ROMP
Spruced-up parks
CHOMP
Deliciously easy picnics
Seattle’sChild F RE E
J U NE 2 0 18
WHATKIND OF
R S E AT T L E S C H I L D.C O M
ER CAAREMP YOU?
YOUR GUIDE TO A KID-FRIENDLY CIT Y
Monique Chatterjee and Gabe Biller, with sons Ira and Oz and dog Lola, enjoy camping with amenities
Inside: YOUR GUIDE TO RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AROUND THE PUGET SOUND
Enroll Today
1-on-1 Lessons Tailored for your child’s needs
Warm Pool Swim Skills & Water Safety
Friendly Staff Easy Scheduling
SNSswim.com 2
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju n e 20 1 8
Swimming
206.285.9279
p.13
>>Contents Seattle’sChild June 2018 // Issue 464
WHAT PARENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT.........4 DAD NEXT DOOR.................. 7 ROMP.............................................9 CHOMP.........................................11 FEATURE GETTING OUTSIDE...............13 CALENDAR...............................19 q Shop, Making Home and New Mom
Dispatch are on vacation until September
PHOTO COURTESY OF XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
INSIDE!
p.9
„ Find us online at seattleschild.com Cover photo by JOSHUA HUSTON Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
3
„ Find more education and health news on seattleschild.com
GO OUT! Find June outings for your family with our complete online calendar of events. It’s mobile-friendly, constantly updated, and searchable by location, age and cost » seattleschild.com E D U C AT I O N , H E A LT H , D E V E L O P M E N T & M O R E
»What Parents
BY REBEKAH DENN
Are Talking About
René Kirkpatrick has spent years dispensing YA book recommendations.
SURE, WE WANT OUR KIDS READING, BUT READING THIS? WHAT’S APPROPRIATE — AND WHEN — FOR YOUR READER All those magical years encouraging my firstborn to read, we felt — and society seemed to back us up — he should devour whatever interested him. When necessary we negotiated the tricky emotional
4
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju n e 20 1 8
paths of those choices: the spider’s death in Charlotte’s Web, the rudeness of Captain Underpants, the romantic woes of postbook-four Harry Potter. Then suddenly, my boy was in middle
school, piling up his own stacks of library loans, and announcing that A Game of Thrones was next on his reading list. Automatically, I said “No way.” It wasn’t the violence in George R.R. Martin’s mega-hit series that got me, though volume one does begin with a stab to the eye (pg. 11), swiftly moving on to beheading (pg. 15, the first of many) and then suffocation by molten gold (pg. 500). The
P H OTO BY JOS H UA H U STO N
Ready for Game of Thrones?
bigger red flag in my book was Martin’s vicious approach to sex: molestation (pg. 29), incest (pg. 84), endless rapes and erotic humiliations. And the biggest problem of all? The books were enthralling overall; those troubling sex scenes tightly laced into a grand fantasy read. I told my barely-teen he needed to develop his own thoughts on sex before taking in such seductive, potentially warping material. And I wondered what other bookloving, banned-book-defending parents do when their children’s interests stretch far, far into the adult section. I found there’s no magical, ageappropriate guide to steer parents of young readers to graduating levels of mature content, but there is lots of information and help for those seeking guidance. “We don’t have age limits on anything,” says Jennifer Bisson, a youth services librarian for the Seattle Public Library. She’s not there to give or withhold permission to read a book, whether it’s in or out of the formal children’s or teen section. “We’re not acting as parents,” she says, and what might be OK for one family may not be for another. If parents want to know if a book is appropriate for their own kid, though, she’s happy to guide them, asking questions like “How anxious does your child get about tension in a book?” or flagging
potential controversies. “I certainly would never steer a kid away from any book. But if a parent came and said “My fourth grader wants to read The Hunger Games,” I’d say “I found it fun,
but there’s a lot of violence early on.” I realized, talking with her, that there’s a narrow window where our advice is even relevant. At some point, kids stop CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
SWIMS FOR HOURS. TUCKERED AT EIGHT. THE NIGHT IS YOURS. MILESTONES. JUST A FEW MILES AWAY.
Only two hours from Seattle, Semiahmoo is the perfect place to experience the moments with your kids that you live for. And with relaxing spa treatments, award-winning golf and casual seaside dining, you’ll get to pamper yourself, too. Visit Semiahmoo.com or call 360.318.2000.
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
5
What Parents Are Talking About < Ready for CONTINUED
Game of Thrones?
asking permission. “I’ve never had a teen ask for a book in the adult section that made me raise my eyebrows. If they are really going after something they heard was super steamy, they’re not going to ask me,” Bisson said. Perspective helps too. “We all read Flowers In The Attic, for crying out loud,” she said. “I still joke about that. There’s nothing in the teen section that remotely compares to that.” The nonprofit Common Sense Media (commonsensemedia.org) summarizes sensitive content in books as well as movies and apps, with age recommendations that seem on-target. (Their professional reviewer, for what it’s worth, pegged A Game of Thrones at 17+, while parents and kids on the site thought it was OK down to age 14.) Then, sometimes it helps when the answer isn’t “no” so much as “not yet.” René Kirkpatrick, children’s book buyer and supervisor at University Book Store, has spent decades in the children’s book world, including owning the former All For Kids Books & Music shop in the U District. When people ask if kids should read a given title, she asks what the children like to read, what they last read, and tries inquiries like “Are you OK with sex? Are you OK with violence?” or whatever’s in the books at hand.
Adult themes aren’t the only reasons for limits, she noted. Even books like Madeleine L’Engle’s classic A Wrinkle In Time have nuances and storylines that teenagers appreciate more than youngsters who want to read their older siblings’ favorites. “At 7, do you have all the information to pull it together? The knowledge of science, the knowledge that there is evil in the world?” says Kirkpatrick. The book can be read without that understanding, but it sells it short. “Unfortunately, a lot of kids don’t read classics a second time.” Sometimes, she says, it helps kids when someone besides parents suggest “You’ll like this much more in two years.” Even better than “not yet,” she tries to suggest “you might like this one instead.” Instead of The Hunger Games, she might tell a not-quite-ready reader, how about the Gregor the Overlander series by the same author? Those books are also dark and epic, with equally engrossing characters, but “nobody dies.” If I’d had that advice, I would have steered my teen toward Windhaven, a more young-reader-friendly book Martin co-wrote long ago with fantasy writer Lisa Tuttle. Instead, when my son started 10th grade this year, I said he could finally go ahead with A Game of Thrones if he was still interested. He read volumes one and two, then put them down.
I asked the other night how he felt about being asked to wait. He thinks he could have handed them just fine in middle school. “Sixth grade?” “No, not sixth grade.” “Seventh grade?” “Well, maybe not.” “Eighth grade?” “Probably.” I’m just as glad we waited to find out.
Looking for resources and recommendations? q Common Sense Media is a great resource for books and more: commonsensemedia.org q Booksellers like Kirkpatrick are glad to make individual recommendations. (As I left that day, she was leading a 7th grader and her family toward the William Ritter Jackaby series, reviewed as a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, her preferred choice over the Twilight romances.} q Seattle Public Library has reading lists (spl.org/books-and-media/booksand-ebooks/teens-books) and will make individual recommendations through Your Next Five Books (spl.org/programs-and-services/authors-andbooks/your-next-5-books).
Experiment with new tech! NOW PLAYING!
See what’s new this summer. pacsci.org
6
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju ne 2 0 1 8
DadNextDoor by Jeff Lee, MD
THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF
A little encouragement from across the fence
P H OTO BY JOS H UA H U STON
Land of our fathers When I was about 10 years old, my father bought a chunk of land out in the middle of nowhere — in Shutesbury, Massachusetts. I’m not sure what possessed him. Maybe it had to do with growing up in rural China, where owning land was the kind of wealth most families could only dream of. Money might come and go, but land was something that would secure your family’s future for generations. He didn’t tell us about it until one cold day in November, when he packed us into our enormous, fake-woodgrain-paneled Chevrolet Kingswood Estate station wagon and headed for the wilds of western Massachusetts. He drove us down a series of country roads, each more narrow and potholed than the last, until he rolled to a stop in front of a stretch of woods identical to every other stretch that had come before. He checked the hand-drawn map the realtor had given him, then pulled off the road onto a patch of gravel. “This is it!” he proclaimed. “Are you sure?” my mother asked. “How can you tell?” But he was already out the door and wading into the underbrush, so we piled out of the car and raced after him. It wasn’t clear what our purpose was. I think he just wanted to get the lay of the land. Breathe the pine-scented air. Survey his estate as newly minted landed gentry. That suited my little brothers and me just fine; we dug holes, threw rocks and chased each other with pointed sticks. My mother watched us warily, warning us to settle down before someone put out an eye. As you’d expect in November in New England, the afternoon came to an early end, and soon our parents were herding us back toward the car. At least that’s what they thought, but the road was no longer in sight, and though my dad strode through the woods as confidently as he had entered them, neither the car nor road appeared. The light was fading quickly, and the
woods and overcast made it hard to know where the sun was setting. My dad found some moss on one side of a tree, and decided to lead us off in a different direction, but soon found another tree with moss on the opposite side. Eventually, we stumbled onto an old dirt logging road, and followed it, hoping it would lead us back to civilization. It wound through the woods for a while, then petered out and disappeared.
Had my parents shown even a hint of the panic that they must have felt — lost in the woods in November with three hypothermic little kids — it would have terrified me more than the cold and the darkness ever could. But the fear they concealed from us was fear I never had to absorb. By now it was truly dark, and we’d been bushwhacking for hours, without water or food. My brother Ken, who was only 6, started to cry, and that opened the floodgates for me and my brother Ron. “What are you crying about?” my mother asked in a voice reassuringly familiar in its annoyance. “How are we going to get home?” I sniffled. “Are we going to die here?”
