Happenings | July 17, 2025
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 15, 2025
• EVENTS •
Bird walk: Seasoned birder Michael Tracy will lead a bird walk at 9 a.m., Saturday, July 19, open to anyone interested in learning more about island birds. Because of the Strawberry Festival, participants will meet at the Valley Center Park & Ride at 20221 Vashon Highway, just south of The Country Store. Participants will carpool from there. This free event is sponsored by the Vashon Bird Alliance.
Wood sale: The Vashon Forest Stewards will hold a wood sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at the new log yard located on Beall Road immediately south of the greenhouses. It will include a selection of kiln-dried and air-dried wood products, all priced to move. Call David Warren for more details at 206-295-6670.
Indivisible potluck: Join Indivisible Vashon for a family-oriented potluck from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 24 at Ober Park celebrating democracy and the island community. Bring a potluck (mains and sides) to share and chairs and a blanket for your group. Drinks and desserts will be provided. There will be activities for all age ranges.
Fish wars: Professor Kestrel A. Smith will survey the evidence and events before and after the “Fish Wars,” which rocked Washington State for decades, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 26 at Vashon Library. In the 1960s and 70s, tribes throughout the Pacific Northwest launched protests and acts of civil disobedience to pressure the government to recognize their fishing rights. The event is sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Vashon Park District. Registration not required.
Mammogram screenings: Assured Imaging will offer mammogram screenings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, at the J.G. Commons Community Room, located at 17300 96th Place SW. Call 888-204-9214 to schedule an appointment. Major insurers are accepted and no referral is needed, though patients should bring a picture ID and an insurance card. Patients must be 40 years old or older, with no current breast problems or complaints, and have not had a mammogram in the past year.
MIH session: Learn about Vashon Island Fire & Rescue’s free Mobile Integrated Health program from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday, July 31 at Vashon Library. Meet the program manager, ask questions and learn about how the program works.
Yard sale for good: Vashon Presbyterian Church holds its annual yard sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 2 at 17708 Vashon Highway. Items will not be priced and will instead be sold under the “take what you need, pay what you want” philosophy. All proceeds will be donated in equal amounts to Vashon Maury Community Food Bank and Vashon Household.
Kizoku Ishiki Obon: This celebration of belonging will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 9, at Vashon Cemetery. It is a free cultural event that will include dance, art displays, walking tours, picnicking, performances and more. Learn more at vashoncemetery.org and mukaifarmandgarden.org.
Inclusion island picnic: Join Inclusion Island, a group of adults with developmental disabilities and their friends and family, for a summer picnic from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, August 16, at Bethel Church, located at 14736 Bethel Lane SW. The afternoon will include sizzling barbeque and more. Questions? Email hersheyhousing@gmail.com.
Farmers Market: The Vashon Island Growers Association’s Farmers Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday at the Village Green through September 27. Visit vigavashon.org/market.
Free community dinners: Held Mondays through Fridays from 5-5:30 p.m. at the Vashon Presbyterian Church (17708 Vashon Highway SW) by the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness.
• SENIOR CENTER •
Enjoy a hot lunch at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the following activities throughout the week at the Vashon Senior Center, 10004 SW Bank Road:
Preparedness talk: At 1 p.m. on Friday, July 18, VashonBePrepared’s Vicky de Monterey Richoux will share how to prepare for severe weather, landslides, earthquakes and other adverse incidents. Come with questions.
Play ball: Meet at the Center at 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22 to catch a ferry to see a Tacoma Rainiers baseball game at the ballpark. For a cost of $37 (or $30 for members), you will get a reserved seat, a ballpark meal (hot dog & bottled water) and a limited-edition Rainiers hat.
Armchair travel: Join Barb Gustafson at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23 to learn about Renaissance castles, Rococo architecture, Baroque gardens, Viking ships, smorrebrod and more. Gustafson will take you day tripping around Copenhagen, home to Denmark’s kings who have surrounded themselves with grand buildings and magnificent art for 600 years.
Death Café: Meets 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session, with an objective to increase awareness of death and help people make the most of their finite lives. For questions, call Susan Pitiger at 206-818-4232 or Brad Davis at 206-799-7235. The next meeting is July 23.
Grief Ritual: Islanders are invited to share and witness each other’s grief on the first Sunday of each month from 1-2 p.m. Questions? Call Susan Pitiger at 206-818-4232, or Brad Davis at 206-799-7235. The next meeting is August 3.
• PUBLIC MEETINGS •
Vashon-Maury Community Council: 7 p.m., Thursday, July 17 at the Land Trust building, 10014 SW Bank Road and via Zoom. Visit v-mcc.org. This will be a return to public meetings for the organization.
Vashon Park District board: 6:15 p.m., Tuesday, July 22, at the Ober Park Administration Building, 17130 Vashon Hwy SW and via Zoom. The board meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Visit vashonparks.org.
Vashon Ferry Advisory Committee: 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, at the Vashon Land Trust building, 10014 S.W. Bank Road and on Zoom: us06web.zoom.us/j/89421809038.
Water District 19: 6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 5 at the district board room, 17630 100th Ave SW. The board ordinarily meets the second Tuesday of the month, however, at the July 9 board meeting, the Board of Commissioners changed the regular meeting from August 12 to August 5. Visit water19.com.
• NOTICE •
Happenings features community, cultural and nonprofit events; notices are free and printed as space permits. Due to the volume of entries received, we edit submissions and cannot always confirm if a submission will run. Send submissions to editor@vashonbeachcomber.com; include the who, what, where and when. The deadline is noon Thursday for subsequent Thursday publication.
