Your guide to life on
Mercer Island, WA
Brought to you by The Sirianni Group
Here’s our weekly round-up of events from April 23 – 29 on Mercer Island:
Parent Edge & the MI Forefront Team present:
Youth Suicide Prevention for Parents
Monday, April 23, 7 pm
Islander Middle School, 7447 84th Ave SE
Learn evidence-based prevention strategies to help youth in crisis stay safe and get support. Like first aid and CPR, this valuable knowledge supports healthy families and communities. www.intheforefront.org for more information.
Learn more >>
MISF’s Annual Breakfast of Champions Fundraiser
Tuesday, April 24, 7 – 8:30 am
Mercer Island High School, 9100 SE 42nd St
Mercer Island Schools Foundation invites you to come celebrate excellence in education with business, community leaders, and corporate sponsors who will demonstrate their support for Mercer Island students, teachers, and their schools. This will be a wonderful opportunity to hear inspirational stories from students of all grades and help raise funds for MISF. The morning’s showcase program will feature student and teacher speakers who have participated in Mercer Island Schools Foundation funded programs. Make sure to reserve your seat!
Learn more >>
Spring Story Times at the Library
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Join the Mercer Island Children’s Librarian for stories, songs, rhymes, and fun in these 30-minute programs designed especially for you and your young child.
Tuesday April 24
Young Toddlers (12 – 24 months) – 10:30 – 11 am
Toddlers (2 – 3 years) – 11:30 am – Noon
Thursday April 26
Infants (0 – 12 months) – 10:30 – 11 am
Preschoolers (3 – 6 years) – 1 – 1:30 pm
Learn more >>
Money Smart Week
April 24 – 26 | Various times
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
The Mercer Island Library is hosting a series on investing for Money Smart Week. Experienced investors and educators from the local non-profit Better Investing Puget Sound Chapter will share tips and strategies to secure your financial future by saving and investing now.
Visit the link below for Tuesday’s event information, and check out the Events on the Mercer Island Library website to find out more about the rest of the week’s events.
Learn more >>
Middle School Book Club
Tuesday, April 24, 3 – 4 pm
Islander Middle School, 7447 84th Ave SE
This book club is for middle school students who want to read books together, share books, and talk about books. Bring your own books to share. There will be treats, too. Please note: This will be taking place at Islander Middle School Library!
Learn more >>
Community Coffee Hour
Wednesday, April 25 & Friday, April 27, 9 – 10 am
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th St
Join Mercer Island Parks & Recreation for Community Coffee Hour every Wednesday and Friday! This is a free program for kids, teens, adults, seniors, and families. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee in a fun and engaging atmosphere with people from the community.
For more information, call MICEC at 206-275-7909 or email at [email protected].
Storybook Corner
Wednesday, April 25, 10:30 – 11 am
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Bring your little ones in to enjoy popular picture books read by Island Books’ staff or special guests.
Learn more >>
Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Wednesday, April 25, 10:30 am – Noon
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Have fun singing songs, telling stories, reading books, creating art, and playing. Kaleidoscope Play & Learn is in English. Ages 5 years and younger with caregiver. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library.
Learn more >>
High Noon Tea & Cookbook Talk with Nigella Lawson
Wednesday, April 25, Noon
SJCC, 3801 East Mercer Way
Home cooks and fans of ABC’s The Taste will be excited to meet British cookbook author, cultural icon, and TV personality Nigella Lawson for a lunchtime event in celebration of her new cookbook, At My Table. A lucky few can purchase VIP tickets and join Nigella for a private signing and catered high tea featuring light lunch bites and specialty teas from local Sholom Tea Company. Cultural conversationalist Warren Etheredge moderates. General admission includes talk and cookbook.
Learn more >>
Wine Wednesdays @ Caruccio’s
Wednesday, April 25, 5 – 9 pm
Caruccio’s, 2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 100
Purchase your wine by the glass from a rotating selection of wines. Each glass includes delicious appetizers served buffet-style. No need to purchase tickets for Wine Wednesday.
Learn more >>
Tabletop Thursdays
Thursday, April 26, 4 – 7 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
Drop by for an afternoon of board games, video games, playing pool or ping-pong, and hanging out. There’s a huge selection of games, and the staff is always up to taking on a new competitor. Games include: Codenames, Mission Red Planet, Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, Connect 4, Monopoly, and more. Free for ages 7 – 14.
For more information, call MICEC at 206-275-7909 or email at [email protected].
MIHS Drama Production – The Servant of Two Masters
April 26 – May 5 | Thursday – Saturday, 7 pm & Saturday, 2pm
MIHS Performing Arts Center, 9100 SE 42nd St
Please join MIHS Drama Department as they present their spring play, The Servant of Two Masters, by Carlo Goldoni and adapted by Christopher Bayes and Steven Epp. A timeless comedy about love, passion and mistaken identity, The Servant of Two Masters tells the story of Truffaldino, who takes on two masters in order to get a good meal. Chaos, confusion, and hilarity ensue. Pulling from the Italian tradition of commedia dell’arte, this show uses improvisation and mask work to tell its colorful and fun tale. Come join the laughter. Tickets are $10 presale, $15 at the door, and $5 for seniors 65+. You can purchase tickets at school during both lunches, from members of the cast, or online.
Learn more >>
Opera Preview: Aida by Giuseppe Verdi
Thursday, April 26, 7 – 8:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
By the late 1860s, Giuseppe Verdi was in his mid-fifties and the most famous Italian opera composer of his time. He didn’t need to write any more operas to be able to spend the rest of his life with both fame and wealth. But a request from the ruler of Egypt for an opera that would be performed to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal intrigued Verdi. Aida was the result of this commission. This free lecture, provided to increase the enjoyment and appreciation of Seattle Opera productions, will feature Norm Hollingshead and recorded musical excerpts. Space is limited. First come, first seated.