BASED ON THE VICTOR HUGO NOVEL AND SONGS FROM THE DISNEY FILM
MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN
LYRICS BY STEPHEN SCHWARTZ
BOOK BY PETER PARNELL
JUNE 1 - 24
BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW AT
WWW.5THAVENUE.ORG (206) 625-1900 | GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE CALL 1-888-625-1418 THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE – THE NATION’S LEADING MUSICAL THEATER
RESTAURANT SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR
PRODUCTION SPONSOR
SHOW SPONSOR
2017/18 SEASON SPONSORS
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
7
DadNextDoor CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
My mother snorted. “Don’t be stupid. We’re going to be fine.” She opened her purse and gave each of us a cough drop to suck on. Right about then, it began to rain. Neither of my parents was remotely outdoorsy, so there was no attempt to build any kind of shelter. We spent the night huddled together under the low branches of a spruce tree, shivering and soaking wet. My mother grew up in Brooklyn and New York’s Chinatown; she’d never slept outside in her life. But every „ Read all of Jeff time I woke Lee’s columns on from my fitful seattleschild.com sleep, she smiled down at me and stroked my hair, as if I was snug in my bed, until I dozed off again. In the morning, we heard dogs barking in the distance and followed the sound. Eventually, it led us to a house, where a middle-aged couple stared out their window in disbelief as what appeared to be a family of Asian refugees emerged from the woods and trudged into their backyard. The Tibbits took us in, dried our clothes, and fed us hot chocolate and oatmeal. It was the best meal of my life. Had my parents shown even a hint of the panic that they must have felt — lost in the woods in November with three hypothermic little kids — it would have terrified me more than the cold and the darkness ever could. But the fear they concealed from us was fear I never had to absorb. These days, I hike into wilderness often, unafraid and prepared — with food and water, a warm sleeping bag and a good tent. Whenever I can, I bring my kids, because a version of my father’s dream lives on in me. I want to give my children something that will last, something they can hand down to their own kids. I want to give them the land. A few years after our adventure, my dad sold that parcel of woods at a loss. I’m sure he thought of it as a foolish mistake: both the investment and the ill-fated expedition that followed. Parenthood doesn’t come with a map. It’s easy to get lost. Sometimes, all you can do is stay calm and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Most of the time, that’s enough. Jeff Lee still runs around with pointed sticks in Seattle.
8
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju n e 20 1 8
„ Find more things to do with kids on seattleschild.com Right under your nose!
5 DON’T-MISS SEATTLE PARKS
FREE DAYS From Anderson Lake to Willapa Hills, Washington State Parks offer a bounty of shoreline, hiking, fishing and other activities. But most days, they’ll set you back the $30 Discovery Pass fee — unless you go on one of the 12 annual “Free Days.” Sprinkled throughout the year, these days are designed to introduce everyone to the parks. In June, three days are free: National Trails Day on the 2nd, National Get Outdoors Day on the 9th and Fishing Day on the 10th. Just don’t forget; the next free day isn’t until Aug. 25. 3 discoverpass.wa.gov
»Romp THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS
>> Romp > Chomp
1
Prentis Frazier Climb to the treetops
A colorful basketball court, benches and picnic tables surround a pair of treehouse-themed play structures, including climbable faux rocks, four slides and monkey bars running under a bridge. 401 24th Ave. E.
q BY N AO M I TO M KY
> Shop
2
Georgetown Playfield Fly high, splash low
Industrial Georgetown celebrates local history with an airplane-themed play structure featuring rubber ramps, a spinning orb and climbing cargo nets. Check out the new fitness zone for teens and adults, or cool off post-play in the spray park. 750 S. Homer St.
3
Washington Park Playfield Arboretum-adjacent
Hemmed in by foliage on all sides, this forestthemed green and fauxwood play structure blends right in, with its toadstool seats and hollow log tunnel. 1017 Lake Washington Blvd. E.
4
Highland Park Safari structure
Charlie achieves maximum speed with some help from his dad, Paul Life, on Discovery Park’s new zipline.
DIS COV ERY PARK BY J OS HUA H USTON A NDE RS ON LA KE : PA RKS .STAT E .WA .US
Sprucing up Seattle parks The squeals from Discovery Park’s new, improved zipline can be heard from the parking lot, a few hundred yards of ADA-accessible paths away. Nearby, a pair of play structures host kids of all ages, and swings stand apart. All are part of a remodel, completed in December, of the play area at the
534-acre park (3801 Discovery Park Blvd.) that also includes a beach, trails and a visitors center. Seattle Parks and Recreation manages 485 parks, in which there are about 150 playgrounds. Each year, Parks remodels a handful, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
This big park has four swings, a “unity dome” climber, a safari Jeep, and a futuristic climber with hammocks and pathways that swing, encouraging open-ended play. 1100 SW Cloverdale St.
5
Gilman Playground Wading wonderland
Slides, ramps, ropes and bridges flow together under the shade of a 16foot green tree structure, in a unique play facility for both older and younger kids. 923 NW 54th St. 3 For park updates: seattle.gov/ parks/about-us/current-projects
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
9
Romp improvements
CONTINUED
not just to spruce things up, but to bring up to code, provide access and make major repairs. In the past two years, 11 parks have new play areas and another six are in the works for the rest of 2018. Karen O’Connor, Parks spokesperson, says that accessibility is a major part of playground remodels. “It’s mainly for kids to be able to play with their peers,” she says, citing a wheelchair-friendly teeter-totter at Mt. Baker. Many of the wood structures will be replaced with more weather-repellent materials. At Victory Heights (1737 NE 106th St.), which finished getting an overhaul this summer, a survey revealed that neighbors wanted updated, safer playground equipment. Bells ring out from the playground near Northgate, and dueling xylophones encourage musical interactivity. A car for toddlers sits next to a more complex climbing structure for older kids. (Those surveys they offer? They really do change what your park might look like.) “We want [the community’s] voice to be heard,” says O’Connor. Improvements at the iconic Gas Works Park (2101 N. Northlake Way) are still underway. Complications and a slow permit process for the former industrial
site, now a park and city landmark, has slowed renovations of the picnic and play areas. Park officials are shooting for a July reopening for both, particularly as the picnic barns are among Parks’ most heavily used spaces. In the play area, the climbable tanks will be repaired, cleaned and painted and set on a raised, rubberized play surface. A very small sand area will remain on the far side. Several monitoring wells have been dug to gauge and mitigate some of the chemicals buried beneath this former brownfield. “Gas Works Park keeps giving,” says project coordinator Jay Rood, who says mitigation and monitoring are the key to reclaiming brownfields and transforming them into parks. “In an urban world, there isn’t much land left.” The bathrooms, or comfort stations as they are known in park parlance, and east entry area will also be repaired in response to Justice Department accessibility citations. When daily temperatures hit 70 degrees, sprayparks and wading pools are fun draws on warm days for families with tots. Pratt and Yesler sprayparks are currently closed. For a list of updated water areas and hours of operation, see: seattle.gov/parks/find/sprayparks-andwading-pools
Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment
Escape from Seattle!
RICHMOND, B.C. Just 20 miles across the border, the Vancouver suburb of Richmond most famously holds a trove of Chinese markets and restaurants for the hungry and curious to explore. But there’s more to the city of 200,000-plus: The Richmond Olympic Experience, a former Olympic venue, now a sports facility and interactive museum gives all comers a chance to compete with simulators and arcade-style games. Nearby, the Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment is the park of children’s dreams, with ziplines, giant swings, and a custom tree house. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery offers a fascinating look at West Coast commercial fishing histories.
The Sammamish Montessori School In Redmond
Call 425-883-3271 for a tour. • Child-centered, joyful atmosphere with strong academic focus • Experienced, Montessori-certified teachers • Preschool and kindergarten • Family owned and operated since 1977 in g N o w E n r o ll • Summer, before & after school programs • Prep Program, (starting ages 2 1/2-3)
www.sammamishmontessori.com • 425-883-3271
REGISTER NOW FOR •SWIM & RECREATION CLUB•
SUMMER CAMP
Programs from
Preschool through Middle School • Before & Afterschool • Preschool • Swim Lessons • School Break and Summer Camps TOP QUALITY FAMILY RECREATION & FITNESS SINCE 1958
www.samena.com • 425-746-1160 • 15231 Lake Hills Blvd, Bellevue 10
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju n e 20 1 8
COURTESY OF TER R A NOVA ADVENTUR E P LAY E NV IRONME NT
< Park
„ Find more ideas for eating with kids on seattleschild.com
READY FOR TAKEOFF Summer vacations are around the corner, just in time for travelers to try Floret, the first exclusively vegetarian and vegan restaurant to open at SeaTac airport, located in the main terminal between the A and B concourses (past security gates). Run by the owners of Cafe Flora, this new eatery offers flavorful options for the whole family. Dine in with a view of the tarmac and
TAKE A GRAD OUT TO EAT Whether your kids are graduating from preschool or college, June gives us plenty of excuses to celebrate. Here are some spots around town that offer a memorable dining experience for grads big and small: Serving cutting-edge Southern food with African influences in Ravenna, Salare broke onto Seattle’s food scene in 2015. James Beardnominated chef/owner Edouardo Jordan ensures that his seasonally rotating menu always includes a “kids section,” offering thoughtful preparations of pastas and roasted vegetables for younger palates. 2404 NE 65th St.
E AT I N G W I T H K I D S
custom-shaped pancakes (airplanes, anyone?), or choose from their graband-go salads, sandwiches, grain bowls and more. Owner Nat Stratton-Clarke says, “We know traveling can be stressful for families and we wanted to be a dependable, easy choice for fresh, healthy, local food.” Even better, Floret is located across from the play area, so your kids can run out their wiggles before your flight. 3 floretseattle.com
qBY JO EIKE
»Chomp > Romp >> Chomp > Shop
The Herzog family relaxes at Volunteer Park with sandwiches from Cone & Steiner.
