Here’s my weekly round-up of events for the week of July 18-24 on Mercer Island:
Lunch Bunch Storytimes in the Park 
Tuesday, July 19, Noon – 12:45 pm
Deane’s Children’s Park (Dragon Park), 5500 Island Crest Way
Bring your lunch to Dragon Park and enjoy stories while you munch! Family program offered by the Mercer Island Library. All ages welcome.
Storybook Corner 
Wednesday, July 20, 10:30 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 >>
Shakespeare in the Park
Thursday, July 21 & Friday, July 22, 7 pm; Saturday, July 23, 7 pm & Sunday, July 24, 2pm & 7 pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre, 2040 84th Ave SE
Summer Outdoor Theater. Sponsored by The Mercer Island Arts Council, Wooden O presents two Shakespeare plays with multiple performances at the Luther Burbank Park amphitheatre in July and August. With open seating and an outdoor setting, Wooden O brings the Shakespeare plays to life, engaging audiences of all ages.
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Synopsis: The idealistic resolve of four young men gets tested by four young ladies who show up at their doorstep. The King and his friends vow to abstain from women’s company for three years. They plan to devote their time to academics. The Princess of France and her ladies arrive for a visit just as the vows leave the men’s lips. It’s will against want and heart against head in this delightful summer romance.
Hamlet
Synopsis: After receiving news of his father’s death, a young man comes home to a much changed world. Doubt, uncertainty, and grief dog him at every turn. Struggling to make sense of the new order, Hamlet faces a crossroad. He can consent, or rage against the injustice around him. Rich with soaring language, Shakespeare’s masterpiece opens up with fresh insights with each new viewing.
Forest Stewardship & Restoration Event
Saturday, July 23, 9 am – 3 pm
Gallagher Hill Open Space, 9611 SE 36th St
Summer celebrations continue in our beautiful forested parks and open spaces. Join your friends and neighbors to remove invasive plants and care for native plantings. All ages welcome! We provide tools and supplies.
Learn more >>
Mercer Island Library Reopening Celebration & Ribbon Cutting
Saturday, July 23, 9:30 am
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
The Mercer Island Library is reopening following a two-month remodel project. The King County Library System (KCLS) is hosting a celebration event and formal ribbon cutting at 9:30 am. Library staff and volunteers will provide refreshments and entertainment. All community members are welcome to attend for the unveiling of the interior updates.
Learn more >>
Movies in the Park – Wreck it Ralph
Saturday, July 23, 9:20 pm
Mercerdale Park, 3249 78th Ave SE
Join us for another great year of movies in Mercerdale. FREE family movies are shown on a giant inflatable screen in Mercerdale Park. Participants should bring blankets, lawn chairs, and flashlights. Movies are cancelled during inclement weather, so please call the Mercer Island Community & Event Center at 206-275-7609 to confirm showings on bad weather days. Fun activities and crafts related to the movie will begin an hour before show time.
Youth Theatre Northwest Presents: Glinda of Oz 
Thursday, July 21, 11 am, Friday, July 22 & Saturday, July 23 7 pm; Sunday, July 24, 2 pm
Mercer Island High School Performing Arts Center, 9100 SE 42nd Street
There are three kinds of magic in the Land of Oz. Animals and beasts have their natural magic, Glinda and the Wizard practice sorcery, and Princess Ozma, supreme ruler of Oz, uses her fairy magic to keep the peace. But in a faraway corner of this enchanted land, a new kind of magic has been born. The kind of magic that leads to war.
It’s up to Princess Ozma and her dear old friend Dorothy to end a deadly feud between the Flatnoggins and the Skeezers. But things go horribly awry and the two princesses are trapped under a powerful spell. Who will return peace to Oz? Will their voices be heard in time?
Learn more >>
Mercer Island Farmers Market 
Sunday, July 24, 10 am – 3 pm
SE 32nd Street at Mercerdale Park (between 77th and 78th Ave SE)
Visit the Mercer Island Farmers Market for the widest array of top quality Washington foods fresh from the farm, the field or sea, artisan produced and/or ready to eat – plus music, children’s activities, artisan gifts, and more!
Here are the highlights this week:
- Featured Vendor: Gourminis
- Music by Michael Biller and Friends
- Kids: The Sweet Smells of Summer
