Capitol Hill knows how to block-party hard

Capitol Hill got its party on early Friday.

The youth-oriented neighborhood is always jumping on weekends, especially at night, when the bars, restaurants and nightclubs are jammed, and live rock music blares from places like Neumo's and King Cobra.

But this Friday, lines were long in the afternoon sun even before the 4 p.m. starting time for the Capitol Hill Block Party, the neighborhood's annual celebration of itself and live music.

"Hi, man!" a stranger said, high-fiving me as I finally made it inside the gates. "Here to get your drink on? I been drinking since 9 a.m." He took a sip from his plastic cup of beer, then added, "Central Time."

Although it's an all-ages, family event, the Block Party, now in its 11th year, is more over-21-oriented than ever before. Two of its four live-music stages are inside bars — Neumo's and King Cobra — and large areas in front of the Main Stage are fenced off for a giant beer garden.

Overall, there is less fencing than before, so it doesn't feel as much like a rat maze as it used to. Businesses inside the Block Party perimeters are more into it this year, especially the restaurants and bars, which don't seem fazed by the festival's food booths and beer gardens. Those who live in apartments within the party grounds have to put up with the noise, but those watching from their open windows seemed to be enjoying the thousands of people in the streets.

You could pick up free energy drinks, political campaign buttons, massages, promotional T-shirts, sodas, movie posters and information on how to compost and register to vote. Booths sold clothing, jewelry, trinkets and bongs. Aromas from hot-dog stands, barbecue booths and Asian-food outlets wafted across the increasingly crowded grounds.

By early evening, clouds were obscuring the sun, and temperatures were going down, but the party was getting hotter with more people and louder music. (For more on the bands, see our blog at www.seattletimes.com/festivalblog). Every bar in the neighborhood — including those outside the Block Party — was packed, with lines waiting to get in. The Party was in full swing.

The event continues today, with nonstop music and festivities from 1 p.m. to midnight — and beyond, when it comes to the nightclubs.

Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312 or pmacdonald@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, originally published July 26, was corrected July 29. A previous version of this story contained a photo caption that incorrectly identified rapper MC RA Scion as Common Market.