CO NE & ST E INE R P IC NIC AT VOLUNT E ER PAR K BY J OS H UA HU STO N F LO R E T: B E LATHE E PHOTO GR APH Y, PASTA: SAL AR E FACE B O OK
3salarerestaurant.com
Purple Café has three locations in Seattle and on the Eastside, serving seasonal Northwest cuisine. Parents can browse one of the best wine lists in town as kids enjoy their own tasting: a “milk flight” offering chocolate, strawberry and caramel. 1225 4th Ave.; 430 106th Ave. NE, Bellevue; 14559 Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE, Woodinville 3purplecafe.com
Yes, your little ones will love Café Lago’s pizzas, fettuccine and ravioli, but people really flock to this charming Montlake spot for the legendary lasagna. Try it. You won’t be disappointed. 2305 24th Ave. E. 3 cafelago.com
Deliciously easy picnics School’s almost out and summer is knocking, which means picnic season is upon us. Nothing makes a meal and a memory more than eating al fresco. Picnicking is easier than it’s ever been thanks to everincreasing to-go options at so many restaurants. For days when it’s easiest not to pack a picnic, here are some of our favorite local destinations
to dine in nature with excellent takeout options nearby. So break out the blanket and sunscreen (hopefully) and enjoy a picnic to go. Just 40 minutes east of Seattle, Rattlesnake Lake is a beautiful spot to visit, offering a 4-mile round-trip hike that goes up the ridge, a flat trail around the lake, and endless places to enjoy a CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
11
Chomp easy picnics
q 14303 436th Ave. SE, North Bend, riverbendcafenorthbend.com
picnic lunch. The nearby Riverbend Café, located just after exiting I-90, offers a comprehensive menu of lunch options. The house-smoked salmon is not to be missed; it’s available as a Caesar wrap or in a ciabatta roll. The generously stuffed, grilled panini sandwiches are also a standout, including a fresh Mediterranean veggie option. Place your order on the drive so it will be ready to pick up upon arrival.
Taking in the view at Lake Union’s Gas Works Park is a quirky haven for kids with wide-open spaces for running around and a hill that’s perfect for kite-flying on windy days. The play area and picnic barns are under construction (see Romp) so bring a blanket and enjoy beautiful views of the Space Needle and houseboats, and watch seaplanes flying overhead. Just a few blocks away, The Essential Baking
RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW! KIRKLAND: 425.820.2297 LYNNWOOD: 425.774.2297
me Two RO
B
a
ND
S-O
N STEM
Multiple locations throughout the greater Seattle area! In Partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
12
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju ne 2 0 1 8
FU
N
Ho
O
ades K–6
H
ke
Ta
Gr
TS
CAMPINVENTION.ORG
Company offers sack lunches to go with a wide range of sandwiches made with their delicious artisanal bread. Turkey and cheddar is a perennial kid favorite, and the spicy bahn mi (choose pork belly over chicken) adds a little zing to usual picnic fare. If toasted egg sandwiches are your thing, you’re in luck; they offer a whopping eight varieties. Chips and potato salad are available on the side, and all sandwiches are available on gluten-free bread. q 1604 N. 34th St., essentialbaking.com
Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park is a 48acre oasis in the heart of the city. There’s a large playground for kids to enjoy, a water tower with spectacular views of the city, and plenty of open spaces to throw a frisbee. In the summer months, kids love to splash in the wading pool (opens June 23), and families can enjoy a series of free concerts and events. Cone & Steiner, located about half a mile south of the park, is a charming gourmet general store where you can order sandwiches to go as you browse the wide range of upscale snacks and goodies (including a range of jarred candies that make sugar seem like an enriching cultural experience). The generously portioned hamand-cheese (ham, bacon, and two kinds of cheese) gets a zippy lift from the garlic pesto, and the PB&J always goes down well with the kids. If you want to make it a freestyle picnic, opt for a freshly baked baguette and choose from their huge selection of cheeses and cured meats. q 532 19th Ave. E., coneandsteiner.com At 135 acres, Lincoln Park is an urban sanctuary in West Seattle, offering lush forests, miles of hiking and biking trails, and lengths of rocky beaches on Puget Sound. Kids love the newly renovated “treehouse” play structure, and the ziplines are always a favorite (see Romp). Picnic tables can be found throughout the park; five picnic shelters on the beach can be reserved in advance. West Seattle’s flourishing culinary scene gives you plenty of food options to choose from, but Bakery Nouveau consistently knocks it out of the park with stellar sandwiches and baked goods. Kids go nuts for the Stromboli, essentially a rolled-up pizza turnover perfectly transportable for a picnic. The roast beef and caramelized onion sandwich packs a hearty, flavorful punch, and the rotating selection of quiches never disappoint. Be sure to pick up some of their famous croissants for breakfast the next day. q 4737 California Ave. SW, bakerynouveau.com
PHOTO BY JOSHUA H USTON
< Deliciously CONTINUED
Getting back to nature is so much a part of the classic Seattle experience, but not everyone’s bag is a Kelty. Seattle’s Child talked with parents who abhor the outdoors, van-camping families traveling in cool comfort, and pack-it-in folks for whom the campfire burns brightest.
OUTDOORS: OPTIONAL
Cindy Wong and Nick Alcivar feel zero need to camp.
Hiking? Camping? No thanks
On summer weekends, it feels like half the city’s gone up to the mountains. Roof racks packed with camping paraphernalia, mountain bikes strapped in back, ready for outdoor adventures. Or not. BY JIAYING GRYGIEL PHOTOS BY JOSHUA HUSTON
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
13
OUTDOORS: OPTIONAL < Hiking? Camping? CONTINUED
No thanks
“I think everyone pretends to like the outdoors because it’s the cool thing to do,” says Colin Aymond, an Eastlake dad with two teens. “I am not that person. I’d rather go to a great restaurant, go have some drinks.” Aymond grew up playing competitive sports, and now his boys, 13 and 16, do the same. Weekends are filled with sports, but lack of free time isn’t the only thing holding him back from camping. Aymond doesn’t get the appeal of forgoing the amenities of modern society — on purpose. “I like a bed, I like a bathroom,” he says. “I CAR WILDERNESS NO THANKS, don’t need to goCAMPERS sit out in the dirt. I’m good.” WARRIORS NATURE For lots of other Seattleites, however, lack of creature comforts is just part of the fun of being outdoors. One of the Emerald City’s major selling points is NO THANKS, WILDERNESS CAR NATURE surrounded being by naturalWARRIORS beauty. CAMPERS Mount Rainier and the Olympics peek out on clear days, and Puget Sound laps at the edge of downtown. NO THANKS, CAR WILDERNESS People in Washington state spend an NATURE CAMPERS WARRIORS average of 56 days a year doing some form of outdoor recreation, according to a 2015 study for the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. It adds up $21.6 billion a year spent on outdoor trips and equipment. That’s a lot, folks, but it’s not for everyone. Nature in small doses When it came time to exchange vows at their wedding, Morgan Folk promised to allow her husband to play video games “for a reasonable amount of time.” In turn, Ben Folk promised to never take Morgan camping. They’ve kept their vows, which they made three years ago in front of 100 witnesses in Kenmore. Ben grew up in Bellingham with a super-outdoorsy family, but Morgan made it clear right from the onset that she would not be sleeping under the stars. “I like my makeup and I like my hair products. I like hot showers,” says Morgan, who is from West Seattle. “I don’t even like hiking. I don’t like being too cold. I don’t like being smelly. I really don’t like spiders or mosquitoes.” The Folks lives in Mill Creek and have a 6-month-old son, Henry. Instead of camping, they’ll do something more “civilized,” like stay at grandma’s house on Camano Island, which has heat and hot water. When Henry is older, he’ll probably go camping with his dad. As for Morgan, “I’ll stay home and I’ll do things that I consider to be fun.” Cindy Wong is also the type of mom who prefers nature in small doses. She was born and raised in south Florida: “It was the suburbs. Strip malls. And hot sun. I barely spent any time outdoors. I would die without A/C.” Wong moved to Seattle in 2011 to reunite with her now husband, Nick Alcivar. Camping, let alone hiking, isn’t part of their cultural heritages. Both are children
14
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju ne 2 0 1 8
of refugees: Wong’s family is from Vietnam, Alcivar’s from Cuba. “My husband and I both joke that when our friends want us to go camping, I’m like, ‘So we can go into the woods away from civilization, sleep outside, with all of our clothes and food on our packs and escape?’ Pretty much what our families did to come to America,” Wong says. Now the couple lives on Queen Anne and has a nearly 2-year-old son, Max. But Wong doesn’t want Max to grow up afraid of nature; she wants him to get dirty and play outdoors and explore.
“If it doesn’t have a concierge, I’m outta there.”
“We’ve been here since ’99 and I’m still in culture shock,” Helmy says. “Most New Yorkers don’t camp. Why would you? We have some of the best hotels in the world in New York. “These Northwest people, what the hell is wrong with them? ‘We’re going to go camping! Hiking! I’m going to get my baby Bjorn and truck up the mountain!’ I’m like, ‘Whaaat?’ What is the purpose of hiking up a mountain? You want exercise? Go to a gym. You want to look at something beautiful? Go to a museum.” Helmy grew in New York, with parents from Queens and Brooklyn. She’s raising her kids — one almost 8, and the other 17 — in south Everett. Her idea of “roughing it” is staying at a condo in Florida, or at an Airbnb. “I don’t camp. I don’t even expose my kids to it. It’s just — how can I put it? — ewww! You’re going to travel by car two
Cindy Wong and Nick Alcivar (with Max) prefer their nature in small doses.
NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
“As a kid I hated touching grass and hours to a desolate wasteland of a spot? getting bit by fire ants and mosquitoes,” Helmy’s dislike of the outdoors isn’t Wong says. “The nature here is so different limited to camping; she doesn’t even like from back home. Hopefully, raising Max in going for a walk outside (she needs an the city where there are so many parks, I indoor track). When she won a sales trip to NOrelaxed THANKS, WILDERNESS CAR hope he gets a more and nurturWhistler, she didn’t go skiing or sledding WARRIORS CAMPERS ing environment.” NATURE (she went shopping). Beaches are dirty. Pacific Northwest culture shock Going to a water park is borderline. What Lori Helmy and her husband are does she like? Reservations. Room service. also Pacific Northwest transplants; they “I’m telling you, I need to have a hotel,” moved from Astoria, Queens, when she Helmy says. “If it doesn’t have a concierge, lost a coin flip. I’m outta there.” NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
OUTDOORS: OPTIONAL
The groovy middle way A camper van offers the benefits of camping without camping NO THANKS, NATURE
BY TIFFANY PITTS Kids love camping. Tents, dirt, rocks, campfires, marshmallows — some kids are so sweetly naïve that they even love air mattresses. Such innocence! Getting back to nature is a wonderful and worthwhile goal for your summer, but the experienced PNW parent knows that getting back to nature around here also means potentially getting back to slugs. And tree sap. And spiders. Sometimes, bears. One time, a raccoon tried to steal my backpack. I caught him in the middle of the afternoon trying to hoist my Jansport up a tree. Happily, there’s a way to marry this love of adventure to the desire to stay somewhere without teenaged trash pandas stealing your stuff. Enter: The Recreational Vehicle. Motor homes, camper vans, pop-ups — all of them add a magnitude of comfort and, let’s face it, awesomeness to your camping experience. Don’t have a campsite reservation? Not a problem, just roll on down to the next campsite or head to an RV-friendly Walmart parking lot. Terrible at starting cooking fires? You’ve got a tiny folding kitchen! Wildlife getting too friendly? Raccoons are known to have a terrible time with door locks. And best of all, campers have actual beds. Done right, camping vans add easy amenities in the outdoors and speed up campsite setup and break-down, which comes in handy on crowded weekends. Wrangling tents, campfires and small children was more difficult than doable, thought Monique Chatterjee, Xbox industrial designer and mother of two, when her she and her husband tried tent camping with their young kids. They wanted to camp but not camp. On a whim one day, Chatterjee declared that if there was
NO THANKS, NATURE
NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
CAR CAMPERS
CAR CAMPERS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
Monique Chatterjee, Gabe Biller, sons Oz and Ira, and dog Lola, take it on the road.
NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
Camper USA and Outdoorsy offer rentals on everything from fullsized motorhomes to two-person trailers. Spend an hour cruising through the available rentals and NO THANKS, WILDERNESS CAR you’ll start to wonder what you’ve NATURE WARRIORS CAMPERS been missing all these years. One renter even offers a ‘spice package’ rolls almost daily — in town. a local camper for sale she would for your trip. For $3 they’ll load up “I’m also a working mom. I try buy it on the spot. Within hours, the kitchenette with all those spices to my best to balance all the meether husband Gabe Biller found a you may not think to bring; just beings and conference calls, while 2002 Eurovan online; it has since cause you’re camping doesn’t mean NO THANKS, CAR WILDERNESS also having to shuffle my kids transformed their lives. Camping the carne asada has to suffer. NATURE CAMPERS WARRIORS around. I often use it as a mobile has become an easy adventure. (escapecampervans.com, lost office. I was just parked outside of With no extra camping gear to campersusa.com, outdoorsy.com) my son’s preschool for the last two worry about, they can buckle their Of course, this level of comfort hours working at the pull-out table kids in and be ready to go anycomes with a bit of a downside. before picking him up.” where within minutes. With low fuel efficiency and long This summer, they plan to visit And it’s not just camping trips road trips, renting a camper isn’t the Oregon Dunes before taking where the Eurovan comes in much cheaper than renting a hotel longer trips. Someday, Chatterjee handy. It’s become an oasis in a sea room. And maintenance costs can hopes to get to Yellowstone Nationof congestion. From home base at add up, especially if your RV is older. al Park. street fairs and Saturday after“Vintage camper vans can be Not yet ready to commit to noons at the beach to afterschool a little bit like fragile old ladies. owning an RV? Try renting. Webpickups when a quick change into They need a lot of care and upkeep. sites like Escape Campervans, Lost sports gear is needed, the Eurovan CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 >
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
15
OUTDOORS: OPTIONAL
NO THANKS, NATURE
NO THANKS, NATURE
NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
CAR CAMPERS
CAR CAMPERS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
Young Clinton might nap as his parents, Chris Langston and Sarah Holt, hike. WILDERNESS
WARRIORS
Getting rad with Mom and Dad NO THANKS, NATURE
Sarah Holt and Chris Langston stay active with their new baby — like really, really active BY BRETT HAMIL When you have a baby, lots of recreational possibilities go out the window. The rigors of caring for a tiny, hungry, delicate creature can make a stroller-walk around the block seem like an expedition to the summit of Rainier. Throw in an infant’s demanding nap-and-feeding schedule and most parents find themselves indulging heavily in the nesting instinct, cocooned in blankets and boppies with the blinds drawn, white noise machine whooshing in the background. I spent the first year of my son’s life sleep-deprived, stumbling through darkened rooms in milk-spattered pajamas. Hiking was the farthest thing from my mind. Sarah Holt, 33, and Chris Langston, 38, were determined not to succumb to the sedentary
16
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju n e 20 1 8
NO THANKS, NATURE
CAR CAMPERS
CAR CAMPERS
inclinations of the new parent. They’re active people: They bike, hike, climb, and camp. Holt works for the Mountaineers, a nonprofit devoted to outdoor education and adventure where she leads middle school and high school students on excursions every other weekend. The two met as members of the Seattle Sounders brass band — she played trumpet and he played sousaphone, an instrument that prepared him well for toting a heavy, fragile load on his shoulders. They both radiate a hardy air of Pacific Northwestern vigor. When their son, Clinton, was born they vowed to stay active. “We’re gonna continue to get rad and be outdoors and bring him into it,” says Langston, “We still want to do the things we enjoy doing and not just become boring suburbanites immediately out of the gate, like, ‘You had a kid, it’s over.’” In the first year of Clinton’s life, Holt and
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
WILDERNESS WARRIORS
Langston have taken him biking, hiking, camping and cross-country skiing, which they did with the help of a flat-bottomed pulk sled that attaches to the hips — “He just passed right out in that,” Langston says. As Clinton has gotten bigger they’ve transitioned him from a front-mounted Ergo carrier to a backpack for hikes, and now that his head is more stable they’re easing him into a bike trailer. When I express my wonder at all the things they’ve managed to do with a helpless, needy baby in tow, they demystify the experience for me. “When he was really little it was actually the easiest time for doing stuff,” explains Langston. “That was the golden window because he slept a lot and his needs were really physical — you didn’t have to entertain him, just basically keep him dry and fed.” “Honestly, a lot of it is probably more for us.
I’d say it’s 70 percent for us, 30 percent for him,” says Holt. “When he was little, I don’t know how much of it he was taking in, but he probably enjoyed the back-andforth motion.” As baby Clinton gets older — and heavier — his needs become more involved and the equation changes. Both parents have to stay in shape to manage their squirming, 20-pound precious cargo, maintain-
“When he was really little it was actually the easiest time for doing stuff. That was the golden window because he slept a lot and his needs were really physical.” ing a weekly regimen of exercises to keep up the necessary upper body strength. When they go to Snoqualmie Pass, they take turns hanging out in the lodge with the baby while the other hits the slopes. They allow that having a toddler has revised their expectations. “If you have the baby with you, don’t expect it to be an epic adventure,” says Holt. “It’s gonna be a two-hour hike.” “You probably won’t make the summit,
you may not even see the lake,” Langston adds. “You’re gonna go until the ‘alarm’ goes off. If he’s not having fun, he’s not gonna let us have fun.” Langston and Holt forge ahead, experimenting and adapting their activities to their son’s growth. As we spoke in their living room he took a single, faltering step forward on his own, and we all cheered. It won’t be long now. They’ve got plans to catch the end of clamming season next weekend at Dosewallips State Park. In the early summer, they’ll go on a weeklong bike tour of central Washington with friends, switching him from the bike trailer to a car waiting at strategic points along the route when fussiness overcomes him. They’ll take turns driving and cycling. Langston and Holt are still figuring out how to adapt different activities to the parenting life, one outing at a time with an emphasis on comfort and safety. It’s not the full-tilt trekking to which they’re accustomed, but it’s good enough for now. The larger goal is to instill in Clinton their appreciation of nature, exploration and self-sufficiency. They teach him by example and direct participation: This is what we do. As a new parent itching to emerge from my cocoon and “get rad” in the sun again, they’re an inspiration. “I want him to be confident, to think the outdoors is not a scary place, that it’s a place he belongs and there are things he can do there,” says Holt.
OUR UPLIFTING SUMMER PROGRAMS Apply online!
WILDERNESS 101
Learning to camp with kids As grey, rainy days recede, more and more Seattleites emerge from hibernation to venture into the wilderness. For those who have encountered a trailhead parking lot resembling Costco on Saturday afternoon, it will come as no surprise that the number of Seattleites who hike has nearly doubled in the past five years, according to a Nielsen survey. Nearly half — that’s one in two — of the city’s population went hiking at least once during the past year. But hiking, though it seems so benign, can be deadly without proper preparation: this winter saw a record number of avalanche deaths in Washington — more than twice the annual
Your guide to a kid-friendly city
on the go Check out our super searchable, sortable, constantly-updated
Family Events Calendar
» seattleschild.com
average. Google “missing hiker Seattle” and see what it yields. Steep trails and dense brush turns people around. So before setting out to forage for berries or find an enviable Instagram perch, educate yourself and your kids. For more than a century, the Mountaineers (mountaineers.org) have prepared Pacific Northwest residents for outdoor adventures. Their programs in Seattle and Tacoma (and soon, Olympia) offer a variety of opportunities for young people and their families to learn how to enjoy the outdoors. “It’s important that kids are getting outside and enjoying CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
Best The East Side’stores Family Game S
C R O S S R OA D S - B E L L E V U E (425) 746-1539
R E D MON D
T OWN C E N T E R
(425) 497-9180
www.unclesgames.com
YOGA DAY CAMP Swimming
Yoga
Gardening
Ages 5-11
SUMMER FUN 6 weeks, 6 themes Outdoors
Ages 3-5
Visit livingwisdomschoolwa.org! (425) 772-9862
Igniting the academic and creative potential of students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.
1701 20th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144
hamlinrobinson.org
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
17
Be prepared: Essentials checklist and sound advice
The
Summe r Experi ence at Forest Ridge Cooking • STEAM • Arts • Outdoors & More!
Girls & Boys | Grades 2-8 July 9-August 3
forestridge.org/summerexp
Think. Fast. Fencing!
