Here’s our weekly round-up of events from March 20 – 26 on Mercer Island:
Dr. Laura Kastner presents “Toxic Stress and the Pressure to Succeed”
Monday, March 20, 7 pm
Mercer Island High School Performing Arts Center, 9100 SE 42nd Street
Dr. Laura Kastner is returning to Mercer Island to share her lecture “Toxic Stress and the Pressure to Succeed.” The event is hosted by Mercer Island Parent Edge and Mercer Island Youth & Family Services (MIYFS). In her lecture, Dr. Kastner will explain how “toxic stress” factors affect students academically, mentally, and emotionally, as well as how parents themselves are affected by living in a high-performance culture.
This lecture is for parents of students of all ages. Free for PTA members within the Mercer Island School District. $10 at the door for non-Mercer Island PTA members.
View flyer for the event >>
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, March 21
Young Toddlers (12 – 24 months) – 10:30 – 11 am
Toddlers (2 – 3 years) – 11:30 am – Noon
Thursday, March 23
Infants (0 – 12 months) – 10:30 – 11 am
Preschoolers (3 – 6 years) – 1 – 1:30 pm
Community Coffee Hour
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
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 social, fun, engaging atmosphere with people from the community.
Wednesday, March 22
9 – 10 am
Friday, March 24
9 -10 am
Contact MI Community & Event Customer Service for more information at [email protected] or 206-275-7609.
Storybook Corner
Wednesday, March 22, 10:30 – 11 am
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Bring your little ones in to enjoy popular picture books read by our staff or special guests.
Learn more >>
Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Wednesday, March 22, 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.
Cookbook Book Club Meeting: Short Stack Editions
Wednesday, March 22, 7 – 9 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
The ethos behind Short Stack Editions is simple: Pair honest, common ingredients with trusted voices in the culinary world, and you get inspired recipes you can actually cook at home. Organized by 18 ingredients, the Short Stack Cookbook takes readers though staples found in the kitchen and presents new ways to cook with everyday items. In case you’re new to this popular recurring Island Books event, the Cookbook Book Club meets every other month to explore different cuisines and cookbooks and taste the dishes we’ve made. A festive potluck meal, in other words, and we’ll supply the drinks. Follow the link below for more details !
Learn more >>
Retired or Rewired: Creating a Fulfilling Third Act
Wednesday, March 22, 7 – 8:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Are you planning retirement and still want to make a contribution, learn something new, or set a bigger goal without reporting to a job every day? Are you already retired and want to shake it up a little? Join us as we talk about options, share ideas, and learn what others do to avoid becoming invisible.
This event is part of the “Everyone’s Talking About It” program hosted through the King County Library System. Join in on conversations about lively, relevant topics in your community.
Board Game Thursdays
Thursday, March 23, 4 – 7 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
Drop by for an afternoon of board games and hanging out. Mercer Island Community & Events Center has 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, and all your favorites- Ticket to Ride, Connect 4, Monopoly and MORE. Free for ages 7 – 14.
Learn more >>
Leif Whittaker, Author of My Old Man and the Mountain
Thursday, March 23, 7 – 8:30 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
In 1963, the world followed the first American Mount Everest Expedition, and watched as “Big Jim” Whittaker became the first American to stand on top of the world. My Old Man and the Mountain is Leif Whittaker’s engaging and humorous story of what it was like to “grow up Whittaker,” as the youngest son of Jim Whittaker and Dianne Roberts, and amid an extended family of accomplished climbers.
Join Island Books as Leif Whittaker discusses his life stories from My Old Man and the Mountain – learn about his first adventures with family in the Olympic Mountains and on Mount Rainier; his close, yet at times competitive, relationship with his brother Joss; his battle with a serious back injury; and his efforts to stand apart from his father’s legacy.
Learn more >>
Youth Theatre Northwest presents TEXT
FINAL WEEKEND OF SHOWS!
March 10 – 26 | Fridays & Saturdays, 7 pm; Sundays, 2 pm
Youth Theatre NW – Parish Hall Theatre, 4400 86th Ave SE
TEXT uses original scenes, music, and movement to present the lives of two different groups of friends. Some characters face universal trials like: stress, school dances, sexuality, and navigating the growing pangs of friendship. Others grapple with additional issues from depression to eating disorders. A moving and often humorous glimpse into the lives and hearts of teenagers told in their own authentic voices, TEXT is not merely a performance–it is a conversation that will last beyond the final curtain.
Learn more >>
Classics on Film Winter Series
Friday, March 24, 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Aljoya – Theater, 2430 76th Ave SE
This week’s film is Mister Roberts (1955). The Mercer Island Arts Council, with support from The Mercer Island Sister City Association, present the Classics on Film Series. Screenings begin with an introduction by film historian Lance Rhoades and end with a Q&A session. Free and open to the public, with refreshments provided courtesy of Aljoya. All films are presented with English subtitles unless otherwise indicated.
Spring 2017 Recycling Collection Event
Saturday, March 25, 9 am – 3 pm
Mercer Island Boat Launch, 3600 East Mercer Way
The City of Mercer Island will once again be offering its very popular Spring community recycling event!
Safely dispose of the old equipment and household items that are cluttering your basement or garage. The City will also be selling discounted rain barrels (approx. 50 Gal) for just $25 (cash only and while supplies last). Learn about the permitted and non-permitted donation items by visiting the link below.
Restoration Event
Saturday, March 25, 10 am – 2 pm
Pioneer Park, Island Crest Way & SE 68th Street
Meet: Kiosk at the corner of Island Crest Way & SE 68th Street
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 >>
27th Annual Ikebana Exhibition: Dawn of Spring
Sogetsu Mercer Island Branch, 8236 SE 24th Street
Sogetsu Mercer Island Branch cordially invites you to their 27th annual Ikebana Exhibition, “Dawn of Spring.” Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arrangements. At the Annual Exhibition, members display their beautiful work. On Sunday at 1:30 pm, there will be a live demonstration of artists creating Ikebana arrangements.
Saturday, March 25
11 am – 5 pm
Sunday, March 26
11:30 am – 4 pm
Parents’ Night Out!
Saturday, March 25, 5 – 10 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th St
Leave the kids with us – go get dinner, grab a movie, go shopping or enjoy some alone time…you deserve it! Your little minions will have a blast with our staff; eating pizza, watching a movie, doing arts and crafts and of course playing a TON of games. Must register seven days prior to course date. Registration is required.
The Lyric Arts Ensemble: A Fresh Bouquet of Harmonies
Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave SE
Saturday, March 25, 7 pm
Led by conductor Kenneth L. DeJong, the Lyric Arts Ensemble present a musical performance to welcome Spring, with music by Handel, Mozart, and much more. Free admission.
Learn more >>
