Even though the Fremont Market shut down today due to the inclement weather, residents and visitors were still walking around downtown Fremont. The snow continued to fall this morning, adding a new layer of fluff over the icy crust that formed on the snow last night, and allowing a few folks to ski right past the Red Door.

Only a few businesses weren’t open- Flying Apron, El Camino, Blue C, and Yak’s; Many, were still operating, some with a skeleton crew, like Cold Stone Creamery which was only available for cake pickup, and Dad Watson’s, which was opening at bit later than usual at 1 p.m. Fremont Place Books was open, nearly all the coffee shops downtown were busy. Frame Up Studios, Willow and Bloom were also open, as were Silence-Heart-Nest and The Red Door. The PCC was bustling with customers stocking up on supplies and stopping in for a warm meal. Or, in one case, showing kids how to knock snow shelves down with snowballs:

Some cheerful artist had made smiley faces in the snow on a number of the cars parked along Fremont Ave., and a number of snowmen could be seen throughout downtown Fremont.

Last, but not least, a few Fremonsters braved the snow to sip their lattes down at Peet’s:

Enjoy the snow in Fremont, all, but stay warm!

The Fremont Sunday Market is closed today. We spoke with Judy, the market organizer, who says that the Market is closed because of the snowy weather. The Ballard Farmers Market, however, is open.

It’s the official first day of winter, and Fremont residents are waking up to as much as 5 inches of new snow on the ground.

This is that stuck taxi cab on 38th and Fremont Ave., now covered in thick snow that nearly reaches the top of the curb.

And the Waiting for Interurban along 34th St. The overnight snow was followed by freezing rain, creating a slick, crunchy top layer which makes for very treacherous driving conditions. So please be very careful out there if you must drive. (Photos by kmacs83. See more here.)

Despite the forecast, many Fremont businesses were still open on Saturday. Peet’s is serving coffee, 35th Street Bistro is open for lunch, and the Wine Warehouse is holding its holiday wine tasting on schedule. It seems like the only place closed for the weather is the library, but many businesses are making adjustments for the weather- 35th Street Bistro was seating patrons primarily on one side of the restaurant, where the heaters are, for instance.

Some of the side streets are closed, like this one which has been blocked by a taxi that apparently hit a parked car, but Fremont Ave. is still running, though much less busy than usual. And, amazingly, there is parking to be found in downtown Fremont- it’s certainly not 75 percent full today. The snow has finally started falling, however, and many Fremonsters are settling in for another round of winter weather. Stay safe, Fremont!

Due to the weather, some of the bus routes in Fremont are operating on snow routes or have been cancelled altogether. The 5, 26, 28, 30, 31, 46 and 82 all run through downtown Fremont. Only the 26 is operating on its normal route. The 31 and 46 have been suspended entirely.

The rest of the routes seem to be running through downtown Fremont just fine- they have been rerouted elsewhere along their paths.

The 5 is currently operating on a snow reroute, going to Shoreline only, not Northgate. The 28 is only going to N. 85th St. The 30 seems to be running its normal route from the U-District to Fremont, but has been rerouted to avoid the hill on 40th going from Fremont to the U-District- it is instead operating along 45th heading east. No word yet on the 82- it’s a late-night route.

If you know of any unannounced reroutes (the 30, for instance has not been announced on the Metro site, but was shared with me by a driver this evening), or have any information to add, please leave a comment. For updated service information, please check the Metro website.

Updated 1:15 p.m.: The meteorologists were 24 hours late, but the snow has finally arrived. Traffic is moving smoothly along Fremont’s primary routes — which are getting sanded and de-iced by transportation crews — but conditions are still slick, thanks to the very cold temperatures.

This is Fremont Ave. heading down the hill.

The main intersection at Fremont Ave. and 36th.

Looking up 35th from Fremont Ave. Metro buses have chained up and are still running their routes, but a little behind schedule.

The Lenin statue covered in snow.

Waiting for the Interurban. (Photo by Ryan).

Out in front of Fremont Place books. We stopped in and talked to a few merchants today, who said business is slower today thanks to the snow. But a few locals are doing some holiday shopping. Stay safe out there!

“The Fremont Troll has been the subject of a seasonally-inspired guerrilla artist,” explains Rachel Blackman, who shot this photo.

She points out the that the “Just Married” chalk on the Troll was done by a wedding party a few nights ago. (Thanks Rachel! By the way, check out her cool photo of Lenin in the snow right here.)

Things are slowing down a bit for the holidays, but there’s still plenty of live music to be heard over the weekend.

Tonight is the 43rd incarnation of The Round at Fremont Abbey, featuring artists such as Aaron Sprinkle of Fair, Josh Dawson of Slender Means, Gabe Archer of The Pale Pacific, as well as slam poets and painters to add some variety. The holiday party, open to all ages, will benefit youth programs. Doors open at 7:30 and tickets cost $8-12 on a sliding scale.

At High Dive, tonight marks the final show for band Atomic Bride and the 39 Steps. The show will also include The Bug Nasties, The Saboteurs, Spaceship Excellent, and Electrolux. It also starts at 8 p.m. and has a $6 cover charge.