< Wilderness
Sign up now! ra incityfencing .com
18
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju n e 20 1 8
CONTINUED
the outdoors and that they have a connection to nature from the start,” says Sarah Holt, program manager at the Tacoma center. “They’ll feel like it belongs to them and they’ll be more inclined to support maintaining and protecting wilderness areas.” The Mountaineers offer several programs geared toward young people, organized by age group: Pioneers (ages 7-9), Explorers (10-13), and Mountaineers Adventure Club (MAC; 14-18). The two younger groups are for parents and their children; the MAC gives young people more independence. The Mountaineers also offer summer camps and outreach programs in conjunction with local schools and community groups. “If they’ve been trained in how to react if something goes wrong, they’re going to take a more proactive approach rather than just letting mom and dad deal with it,” says Holt. “What if they go out with dad and dad’s the one who gets hurt, or they get separated from their parent?” Carl Marrs, program manager for the Seattle Mountaineers youth clubs, recommends two Mountaineers courses for novice hiking families: Backpacking with Kids and Gateway programs. Backpacking with Kids comprises an evening information session, a “trial run” weekend hike and camp, and opportunities throughout the summer to hike with your family. Gateway programs are periodic offerings covering topics ranging from cooking in the backcountry to bird and plant identification. Scholarships are available to help offset costs. — Michael Berry
< Camper
Classes and camps for kids 8-11 and juniors 11-16
101
vans
If Mountaineers classes aren’t a possibility, Holt and Marrs offer some easy steps to prepare novice hikers for their outing. The Washington Trails Association (wta.org) has searchable hike maps with driving directions and trail maps online. Trip reports on the site let you know about trail conditions, closures, and other important information. “It would stink to show up at a place and not have hiking poles when you need poles, or trying to hike up an icy trail without spikes,” Marrs says. And be prepared. The Mountaineers developed a list of the “10 Essentials” that every person — kids included — who ventures into the backcountry should have with them: Navigation: Note that a GPS requires batteries; a compass does not. Sun protection: sunglasses and sunscreen, even in the winter. Insulation: an extra set of clothes to keep you warm in a worst-case scenario. Illumination: a headlamp, flashlight, or lantern with extra batteries. First-aid supplies: treatment for blisters, a few bandages, adhesive tape, pain relief, and disinfecting cream or spray. Fire: waterproof matches stored in a watertight container — bring more than you think you’ll need.
CONTINUED
You can plan to spend about $1,000, every time it goes into the shop. They’ll always find something else that needs to be fixed,” writes Wendy Schwartz, whose family has an ’82 VW Westfalia of @ Instagram notoriety. Then, of course, there are the, ahem, facilities. No matter where you go, the question of how you go will definitely be part of your plans. Starting out, many chose not to deal with the hassle of onboard facilities. Thankfully, in this part of the world you don’t have to. State parks like Birch Bay and Bogachiel offer the perfect blend of natural wonder, camping fun and public toilets. They even have an online reservation system. (parks.state.wa.us/223/Reservations)
Some sort of fire starter, like dry tinder, lint, or any number of commercially available products. Repair kit: duct tape and a knife or multitool. Nutrition: extra energy bars, trail mix, jerky or freeze-dried meals. Hydration: water bottles, and also a water filtration or purification system. Shelter: depending on the length of your trip, this could range from a tarp (that could be used to make an emergency shelter) to a sleeping bag or tent. Leave an itinerary with someone who is not going on the trip. Include when and where you’re going, what you intend to do, and when you expect to return. Check in with them at appointed times. Finally, know the trails. People work hard to maintain the trails. Volunteering for one of the WTA’s Trail Work Parties is an ideal opportunity for those new to the outdoors. No training or experience is required, but be prepared to work as a team and do some hiking and cleanup work. Information specific to each activity is available on the WTA’s website. “The earlier you get into it, the more benefit you’ll derive from it.” says Marrs. “It’s more than just driving your car out to a trailhead, hiking up a trail, taking a picture, and hiking down.”
Once you have a few trips under your belt, you may want to step up your camping game: Learning how to carry and dump your own black/grey water will allow you to bypass busy campsites and take the family to the middle of nowhere where nature is wild, the sky is full of stars and your closest neighbor has four paws. When the kids grow up and there seems to be less urgency for family camping excursions, take a tip from Wendy and her husband Dave. Their youngest will be off to college in the fall, but that hasn’t deterred them from weekending in their ’89 VW Westfalia. The difference? It’s wineries over wilderness. And sometimes, they don’t drive. But they still use the Westy: “Sometimes we just sit in the driveway and have a glass of wine for a quiet moment away from the kids.”
„ For our mobile-friendly, totally searchable, constantly updated calendar go to seattleschild.com
Erika’s picks for June 1
q B Y E R I K A L E E B I G E LOW
2
June 7-10
June 9
3
4
June 16-17
Vashon Sheepdog Classic You haven’t seen it all until you see highly trained sheepdogs at work. Come watch cool canines compete in herding trials at Misty Isle Farms on Vashon Island, then stick around for food and fiber arts demos.
Lake to Lake Bike Ride Bring the entire family and join this noncompetitive bike ride around Bellevue. There are two routes: a 9-mile flat route and more challenging 22mile route. Kids 9 and older may ride alone.
Fremont Fair Head to the Center of the Universe for two days of music, arts and crafts, street performers, kids’ activities, wildly decorated cars, food and some of the finest people watching in Seattle. The colorful Fremont Solstice Parade is Sunday at 1 pm.
q S E E PAG E 2 1
q S E E PAG E 2 1
q S E E PAG E 2 2
5
June 24
June 30-July 1
Skandia Midsommarfest Celebrate summer in Scandinavian style at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore. Featuring traditional Nordic and Baltic music, dancing, food and crafts, plus a parade and the raising of the garlanded Midsommar pole.
Seattle Bot Battles One-, 3- and 12-pound robots will battle to the death (actually, to the win) at the Seattle Center Armory the final weekend in June. Make and bring a robot or two to compete for the winning title.
q S E E PAG E 2 3
q S E E PAG E 2 3
W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G A R O U N D T O W N
qBY NICOLE SANTORA
»Calendar 06/18 Friday, June 1 S E AT T L E A R E A
PHOTO COURT ESY OF A RHYT HM IC GYM N AST ICS ACA DE M Y
Bite of Greece. Enjoy authentic Greek food ($), music, dance and a marketplace. FREE. 4 to 10 pm today, 11 am to 10 pm Sat., noon to 6 pm Sun. Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, Seattle (Capitol Hill). www.biteofgreeceseattle.com Honk! Fest West. Hundreds of musicians from U.S., Canada and Russia converge to make some noise with marching bands, drum corps, samba lines, street performers and more. 5 to 10 pm Friday at 12th Avenue South in Georgetown; 1 to 6 pm Sat. at 16th Avenue South in White Center, 2 to 6 pm Sun. at Columbia Park in Columbia City. See schedule online. FREE, donations welcomed. www.honkfestwest.com EASTSIDE
It’s tulip time! Read our tips for taking the best family photos on page 34.
Bellevue Jazz Festival. Hear more than 40 live jazz performances at locations throughout Bellevue. Several shows are free and family friendly. See full schedule online. Various times through June 3. Downtown Bellevue. www.bellevuedowntown.com
hair and an even bigger dream. See online for content advisory. 8 pm. $$$. Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, Issaquah. www.villagetheatre.org
Hairspray. The Village Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning musical about a big girl with big
Hello Mrs. Piggle Wiggle! Studio East performs a fun musical based on the children’s book by Betty
La Luna Kiss at Meydenbauer Center Theatre
MacDonald. Best for ages 5 and older. 7:30 pm tonight; various times through June 10. $$. Studio East, Bellevue. www.studio-east.org NORTH SOUND
Edmonds Waterfront Festival.
Arts and crafts, food, music, 5K fun run (9 am Sat., $$$), kids’ activities and more. 3 to 10 pm today, 11 am to 10 pm Sat., 11 am to 7 pm Sun. $, free ages 12 and younger. Port of Edmonds Marina, Edmonds. www. edmondswaterfrontfestival.org
E V E NT S AR E SUB JE CT TO C H ANG E Please call ahead or check the venue’s website before you go. E V E NT P R IC ING $: Under $10 / $$: $10–$20 / $$$: $20 and over
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
19
Calendar SOUTH SOUND
Shrek the Musical. Auburn Community Players presents a live- action performance based on the book and animated films. 7 pm tonight, Fri. and Sat., 2 pm Sun. through June 17. $$ to $$$. Auburn Avenue Theater, Auburn. www.auburnwa.gov Cinder Edna. A play about Cinderella’s next door neighbor, who also has a wicked stepmother, but decides to take a more self-reliant approach to get to the ball. 7 pm tonight, 2 pm Sat. and Sun. $$. Olympia Family Theater, Olympia. www.olyft.org
Discover the History and Culture of the Tulalip Tribes Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserve
Valley of Gems Show. Annual Puyallup Valley Gem and Mineral Club Show features displays, vendors and kids’ activities. 10 am to 5 pm through Sun. FREE. Swiss Park, Bonney Lake. www.rockngem.com
Saturday, June 2
Free State Parks Day. Explore one of more than 100 beautiful parks throughout our state in celebration of National Trails Day. Day use only. A Discover Pass ($$) may still be required for certain sites. See online for locations and full details. Today, June 9 and 10. www.discoverpass.wa.gov S E AT T L E A R E A
Weekend Family Workshops: Hovering Helicopters. Learn about helicopters, see one in person, then construct a model helicopter of your own. 11 am, 1 pm weekends through June 10. Included with admission. $$$, free ages 4 and younger. Museum of Flight, Tukwila. www.museumofflight.org Herb and Food Fair. Educational speakers and workshops, cooking demonstrations, entertainment, food, vendors, guided walks and children’s activities. Limited parking ($); free shuttle from Kenmore Park & Ride. 10 am to 5 pm. FREE. Bastyr University, Kenmore. www.bastyr.edu Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival. Explore the culture of the Philippines through live performances, arts, kids’ activities and more. 11 am to 6 pm through Sunday. FREE. Seattle Center (lower Queen Anne). www.festalpagdiriwang.com Beacon Hill Festival. Food, vendors, performances, inflatables and more. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE. Jefferson Park, Seattle (Beacon Hill). www.beacon-arts.org PhinneyWood Pride Rainbow Hop. Family-friendly celebration with activities and entertainment celebrating diversity and inclusiveness. See online for locations and times. 10:30 am to 1:45 pm. FREE. Business district of Seattle’s Phinney Ridge/Greenwood neighborhoods. www.phinneycenter.org
Located less than a mile west of I-5 Exit 199 6410 23rd Ave NE Tulalip, WA 98271 360-716-2600 HibulbCulturalCenter.org
Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm y 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm s
Froggy Fun Run. Annual fundraising event for the Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center features kids’ activities, an ASL story time (10:15 am) and a 1K family fun run (10:30 am). 10 am to noon. $$. Montlake Community Center, Seattle (Montlake). www.hsdc.org EASTSIDE
Wetland Waddlers: Slough SENSE-ations. Explore Mercer Slough with your preschooler. Enjoy art, play and story time. Today, use all five senses to explore nature. 9:30 to 11:30 am. $$$. Pre-register. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Bellevue. www.pacificsciencecenter.org Charlotte’s Web. See a live-action, kid-friendly performance based on the classic book by E.B. White, part of SecondStory Rep’s Theater for Young Audiences Series. 1 and 3 pm. $$. SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. www.secondstoryrep.org
30 Minutes North of Seattle, 1 Mile West of I-5 off Exit 199. 6410 23rd Avenue NE, Tulalip, WA 98271
Duvall Days Festival. Annual festival with a parade (10:30 am today), vendors, food booths, car show (today), live music, kids activities, inflatables, fireworks (today), and more. 9 am to 10 pm today, 7 am to 1 pm Sun. Main Street, Duvall. FREE. www.duvalldays.org
HibulbCulturalCenter.org
NORTH SOUND
ties available, please call 360.716.2600 for details.
