Here’s our weekly round-up of events from November 28 – December 4 on Mercer Island:
The Power of Yes
Tuesday, November 29, 7 – 8:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
There’s a time and place for safety, comfort and common sense. But to live a creative life, sometimes you have to burst out the Y word and deal with some risk. Learn the power of this three-letter word with Jeff Leisawitz, award-winning musician / producer / filmmaker, and watch your life expand, your heart thump, and your creativity power up in huge and beautiful ways. Registration required.
Book Reading: Walter Harp, Author of Into the Funhouse
Tuesday, November 29, 7 – 8 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
In this true story, Walter Harp brings readers along for the ride on his hair-raising, heart-breaking, hope-making adventures with acute, life-threatening leukemia. He pulls no punches, writing with candor of the horrors of cancer as he humanizes it. This engrossing and poignant book is terrifying and tragic, uplifting and funny. Leukemia, like most serious illness, is fearsome particularly when it repeatedly recurs and no treatment options remain. It hijacks and destroys lives without warning, reason, or compassion. Despite dire odds, many people endure, even when they re-told the end has come. Into the Fun House is the story of one such survivor thus far–the leukemia keeps coming back–and his family, of living a normal life of work, joy, and love while simultaneously enduring a surreal, parallel world of medicine and menace.
Learn more >>
Storybook Corner
Wednesday, November 30, 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 >>
Play and Learn 
Wednesday, November 30, 10:30 am – Noon
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Have fun singing songs, telling stories, reading books, creating art and playing.
Winter Mini Book Sale
Thursday, December 1 – 4
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
While it’s a mini-sale, there are so many great books, you will have no trouble finding lovely gift selections for family and friends or a special book for yourself. The book sale is open during regular library hours of operation.
Chamber of Commerce Membership Luncheon
Speaker: Richard Galanti, CFO Costco Wholesale
Thursday, December 1, Noon
Mercer Island Community & Events Center, 8236 SE 24th St
Richard Galanti has been a part of Costco since its very beginning in the early 1980s, first as a broker helping the company with a $7.5 million funding deal, and shortly after as its CFO. The frank, personable executive puts a premium on being approachable to the public and employees and cultivating a “jerk-free” work culture. Costco, a worldwide retail chain whose finances he oversees was Washington’s largest public company by revenue in 2015, with more than $112.4 billion in sales. Make your reservations for the last luncheon of the year. Deadline for reservations is Tuesday, November 29th, 9 AM.
Learn more >>
First Thursday: Art + Wine Event
Thursday, December 1, 5 – 8 pm
Suzanne Zahr’s Annual Holiday Party
Suzanne Zahr / SZ Gallery
2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 160
All invited to the Suzanne Zahr, Art & Architecture, Annual Holiday Party! This is our opportunity to thank our wonderful community of Clients, Creatives, and Collaborators for a fun and fruitful year. Learn more about the Creative Collective: Suzanne Zahr [art & architecture] | SZ Build [general contractor] | Gary Henderson Interiors [interior design & furnishings] | L+B Design [visual experiences beautifully delivered] | Anna Skibska [featured artist]. Enjoy Bubbles & Bites, provided by The Islander. Festive attire!
Clarke & Clarke Art + Artifacts
‘The Art of Giving’ Event
7605 SE 27th St, Suite 105
Our theme for the December Art Walk is ‘The Art of Gift Giving.’ Join us and enjoy a glass of bubbly, a bonbon, and a sweet treat from New Seasons Bakery. We are honored to have been selected by Nancy Fischer to show her Ethnographic Esoteric Eclectic Adornment Collection. The Hollyce collection will be offered throughout the month of December along with the Beaded Turtle Collection by New Mexico/Oregon collector and dealer Sarah Gray.
Comedy Show: Gary Gulman
Thursday, December 1, 8 pm
Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 East Mercer Way
You’ve seen him on Inside Amy Schumer, The Tonight Show, and Conan, and now comedian Gary Gulman brings his A-List stand-up to the J. His comedy special “In This Economy” was named one of the 25 best stand-up specials on Netflix streaming, along with Louis C.K., Lewis Black, and Kevin Hart. Don’t miss the man The New York Times calls “one of the country’s strongest comedians.”
