The City has released the “disgusting” photos of Denny Blaine Park that millionaire philanthropist Stuart Sloan sent to Mayor Bruce Harrell in March 2023 ahead of pledging $1 million to construct a children’s playground on the nude beach frequented by Seattle’s gay and trans residents.

While both the City and the neighbors group, Denny Blaine Park for All, have told The Stranger that they were concerned with trash, illegal parking, alleged incidents of public sex, public masturbation, and otherwise unlawful activity on the beach, these photos from Sloan only appear to show people enjoying a legally protected right to nudity at the beach.

Sophie Amity Debs of Friends of Denny Blaine, a park stewardship group affiliated with the Seattle Parks Foundation, called the photos “thoroughly unscandalizing.”

NEW OPENINGS & RETURNS

El Gran Taco Restaurant & Bar
This family-run Mexican food business, which operates locations in the Central District and Wallingford, opened a new location in White Center earlier this month. Options include tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tortas, sopes, mulitas, tamales, enchiladas, and flautas.
White Center

Incumbent Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said that he and the SECB agree 80% of the time, and that’s going to have to be good enough for us, because no other candidate in this race is really qualified to do the job. And that’s not so bad, really.

Wax Thématique has been surreptitiously heating up the musical underground for a decade. Led by Seattle- and Kunming, China-based DJ/musician Nathan Womack, the record label's made a gradual, irrepressible ascent by championing both local and international talent. The former includes Afrocop, Gel-Sol, and Joel Ricci; the latter Israel's VuVuVu, England's Grandbaby, and Germany's Feed LA. These artists are renowned for their beatmaking prowess, sampling savvy, improvisational ingenuity, and supreme funkiness.

Womack and company will celebrate 10 years of sonic excellence on July 27 and 28 at the Tractor Tavern and the Olympic Rooftop Pavilion at Stoneburner, respectively. So, now is an opportune time to relate this local business success story. (Full disclosure: I've written liner notes for Wax Thématique.)

TGIF! It's time to switch on weekend mode and get psyched for events from the Alaska Airlines Torchlight Parade to Pista sa Nayon and from SWEAT: A Charli XCX Inspired Dance Party to Urban Craft Uprising. For more ideas, check out our guide to this week's top events.

FRIDAY

FESTIVALS

JamFest
If you haven't stopped by the Wing Luke Museum lately, here's a (free) opportunity. The museum's all-ages Jamfest will return to the historic Canton and Maynard Alleys, offering DJ sets and cabaret performances, plus arcade games, yoga, a self-defense demo, and community organization booths. If you work up an appetite, grab takeout from one of the buzzy food hubs in the Chinatown-International District and munch while you enjoy the entertainment—I dig the doughy options at Szechuan Noodle Bowl, which is a mere block away. LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Wing Luke Museum, Chinatown-International District, free)

Arson in Paris: Ahead of the Olympics' opening ceremony in Paris on Friday, coordinated arson attacks on three different high-speed rail lines disrupted transit service into the city for 800,000 passengers. The disruptions will likely continue through the weekend, too. What were the attacks? Authorities say "fires were set in pipes carrying cables used for signaling." They were detected around 4 am. 

Speaking of blazing up in Paris: Snoop Dogg carried the Olympic torch. Unclear if at any point he mimed smoking the torch as if it were a big joint. I hope he did. You can watch the Opening Ceremonies at 10:30 am Friday, or wait for the encore, prime-time broadcast airing at 4:30 pm. To hype yourself up for the Games, why not dive into the world of Olympic athlete TikTok?

Snoop Dogg carrying the Olympic torch is a vibe pic.twitter.com/ZP5fUVDvav

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) July 26, 2024

R&B songstress Kehlani will come crashing through Seattle on her upcoming world tour. Keshi, the Houston nurse-turned-hitmaker, also plans to kick off an arena world tour with North American dates this fall. Plus, tickets for the witchy musical Wicked go on sale this coming Monday. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, JULY 26

MUSIC

The Allman Betts Family Revival
Moore Theatre (Tues Dec 17)
On sale at 7 am

Clairo
Paramount Theatre (Oct 10–11)

Cool Customer
Neumos (Sat Oct 12)

Last night local drag icon Miss Texas 1988 crowned city council candidate Alexis Mercedes Rinck, state house candidate Darya Farivar, and attorney general candidate Nick Brown the winners of the Washington Bus Education Fund and The Stranger’s Candidate Survivor, a time-honored silly and serious candidate forum that introduces the youths to candidates running for office ahead of the primary election. But between the lip-sync battle, a (literally) spicy Q and A round, and surprisingly heavy pours from the good bartenders at Madame Lou’s, I think we were all winners last night. Here’s the top five things you missed.

Scarecrow Video will always be a Seattle gem. The nonprofit video store is a mecca for movies and physical media, stocking more than 150,000 films in its library, from popular classics to titles you can’t find anywhere else. However, like many valuable arts organizations, they need the public’s support to survive. In June, Scarecrow staff put out an SOS—Save Our Scarecrow—and announced that they need to raise $1.8 million before the end of 2024. Kate Barr, Scarecrow treasurer and board member, says the fundraising is a “marathon, not a sprint.”

“If those big, moneyed angel donors don’t show up at our door, then the other way that this could really work is if we have a grassroots effort that catches fire,” said Barr. “Maybe it’s just people who give small amounts, but it’s a lot of people being able to give small amounts, and that turns the tide. The largest number of people that we serve on a day-to-day basis, and have forever, are people of limited means. The home video revolution was all about affordability.”

Attorney General and internationally ranked chess master Bob Ferguson is by far the best option to be Washington’s next governor. In the past, he has supported more mental health resources in schools, LGBTQIA+ rights, the codifying of abortion rights in the state constitution, and data privacy rights, and we have little doubt he’ll continue to support those basic liberal policies.

In line for the bar at CHBP

In line for the bar area @ CHBP. You said u liked my outfit and u didn’t get the memo about pink & mentioned ur falling apart pants lol comment below!

Mild in Seattle: The weather will be basically perfect today. We’ll start off in the 60s, and then by about 2 pm hit the 70s. We’ll peak at about 73 degrees at 6 pm, with a steep decline after the sun sets. All the while, expect some cloud cover. Wouldn’t change a thing tbh!

Netanyahu: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress yesterday. He spent most of his time defending his bombardment of Gaza, which has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly everyone who lives on the strip. If you care about what he said, you should read this fact check from Al Jazeera.  

When the SECB interviewed State House Rep. My Linh Thai, we asked her what she was most proud of from her last two years in office. She said, “I thought you said this would be a short interview,” and then laughed at herself for a solid 15 seconds. In our view, Thai has earned the right to that level of confidence, and probably more.

WEDNESDAY 7/24  

Candidate Survivor

(CIVIC DUTY) The 2024 election season is well underway. We know the captains of chaos at the top of the ticket suck up all the media attention, but our city and state is witnessing the biggest political shake-up in recent memory, including one pivotal Seattle City Council election and state races that will have a major impact in the Legislature. This year, the Washington Bus Education Fund and The Stranger have teamed up to host a seafaring extravaganza to let YOU shape that future. Watch candidates sweat through salty inquisitions, sing sea shanties, and lip-synch for their land-lubbin’ lives—all hosted by Seattle drag icon Miss Texas 1988! Your voice will determine the winner, so come ready to scream your head off. Bring your own towels. (Madame Lou's, 2505 First Ave, 7:30 pm, free, 18+) STRANGER PROMO TEAM