360.716.2600 info@hibulbculturalcenter.org
Oddmall: Emporium of the Weird. Arts and crafts fair celebrates all things unusual, esoteric,
20
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju ne 2 0 1 8
imaginative, weird and wonderful, complete with entertainment and a kids’ area. 10 am to 6 pm today, 11 am to 5 pm Sun. FREE. Everett Community College, Everett. www.oddmall.com Youth Fishing Derby. Kids 16 and younger can come try to reel in a big one for a prize. Bring your own gear; a limited number of rods will be available to use. 11 am to 2 pm. FREE. Cama Beach State Park, Camano Island. www.camabeachfoundation.org Healthy Communities Challenge Day. Information and hands-on activities pertaining to healthy living, including nutrition, gardening, fitness and community support. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Allen Creek Elementary School, Marysville. www.marysvillewa.gov Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration. Enjoy canoe rides, salmon and fry bread lunch ($), native singers, drummers and weavers. Artists from Samish and Swinomish tribes will demonstrate traditional weaving and wood carving. Noon to 4 pm. FREE. Deception Pass State Park, Oak Harbor. www.parks.state.wa.us/folkarts SOUTH SOUND
Freighthouse Square Train Show & Swap Meet. See layouts from model railroad clubs from all over the West Coast. Also check out vendors selling model trains, accessories and other merchandise. 9 am to 6 pm today, 11 am to 3 pm Sun. $, free ages 12 and younger. Freighthouse Square, Tacoma. www.facebook.com Kent International Festival. Ethnic dance, music, arts and crafts, food and more. 10 am to 7 pm. FREE. ShoWare Center, Kent. www.kentinternationalfestival.com Maritime Gig Festival. Pancake breakfast (8 am today), kids’ dash (8:30 am today), fun run (8:45 am today), parade (10 am today), car show (Sun.), music and entertainment, boat displays, arts and crafts, food, kids’ area and more. FREE. Downtown Gig Harbor. 8 am to 8 pm today, 10 am to 4:30 pm Sun. www.maritimegig.com Hooked on Fishing. Kids ages 2 to 12 can catch up to two trout during a 20-minute time slot. Rain or shine. 8 am to noon. $. Pre-register. Steel Lake Park, Federal Way. www.itallhappenshere.org Dozer Day. Kids (and even adults) can operate bulldozers, excavators and other heavy machinery with a professional by their side, plus enjoy games, construction toys and other activities. Bring cash for parking ($). 11 am to 4 pm today through Sun. $$. Washington State Fair Events Center (Puyallup). www.seattle.dozerday.org FA R T H E R A F I E L D
Free Play Day. Enjoy free admission to Kids Discovery Museum along with special activities. Meet a therapy dog, decorate a pillowcase, enjoy a sing-along and a parade (10 am). 10 am to 4 pm. FREE. Kids Discovery Museum, Bainbridge Island. www.kidimu.org Kitsap Medieval Faire. Visit a medieval village for crafts, games, music, food, combat demonstrations and more. 10 am to 5 pm. $$, free ages 17 and younger. Norseland Site, Bremerton. www.junefaire.com
Sunday, June 3 S E AT T L E A R E A
Orca Month Kick-Off Celebration. Celebrate and learn about the endangered orca throughout the month. Today, enjoy live music, face painting, storytellers and Mike the 25-foot-tall inflatable orca. 1 to 5 pm. FREE. Golden Gardens Park Bathhouse, Seattle (Ballard). www.orcasalmonalliance.org Bicycle Sundays. Scenic Lake Washington Boulevard is closed to cars between Mount Baker beach and Seward Park on select Sundays through September, including today, June 17 and 24. LimeBikes will offer free rides. Also enjoy music, games, and face painting at Seward Park
(10 am to 2 pm). 10 am to 6 pm. FREE. www.seattle.gov/parks/bicyclesunday Sunday Public Sail. Each Sunday, the Center for Wooden Boats offers free 45-minute rides on Lake Union. Sign up for a slot in person; several trips throughout the day. Space is limited. Sign up begins at 10 am. FREE. Center for Wooden Boats (South Lake Union). EASTSIDE
Big Backyard 5K. Dog and stroller-friendly run/walk and kids’ dash (ages 10 and younger) benefiting King County Parks. 9 am 5K, 10 am kids’ dash. $$$, free kids’ dash. Marymoor Park, Redmond. www.bby5k.com
Monday, June 4 S E AT T L E A R E A
Young Composers Workshop Concert. Enjoy the culminating concert of the 2018 Young Composers Workshop. Seattle Symphony musicians will perform chamber works written by the 10 young composers in this year’s workshop. 7 pm. FREE. Benaroya Hall, Downtown Seattle. www.seattlesymphony.org SOUTH SOUND
Princess and the Pea. See the classic tale about the princess who was put to a strange test. Part of the “Let’s Play” series, short interactive shows perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. 10 am today through Sun, and 11:30 am Fri. $. Olympia Family Theater, Olympia. www.olyft.org
Thursday, June 7 S E AT T L E A R E A
Pride Family Fun. MOHAI welcomes LGBTQ families to celebrate pride with story time, craft making, film screenings, and live performances by Youth Speaks poets. Also, experience ongoing exhibits throughout the museum as part of free First Thursday. 10 am to 8 pm. FREE, admission required for special exhibits. Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Seattle (South Lake Union). www.mohai.org SOUTH SOUND
Late Play Date. On the first Thursday of every month, drop in for free admission and themed activities perfect for families with children ages 3 to 12. Today, learn the basics of pointillism painting with local artist Mary Ellen Bowers. 6 to 8 pm. FREE. White River Valley Museum, Auburn. www.wrvmuseum.org FA R T H E R A F I E L D
Vashon Sheepdog Classic. Watch highly trained sheepdogs and their handlers compete in herding trials. Also enjoy food, crafts and fiber arts demonstrations (cash only). 8 am to 5 pm today, 7 am to 5:30 pm Fri., 7 am to 5 pm Sat. and Sun. $$, free ages 10 and younger. Space is limited, pre-purchase recommended. Shuttle available from the North and South end ferries June 9-10 ($). Misty Isle Farms, Vashon Island. www.vashonsheepdogclassic.com
Friday, June 8 S E AT T L E A R E A
Three Little Pigs. Tiny Tots concerts are 35-minute, interactive shows for kids ages 5 and younger. Instrument exploration begins 30 minutes prior to the show in the lobby. Today, hear Seattle Symphony musicians perform a woodwind quintet rendition of Three Little Pigs. 10:30 am today, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 am Sat. $$. Benaroya Hall, Downtown Seattle. www.seattlesymphony.org Garden Tots. Every Friday through Aug. 31, kids ages 2 to 6 are invited to enjoy a plant activity, garden exploration and a craft project. 10 am to 1 pm. $$. Kruckeberg Botanic Garden, Shoreline. www.kruckeberg.org NOAA Open House. Learn more about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with science presentations and panels,
interactive exhibits and tours. Adults must bring photo ID to gain access to the campus. Noon to 6:30 pm. FREE. NOAA Western Regional Center, Sandpoint. www.eventbrite.com NORTH SOUND
Sorticulture. Garden art and plant vendors, display gardens, food, speakers, music and kids’ activities. 10 am to 8 pm today, 10 am to 6 pm Sat., 10 am to 4 pm Sun. FREE. Limited parking, free shuttle available from Walt Price Student Fitness Center at Everett Community College, see online for parking locations. Legion Memorial Park, Everett. www.everettwa.gov SOUTH SOUND
Maple Valley Days. Rides, music, food, contests, Kidland, parade (10 am Sat.), car show (Sat.) and more. 3 to 8 pm today, 10 am to 8 pm Sat., 10 am to 5 pm Sun. FREE. Lake Wilderness Park, Maple Valley. www.maplevalleydays.com Northwest Pinball & Arcade Show. More than 400 pinball and arcade games all set on free play, tournaments, prizes, kids’ area, guest speakers and more. Noon to 11:30 pm today, 10 am to 11:30 pm Sat., 9 am to 3 pm Sun. $$ to $$$, ages 5 and younger free with paid adult, 2 kids per adult. Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, Tacoma. www.nwpinballshow.com
