I hope everyone who attended the Edmonds Arts Festival this weekend had a great time! My kids were glued to the Kids Create craft area and brought home lots of treasures.

Thank you to the fantastic volunteers who made the weekend so special. They had their work cut out for them with the wild weather; we saw rain, lightning, hail and sunshine all in the span of an hour.

Ales for the Arts reminder and Save the Arts update

4:45-9 p.m. Thursday, June 20: Brigid’s Bottleshop, 188 Sunset Avenue, Edmonds

4-9 p.m. Friday, June 21: The Boathouse Taproom, 180 West Dayton Street Suite 102, Edmonds

Don’t miss two opportunities to raise a pint to support the arts in our schools.

Stop by Brigid’s Bottleshop on Thursday to enjoy Edmonds School District jazz and musical combo acts and a mini-silent auction. Check out the auction items and register here. Ten percent of all sales go to the Foundation for the Edmonds School District (FESD). Next door, Thai By Day will donate 20 percent of food purchases if customers mention “Save the Arts.”

Friday at the Boathouse Taproom, the ESD Bands play from 4-6 p.m., followed by the Unknown Legends from 6-9 p.m.

Salish Brewing Company will offer a specialty beer, the “Performance Pale Ale.” Proceeds will go toward the FESD.

With the public’s support, the FESD has committed to raising funds to cover 1.4 FTEs for middle and high school performing arts instructors. Please ensure that essential programs remain operational and provide bridge funding for two years while the foundation develops long-term strategies for sustainable growth.

Goal: $600,000

Allocation to go to middle school and high school performing arts programs (grades 7-12):

2024/25 academic year: $285,000

2025/26 academic year: $315,000

Can’t make it to the Ales for the Arts events? You can still support the foundation by donating online.

~ ~ ~ ~

Story Time with Curtis Manley and Jennifer K. Mann

9:30 a.m. Friday, June 28, Edmonds Book Shop, 111 5th Ave. S., Edmonds

Author-led Story Time this month will feature children’s author Curtis Manley and illustrator Jennifer K. Mann. They will be presenting their book Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku, a beautifully told and illustrated story of a young boy and his family hiking at the South Sister volcano in Oregon.

There will be an art demonstration and a fun activity afterwards; all are welcome.

Manley has written several award-winning children’s picture books, many with nature and science themes. More info about his work can be found on his website. Jennifer Mann’s amazing art and her process of illustrating Climbing the Volcano can be seen on her site.

~ ~ ~ ~

Edmonds Driftwood Players announce 66th season

July 9 – return subscribers

July 23 – new subscribers

July 30 – individual tickets on sale

Save the dates to get tickets; these popular shows sell out quickly. EDP’s 66th Mainstage Season is bursting with variety and excitement, and the best way to enjoy it is with a season subscription. You’ll receive discounted tickets and a first pick of reserved seats, plus additional benefits.

Being a season subscriber is a great way to support your local Edmonds community theater; learn more about the shows here.

~ ~ ~ ~

Find Waldo in Edmonds! Local businesses join forces in beloved annual event celebrating ‘Shop Local’

July 1-30; Celebration party at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 31, Edmonds Bookshop, 111 5th Avenue South, Edmonds

Where’s Waldo? In Edmonds, of course! Celebrating its 12th anniversary in July, Find Waldo Local has become a beloved summertime event in communities nationwide.

This year, Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association are again teaming up with 310 independent bookstores nationwide, including Edmonds Bookshop, for some hide-and-seek fun designed to encourage residents to patronize their local businesses.

There is no charge to participate, and the hunt lasts for the entire month of July.

Families love joining the scavenger hunt to find the iconic children’s book character, with his red-and-white-striped shirt and black glasses, hidden in over 50 local businesses. Find Waldo Local is a wonderful way to support the ‘Shop Local’ movement by increasing foot traffic to a variety of stores.

To join in the fun, people can pick up a “Find Waldo Local in Edmonds!” stamp card at the Edmonds Bookshop or any participating businesses or organizations. With each miniature Waldo they spot, searchers get their cards stamped or signed by the participating business.

Eagle-eyed hunters can also look for Waldo’s special 2024 gold medal hidden in Edmonds Bookshop. Collecting stamps or signatures at 45 locations will entitle diligent seekers an entry into a grand prize drawing for Waldo books and other prizes, including gift cards from local Edmonds retailers.

All participants are welcome to attend the celebration party at Edmonds Bookshop at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 31.

Martin Handford’s collections of crowd scenes took the world by storm in the late 1980s, and since then, the books have held a cherished place on bookstore shelves, in family libraries and classrooms around the world. More than 80 million Waldo books have been sold worldwide, and they’ve been translated into over 30 languages.

For more information, call the Edmonds Bookshop at 425-775-2789.

~ ~ ~ ~

Olympic Ballet Theatre announces 2024/2025 performance season

Olympic Ballet Theatre (OBT) provides professional classical ballet and contemporary dance productions here in our own backyard! Season packages are available now. Individual tickets go on sale Aug. 1.

A classic tale and an audience favorite. Choreographed by Artistic Directors Oleg Gorboulev and Mara Vinson, this beloved holiday tradition will be presented at both the Edmonds Center for the Arts and the Everett Performing Arts Center.

An exciting double bill featuring new contemporary works by acclaimed choreographers Christopher Stowell, former Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Nadja Saidakova, celebrated former principal dancer with the Berlin State Ballet. Witness the creativity and artistry of these world-renowned talents in an unforgettable evening of dance.

A captivating blend of tradition and innovation in ballet, this unique production features excerpts from Marius Petipa’s timeless classic La Bayadere and OBT company dancer Alberto Gaspar’s contemporary work 1 in 10^2,685,000.

Mischief and magic intertwine in a charming story of mistaken identities and playful antics. Oleg Gorboulev and Mara Vinson’s Coppélia is hilarious and heartwarming, and sure to delight the whole family.

— By Elizabeth Murray

Elizabeth Murray is a freelance writer thankful to call Edmonds home. When she’s not busy wrangling her two kids (and husband), you can find her playing ukulele. She can be reached at elmm22@gmail.com.