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Celebrate pride month this weekend, Georgetown Style! Information below: Schedule for Saturday, June 22 1:00pm - 3:00pm - Neighborhood Hang at Bloom Bistro! Activities include: Face painting + a clown for the kiddos! Bagels, snacks, coffee and kombucha available for purchase at Bloom! Tunes provided by Assigned Gay at Band (brass band from Honk Fest) and a DJ! Raffle with prizes donated by local businesses, including All City Coffee Georgetown Pride merch available for purchase! 3:00pm - 3:45pm - Parade Parade information: Parade will begin at Oxbow Park and follow the route above, using the safe streets on Carleton and Flora. Post up along the route, or join in and walk with us! Parade concludes at the Star Brass Works parking lot/Trailer Park Mall, after which attendees can head to participating businesses along Airport Way! A few groups will be in the parade: Dykes on Bikes 777 Strength & Conditioning Mosé Auto Springboard Woodworks Assigned Gay at Band 3pm Onward - Events on Airport Way Businesses along Airport Way S. will be hosting specific Pride events and promotions: Shotgun Ceremonies Wedding Chapel - 3pm - 6pm Shotgun Ceremonies will be offering free weddings to anyone who wants to tie the knot. Tinte Cellars - 3pm - 5pm Pride Party Pit Stop on the back patio for folks who want a beverage, party favor or to contribute to a Community Kindness Wall. All ages! Jules Maes Saloon - 4:30pm Free drag show, with performances from Holli B. Sinclair, Jayla D. Foxx and Mizz Honey Bucket! Star Brass Works Lounge - 4pm - 8pm Free entertainment on the Star Brass patio! DJ set by DJ Rainbow Tay, then live performances from SUX, Jackie Hell & Mikey Moo! Seattle Tavern & Pool Hall - 8pm till Late Hot Dog Prom, and music curated by DJ Wax Witch! 9LB Hammer - 8pm - 11pm Live performances by the band Gully! Post Pike - 11am - midnight Mimosa brunch, live music from The Wednesdays, karaoke @ 8pm, DJ sets. All ages patio until 8pm! Feeling more adventurous than Airport Way? Emerald City Trapeze (SODO) - 5:45pm - 10pm Join SANCA and the queer circus community for a BIG GAY CIRCUS DAY! Event is 18+, and more information can be found on the event website.

At the 19th annual Georgetown Carnival on June 8, many attendees stopped by the Gazette booth to ask, “Where are the Power Tool Drag Races?” The raucous public contest that sends power-tool-driven mini race vehicles down a track (trailed by their own power cords) was missing! We didn’t have a good answer, so we went looking for one. The short answer appears to be bad faith and poor communication between the carnival organizers and the race organizers, which resulted in a less gritty and more wholesome than usual carnival this year. The Georgetown Business Association (GBA, formerly Georgetown Merchants Association) organizes the Carnival top to bottom, wrangling funding, permits, volunteers, vendors, and entertainment for the one-day event. Hazard Factory, a welding and industrial arts school in South Park, has traditionally run the Power Tool Drag Races as part of the carnival. The public is invited to enter anything built from a handheld power tool on a chassis with wheels that can run down a plywood track on 110v power. Trackside volunteers operate safety switches and ensure the track is clear for each race. The audience watches from behind fencing, and winners in each heat progress until final trophies are awarded. It’s rowdy, it’s loud, and the rewards inherent in building one of these machines are almost as great as the glory of winning, according to past participants. The races have been a big participant and spectator draw for the carnival since 2007. So why were there no races at the most recent carnival? The GBA declined to discuss the issue with the Gazette, but the Gazette did did talk with Rusty Oliver, owner and "chief lunatic" at Hazard Factory. Oliver says for the first time this year, the GBA asked if he would be willing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (legal agreement) on behalf of the races. Although he never saw a proposed agreement, he suspected it would restrict some elements of the performance art, including whether volunteers were allowed to drink onsite. “We could never get a specific document from them,” he said, “but we were willing to have a conversation about it. We asked a lot of questions. The event producer did not want to have a constructive conversation.” Citing lack of collaboration and clear communication, Oliver got frustrated and pulled the races from the carnival in March. “I hoped someone from GBA would reach out and try to patch things up,” he said. “It was disappointing that no one did.” Now the Power Tool Drag Races are looking for an indoor venue; preferably a space they could use for an extended engagement. The track requires 80 feet of linear space and good sightlines. If you have a lead on a building that could host the races, reach out to Hazard Factory.

We're here at the Georgetown Carnival giving out Gazette stickers and listening to your ideas of what we should write about! Come find us across from Brother Joe's until 7 pm!

Bands return to Georgetown streets for annual HONK! Fest West Click Above to Start Slideshow: 8-Bit Brass Band (Photo by Alex Nguyen), saxophonist for Soul Jambalaya (Photo by Alma Lopez Aguayo), Neon Brass Party and sousaphone player for Red Alert (Photos by Ashley Cisneros). Drums rumbled and trumpets wailed at the annual HONK! Fest West on Friday, June 2, in Georgetown. For several hours, brass bands blasted their tunes to enthusiastic crowds on S Vale and S Nebraska streets. The community party continued on Saturday in Columbia City and Sunday in Pratt Park off Yesler Way.