Nectar will have a hip-hop show tonight, with Macklemore Clockwork, Xperience, Candidt and DJ Marc Sense. The show starts at 9 p.m.- tickets were $8 in advance. Tost will have Salem and 3 Spot on hand; Salem has been heavily featured at ski and snowboard events across the country. Cover is $6 at Tost, and the show starts at 9 p.m.

Tomorrow will feature electronic music at Nectar from James Pants, Daedalus, Velella Velella, and WD4D. Tickets cost $10 in advance and the show starts at 9 p.m. Meanwhile, High Dive will have two CD release parties for Iris I and Something Vital, and will also feature Bee Simonds and Vibrant Society. Tost will have the Jake Shaw Trio, Role: 1 at 9 p.m. for $5.

Sunday is a little quieter. Only the High Dive will feature live music on the 14th- they will have Lady Drama, Eclectic Approach, Order of the Crimson Wizard, and The Vague Prophets at 7 p.m. for $6.

On November 3rd, a man fell to his death from the Aurora Bridge just as an officer made a last-ditch attempt to handcuff him to a safety line. The man was clinging to the outside of the bridge (this archive story includes a photo), which police say created an extraordinary situation that required action to try to save the man’s life. A Seattle Police investigation concluded this week that the death was indeed a suicide, not an “in-custody” death.

Several Fremont boutiques have teamed up for a shopping night to benefit Pediatric Brain Tumor Research. Essenza, Les Amis, Merge and Tininha’s are all participating from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday night. Refreshments will be served and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the cause.

The Seattle City Council wants to see a network of streetcars, but they haven’t figured out how to pay for the $600 million project.

The Council approved a measure today which will expand the network from the current South Lake Union streetcar and the previously-approved First Hill line to other areas of the city. One of those proposed lines will go from downtown Seattle to Fremont and Ballard. “In these economic times, a potential street car network is exactly the type of public works project we should be considering,” states City Councilmember Tim Burgess. “The line creates another efficient, affordable alternative to driving, which will help position the city to accommodate anticipated population growth and manage its transportation needs.” No money has been committed for this project.

The smoothie and frozen yogurt shop Mooberry in Ballard has opened a second location in the old Sonic Boom location in Fremont.

But instead of Mooberry, it’s called Kiwi. The shop opened on Wednesday with all the Mooberry favorites. And coming soon to the menu: hotdogs. Right next door, an organic sandwich shop called “Homegrown” is plans to open next year.

Updated: Just returned from the annual lighting of the Lenin statue, complete with the McClure Middle School band and hot chocolate for the kids.

And Santa and his helper. In true Fremont fashion, Santa was handing out tangerines, not candy canes. As for Lenin, this year the lighting is a little more ominous, casting a red glow on the trees around it.

Which inspired us to go around and snap some other photos.

Looking up 35th St.

The Rocket, of course.

Even the Fremont Bridge is in the holiday spirit.

After a series of community meetings and heated discussion, the Seattle Department of Transportation has released its final parking plan for Fremont. The following changes will occur in February:

• Two-hour paid parking will take effect in Fremont’s retail core — a total of about 115 spaces — at a rate of $1.50 an hour.
• Time-limit signs will be installed outside Fremont’s retail core. Restrictions will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday. On some streets near restaurants, time limits will continue until 10 p.m.
• Residential parking zone (RPZ) will take effect on streets north and east of the business district. RPZ signs will be installed on one side of residential streets (the other side will remain unrestricted) with 2-hour parking allowed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for non-permit holders, and from 8 p.m. to midnight with no non-permit holder parking allowed. The RPZ will be in effect Monday through Saturday.

The “retail core” is a rather concentrated area that encompasses the absolute center of Fremont — 115 parking spaces out of a total of 700. This popular area along 35th St. by the Rocket will be paid parking:

But go one block to the west, and it’s free with time limits. Here’s the map (.pdf) that outlines the specific zones and provides more details. Beginning in a couple weeks, eligible residents will receive RPZ permits in the mail. In January, sidewalks will be marked where paid parking kiosks and signs will be installed. In February, the installation begins.

As we’ve been reporting, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce has fought the plan all along with its Keep Fremont Free campaign, generating an outpouring of support from local businesses. So what do you think, will paid parking help or hurt business in the retail core?

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mayor Greg Nickels has opened the six-mile trail around Lake Union, known officially as the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop Trail. “The trail creates a pathway for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy access to neighborhoods and parks, and to explore some of our history along the shores of Lake Union,” Nickels said. As part of the improvements over the last year, the city extended the path along Westlake Avenue 870 feet to meet the Fremont Bridge. Now, as many hikers and bicyclists know, it’s far from a seamless journey around the lake (see the map in .pdf), and the city is planning more improvements to come.

It’s getting c-c-cold outside, a perfect time to break out some of those tasty winter brews. This Friday and Saturday, you can sample big, bold winter warmers from over 30 Washington breweries (list) at the 2008 Winter Beer Festival at Hale’s Ales. The Washington Beer Commission event goes from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday and 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $23 advance and $25 at the door — you get six beer tastes (5 ounces each) and can buy additional tokens on the spot. And be careful, because winter beers pack a punch!