Sun and excitement drew a big crowd to the second annual Sustainable West Seattle Festival. Many came specifically to check out the booths and main stage events. Other drifted across the street from the farmer's market. Click photo for slide show.
Crowds meandered through Sustainable West Seattle's 70-plus booths at the Junction this warm sunny Sunday to listen to music, speeches, grow their own food, make their own honey and consider volunteering to clean up the Puget Sound.
Mayor Greg Nickels made the rounds and said he appreciated West Seattle having the sustainable festival two years in a row, and hopes these festivals spread to many different Seattle neighborhoods.
Green entrepreneur Dave Reid had a booth to promote his Sail Transport Company. He transports produce from Sequim and Poulsbo to Ballard on sail power only. Noted Ballard sailor Fulvio Casali helped out, as did Alex Tokar.
"I'm pretty much an environmentalist," said the Scottish-born Reid. "People from Sustainable Ballard have been supporting me on this business. Puget Sound is like the West Coast of Scotland with lots of current, fjords, islands. Scotland is a bit rougher. I grew up near Aberdeen."
Reid starts up again June 14 and said his business is both "crazy and brilliant."
"People worked really hard getting this together, a lot of volunteers," said festival president and Sustainable West Seattle co-founder Bill Reiswig. "This crowd just shows people think about being green, and change what they're doing to be both happy and save the planet at the same time."
Christine "the Crab" is with People for Puget Sound. She said she lives in Elliott Bay.
"It's nice and warm but kind of getting dirty to live there," she said.
"We're really concerned about storm water pollution, run-off from pollution coming from cars ending up in the Sound," said Christine's colleague Abi 'Salmon.'
"A lot of people in West Seattle really care about the environment and are looking for the leadership to support environmental reforms to make Seattle more walkable and sustainable," said Dorsal Plants, a candidate for Seattle City Council.
"Very warm. Very fuzzy. A lot of community spirit here today," observed Stu Hennessy, festival vice president and owner of Seattle Bike and Board.