Skip and Sip: an adult Irish dance class and social event 

5 – 5:30 p.m. – ‘Skip’ Irish dance class, Carroll-Henderson Studio, 6121 176th St. S.W., Lynnwood

5:45 – 7 p.m. – ‘Sip’ after class social, Edway Tap House, 22811 100th Ave. W., Edmonds

Sunday, Aug. 18

No one is too old to try Irish dancing or to reconnect with a past dancing passion! The Carroll-Henderson School of Irish Dancing is hosting a free Adult Irish Dance Event for 21-plus-year-olds to try or reconnect with this lively dance form and meet others in the area. Starting in their studio, dancers will enjoy a 30-minute open class where they will learn to “skip” and other Irish dance movements in group and solo dancing. Following the class, dancers will travel to the newly opened Edway Tap House to enjoy a social “sip!”

When speaking to adult and child Irish dancers, the highlight of this dance form is the community that comes with it. This aspect has historical roots from when dancers and musicians gathered at social halls in Irish villages and towns for lively music and dance evenings, or ceol agus damhsa. The Skip and Sip will build off of that powerful social aspect of dancing and connect individuals not only to the dance form but also to a community of Irish dance lovers or enthusiasts.

Do you need to have prior dance experience? No! Irish dancing has entry points for all levels, and this class is a perfect starting point. Do I have too much Irish dance experience? No. There is always something new to learn and a new community to meet.

Don’t miss out on this adult Irish dancing event. RSVP today.

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Korean fusion performance team Baekeui (百意) to visit Seattle for Support 7 fundraising event

12 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, Edmonds Stillhouse Coffee, 558 Main St., Edmonds

4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, He Brews Coffee, 3101 184th St. S.W. #104, Lynnwood

The Korean fusion performance team Baekeui (百意) will visit the Seattle area from Aug. 23 to 25. This visit, organized by Albero Entertainment, marks Baekeui’s second appearance in Seattle following their initial visit in 2022.

Their performance, after-party, and fundraising event will support and promote Support 7, a nonprofit organization that has served South Snohomish County for over 40 years. They partner directly with local fire, police, and emergency responder agencies to assist victims, survivors, and their families in transitioning from crisis and trauma to hope and healing.

Other regional performances:

 6:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23, WABA Korea Expo & FestIval, Magnuson Park Hangar 30, 6310 N.E. 74th St., Seattle

11 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 25, Kirkland Urban Coffee Lounge, 9744 N.E. 119th Way, Kirkland

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‘The Final Boss’ Original Staged Reading – One Night Only

7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 25, Wade James Theatre, 950 Main St., Edmonds

The Edmonds Driftwood Players are staging a free reading of The Final Boss by Alison Reeger Cook, directed by Diane Jamieson. The reading is a part of the First Draft staged reading series presented by the Edmonds Driftwood Players and Driftwood After Dark.

The Final Boss features Moonscar and Squeak, two great adventurers on a quest to discover an ancient gate that will lead to their hearts’ greatest desires. The only catch? They can’t get through the gate without defeating the Final Boss. And the Final Boss is nowhere to be found. While waiting for their fates to unfold, the two companions reveal secrets that start to test them in ways that no battles, monsters or feats of daring have before, making them question the very nature of their world. Matters only get more complicated as two new combatants find them, one of whom is Moonscar’s ex. Maybe this whole “quest to end all quests” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

*Content Warning: some adult language, sword fighting, discussions of violence and suicide

Admission is free, but reservations are required; sign up here.

Also, as a reminder, individual show tickets are on sale now for EDP’s 66th season. Book yours today!

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North Sound Church presents a free Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Concert

7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 25, North Sound Church, 404 Bell St., Edmonds,

Experience the breathtaking beauty of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as North Sound Church and the Northwest Strings Octet come together for an unforgettable performance. The cherry on top: Admission is free!

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ECA announces free Dementia-Inclusive Workshop Series

10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., three Wednesdays, Oct. 2, Nov. 6, and Dec. 4, the Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 4th Ave. N., Edmonds

Edmonds Center for the Arts is thrilled to announce the return of its award-winning Dementia-Inclusive Series, which provides free creative and social enrichment for individuals experiencing early-stage memory loss, their caregivers, families and friends.

The series is a collaborative effort involving senior services organizations, eldercare and memory care professionals, and arts groups in the Puget Sound region. ECA is committed to providing a space where community members experiencing memory loss feel welcome and valued, their creative contributions are celebrated, and care partners and loved ones can spend joyful, quality time together.

The 2024 Dementia-Inclusive Workshop Series: A Community Journey through Art, Music & Movement is presented by ECA in partnership with SilverKite Community Arts LLC. This series includes three free workshops scheduled from October to December 2024. The workshops will consist of various activities, including music-making, movement, and visual arts.

Learn more and register here.

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The first Written in the North West Book Fair, plus local publisher shortlisted for the event’s Spruce Award

11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, Lynnwood Event Center, 3711 196th St. S.W., Lynnwood

The first Written in the NW Book Fair proudly presents shortlists for two awards: the Larch Award for younger readers and the Spruce Award for older teen and adult readers. The goal of each award is to celebrate the art of book creation and honor literary achievements by authors from the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Both traditionally published and independently published books were welcome to apply.

In this first round, books were judged by the author’s voice, readability, genre expectations, cover art, and whether the cover’s promise was met. The second round will have a more in-depth judging focusing on plot and character, among other judging categories. By recognizing works for different audiences, the book fair underscores its commitment to promoting literature for readers of all ages and in every genre.

Short List for the Larch Award, in no particular order:

Blades & Ballet: Enemy of the Wind by Nathan Reese Maher (NRM Books, 2023)

The Loudest Silence by Sydney Langford (Holiday House, 2024)

Just Like Click by Sandy Grubb (Fitzroy Books, 2024)

Princess Naomi Helps a Unicorn by Once Upon a Dance (Once Upon a Dance, 2021)

Home: A Story of Belonging
 by N.D. Byma (N.D Byma, 2023)

Bert and Smudge are Brothers by Colleen Stone (Brian Stone, 2023)

Short List for the Spruce Award, in no particular order:

Together in a Broken World by Paul Michael Winters (NineStar Press, 2024)

Till My Last Day (Book Two in the Desert Hills Trilogy) by Deborah Swenson (Nor-Mar Press, 2024)

The Worth of a Ruby by Lya Badgley (Atmosphere Press, 2023)

Lying Down with Dogs by Linda Caradine (Unsolicited Press, 2024)

From the 911 Files by Jackson Anhalt (Rainbow Quartz Publishing, 2023)

Hatched: Dragon Farmer (Book One of the Hatched Series) by Caren Hahn (Seventy-second Press, 2022)

Edmonds-based Rainbow Quartz Publishing announced that its author, Jackson Anhalt, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Written in the Northwest’s Spruce Award.

Winners of the Larch and Spruce Awards will be announced at the opening ceremony of the first Written in the NW Book Fair, which will take place on Nov. 23 at the Lynnwood Event Center. The event will showcase over 80 authors ready to sign their books, readings of different genres, an open mic, and selfies with Krampus. For information or tickets, visit www.writteninthenw.com.

— 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.