There's a parklet along South Albro Place at the north end of Boeing Field that you may have never noticed. The triangle, home to a community Twister game board, and near Ruby Chow Park, is getting a substantial upgrade from King Country Airport. Work started last week and includes demolishing the existing triangle, adding new turf, and updating the twister game board. Why is there a community Twister game next to the airport? Your guess is as good as ours. Maybe it's a, "Sorry for all the air and noise pollution shortening your lifespans" gesture? Classic Georgetown, in any case. Happy Twisting!

Don your happiest dress and brace yourself for more free fun than you thought possible! Join your neighbors and their friends and families for a whole day of music, games, food, fun, and weirdness, Georgetown style. Find the carnival on Airport Way South and South Vale Streets starting at noon on Saturday, June 8. Volunteers make this event awesome! Interested in volunteering on Saturday, or know someone who would be? Sign up here!

The Port of Seattle is inviting the public to attend workshops providing information on the Part 150 Study for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The study, following Title 14, Part 150 of the Code of Federal Regulations, will evaluate noise compatibility of SEA with surrounding communities, including current and potential new efforts to reduce impacts from aircraft noise. Workshops will be "open house" format and include information on the study process, schedule and information about modeling noise exposure from aircraft. Feedback received from the community will be considered throughout the study. The first series of workshops takes place in early June, and food and childcare will be provided: Date: Wednesday, June 5 Time: 6pm - 8pm Location: Gregory Heights Elementary School (Burien) Date: Thursday, June 6 Time: 6pm - 8pm Location: Mount Rainier High School (Des Moines) Date: Saturday, June 8 Time: 10am - 12pm Location: Glacier Middle School (SeaTac) Folks who need language interpretation, special accommodations or questions can contact 206-787-5393 or P150@portseattle.org.

Another week, another pull from the archives. Wild Georgetown by Jeff Tobin, this was the final installment from May 2021. Next week, I'll give you something special, outside of the wild.

Meet Lori, Georgetown resident for 21 years. Photo of Lori Anderson by shon’t.savage Name: Lori Anderson (she/her) Residency in Georgetown: 21 years. Lori purchased her home in 2003. How you might know her: As the pet store lady, the egg lady, and the person with the Girl Scout, who happens to be her 15-year-old daughter. Lori is the neighbor I knew without knowing I knew her. For years, we communicated solely via Facebook to coordinate my purchase of fresh eggs laid by her hens. Only recently did I assign a face to her name; her association to the neighborhood pet store, an added surprise. Sitting in her shop, A Dog’s Dream Natural Pet Supply, 5913 Airport Way S, I learn more about Lori, her tenure in the neighborhood and hopes for its future. What do you do? (e.g., your profession, personal mission, passion, etc.)? ”Initially, I was a scientist who worked on vaccine development for malaria,” Lori says. Owning a dog with special dietary needs and working a part-time gig at a pet store in Atlanta created the potential for what is now A Dog’s Dream. “My first dog had a lot of food allergies,” Lori continues. “Because I am a scientist first, I did a lot of research on pet nutrition, so it was a natural progression.” As a condition of starting a family, Lori approached her now ex-husband and said, “Let me open a pet store and we can have kids.” Although his “OK” did not immediately follow suit – in fact, it came a year and a half later – Lori opened A Dog’s Dream 17 years ago on Bailey Street in a space currently occupied by the Seattle Drum School. What brought you to Georgetown? Why this neighborhood? “I applied to a Ph.D. program [at the University of Washington] and was waitlisted. They (school administrators) said, ‘Move out here, get a job in one of our labs, and then reapply.’ So I moved out here [from Atlanta] with my dog.” After experiencing some challenges identifying pet-friendly housing options, Lori opted for homeownership: “I bought a house in Georgetown as a single person with a dog. It was the only place I could afford. And then just lucked out on the community.” What keeps you here? What do you like about our ‘hood? “The community! Back then, 10 years or so ago, we were a really tight-knit group of people who all knew each other. I used to say Seattle had a 1950s feel. I could walk to work and people outside would say, ‘Good morning, Lori.’” When prompted to share her thoughts about the current culture of our ‘hood, Lori states, “It’s changed. We are losing a lot of personal space with the increased density and I don’t know as many people as I knew 10 years ago. Would I move? Probably not. There is still a core group of people I see and interact with daily.” A piece of advice for your Georgetown neighbors, new or old? “Get to know your neighbors. If it’s just the two on the sides or the one in the front and the one in the back, I challenge you to go out and learn their names.” Your future Georgetown looks like … A community where people are vested in knowing each other. A Dog’s Dream, 5913 Airport Way S, celebrates its 17th anniversary this month. Everything in the store will be 20 percent off on Feb. 17-18. Purchases must be made in person to receive this discount. There also will be raffles, give-aways, and vendors onsite distributing samples. Go say hello to Lori and her wonderful staff … and while there, remember to exchange names! To be featured in “Peeps in the Neighborhood” or to recommend someone for us to consider, email shon’t at shontofTheGtownGazette@gmail.com.

