Manette Fest celebrates community
with live music, markets and fair under
that iconic Bremerton bridge, Sept. 6.
SATURDAY
MANETTE FEST w/ live music, entertainment and an open market all day long, 9 a.m. to
6 p.m. Sept. 6, along East 11th Street in Manette, followed by Seattle bands Evil Twin, Hearts Divided and Knock Me Down at 9:30 p.m. inside the Manette Saloon, 2113 E. 11th St., Bremerton.
There are few things in life more fitting for feting the end of summer than the good, old-fashioned, enlivened street fair.
Though we may not all want to admit that summer is beginning its wind down this year at the start of September, it seems unfortunately so. This weekend, to pick spirits up and celebrate what will hopefully be just one of a few remaining sunny summer days, the community of Manette is throwing its annual block party from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 6 along East 11th Street. You’ll find it at the north end of Bremerton’s iconic Manette Bridge, a Great Depression era community landmark, scheduled for complete renovation in the next few years.
This is festival for that old bridge and all things Manette, in addition to a respite for Bremertonians who didn’t get enough street dancing, market walking and sun loving during last week’s Blackberry Festival.
Of course, festival-goers from all over are welcome.
East 11th Street will be closed down for the day-long Manette Fest — featuring an entertainment stage and open-air market, a barbecue lunch, beer garden and a bounce house. The day also includes one of the tiniest parades around and, the community itself. Manette is a feisty neighborhood — established as an independent town in 1898, later included into Bremerton — on the threshold of development. A town meeting called last week to discuss the Manette sub-area plan developed by the city of Bremerton’s development department. Somewhere around 200 people showed up to the meeting which became “unruly at times,” a local newspaper reported.
Manette Fest expects numbers into the hundreds each year, but isn’t likely to become so much unruly, maybe just a bit rambunctious.
The road will reopen at the 6 p.m., but of course, the party goes all night for those 21 and older.
Though they may seem a bit out of place at Manette’s community celebration, Seattle bands Evil Twin, Hearts Divided and Knock Me Down will be crossing the Sound to close down the evening with a slate of glam, pop and punk rock at one of the community jewels, the Manette Saloon.
Check out the whole host of community jewels from Manette and beyond including Tease Salon, Rejuv Massage and Spa, Ploy Studios, the city of Bremerton, Kitsap News Group and much more.
Info: www.manettefest.info, www.myspace.com/manettesaloon or call the Manette Business Association at (360) 471-5916.
