2025 sit in a park watching free music, dancing, and movies season is underway around Capitol Hill

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This weekend brings the 2025 edition of the now two-day Capitol Hill Block Party music festival to the streets of Pike/Pine. Its arrival marks a different sort of fun in the sun milestone on Capitol Hill. Free music and movies season is in full swing. Plus, if you want a free block party, you can head up the Hill for the 15th Ave E Patio Party Saturday noon to 5 PM:

Enjoy the summer weather with a DJ, local food, lawn games, a patio lounge, and a beer/wine garden. Meet our neighborhood merchants, and enjoy all that 15th has to offer!

Here is the rest of the summer freebie schedule around Capitol Hill.

Center City Cinema at Cal Anderson Park
Movies start at 6:30 PM

  • July 18: “Shrek”

  • July 25: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

Continue reading →

The Capitol Hill Class of 2024: Guillotine cutting through the challenges in hopes of growing the Broadway scene

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(Image: Guillotine)

By Domenic Strazzabosco

In the summer of 2024, Capitol Hill welcomed several new bars and restaurants. CHS checked in with owners to see how the first year of business has been and what residents can expect to see and experience in the upcoming year. In Part 1, CHS talked to Koko’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar on 10th and Broadway’s Chandelier Lounge. In Part 2, we visited with 14th Ave’s Ramie. This time, we head back to Broadway for a check-in with one of of our favorite types of new food and drink projects: veteran bartenders collaborating as first-time owners and an executive chef eager to show off their chops.

Guillotine’s co-owner Andrew Larson and chef Joey Walter have spent their first year on Broadway balancing their aims for creativity and sustainability, while figuring out what the neighborhood wants and needs.

Walter in the kitchen and Larson, who handles the bar and front of house, are the only two who run the establishment, despite initially hiring a full wait staff. They realized the demands of the space were different from what they anticipated when opening, and have scaled back to just the two of them. Continue reading →

At District 3 candidates forum, Wilson scores points, Harrell avoids hits in Seattle mayor’s race

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As ballots are being sent to voters this week for the upcoming August 5th Primary Election, the races for the Seattle mayor’s office appears to be coming down to what order the two leading candidates in the political battle will finish.

Challenger Katie Wilson seems to have a top-two result all but wrapped up.

“This woman is so smart, she’s kicked my ass so many times in so many debates,” repeat mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan said Tuesday night during a candidates forum focused on District 3 issues organized by the Leschi Community Council, the Central Area Neighborhood District Council, and the Coalition of Immigrants Refugees and Communities of Color. Continue reading →

Seattle doubles down with threat of $1K fines for ‘prolific taggers’ — Meanwhile, ‘Hot Rat Summer’ mosaic to be restored

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(Image: CHS)

Seattle is doubling down on illegal graffiti, adding possible $1,000 fines for tagging in the city.

The Seattle City Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to approve legislation allowing the Seattle City Attorney to bring “civil actions against prolific taggers,” “with the potential to receive some restitution and for graffiti-related property destruction.” Convicted taggers would also remain subject to criminal penalties. Only citywide councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck voted against the bill.

“Council’s vote today sends a clear message: Seattle’s tolerance for illegal graffiti has expired. Stop vandalizing our city or we will hold you accountable,” City Attorney Ann Davison said in a statement on the approval. “There are many prolific illegal taggers and once the ordinance becomes effective, I will be filing lawsuits. Since the fines are imposed for each violation, it should serve as a big wake-up call to those who deface Seattle.” Continue reading →

911 | Cops report run-ins with Cal Anderson ‘Anti-Fash Fourth Bash’ crowd

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See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt/Signal (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out reports from @jseattle or join and check in with neighbors in the CHS Facebook Group.

