When island poet and magician Tom Pruiksma and Portland writer Pauls Toutonghi get together, the unexpected often occurs. The two friends, who grew up together in Seattle, will hold a literary conversation and a short reading from Toutonghi’s new book, “Dog Gone,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at Vashon Bookshop.
This year, Vashon’s Strawberry Festival will honor pre-World War II Japanese farmers who once grew most of the island’s berries and celebrate Vashon’s agrarian community, both past and present, with traditional Japanese music and dance.
The Poetry Well is a monthly column that showcases island poetry. This month includes a poem by Vashon’s second poet laureate, Ina Whitlock.
When Kenyan artist Ken Nyambura hurriedly packed his rolled-up canvases into a suitcase, he had no idea what would come next. He only knew he had to flee his country. Due to continuous death threats, the artist, 29, left behind his wife, two young sons, his parents and community to seek asylum in the United States.
Most galleries and art spots are open from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday
Last May, island husband-and-wife duo, photographer Ray Pfortner and designer Nancy Wing, led a WTE, Inc. photography tour to Cuba. Beginning Friday and running for the month of July, an exhibition of the colorful city and countryside images taken on the tour — many shot from behind-the-typical-tourist-scene-locations — will cover the walls of The Hardware Store Restaurant.
Garth Reeves, a Seattle singer and guitarist with strong ties to Vashon, will return to the island for a free show at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Red Bike.
Last year, a group of island poets — Randy Barnes, Annie Brulé, Cal Kinnear, Susan Lynch and Jennifer Lynch — got together to create a plan for printing small collections of broadside poems.
Courtesy Photos
Roald Dahl’s celebrated story of Willie Wonka and the five lucky children who win a golden ticket to his chocolate factory will be performed this weekend by Vashon Dance Academy when Dance! Vashon, the nonprofit that produces the academy’s shows, presents “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at the Vashon High School theater.
Author, leadership consultant and former Vashon resident Suzanne Anderson will return to the island next week to sign and read from her new book, “The Way of the Mysterial Woman,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 30, at Vashon Bookshop.
The perennially popular island band Bill Brown and the Kingbees will play a free show at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Red Bike.
This weekend kicks off the first summer Vashon Island Art Studio Tour, a beloved tradition typically held in May and December.