The Belmont's Last Hurrah

Last night Seattlest made our way down to take a look at the big art installation at the Belmont. We didn't bother to get a ticket, but figured we'd be able to charm our way in regardless (we were). Walking up to the building, it was hard to not get excited. Sure, there was art to be seen, but this wasn't just art, this was an event. The crowds outside, the crowds inside, and the crowds on the roof all added to something bigger than just an art event, bigger than just a sendoff for a decrepit building.

There was no Seattle Freeze here, as people drank, smoked, and chatted all night long with a mixture of friends and strangers. A lot of people claim that the death of this block is part of the slow death of Capitol Hill culture. In contrast, Seattlest sees last night's festivities as evidence that the spirit of Seattle is alive and well, and that it's going to take more than the demolition of a few buildings to kill that.

More pics after the jump (with more on flickr).