Saturday, June 9 S E AT T L E A R E A
CeAtl Tonalli Aztec Dance. Throughout the summer, enjoy outdoor performances on the second Saturday of each month. Today, see CeAtl Tonalli perform a traditional Aztec Dance ceremony. Noon to 1 pm. University Heights Park, Seattle (U District). www.uheightscenter.org Spirit of Indigenous People Festival. Celebrate Native American and First Nations cultures with performances, a native art market, exhibits, and a powwow. 11 am to 5 pm. FREE. Seattle Center (Lower Queen Anne). www.sihb.org Georgetown Carnival. Food, entertainment, carnival games, power- tool races, interactive art, marching bands and more. Noon to 10 pm. FREE. Airport Way South and South Lucile Street, Seattle (Georgetown). www.georgetowncarnival.com Shilshole Boatfest. Enjoy the water with sailing lessons, boat rides, and tours. Plus, enjoy live music, inflatables, lawn games, vendors and food trucks. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE. Shilshole Bay Marina, Ballard. www.portseattle.org Art on the Fly. Live performances, interactive events, dance classes, vendors, food trucks and the South Lake Union market. Noon to 3 pm. FREE. Denny Park, South Lake Union. www.seattleidf.org EASTSIDE
Wilderness Tea Party. Kids ages 4 to 7 can sip decaf tea outdoors and learn about creatures living in the forest. 10 to 11:30 am. FREE. Pre-register. Lewis Creek Park Visitors Center, Bellevue. www.parks.bellevuewa.gov Evergreen Mountain Bike Festival. Trail riding, demonstrations, clinics, vendors, kids’ activities, food and more. 9 am to 5 pm today and 10 am to 3 pm Sun. FREE, fee for some activities. Duthie Hill Park, Issaquah. www.evergreenmtbfestival.com Fall City Days Fun Run. 5K and 10K runs, and 1K kids’ run. Parade and festival follows. 9 am kids’ 1K, 9:15 am 5K/10K. $$ to $$$. Farmhouse Market, Fall City. www.fallcity.org Lake to Lake Bike Ride. A noncompetitive bike ride with two routes (a 9-mile flat route, or a more challenging 22-mile route). Kids ages 9 and older may ride alone. Kids ages 8 and younger must be on a tandem bike with an adult. 9 am to noon. Pre-register. $$ to $$$. Lake Hills Community Park, Bellevue. www.bellevuewa.gov NORTH SOUND
Father’s Day Gift Making. Kids ages 10 and
older learn to create a woodblock print as a Father’s Day gift. 11 am. $. University Book Store, Mill Creek. www.ubookstore.com Show & Shine Car Show. Food, entertainment, kids’ activities, and hundreds of cars, trucks and motorcycles to admire. 8 am to 4 pm. FREE. Olympic Avenue and Legion Park, Arlington. www.arlingtonwa.org SOUTH SOUND
Summer Splashtacular. Water safety event for kids ages 5 to 12 with games and prizes. 11 am to 1 pm. FREE. Federal Way Community Center Pool, Federal Way. www.itallhappenshere.org Family Day at Museum of Glass. Explore the exhibit Foraging the Hive, and create a bee-friendly seed ball. 1 to 4 pm. Included with admission. $ to $$, free ages 5 and younger. Museum of Glass, Tacoma. www.museumofglass.org Springfree Trampoline NW Kids Fair. Enjoy live entertainment, trampolines, slides, face painting, costumed characters, inflatables, a petting zoo, food vendors and more. 10 am to 6 pm. $ to $$, free ages 2 and younger. Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup. www.nwkidsfair.com Sound to Narrows. A variety of races for all ages and abilities, including a 2K Junior Shuffle (ages 12 and younger, 8 am), 5K or 12K run/walk (8:30 to 8:45 am), and a Diaper Dash (ages 3 and younger, 10 am). $$ to $$$, free Junior Shuffle and Diaper Dash. Vassault Park, Tacoma. www.soundtonarrows.org
Sunday, June 10 S E AT T L E A R E A
PNB’s Season Encore Performance. A crowd-pleasing reprise of some of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s greatest hits to celebrate the end of the season, along with a live orchestra. 6:30 pm. $$$. McCaw Hall, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.pnb.org Furry 5K. Run or walk with (or without) your dog to benefit Seattle Animal Shelter. Pet Expo before and after the race. 10 am. registration, 11:30 am runners, 11:40 am walkers. $$$. Seward Park, Seattle (Seward Park). No parking in Seward Park. www.furry5k.com NORTH SOUND
Kids Bike Swap. Kids can trade in the bike they have outgrown and pick out a bike that fits them. Or kids can donate their old bike and receive credit. Parents must be present. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Sharing Wheels, Everett. www.sharingwheels.org SOUTH SOUND
Second Sunday Music. Enjoy music in the beautiful conservatory on the second Sunday of the month. Today, hear Irish folk music from the high-energy duo Castletown. 1 to 2:30 pm. $ suggested donation. W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma. www.metroparkstacoma.org
Wednesday, June 13 S E AT T L E A R E A
ZooTunes. Summer outdoor concert series with children’s area. Tonight’s headliner is Ziggy Marley. 6 pm tonight and June 17 (Violent Femmes), June 24 (Indigo Girls), June 27 (Trampled by Turtles). Series continues various dates through August. $$$, one free child admission per adult ticket. Woodland Park Zoo, Phinney. www.zoo.org
Thursday, June 14 NORTH SOUND
Marysville Strawberry Festival. Entertainment, food, carnival, vendors, car show (8 am to 3 pm Sat.), strawberry shortcake eating contest, kids’ parade (5 pm Sat.), grand parade (7:45 pm Sat.), fireworks show and more. 10 am to 10 pm today and Fri., 8 am to 10 pm Sat., 10 am to 5 pm Sun. FREE. Various locations in downtown Marysville. www.maryfest.org
Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
21
seattle-kids-small-spring.pdf
1
3/16/17
9:36 AM
Calendar
C
Friday, June 15
M
S E AT T L E A R E A
Classic Weekend. See more than 50 beautiful classic yachts arrive for the show this weekend. Arrival “parade” from 2 to 4 pm today; boats on display 10 am to 4 pm Sat. and Sun. FREE. Bell Harbor Marina, Downtown Seattle. www.portseattle.org
Y
CM
MY
CY
NORTH SOUND CMY
K
At The Landing in Renton • 425-264-3606 (Next to the Seahawks Pro Shop)
Edmonds Arts Festival. Art, food and entertainment. The Kids Create area features hands-on art and face painting. No pets. 10 am to 8 pm through Sat., 10 am to 6 pm Sun. FREE. Frances Anderson Center, Edmonds. www.edmondsartsfestival.com
satsumadesigns.com
SOUTH SOUND
8511 35th Ave NE | SEA 98115
Meeker Days. Pierce County’s largest street festival includes entertainment, food, arts and crafts, vendors, KidZone, trout pond, car and an antique tractor show. Noon to 9 pm today, 10 am to 9 pm Sat., 10 am to 5 pm Sun. FREE. Downtown Puyallup. www.puyallupmainstreet.com Explore the Shore. Join Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium naturalists for low-tide beach walks where you will identify and record tide-pool animals. Noon today, 11 am June 28, and select dates through August. FREE. Pre-register. Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park, Tacoma. www.pdza.org
Saturday, June 16 S E AT T L E A R E A
Sensory Friendly Concert. Designed specifically for families with children ages 5 to 8 on the autism spectrum and sensory sensitivities, this concert includes instrument exploration before or after the show, a meet-and-greet with the featured musicians, and a 35-minute performance. 10 am and noon today through Sun. $$. Benaroya Hall, Downtown Seattle. www.seattlesymphony.org Wild Tensions Family Day. Learn about the design of outdoor spaces as part of the Wild Tensions exhibit (through Aug. 18). Today, families can create their own trail mix, learn how to build a wilderness shelter, and learn about Seattle wildlife. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Center for Architecture & Design, Downtown Seattle. www.cfadseattle.org
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOY STORE 206.932.3154 retroactivekids.com Historic Columbia City Discount excludes LEGO products.
