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Laryn Young, left, and Hatsune Matsudaira, musicians of the Koto no WA ensemble, played traditional Japanese koto music during the Kizoku Ishiki Obon celebration. The koto is a string instrument, not unlike a harp, which typically features 13 strings plucked by musicians who use three fingerpicks worn on their right hand. (Alex Bruell photo)

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Islanders celebrate, commemorate belonging

The event featured speakers, dancing, Japanese koto music, walking tours and more.

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Corrections | August 14, 2025

Artist info: Due to human error, the July 31 edition of “Happenings” erroneously stated that artist Susan Lowrey…

Award-winning youth filmmaker Levi Cobb and Vashon Film Institute’s Rich Hazzard. (Phil Clapham photo)

Arts

Vashon Island Film Festival wraps 4th edition

Photos, award winners and more.

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Arts

Free Discover Passes for state parks available at your local library

The Check Out Washington program allows KCLS patrons to get a pass and an adventure pack that includes…

Dalco Passage, pictured from Point Defiance in Tacoma; Vashon is on the left side. (Crash Dalco, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

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Kelp farm lease in default after equipment sinks

No farming is currently taking place at the site.

PNW horticulturist Ciscoe Morris will deliver a talk on Thursday, August 14 on all things gardening at Vashon Theatre.

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Happenings | August 14, 2025

The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club sponsors a talk by Ciscoe Morris on Thursday, August 14.

This screenshot from the state Department of Health on August 9 shows the full recreational shellfishing closure across Vashon beaches.

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Shellfishing closure extended to all of Vashon beaches

The Washington Department of Health has extended its closure of recreational shellfish harvesting to all of the shores…

Islander Leah Okamoto Mann, seen here performing in at Seattle’s Kubota Gardens in May, will lead a “Kizoku Ishiki” Obon celebration at Vashon Cemetery on Aug. 9. (Courtesy photo)

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Happenings | August 7, 2025

Kizoku Ishiki Obon, Ciscoe Morris and more.

Aerialist Ariel Ginger (Alex Bruell photo)

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News Briefs | August 7, 2025

Aerialists flied at Open Air.

Camp Fire Executive Director Rick Taylor shakes hands with King County Executive Shannon Braddock at the easement signing ceremony July 10. (Alex Bruell photo)

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County buys third easement protecting Camp Sealth from development

This transfer is the biggest land right purchase of its kind between the camp and King County.

William McLaughlin (Courtesy photo)

News

Fire board votes to hire new chief

The commissioners extended an offer to William McLaughlin.

Workers from Meade Building Company work on a ramp at Cynthia and Fred Matusky’s Sunflower Community Land Trust home the afternoon of Wednesday, July 30. They finished the final touches on the project on Monday, August 4. (Alex Bruell photo)

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Vashon ‘Rampathon’ winners feel the love

Before last week, a trip outside for Cynthia Matusky meant a roll of the dice on whether she’d…

Aboard the Virginia V wooden steamship, volunteer engineer Lydia Louie prepares an oiler in the engine room on a Vashon Heritage Museum tour. (Terry Donnelly photo)

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Time & Again: The Virginia V circumnavigation

The story of the Virginia V is a story of change amid the last two centuries.