Here’s our weekly round-up of events from January 15 – 21 on Mercer Island:
Keeping Our Kids Safe
Tuesday, January 15, 7 – 9 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Please join us for a Safe and Healthy Kids event! We will start with a “Be SMART” presentation that offers tips on preventing gun violence (important even if you don’t own a gun!), followed by a “Savvy Parents, Safe Kids” presentation, focusing on body safety, boundaries, safety tips, and how to talk to kids without scaring them. Appropriate for adults, parents, and caregivers. “Be SMART” is designed for people caring for kids of all ages; “Savvy Parents, Safe Kids” is designed for people caring for children aged pre-K to grade 3. For more information, check out these websites: http://besmartforkids.org/ and http://savvyparentssafekids.com.
City Council Regular Meeting
Tuesday, January 15, 7 pm
City Hall Council Chambers, 9611 SE 36th St
Watch the City Council Regular Meeting live! Some of the topics on the agenda include an Executive Session to review the performance of a public employee, an Aubrey Davis Park Master Plan update, and a swearing in ceremony for Councilmember Lisa Anderl.
Mercer Island Art Guide
Monday – Sunday, January 14 – 20
Stop by and check out the art currently on display at the art galleries around Mercer Island!
Clarke & Clarke Art + Artifacts
7605 SE 27th St, Suite 105
Paintings by Valeree Cox & Susanne Werner, Paper Vessels by Noble Golden
Suzanne Zahr / SZ Gallery
2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 160
Ceramics, Pottery, & Paintings by Monir & Mehdi Ghanbeigy
MIVAL Gallery
Avellino Building, 2836 78th Ave SE
Handcrafted gifts by local artists
Mercer Island Community & Event Center Gallery
8236 SE 24th Street
Works of art by Northwest Artists in Action Guild
Community Coffee Hour
Wednesday, January 16 & Friday, January 18, 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 or tea while catching up with old acquaintances or meeting new friends.
For more information, call MICEC at 206-275-7909 or email at [email protected].
Storybook Corner
Wednesday, January 16, 10:30 – 11 am
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Bring your little ones to enjoy popular picture books read by Island Books’ staff or special guests.
Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Wednesday, January 16, 10:30 am – Noon
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Bring your children, 5 years and younger, and enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, art, and play!
Wine Wednesdays at Caruccio’s
Wednesday, January 16, 5 – 9 pm
Caruccio’s, 2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 100
When you purchase your wine by the glass or bottle from our rotating selection of wines, you may enjoy an aperitivo-style buffet on our 21 foot curved countertop.
Artist’s Reception – Frankie Chapman
Wednesday, January 16, 6 – 8 pm
Barrels Wine Bar, 7605 SE 27th Street
Join us for an Artist’s Reception honoring Mercer Island’s own Frankie Chapman. Her art will be for sale and available at Barrels. Come in and discover Frankie’s world at Barrels.
Teen Advisory Board
Wednesday, January 16, 7 – 8:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Join us to talk about books and topics of the day. Express your opinion! Plan events for the community and focus on issues that are important to you. Light snacks provided. You can also earn volunteer credit.
Science Fun for Little Ones
Thursday, January 17, 1 – 3 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Bring your kids, ages 3 to 6, to explore electricity & create your own contraption that moves using simple circuits, motorized vibration and recycled materials. Think like an engineer to modify designs to produce new forms of wiggly jiggly motorized movement! Registration not required, but space is limited. Presented by KidsQuest Children’s Museum.
Tabletop Thursdays
Thursday, January 17, 4 – 7 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th St
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].
Live Music – “…And All That Jazz”
Thursday, January 17, 6 – 8 pm
Barrels Wine Bar, 7605 SE 27th Street
Stop in and grab a glass of wine and enjoy the live music featuring “…And All That Jazz”.
Author Talk: New York Times Editor Jonathan Weisman
Thursday, January 17, 7:30 pm
SJCC, 3801 East Mercer Way
Based on personal experience after being attacked on Twitter by a wave of neo-Nazis and anti-Semites, New York Times editor and journalist Jonathan Weisman’s new book, (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in the Age of Trump, looks at how the Jewish American experience has changed, especially under President Trump, and how society can move forward to fight anti-Semitism and defend those even more vulnerable.
Classics on Film : Arcibel’s Game
Friday, January 18, 7:30 pm
Aljoya, 2430 76th Ave SE
The Classics on Film series, sponsored by the Arts Council, celebrates the amazing variety of chess-themed cinema with the film, Arcibel’s Game. Film historian Lance Rhoades will introduce and lead a Q&A following the film. All screenings are free and open to the public.
Youth Theatre Northwest presents Mary Poppins Jr.
Friday, January 18 – February 3, times vary
SJCC, 3801 East Mercer Way
Don’t miss the Youth Theatre Northwest’s production of Mary Poppins, Jr., a musical based on the stories of P.L Travers and the Walt Disney film and directed by Kate Swenson. The Banks children of Cherry Tree Lane are out of control and their parents are desperate to find a new nanny. When a mysterious young woman named Mary Poppins appears at their door, the family finds that she’s the answer to their problems, but in the most peculiar way. Mary Poppins will take everyone on a magical, memorable, musical adventure where “anything can happen if you let it.” Best suited for kids, age 5+.
Safe Kids 101
Saturday, January 19, 9 am – 12 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
Kids think they are ready to stay home alone and parents wonder if it’s okay to let them. This three-hour class will help your 9 to 13 year old take the next step in independence while giving you peace of mind. Topics include: responsibilities when staying home alone, simple first aid and abdominal thrusts for choking victims, how to navigate the online world, fire safety, and what to do around an aggressive dog. We’ll also discuss the truth behind abuse, abduction, and stranger danger. All participants will receive the Safe Kids 101 book.
Chocolate Class
Saturday, January 19, 7 – 9 pm
Oh! Chocolate, 2703 76th Ave SE
Oh! Chocolate hosts “Chocolate” classes at the Mercer Island chocolate shop for those who want to know more about their favorite indulgence and for those who just want to “play in the chocolate!” The classes usually last from 1.5 to 2 hours and includes the art of tempering chocolate and dipping special treats to take home.
Dinner at Our House
Sunday, January 20, 5 pm
SJCC, 3801 East Mercer Way
Whisk, simmer, flip, bake, and blend as we cook a Sunday dinner in the SJCC kitchen for homeless teens. A great family activity to help make a difference for homeless teens. Dinners are delivered to YouthCare, a Seattle organization working to get homeless teens off the streets and prepared for life.
School’s Out Camps: Camp Kef
Monday, January 21, 9 am-4 pm
SJCC, 3801 East Mercer Way
Kef means fun in Hebrew and just like J Camp in the summer we will have active group games, do creative art projects, celebrate with song and swim. Camp is for kids in Kindergarten – 5th grade.
Orangetheory High School MLK Day Class
Monday, January 21, Noon
Mercer Island Orangetheory Fitness, 2601 76th Ave SE
Teens are invited to a free class with Orangetheory Fitness! Your class combines three aspects into one workout: science, coaching, and technology. One can’t work without the other: this trifecta is essential for your workout, and essential for you. Must be 16 years old and without a parent.
Contact Amy Wolff at 425-278-5709 or [email protected] with questions.