While attendance is forecast to go above the 20,000 mark, many of the people who live on the Hill are making plans to stay far clear of Pike/Pine on Capitol Hill Block Party weekend. No need to head for the (other) hills. There is lots going on in Pike/Pine outside the fence and beyond including a free Block Party alternative on E Union and deals at area businesses nearby.
- Auto Battery, Po Dog’s next-door sports (and news) bar sibling, opens for real tonight. This weekend, it will host a free extension of the Block Party onto E Union. Times and acts, according to headliner Continental Soldiers:
both shows are from 3-7
July 24th July 25th
– D.J synap -Jbre
– out on the streets -sports
– sex panther -buckets and bottles(THE STREET DRUMMER)
– death valley murder squad -chelsea speed party
– twerk ethics -the new law
-CONTINENTAL SOLDIERS
- CHS has also reported on the concerns of some Pike/Pine businesses about the challenges — and opportunities — local entrepreneurs face with the festival in the street and on the sidewalks in front of their doors. Here’s a round-up of what some Hill businesses are doing to try to make the most of the opportunity. If you know of a sale or promotion we missed, let us know in comments or [email protected] Beyond Pike/Pine, there is also plenty going on to keep you busy if the Block Party isn’t your thing — or if you need some entertainment between sets.
- Emerson Salon: “we’re open til 4 on fri and 2 on sat/sun. right now just free tix to day of ur choosing when you book a cut this wknd”
- Retail Therapy: “Retail Therapy is having a killer SALE for The Capitol Hill Block Party weekend. Come in and stock up on all your favorites and partake in the madness.”
- Baguette (on Madison): “Open all weekend during Block Party. Satisfy your drunken hunger!”
- Healeo: 2 for 1 hemp ice cream and 15% off organic vitamins
- Madison Market: Cascadia Cheese Festival
- Ragen and Associates: Saturday 50-60% off plant sale
- Pilot Books: Leonard Schwartz and Charles Mudede
- 12th and Olive Wine: Craft show and tasting
UPDATE: More!
- Bluebird: “We recently got our liquor license. We are celebrating all weekend with *$1 off stout floats* and *free second scoops* in conjunction with the block party. See our coupon in the block party program. There will also be live music here at the shop.”
- Retrofit Home: “we will be open….til 10 pm! And, we will do 10% off any regularly priced item with a block party ticket.”
- Salal Credit Union 15th Ave E: Friday yard sale and bbq
- Elliott Bay Book Co.: Open regular hours. “Maybe check in with our cafe? They now have beer and wine, plus lovely fruit smoothies and milkshakes. Fantastic baked goods. Sin on a plate (aka crepe with nutella, vahlrona chocolate, fresh local strawberries, whipped cream and candied pecans).”
- Capitol Hill Flowers: 15th Ave E at John. “we’re having our first ever garage/sidewalk sale on saturday! Lots of cool stuff: 300 15th Ave E; 9a-5p; plus select glassware 50%off! yay”
UPDATE — MORE X2!
- Swedish SummeRun: 5k and 10k circles Capitol Hill early Sunday morning
- Celebrity chef at Broadway farmers market: Yum. Poppy’s Jerry Traunfeld will be making me lunch demoing his fine cooking skills at the market on Sunday.
- Pound Gallery: Off the Grid, free Capitol Hill art party. Saturday and Sunday, 2-9 PM. 1216 10th Ave (at Union) http://www.poundarts.com/
Plus, there’s also the Sun Sal-u-thon in Cal Anderson on Saturday. There’s also no need to wait for the weekend to get out and get involved. On tonight’s CHS docket: A Miller Community Center Open House from 5:30 to 7:30 PM and the East Precinct community crime meeting from 6 to 8 PM. Council member Sally Bagshaw will be at that last one, by the way. You can ask her about the Cal Anderson Park surveillance cameras or let her know what you think.
In the meantime, while rock n roll journalists are covering the Block Party from the inside, CHS will be watching for any news on the outside. Our request to cover the event from the community perspective inside the fences didn’t garner a response from Block Party organizers. Unless you count this tweet from Dave Meinert. But that couldn’t be about us, could it?