Fremont Fair. Music, arts and crafts, street performers, kids’ art activities, art cars (wildly decorated cars), food and more. The unconventional Fremont Solstice Parade (some participants are clad only in full or partial body paint) is 1 pm today. Sunday includes a dog parade (2:30 pm, $20 to participate). 10 am to 8 pm today and 11 am to 6 pm Sun. FREE, donations encouraged. Parking is limited. Fremont Avenue North and North 35th Street, Seattle (Fremont). www.fremontfair.com Seattle Solstice Run. Magnuson Series fun runs include 5K, 10K, 15K, two-person teams (5K each) and a Kids Dash. Kids Dash at 9:45 am, all other events at 10 am. $ to $$$. Magnuson Park, Seattle (Sand Point). www.magnusonseries.org Spring Concert. Seattle Girls Choir presents their season finale concert featuring all six choir levels with girls ages 5 to 18. Noon. $$. Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle (First Hill). www.seattlegirlschoir.org Morgan Junction Community Festival. Enjoy live music, kids’ crafts, vendor booths, an appearance by the Bubbleman and food carts. 10 am to 4 pm. FREE. Morgan Junction Park, West Seattle. www.morganjunction.org Festival Sundiata. Event celebrates the richness and diversity of African and African-American culture, history and art. Performances, art exhibit, marketplace, food and more. 11 am to 8 pm today and noon to 6 pm Sun. Seattle Center (Lower Queen Anne). www.festivalsundiata.org EASTSIDE
World Migratory Bird Day. Learn about
22
S E AT T L E ’S C H I L D
Ju ne 2 0 1 8
birds with ranger-led walks, nature-related booths, matching games and kids activities. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Juanita Bay Park, Kirkland. www.eastsideaudubon.org Free Planetarium Show. See a 45-minute planetarium show featuring Stars and a live segment to view the night’s brightest stars and constellations. Ages 6 and older. Tickets are available at 9 am June 9 but sell out quickly. FREE. 6, 7 and 8 pm. Geer Planetarium at Bellevue College, Bellevue. www.brownpapertickets.com Washington Brewers Festival. More than 500 beers from 100 Washington breweries are represented, plus enjoy food, entertainment, kids’ area with inflatables ($), face painting, root beer garden, crafts, and wine and cider tasting. No pets. 11 am to 8 pm today, 11 am to 5:30 pm Sun. $$$ ages 21 and over (includes eight tasting tokens), $ designated driver, free younger than age 21 with parent. Marymoor Park, Redmond. www.washingtonbeer.com Fathers Ride Free. Northwest Railway Museum’s scenic 70-minute round trip departs from Snoqualmie or North Bend. See schedule online. $$, fathers free through Sun. with paying child of any age. www.trainmuseum.org NORTH SOUND
Heroes for Health Family 5K. A family 5K run/walk (10 am). Same- day registration at 8 am. Enjoy a group Zumba warmup (9:15 am) followed by a superhero costume contest (9:30 am). Leashed dogs welcome. $$$, free ages 12 and younger with registration by June 14. Bothell//Sammamish Trail, Bothell. www.getmeregistered.com Biringer Farm Strawberry Festival. Giant strawberry ride, animals, inflatables, face painting, games, food and more. 11 am to 3 pm through Sun. FREE, fee for some activities and food. Biringer Farm, Arlington. www.biringerfarm.com SOUTH SOUND
Family STEAM Day. Members of Granite Falls High School’s Eco-Car Teams will discuss designing and building fuel-efficient cars for the future. 11 am to 4 pm. Included with admission, $$. America’s Car Museum, Tacoma. www.americascarmuseum.org Plough to Plate. Re-enactors will compete in a cooking contest using traditional methods from the 19th century. Plus, visitors will enjoy games, activities, and timeless tips on gardening, seed saving, food preservation and raising chickens. 11 am to 5 pm. Included with admission. $, free ages 3 and younger. Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, Tacoma. www.fortnisqually.org Food Truck Feast. Choose from more than a dozen local food trucks selling everything from barbecue to fish and chips, plus enjoy live music. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE. Sehmel Homestead Park, Gig Harbor. www.penmetparks.org Olympic Air Show. Flying and static displays, WWII encampment, food, vendors, kids’ activities and more. 9 am to 5 pm through Sun. $$ to $$$, free ages 6 and younger. Olympia Regional Airport, Olympia. www.olympicairshow.com
Sunday, June 17 Father’s Day S E AT T L E A R E A
SS Virginia V Cruise. Hop aboard Seattle’s historic steamship, the SS Virginia V, to explore the inner workings of steam engines and learn the history of mail delivery on Lake Union by planes, trains and steamships. Each ticket comes with a free scoop of ice cream. Additional snacks available for purchase. 2 to 4:30 pm. $$ to $$$. Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Seattle (South Lake Union). www.mohai.org Westwood Village Street Fair. Food, live music, costumed characters, pet adoptions, rides and games. 11 am to 5 pm. FREE. Westwood Village, West Seattle. www.westwoodvillagecenter.com
SOUTH SOUND
Fenders On Front Street. Car show, vendors, music and family activities. 8 am to 3 pm. FREE. Front Street, Issaquah. www.fendersonfrontstreet.com
Fire Rescue Spectacular. Kids can climb aboard a real fire engine and police vehicles. Also, take a ride in a mini fire engine, design a fire helmet and spray a hose at a simulated burning house. 11 am to 3 pm. Included with admission. $$, free ages 23 months and younger. Hands On Children’s Museum, Olympia. www.hocm.org
SOUTH SOUND
Free Admission for Fathers. Dads and grandpas enjoy free admission today. 11 am to 5 pm. $ to $$. Hands On Children’s Museum, Olympia. www.hocm.org Half-Price Dads’ Day. Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma is offering dads half-price admission today. 9:30 am to 6 pm. $ to $$, free ages 2 and younger. www.pdza.org
Thursday, June 21 S E AT T L E A R E A
Make Music Seattle. All are encouraged to come make music together in public places. See website for location details. 9 am to 10 pm. FREE. Various locations in Seattle. www.makemusicday.org/seattle
Slug Fest. Get to know the lowly yet iconic banana slug through games, crafts and presentations. Included with admission. 9:30 am to 5 pm through Sun. $$ to $$$, free ages 2 and younger. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville. www.nwtrek.org Tacoma Highland Games. Food, crafts and Scottish goods vendors, kids’ activities, Celtic entertainment, traditional Highland athletes, bagpipes and dancers. 8 am to 5 pm. $ to $$, free ages 5 and younger. Frontier Park, Graham. www.tacomagames.org
SOUTH SOUND
FairyFest Weekend. Look for fairy houses throughout the gardens, plus shop at the fairy store, enjoy storytellers, and see a performance from the Bubbleman (11:30 am June 22). See schedule online. 10 am to 4 pm today through Fri, 10 am to 6 pm Sat. and Sun. $, free ages 12 and younger. Lakewold Gardens, Lakewood. www.lakewoldgardens.org
Friday, June 22 SOUTH SOUND
Taste of Tacoma. Food, vendors, cooking demonstrations, entertainment stages, rides and more. Free shuttle from Tacoma Community College. 11 am to 9 pm through Sat., 11 am to 8 pm Sun. FREE. Point Defiance Park, Tacoma. www.tasteoftacoma.com Auburn KidsDay. Entertainment, inflatables, arts and crafts, face painting, activity and information booths, miniature golf, food and more. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE. Les Gove Park, Auburn. www.auburnwa.gov
Saturday, June 23 S E AT T L E A R E A
Shoreline Arts Festival. Adult and junior juried art, hands-on art, marketplace, performances, food, cultural displays and more. Missoula Children’s Theatre presents The Pied Piper (1 pm today, $$). 10 am to 6 pm today, 10 am to 5 pm Sun. FREE. Shoreline Center Auditorium, Shoreline. EASTSIDE
Midsomer Festival. Games, puppet and magic shows, archery, crafts, and demonstrations of medieval village life. Noon to 5 pm through Sun. $ to $$, free ages 5 and younger. Camlann Medieval Village, Carnation. www.camlann.org Bellevue Strawberry Festival. Celebrate Bellevue’s agricultural past with the Eastside Heritage Museum’s displays, plus enjoy live entertainment, strawberry shortcake eating contests, family fun area, classic cars (10 am to 3 pm Sun.), food and crafts. 10 am to 8 pm today, 10 am to 6 pm Sun. FREE. Crossroads Park, Bellevue. www.bellevuestrawberryfestival.org Party in the Park. 5K and 10K races ($$$), breakfast ($), animal entertainment, and kids’ games and activities. 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. FREE, donations accepted. Take the shuttle from Central Park Tennis Club. Bridle Trails State Park, Kirkland. www.bridletrails.org NORTH SOUND
Pacific Theater Day. Flying and vehicle demonstrations from the war machines operated during World War II. 10 am to 3 pm. $$ to $$$, free ages 5 and younger. Flying Heritage Combat & Armor Museum, Everett. www.flyingheritage.com
Sunday, June 24 S E AT T L E A R E A
I Dig Dinos: Ice Ages. Enjoy three prehistoric stations ranging from touching real fossils to solving dinosaur mysteries and dino dress-up. 11 am to 2 pm. Included with admission. $ to $$, free ages 4 and younger. Burke Museum, Seattle (University District). www.burkemuseum.org Skandia Midsommarfest. Nordic and Baltic summer celebration featuring traditional music, dancing, food, crafts and other activities. Parade and raising of the garlanded Midsommar pole at 2:30 pm. 11 am to 6 pm. FREE. St. Edward State Park, Kenmore. www.skandia-folkdance.org
June 18 – August 24 3 – 14 years old Learning & Enrichment Outdoor Education Performing Arts Fine Arts Sports Day Camps
summertime fun!
EASTSIDE
Find registration information online:
www.evergreenschool.org
EASTSIDE
La Luna Kiss. See students perform acrobatic dancing choreographed by 2016 Uzbekistan Olympic coach Lyudmila Polivanova. 6:30 pm. $$ to $$$. Meydenbauer Center Theatre, Bellevue. www.cercadelaluna.com
Saturday, June 30
Challenging K-12 students in an intellectual community through early entrance, online, and outreach programs
S E AT T L E A R E A
Maker Day: Kite Creators. Make your own kite with help from the American Kitefliers Association, the largest kite club in the world. Noon to 3 pm. Included with admission. $$, free ages 14 and younger. Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Seattle (South Lake Union). www.mohai.org
Transition School • UW Academy Saturday Enrichment • Summer Programs Online Program • Professional Development
Urban Craft Uprising. Seattle’s largest indie craft show includes vendors of unique handmade toys, art, jewelry, stationery, food and more. 11 am to 5 pm through Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Exhibition Hall (Lower Queen Anne). www.urbancraftuprising.com Seattle Bot Battles. Watch 1-, 3- and 12-pound robots battle each other or make a robot to compete (pre-register). 10:30 am to 5 pm today, 10:30 am to 4 pm Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Armory (Lower Queen Anne). www.westernalliedrobotics.com NORTH SOUND
Run of the Mill 5K. Race raises funds for cancer patients and features a festival atmosphere afterward. 7:15 am registration, 9 am race. $$$. Mill Creek Town Center, Mill Creek. www.cfundingmortgage.com
APPLY NOW
www.robinsoncenter.uw.edu 206-543-4160 • rcys@uw.edu Jun e 2 0 18
S E AT T L E ’ S C H I L D
23
CELEBRATION OF WORLD CULTURES THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF DANCE
SEATTLE THEATRE GROUP PRESENTS
JULY 13/7:30PM
YEARS
THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE FE ATURING PERFORMANCE S BY APNA BHANGRA CREW / BAILADORES DE BRONCE / CREATIVE OUTLET DANCE THEATRE OF BROOKLYN / DANZA FOLCLÓRICA CHALCATONGO KALAHI DANCE COMPANY / NORTHWEST TAP CONNECTION / SPECTRUM DANCE THEATER / VELA LUKA CROATIAN DANCE ENSEMBLE AMY O’NEAL & MICHAEL O’NEAL JR. / DERICK GRANT / DORMESHIA SUMBRY-EDWARDS
ADVANCE TICKE TS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
$18 ADULTS / $10 STUDENTS (800) 982-2787 • STGPRESENTS.ORG
presented by
®
SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
The Bradley Family Foundation
Priority Seating and Discounts for Groups 10+ call: (206) 315-8054 Tickets Available At ticketmaster.com