Learn more >>
“Soup and Sound” Advent Concert Series
Three Fridays – December 2, 9, 16
Soup served at 11:30 am; Performance begins at Noon
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 4400 86th Ave
Emmanuel Episcopal Church invites you to their “Soup and Sound” Advent Concert series with Advent and Christmas music. The event begins with a lunch of homemade soup and bread at 11:30 am followed by music in the church from Noon to 12:45 pm. This year’s concerts will be provided by Pacific MusicWorks; Susan E. Bloomfield, organ; and the Pacific NW Chamber Ensemble.
Learn more >>
St. Monica’s Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration
Friday, December 2, 5:30 – 8:30 pm
St. Monica Catholic Church, 4301 88th Ave SE
St. Monica invites the community to an evening of Christmas caroling, hot cocoa, and the lighting of the Christmas trees. Meet at the main school entrance for the Christmas tree lighting. Then walk down Snowflake Lane to the school gymnasium for dinner, Gingerbread house making, Christmas cookie decorating, crafts, and pictures with Santa.
Holiday Tree Lighting and Firehouse Munch
Friday, December 2, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
6:30 – 7 pm – Tree Lighting & Caroling
7 – 8:30 pm – Firehouse Munch & Activities
Mercerdale Park & North Fire Station, 77th Avenue SE and SE 32nd Street
Gather with your family, friends, and neighbors for the community tree lighting ceremony and caroling followed by treats, Santa photos, and other festive activities at the Firehouse. Bring an unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots drive to help a child in need have a better holiday season. This is a FREE event.
Restoration / Planting Event
Saturday, December 3, 9 am – 3 pm
Mercerdale Hillside Planting Event
Meet: Corner of 76th Ave SE & SE 37th
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.
Handmade Chocolate Holiday Gift Making for Teens
Saturday, December 3, 11 am – 12:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Chocolates make a great gift or enjoy them yourself! Make chocolate truffles, chocolate peppermint bark, and white chocolate popcorn. Chef Laurie Pfalzer will demonstrate caramel corn with dark chocolate drizzle. Package your creations and take them home to enjoy or give away! All supplies provided. For middle and high school students. Space is limited – first come, first served.
Islander Middle School Concert Choir
Saturday, December 3, 1 – 2 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Come to the library to hear our local middle school choir! The Islander Middle School Concert Choir will perform holiday favorites. You can go to the Friends of the Library Book Sale too.
Children’s Craft Workshop
Saturday, December 3, 1 – 4 pm
Evergreen Covenant Church, 3200 78th Ave SE
Children ages 3 to 13 in our community are invited to join us to make Christmas gifts for their friends and family. Each craft takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete, so please arrive in plenty of time to complete all the crafts you order. This is not a drop-off event. Parents can enjoy the Holiday Cafe while waiting. Please register in advance online.
Book Reading / Party: Maria Semple: Today Will Be Different
Saturday, December 3, 5 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
We’re having a Maria Semple party! And you’re invited! The booksellers at Island Books are Maria Semple’s devoted fans. In 2011, her hilarious razor-sharp sendup of privileged Seattle Where’d You Go, Bernadette? was our #1 bestseller of the year. So you can imagine how excited we are to welcome her back to celebrate the publication of her newest book, Today Will be Different, a hilarious, heart-filled story about reinvention, sisterhood, and how sometimes it takes facing up to our former selves to truly begin living. You won’t want to miss this event with a special writer who is near and dear to our hearts! We’ll be serving up refreshments and Maria will be serving her signature wit and style. Since space is limited, priority for seating will be granted to those who buy a copy of Today Will Be Different through Island Books.
Learn more >>
Island Choral Experience Annual Holiday Performances
Mercer Island High School, 9100 SE 42nd St
Island Girls & Prep Choir presents “The 12 Days of Christmas”
Saturday December 3, 7 pm | Sunday, December 4, 2 pm and 7 pm
Island Sound presents “Candyland!”
Saturday, December 10, 7 pm | Sunday, December 11, 2 pm and 7 pm
Mercer Island girls’ choirs, Prep (2nd through 4th graders), Island Girls (4th through 6th graders), and Island Sound (7th through 12th graders) will delight audiences with these festive performances.
Learn more >>
The Dickens Carolers
Sunday, December 4, 1:30 – 2:15 pm & Sunday, December 11, 1:30 – 2:15 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
For over 35 years, The Dickens Carolers has been a local holiday tradition. Your holiday favorites, both traditional and contemporary, are sung in beautiful four-part harmony. Sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library.
