You can’t visit Gotham City to meet Batman. Or Quohag, Rhode Island, for a brush with the mayor. But you can travel to Walla Walla to celebrate the man who helped bring those characters and fictional cities to life.
Adam West Day is a September tradition in Walla Walla, where the late actor was born, spent most of his childhood and returned for college. The event commemorates the hometown hero who famously portrayed the Bright Knight in the television series, among many other characters, and became equally famous to younger generations for his voice work, often portraying cheeky parodies of himself.
This year’s Sept. 19 event falls on what would have been West’s 98th birthday. It also comes in the 60th anniversary year of the classic “Batman” television series.
Drop in at Kirkman House Museum, 214 N. Colville St., for the opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Festivities last until 4 p.m. and include games, costumes, food and a car show, featuring the Batcopter, 1966 Batmobile, 1989 Batmobile, the Batman Porsche and other famous vehicles such as Herbie the Love Bug. Appearances are expected from Adam West Batman impersonator Clint Young, as well as members of West’s family.
David Goehner of Batman Digital Life will present a talk about the Batman television series in the morning and follow it with another in the afternoon about the 1966 movie.
Guests won’t want to miss a trip inside the museum, where a cozy exhibit in the one-time library of the 19th-century mansion serves as a cross between the Bat Cave and Bruce Manor. Relics of West’s real life and career are displayed, as well as fun gadgets of donated, purchased and custom-made items — a Shakespeare bust, a Bat Phone and a trick bookcase among them.
At night, turn to the Marcus Whitman Hotel to catch the lighting of the Bat Signal.
This year’s celebration is led by Walla Walla resident Raymond Jacobs, who started his stint with the annual event as a fan. He got VIP tickets to Adam West Day in 2018 as part of an auction lot. Through the experience, he met Jonathan Grant, who had been the event’s driving force as a superfan and co-founder who met West on his travels to Walla Walla.
West’s affection for his hometown never wavered, despite his Hollywood fame.
Born William West Anderson on Sept. 19, 1928, he was the son of a Walla Walla area farmer and an opera singer. He spent his childhood here, attending local schools before moving to the west side of the state as a teen after his parents’ divorce. He returned to the community to study at Whitman College, where he earned a degree in literature.
His acting career launched in the late 1950s with a professional name change to Adam West. He had supporting roles in horse operas, including “Colt .45” and “Bonanza” and earned a recurring role as Sgt. Steve Nelson in “The Detectives.” He had roles on the big screen in “Geronimo” and “Robinson Crusoe on Mars,” among others, before landing the role that would make him a household name.
West’s 120-episode run as the caped crusader ran 1966-1968 and included a movie. Moving on from the signature role was difficult, as he felt the effects of typecasting. He worked to overcome it and found tremendous success in voice work, including 14 years as the unhinged Mayor Adam West in “Family Guy.”
West died in June 2017 after a brief battle with leukemia.
Three months later, the community’s first Adam West Day launched. The celebration is one commemorative dedicate to Walla Walla’s most famous celebrity. Work continues to raise funds for a statuary tribute as well.