  • 4th of July Cal Anderson concert crowds: East Precinct cops were not big fans of this year’s edition of the annual Anti-Fash Fourth Bash concert in Cal Anderson Park. SPD reports officers faced “an angry crowd of 150-200” as police responded to a reported overdose victim and said they found “an illegally carried firearm in a jacket pocket.” The victim was revived and police say they escorted the subject in custody and Seattle Fire from the scene. Police say Seattle Fire required another escort 20 minutes later when a second overdose was reported. SPD reports “park goers started donning gas masks despite SPD’s only action being escorting medical personnel to an unconscious person.” There were no additional reported arrests and SPD did not report deploying any crowd control measures. Continue reading →

Colibri Mexican Kitchen is now serving family style on Capitol Hill

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(Image: Colibri Mexican Kitchen)

It’s a family venture at 12th Ave’s new Colibri Mexican Kitchen where uncle Ricardo’s dream of owning his own restaurant has come true.

“We are going to pour our love into it,” Celeste Bakr tells CHS about the new addition to Capitol Hill’s rich Mexican dining scene in the 12th Ave space previously home to vegan dining legend Plum Bistro.

While Colibri doesn’t feature any nods to the space’s vegan past, Bakr says her diners will find the Mexican kitchen “brings something a little different” with large portions and full plates that echo traditions of plenty.

“It’s typical in Mexico to serve lots of food — a love language,” Bakr says. Continue reading →

Leschi Community Council and Central Area Neighborhood District Council holding candidates forum focused on District 3

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A District 3 candidates forum will be held Tuesday night in a co-sponsored event from the Leschi Community Council and the Central Area Neighborhood District Council.

The forum starts at 6:30 PM at the Grace United Methodist Church, 722 30th Ave S. It is expected to last two hours.

The forum will also be livestreamed here.

We’ve invited all the candidates for the two City Council citywide seats (D8 and D9) as well as all the Mayoral candidates. We’ll have two sections – first all the City Council candidates, then a quick break, and then all the Mayoral candidates.

Tuesday, the 43rd District Democrats are also holding a meeting including State Attorney General Nick Brown and a live recording of the Seattle Nice podcast at Harvard Ave’s Erickson Theatre. CHS reported earlier on the group’s endorsements for the upcoming August primary.

Ballots will be arriving this week for the August 5th vote.

You can find all CHS Elections coverage here.

 

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‘Plan of abatement’ — Judge orders city to address reported criminal activity he says makes nudity in Denny Blaine Park ‘a public nuisance’

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(Image: Seattle Parks)

A King County judge won’t close Denny Blaine Park but he does want the city to come up with a “plan of abatement” to address complaints of drug use, masturbation, and sex at the popular nude beach on the shores of Lake Washington east of Capitol Hill.

Superior Court Judge Samuel Chung issued the order Monday in a hearing over a bid from the Denny Blaine for All neighbor group to immediately close the park to the public. The group has mounted an ongoing legal fight over the park that is being defended as an important gathering space by queer and nudist communities. Continue reading →

Council hears details of $1M District Fund for ‘neighborhood-scale traffic safety improvements’

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The Seattle City Council’s transportation committee is hearing a presentation Tuesday morning on the Council District Fund, an apportionment that could provide each area of the city a small pool of funding for street and sidewalk projects.

There is $7 million — $1 million for each of Seattle’s Council Districts including District 3 covering Capitol Hill and the Central Area — in the pot for both 2025 and 2026. Continue reading →

Around 10,000 without power across Northern Capitol Hill — UPDATE

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View latest outage updates

Nearly 10,000 customers across North Capitol Hill, North Broadway, and along the Hill’s eastern 23rd Ave edge were without power Monday afternoon. Seattle City Light was investigating the outage but reports of wires down along leafy Lakeview Blvd E appear to have been the culprit.

The outage was first reported just before 3 PM. City Light said it was working to restore the outage with an estimated restoration time of 6 PM

911 callers reported an exploded transformer and wires down and sparking in the 1300 block of Lakeview Blvd E. Seattle Fire was called to the scene to take care of any immediate danger before City Light crews could begin work on repairs.

UPDATE 4:35 PM: The outage totals have been knocked in half with a core area still without power between I-5 and Broadway.

UPDATE x2: City Light reported the outage repairs completed just after 10 PM.

The cause of the wire damage was attributed to a “large downed tree.”

Many North Broadway businesses announced they were closed for the night Monday afternoon.

 

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Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 👍