Magnolia Village sidewalk sale begins August 2.
All the traditional Summerfest features will be in place: art show, arts and crafts vendors, youth talent show, outdoor cinema, live music, kids activities, a beer garden, a raffle and a variety of food vendors.
Summerfest chair Marti Stave is back for her second year. Like Drew, she’s low key and organized. The festival has a new website — www.magnoliasummerfest.org — which Stave built herself.
“It’s the biggest community festival we have,” Stave said. “And we have one of the biggest parades in the city.”
One of the on-field position changes this year, according to Stave, will put main stage on the baseball diamond where there’s more protection from the wind. For Stave, Summerfest logistics are a family affair: Daughter Jennifer Wesson is vendor coordinator and son-in-law Matt Wesson is master of ceremonies for the talent show, the voice of the parade and is in charge of the outdoor theatre. This year’s movie, “The Princess Bride,” will show on Friday, August 2 at 9 p.m. on the playfield.
The ever-popular youth talent show begins two hours earlier at 7 p.m. on the Friday. It’s open to all kids ages 5 to18. Entry forms are available at Cocoa & Cream, People’s Bank, the Mailbox or online at the festival website.
The Kid’s Parade takes off 10:30 Saturday morning, August 4, from 34th Avenue West and West Barrett Street, with the Seafair Parade starting 30 minute later, Drew said among the new features this year will be the Kenmore District and Pipe Band, which he called “one of the best in the Northwest.” The Seattle Police Department’s motorcycle corps won’t be there – they’ll be on hydroplane duty — but the SPD horse mounted officers will be. So will the Seattle Seagals. This year’s parade Grand Marshal is Magnolia resident Eric Johnson of KOMO 4 TV.
Stave emphasizes the art show is judged but not juried — meaning, artists at any skill level can participate by registering online.
“It’s such a great opportunity for people to bring their stuff and hang it,” Stave said. “It’s exciting to people.” Judges will award cash prizes.
Rick Egan and Andrew Sherack have put together an eclectic musical package, starting at 3 p.m. August 3 with SixFootSavage, a funk-pop-rock group, followed at 4:15 p.m. with the jazz-bossa nova guitar and vocals of Dina Blade and Greg Glassman as the program evolves into the evening.
At noon on Saturday, the Magnolia based Sunshine from Polynesia takes the stage followed at 1:15 by some polka and German oompah courtesy of the Bavarian Village Band.
“Eclectic” may be an understatement.
And so it goes throughout the day, closing out with the ska-reggae group The Georgetown Orbits at 7:45 p.m.
A complete listing of the entertainment schedule at the Summerfest website and on pages 12 and 13 of this newspaper .
Scott Ward is this year’s winner of the poster contest: a striking work called “Summer on the Bluff.”
When it’s all over, Stave said she’ll be “walking the field with a trash bag” in the Sunday morning quiet the day after.
But a lot’s going to happen before then.
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