The fleeting magic of a Seattle summer

For many Seattleites, the jaw dropping beauty of the summer months help to get them through the inevitable Big Dark.

Beyond the stunning nature of the environment in any direction you look, there is something about the energy – when people assemble to experience that magic together.

KUOW set out to find some of that magic this summer.

Dead Baby Downhill

In early August, crowds amassed at the former QFC grocery store and current site of the Punk Rock Flea Market in Capitol Hill to start the 28th annual Dead Baby Downhill bike race.

"It's a bike race to celebrate bike riding but also just build weird fucking bikes – like the weirdest bikes you could imagine," said Dead Baby Bike Club member Adrian Garcia, 53, who joined the club 20-some years ago as a bike messenger.

"We want to be free to ride our machines without getting hassled by the man, and we want to get loaded," he said.

This year, the race ended at the Hazard Factory in South Park. The Chaotic Noise Marching Corps, a renegade punk brass band, played their instruments and danced around a pile of burning babydolls as the cyclists crossed the finish line.

"We're here outside of the freak bike petting zoo and there's a bunch of people riding bicycles, none of which you could find in a shop," said Mako Hill, surrounded by laughter, beer, and punk music. "They've all been hacked together in various ways."

In the petting zoo, attempts were made to ride bikes stacked on top of each other, bikes that are 10 feet tall, miniature bikes, bikes that you have to peddle backwards to go forwards, or bikes with hinges in the middle of their frames.

Hundreds gathered around human powered amusement park rides, tall bike jousting, and a velodrome to witness the unbridled joy of the participants.

"There's all kinds of people from various subcultures and communities," Hill said. "The energy is incredible."

The Waterfront Block Party

The Daughters of Royalty and Washington Diamonds drill teams performed at the fourth annual Waterfront Block Party on Aug. 30 at Pier 62 in Seattle.

"The vibe is very welcoming," spectator Tannya Romero said. "A lot of people are enjoying the view and the day."

"It's just good vibes," said Maya Oleynikova, who lives nearby to the waterfront. "All in all it's just wonderful to see the community come together with lots of different food trucks, music and a really nice atmosphere."

Levity Arts: Seattle Summer Series at Gasworks Park

"It started as an open invite to the community of artists of all kind," said Levity Arts founder Katie Herndon. She started training at Gasworks Park 10 years ago, when she was just getting into circus arts.

Born out of the pandemic, Herndon has brought together aerial, acrobatic, and flow (anything with lights or fire) artists – and many spectators – to the place where she first learned her skills.

"It's a little bit of creative chaos," she said. "Kind of an impromptu concert mixed with a circus arts show.

"I think what's really unique about it is that everything is spur of the moment."

"You’ll see people learning acro for the first time," Herndson said, "and you can come up to anyone and they’ll try to share things with you.”

ShoDown N Seatown

The 14th annual ShoDown N Seatown, a national skate party with skaters from across the country, took place in early August at El Centro Skate Rink, formerly Patterson’s West, in Federal Way.

"I wanted to be a part of it and feel the love that's in here," Jaylen Green, 23, said. He's been skating at this rink since he was 8 years old.

"The magic is the love of skating. There are so many different types of people here, so many different types of talent here to showcase what they're about and being able to connect through the love of skating, whether that be with friends, family, or even strangers, I think that part is magical for sure," he said.

Lewis Rudd, 69, has been skating for over 50 years. He met his wife 43 years ago skating during a roller fashion show in downtown Seattle, under the Space Needle. He helped start this event, with a small group of other skaters, in his living room over 14 years ago.

"At one point in the Northwest, we kind of lost a generation of skaters," Rudd said. "The skating rinks started to disappear. And now, it's really exciting for us to see the new generation of skaters come back."

"It’s a real community," he added. "Everyone is caring and loving and the energy is always 10. We're just thankful to really have a home rink that we can call our own."