For many, this neighbor requires no introduction. She and her partner Kathy have lived in the 'hood for 20+ years and are staunch community advocates who have contributed mightily to the rhythm of Georgetown. Meet Holly Krejci! The Gazette was my introduction to Holly. Her smiling face occupied one of the squares on the Zoom call that transitioned me from Gazette reader to Gazette staff writer. Her wit, charm, and encyclopedic knowledge about Georgetown made me an instant fan. She quickly became my go-to for historical neighborhood facts and when needed, an integral channel of context for current events. As I conducted “Peeps in the Neighborhood” interviews, the rapidity with which others mentioned her name highlighted just how revered she is by our community. How you might know her: As the person who wears an orange safety vest while walking her two dogs; as “Kathy and Holly”; and as a reformed Facebook poster on the Georgetown Community page. Per Holly, “I had to break up with the socials… doom scrolling.” What do you do? (e.g., your profession, personal mission, passion, etc.)? “I try to leave places better than when I found them.” What brought you to Georgetown? Why this neighborhood? “We could afford Georgetown. We looked at forty different houses in many neighborhoods throughout the city. The features we liked we couldn’t afford. We came to Georgetown, saw this little Tudor, walked in the backyard and I said, ‘We’ll take it!’ Kathy said, ’There goes our negotiating power.’” What keeps you here? What do you like about our ‘hood? “It is cool to know my neighbors in a really unique way. I feel like I have grown up with a lot of them, and that’s really fun. There is always something I haven’t seen before even though I’ve lived here for so long. Plus, events like Garden Walk – it’s my most favorite thing!” A piece of advice for your Georgetown neighbors, new or old? “What I want new people to know and old people to remember is that Georgetown is what we make it.” A little Georgetown history… “Not a lot of people know the styrofoam and plastic bag ban of Seattle came out of Georgetown. In 2007, the City of Seattle planned to build a third transfer station and put it here in Georgetown. Kathy did a lot of heavy lifting. We worked really hard to get to know our elected officials and for them to know Georgetown: we brought them to the neighborhood, took them on tours, and held candidate forums. We rallied as a community and got the City to pivot from a transfer station to more recycling – the Zero Waste Strategy – which led to the styrofoam and plastic bag bans. I think this [victory] is a big piece of pride for the neighborhood. Georgetown is what you make it. There is no substitution for community involvement.” Your future Georgetown looks like … “A continuation of honoring its history while creating its future. It’s a FORCE that agencies can’t forget and must remember to engage. It would also be badass if there was cleaner air.” If you are interested in being featured in “Peeps in the Neighborhood” or want to recommend someone for us to consider, please forward an email to shon’t at shontatGTownGazette@gmail.com.

It’s almost here! The annual tradition of strolling through the neighborhood to view the rich variety of gardens and lawns. Georgetown’s Garden Walk, an event well-loved by many, is the perfect venue to show off your (or your gardener’s) green thumb, meet new neighbors, socialize with old ones, and feel the rhythm of our community. If you would like to register your garden for this year’s event, please complete and submit the Garden Walk Entry Form. Email info@georgetowngardenwalk.com if you have questions or would like to submit your entry via a non-online-form route. All gardens – both wild and manicured – are welcome! More details about Garden Walk, including its history, can be found on the Garden Walk website. The 27th Annual Georgetown Garden Walk will take place on July 14 from 10AM – 5PM. Maps for this self-guided walk will be available in the courtyard of Mutuus Studio at 6118 12th Avenue S. No tickets required.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized an aggressive $401 million plan to reduce the amount of pollution in Seattle’s East Waterway, one of two inlets that connect Puget Sound to the Duwamish River. This "Interim Record of Decision" is part of the ongoing strategy to clean up the Harbor Island Superfund site. Before a definitive plan was in place for the East Waterway, the EPA was considering softening the requirements for cleaning up this mile-long section of the river. After years of Duwamish Valley community outcry, and a lot of work by advocacy organizations including the Duwamish River Community Coalition, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and the Duwamish Tribe, the EPA finally chose the more stringent cleanup option this week. The EPA identified several chemicals in the East Waterwayꟷincluding PCBs, arsenic, and dioxinsꟷthat pose risks to humans and wildlife. PCBs in particular accumulate in fish and shellfish and pollute the food web attached to Seattle's only river. The newly announced cleanup will aim to lower contaminant levels to two parts per billion from today's average of 460 parts per billion. The Port of Seattle, the City of Seattle and King County will be responsible for conducting the cleanup. The project will take about 10 years and include removal of 960,000 cubic yards of heavily contaminated sediment from 99 acres, cleaning of 12 acres under docks and piers, capping seven acres of sediment and current pollution-source elimination. For more information on the East Waterway, visit the EPA's Harbor Island website. It will take 10 years to remove nearly 1 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the Duwamish River's East Waterway.