A lot took place, including the fabulous Pike Place Market Cheese Festival. (I refrained from singing “Pinky’s Cheese Roll Call” during the festivities.)

Then came Ballard Bikefest, a tribute to all things wheeled, with or without motors.

The event was sponsored in part by the Sunset (officially no longer a “tavern”), and coincided with the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk on and around Ballard Avenue.

The above depicts a contest to change a race-car tire in the shortest possible time.

Our ol’ pals at the Live Girls Cabaret (not pictured here) also opened their new Market Street performance space that night. It’s a huge, lovely space, for some brash n’ bountiful performers. (Think sketch comedy, with a neo-burlesque attitude.)

But leaving Ballard, and (at least for now) Seattle, that night was the above-pictured Larry Barrett, alt-country singer-songwriter and, most recently, big guy at Hattie’s Hat. He’s off to housesit in Tucson, something I wouldn’t do over the scorchy summer unless I were paid.