Learn more >>
Open Book Club: This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
Thursday, April 26, 7:30 – 9 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
In April, Island Books’ Open Book Club will read and discuss Laurie Frankel’s This Is How It Always Is. This novel is about revelations, transformations, fairy tales, and family. And it’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again, parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts, children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever. Island Books’ open book club meets the last Thursday of every month. The staff facilitator chooses both fiction and nonfiction titles. All are welcome to attend, and if you purchase your book at the store, you’ll always get a 10% discount.
Learn more >>
Lunchtime Lessons with Sarah Boyd
Friday, April 27, 11:30 am – 1 pm
Caruccio’s, 2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 100
Join Caruccio’s for another “Lunchtime Lesson” and delightful lunch with the ever popular personal chef, Sarah Boyd. This week, Sarah will teach you how to make a Southern-style dish of Shrimp and Grits, along with a salad and cookies for dessert. You’ll learn how to create these dishes, eat a tasty lunch, and recreate the meal at home!
Learn more >>
Colors of the West: Watercolor Sketching
Friday, April 27, 1 – 2:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Learn fun techniques for painting iconic landscapes, as well as the flora and fauna of the American west, from artist, author, and teacher Molly Hashimoto. Techniques will be offered from Molly’s recent book Colors of the American West: An Artist’s Guide to Nature’s Palette. Registration is required.
Learn more >>
Independent Bookstore Day 2018
Saturday, April 28, 8 am – 8 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Island Books is one of several independent book stores that will be hosting festivities for the nationally-recognized Independent Bookstore Day. This day-long festival at Island Books includes Nancy Stewart Storytime for kids and Ask the Authors, along with free doughnuts, coffee, all-day coloring for kids, a temporary tattoo and Instagram photo booth station, musical entertainment, giveaways, and so much more! Check out the link below to get a complete list of all the exciting activities.
Learn more >>
Restoration Event
Saturday, April 28, 10 am – 2 pm
Pioneer Park, Island Crest Way & 68th Street
Meet: corner of 84th Ave SE & SE 68th
Each year, Mercer Island citizens donate hundreds of hours of their time to maintain the community’s parks and open spaces: picking up litter, planting trees, cutting down ivy, painting over graffiti, or repairing trails.
Learn more >>
Medicine Take Back Day
Saturday, April 28, 10 am – 2 pm
City Hall, 9611 SE 36th Street
Bring your expired, unwanted, or unused prescription and over-the-counter medications to City Hall for Medicine Take Back Day. This one-day event provides residents with a no-cost, anonymous collection of unwanted and expired prescriptions (including narcotics) as well as over-the-counter medicines. Protect our kids, families, and environment by properly disposing of your unwanted and expired medicines. Medicines in the home are a leading cause of accidental poisoning, and flushed or trashed medicines can end up polluting waterways and fish. Rates of prescription drug abuse are alarmingly high: over half of teens abusing medicines get them from a family member or friend, including the home medicine cabinet, and often without anyone’s knowledge.
Questions? Please call MI Youth and Family Services at 206-275-7755. Learn what is or is not accepted by following the link below. Note: Please take drop-offs to the west side of the building / lower loading dock area.
Learn more >>
Native Garden Tour
Saturday, April 28, 12:30 – 1:15 pm
Mercerdale Park (meet at Native Garden sign), 3009 77th Ave SE
Laura Drake, 6 year old Junior Naturalist, will show you where a male Anna’s Hummingbird often perches, offer you a taste of an edible big leaf maple flower, teach you about the Trillium and Shore Pine she “adopted,” and share her favorite facts about native plants and birds. Plant signs for children wishing to “adopt” a plant will be provided. For more information, email [email protected] Especially for children and families, but all are welcome.
Learn more >>
MIVAL Jr. Sumi-e Workshop
Saturday, April 28, 1 – 3 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
MIVAL Jr. is hosting a workshop for kids. Teaching artist Lois Yoshida will talk about the history of Sumi-e art (Japanese Ink and Brush), introduce traditional tools, and teach Sumi-e brushstroke techniques. This workshop is geared for kids grades 4 – 12. Be sure to sign up ahead of time, as space is limited to 25 students.
Learn more >>
3rd Annual Stand Up for Healing Laughter
Saturday, April 28, 8 – 9:30 pm (Doors open 7:15 pm)
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle**
Room Circus Medical Clowning presents their 3rd annual Stand Up for Healing Laughter event. This fun filled evening of stand up and physical comedy benefits Room Circus Medical Clowning at Seattle Children’s Hospital, featuring performances by Brett Hamil, Bill Robison, Peter Pitofsky, Christian Swenson (“Human Jazz”), and Kerfuffle (Linda Severt and Sarah Liane Foster). General admission tickets are $25. Beer and wine bar will be available. **Please note that this special event will take place in Seattle!**
Learn more >>
Gary Shteyngart Reading Group with UW Professor Sasha Senederovich
Sunday, April 29, 2:30 pm
J Café at SJCC, 3801 East Mercer Way
In advance of the 2018 UW Stroum Lectures (May 7 and May 9) with bestselling author, New Yorker contributor, and satirist Gary Shteyngart, read excerpts from his memoir Little Failure and engage in an illuminating discussion facilitated by UW Comparative Literature and Jewish Studies Professor Sasha Senderovich. Little Failure is a humorous, touching, and deeply honest exploration of Shteyngart’s family history, delving into the 20th-century experience of Jews in the Soviet Union through immigration to the US.
Learn more >>
Brought to you by The Sirianni Group