It’s really hard for me to imagine a universe in which a timely and legitimate credential request made by CHS would have been denied. I hope you’re joking.
This, from the CHBP news feed also seems to speak to the event’s encouragement of spreading the neighborhood love beyond the fences:
My reporter requested the credentials nine days ago. Thanks for the comment, below.
I work one block from this cluster fuck. I visit vta daily and have made big marips one of my almost nigjtly stops. But since this bp aint my thing for three days i have to be inconvienced and put up with a large influx of hipster douche bags. I hope it gets so hot that they all get heat stroke! It would be nice if there was a way for those of us who live and work in the area could visit the biz and not be inconvienced.
wow. I guess that’s not exactly a long lead for a credential request. Still, kind of surprising that one of the neighborhood’s biggest outlets won’t have official coverage.
Official? We’ll still be covering the streets, etc. around the fest just like normal. It’s not a huge deal. Hope was to take some pictures of life going on in the middle of the party.
Only if you have tickets for the bp for many of the places. Too bad for those of us that dont care for the one sided music.
Oh get over it cry baby, it’s only for one weekend.
So I’m a “hipster douchebag” because I like live music, live in the neighborhood and enjoy the idea of spending some time outside with friends? Dude…I am actively involved in this community and do what I can to help improve it on a regular basis. If that makes me a douchebag, well, so be it. I’m still going to pick up trash on the way to the bus stop every morning and work to make this a more inviting place for ALL of us to live, work and play in.
Sure, there are a few bad apples at these types of events, but don’t make them spoil the whole damn bunch!! If there are things that you don’t like about it, get involved to improve it or organize your own community event. But bitching and moaning on blogs and insulting the hard working, actively-engaged members of the community only makes you look like a jerk.
no, i guess not. but having people inside the festival is a valuable perspective! very strange.
I’m not sure how many of those places require block party tickets. I haven’t seen the map or festival layout, but my guess is that a majority of the restaurants in capitol hill won’t require a block party ticket to get a bite to eat and that quite a few within a block of the festival will also be open to the public.
Here’s the 2009 layout
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/media/2010/7/23/blockparty
The Stranger had a 2010 graphic posted but it has since been pulled down. Don’t know why.
Stranger’s 2010 Map:
By that graphic, Elliot Bay Books is INSIDE not outside the block party.
…as is Retail Therapy.
hey buddy this must be a shock to you, but you’re the douchebag.
Okey dokey, let’s all take a break on this one, friends. Unless douchebag is term of endearment. Then, as you were…
“a large influx of hipster douche bags”
My annoyance with the block party is the swarm of people who push and knock into others to get to the stage, 20k is a lot, especially when most are stuck in such a cramped are and not spilling into the rest of the block. Most of them aren’t going to win any hipsterrunoff awards.
Re:Elliott Bay Book Company. I’m not sure that that is correct. I believe access to Elliott Bay Books will be outside of the fenced area and accessible.
Last year on some of the perimeters (in front of Emerson’s/Retail Therapy I remember) they put the fences up on the street side of the sidewalk so the sidewalks were still accessible the the public so people could get into the businesses
Well… earlier today I saw a girl pass out from heat stroke, faceplant into asphalt, and then go into convulsions while her friends and the crowd stood helplessly by. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
It’s inconvenient I guess, but part of living in a city. Adapt or die!
Will call line is 2 blocks long, 35+ minute wait so far. So poorly organized.
YEAH! serves her right! As for adapt to the city sorry to bust your bubble but Seattle ain’t no city. Ny, Chicago, LA and Miami are cities. Try one out you might learn how block parties are done.
That’s dumb. I lived in Miami for nearly 30 years, Seattle’s just as valid of a big-c “City”.
Seattle fairly resembles the density of South Beach, but Miami’s far more spread out in general.
But really, speaking of warm weather, heatstroke at 80-90 degrees? How the eff is that possible?