Ballardblog.com

We’re trying to re-launch this website soon, with an entirely new look and style, but we’re in need of local Editors and Writers!

If you’ve got mad writing skillz, aren’t afraid to interview your neighbors, or are a Photographer or other Creative Type, please email us.

We’ll be honest and upfront – there’s no money right away, but the potential is HUGE.

If you live in Ballard (or have ever sat at the bar and enjoyed a conversation with an old-timer at the Sloop, the Lockspot, or any of the other great taverns in the area) you are aware of Ballard’s rich Nordic history.  But have you ever been to the Nordic Heritage Museum?  Located in the old Daniel Webster Elementary School building at the corner of 30th and 67th NW, it is a must see for any Ballardite.  Their current exhibition, “Nordics and Seattle’s First World’s Fair: Celebrating the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition” runs through Sunday, September 6th.

My daughter and I stopped into Me ‘N Moms this morning to look around and I saw a sign for Tuesdays in Ballard.  Throughout the summer I have noticed the posters in shop windows and restaurants but strangely the signs tell little of what the event is about.  After doing a bit of asking around I found that it is a promotion, sponsored by the In Ballard Merchants Association, that is intended to drive business into the neighborhood on an otherwise slow day.  Many shops and restaurants participate by offering discounts or other perks.  Me ‘N Moms was discounting summer merchandise by 20% for today only.  Today is the second to last Tuesday of the event.  If you’re looking for something to do on a drizzly afternoon in Ballard, check out the website and see if anything strikes your fancy.

This came in from Dawn:

Hi all,

Plans for East Ballard August Night Out Block Parties on August 4 are in full swing. If you haven’t signed up your block with the Seattle Police Dept yet, July 31st is the deadline. We’ve put together some tips on how to put on a successful block party, plus provided some tools you can download to help you get started.
Check out my latest blog post for all the details.

Additional Upcoming Events:

Neighborhood Plan Status Report Meeting
Thursday July 23rd 6-9pm at the Phinney Ridge Neighborhood Center
What’s a neighborhood plan, you ask, and why should you care? Well, check my blog post to find out why you should be there.

Greenwood Seafair Parade
Thursday July 23rd 6pm
Greenwood Avenue from N. 95th St. to N. 85th St., turns right (west) at 85th and continues to 6th Avenue NW
Check out their website for more details.

Stay up to date on what’s happening in East Ballard at  http://www.eastballard.wordpress.com/ and/or join us on Facebook

Regards,
Dawn Hemminger
East Ballard Community Association
206-953-3940

Every year in the United States up to 30 million Christmas Trees may be sold. This means about thirty percent of families in the United States will celebrate with a real tree, where will you get yours? All you have to do is travel on 15th street to see the number of local Christmas Tree sellers at work. In fact, I have been told that the seller set up in the Petco parking lot on Holman road has been around for ten years. If it is your desire to support small local business this holiday season, why not start with the purchase of a local Christmas Tree!

To learn more about the history of the Christmas Tree visit Wikipedia.

Since 1907, the citizens of Ballard have joined forces in attempt to “free Ballard” from Seattle hegemony. One store, Archie McPhee, helps us Ballardians in this everyday struggle.

A cross between a cracked-out tiki bar and the magic shop in Pee Wee Herman’s Great Adventure, Archie McPhee’s features thousands of random and quirky toys, candy, party supplies, costumes and miniatures—think yodeling pickle figurines, giant underpants, etc. Among the random shit-fest, is a “Free-Ballard” retail industry, featuring an array of wearable propaganda such as hats, T-shirts, bumper stickers, and even games and toys. McPhee’s started the modern-day “Free Ballard” movement about eight years ago, and has been promoting the liberation of Ballard with pride and a sense of humor ever since. Download your own “Free Ballard” poster, courtesy of Archie McPhees here. And if you don’t jive with the “Free Ballard” campaign, there are thousands of other reasons to go there. Temporary tattoos, counterfeit Australian coins and bills, or maybe you’ll run into Blayne from Project Runway.

www.archiemcpheeseattle.com

2428 NW Market Street

Monday-Saturday 10am-7pm, Sundays 11am-6pm

Seattle Weekly’s annual issue, featuring the coveted ”Best of Seattle” Reader Poll is in the making. But first, they need people to vote, and we’d like your  vote as “Best New Blog”. Go to http://polls.seattleweekly.com/polls/bestof08/ to represent and be counted. Voting deadline is July 25th. Make Ballard proud.