Here’s our weekly round-up of events from May 1 – 7 on Mercer Island:

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, May 2
Young Toddlers (12 – 24 months) – 10:30 – 11 am
Toddlers (2 – 3 years) – 11:30 am – Noon

Thursday, May 4
Infants (0 – 12 months) – 10:30 – 11 am
Preschoolers (3 – 6 years) – 1 – 1:30 pm

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Community Coffee Hour
Wednesday, May 3 & Friday, May 5, 9 – 10 am
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 fun and engaging atmosphere with people from the community.

For more information, call MICEC at 206-275-7909 or email at [email protected].

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Storybook Corner
Wednesday, May 3, 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 >>

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Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Wednesday, May 3, 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.

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Israel Story Live: “Melting Pot” Radio Podcast Show
Wednesday, May 3, 7:30 pm
Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 East Mercer Way

When David Ben Gurion envisioned Israel and Israeli identity, he anticipated diverse cultures uniting. Seven decades later, Israel’s President Rivlin voiced concern for the future of “Israeliness,” in a country divided along “tribal” lines (Arabs, ultra-Orthodox, national religious or secular).

With their unforgettable blend of radio-podcast longform storytelling, music, and visuals, the Israel Story team – Israel’s “This American Life,” brought to you by Tablet Magazine and PRX, the Public Radio Exchange – investigates Ben Gurion’s dream and Rivlin’s reality. They ask: whatever happened to Gurion’s simple, yet complicated notion of an Israeli “melting pot”?
Learn more >>

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Spring Mini Book Sale 
May 4 – 7 | 10 am – close (see hours online)
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE

Mercer Island Library’s Spring Mini Book Sale will take place from Thursday, May 4th to closing time on Sunday, May 7th. While it’s a mini-sale, there are so many great books available to purchase! You’ll have no trouble finding lovely books for your family and friends or a special book for yourself. Open during regular hours of operation.

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Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce Luncheon
Thursday, May 4, Noon – 1:15 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street

Blake Messer of Newfangled Commerce will be the speaker at this month’s Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Messer will give a talk on “Social Marketing for Entrepreneurs,” discussing how to use various social media marketing strategies to recycle existing customers, target new customers, and produce compelling content. He’ll also talk about common mistakes made by marketers, how to get a reaction from your message, and getting a return on your advertising dollars. Make your reservation by May 2nd at 9 am, before it’s too late!
Learn more >>

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Tabletop Thursdays
Thursday, May 4, 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. The 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, 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].

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“Garden of Eden” Art Show Opening Reception 
Thursday, May 4, 5 – 8 pm
MIVAL Gallery, Avellino Building, 2836 78th Ave SE

This month’s art show is titled “Garden of Eden,” and its featured artist is Omar Chapa, a fine arts photographer whose focus for this show will be photographs of various gardens from around the world. The show will be from May 4 – 28.

Meet Omar and view his work, as well as several new works from other MIVAL members, at the opening reception on May 4th.  There will be live music and refreshments will be served. All are welcome.
Learn more >>

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Youth Theatre Northwest presents The Hundred Dresses
May 5 – 21
Fridays & Saturdays, 7 pm; Saturdays & Sundays, 2 pm
Parish Hall Theatre – Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave SE

Based on the book by Eleanor Estes and adapted by Mary Hall Surface, The Hundred Dresses is about why it’s so important to stand up to bullies, even when they’re your friends.

Maddie doesn’t agree with how her friend, Peggy, and all her classmates bully Wanda, but Maddie doesn’t speak up out of fear of getting teased herself. After Wanda’s family moves away, Maddie realizes her silence can be just as hurtful as bullying, and she takes a different stand when her classmates find a new target.

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Annual Crest Plant Sale: Garden Gnomes Attack! 
Saturday, May 6, 9 am – 3 pm
Mercer Island High School, 4160 86th Avenue SE

Located in the Crest Learning Center Greenhouse, MIHS students will be selling plants at their annual plant and horticulture sale. This year’s theme is “Garden Gnomes Attack!” Come support the Crest Urban Horticulture class at MIHS, a college and career readiness science course.
Learn more >>

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Restoration Event
Saturday, May 6, 10 am – 2 pm
Island Crest Park, 5800 Island Crest Way
Meet: parking lot.

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.

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Parents’ Night Out!
Saturday, May 6, 5 – 10 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street

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, code #16968.

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PJ Story Time with Nancy Stewart
Saturday, May 6, 6 – 6:30 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE

This month’s storyteller and singer is Nancy Stewart. Geared especially for children three and up; refreshments will be served.
Learn more >>

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Wind & Waves: Music for Flute, Harp, and Piano
Saturday, May 6, 7:00 pm
Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave SE

Come enjoy the relaxing musical styling of the flute, harp, and piano, part of the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church concert series. Open to all and free to attend; donations accepted.
Learn more >>

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Writers Read Out
Sunday, May 7, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE

Writers read 5 minutes of their unpublished work. We welcome funny, feisty, fantastic, historic, erotic, mysterious, poetic, genre-bending, device wielding, shape-shifting, mind-blowing, but no drama over the time limit. 5 means 5. Want to read? Reserve a spot online at our website. Questions? Contact [email protected]. Ages 18+. Listeners welcome!