Welcome to the inaugural weekend of 2018, Bainbridge. You survived the holidays, but there’s at least two more timely traditions yet to mark.
First, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5 is the year’s first First Friday Art Walk.
For a full list of participating galleries, click here.
Secondly, it’s the 29th annual Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community’s mochi tsuki.
The big event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 at IslandWood (4450 Blakely Ave. NE).
The celebration is one of the nation’s longest-running public mochi tsuki (moe-chee zu-key) events.
New to the festival this year, intended to help ensure a pleasant experience for all by reducing wait lines and to manage crowds, a limited number of free admission tickets for the event and taiko performances will be available on a first-come, first-reserved basis.
Register on-line at www.islandwood.org.
The event is free, though donations for mochi are welcome.
Parking is limited at the site, and also the nearby Blakley Elementary School, so carpooling is strongly encouraged.
Also going on this weekend, a special memorial show from The EDGE Improv Group in honor of the recent death of cofounder, island entertainment icon Frank Buxton.
“All About Frank” will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 at Bainbridge Performing Arts.
“Frank had a marvelous way of helping us navigate difficult moments with humor,” said BPA executive director Dominique Cantwell. “I hope that friends will join us to channel his energy as we try to pilot onward through this particularly hard one.”
To honor Buxton’s legacy of generosity, BPA officials announced, all remaining tickets to the Jan. 6 performance will be free of charge.
Donations to the Hot Dog! Fund, a charitable endeavor cofounded by Buxton, will be accepted at the door.
Tickets are now available at www.bainbridgeperformingarts.org and through the box office at 206-842-8569.
Seating is very limited, and advanced reservations are strongly recommended.
Also, returning to rock the Rock this weekend is the Space Craft Vinyl Lounge.
Going on from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5 at the Alehouse on Winslow, record lovers are encouraged to bring some of their own vinyl to spin — or just show up for suds and sounds. This month’s theme, “Soul Food / Move Yo’ Butt to Some Soul,” is all about Funk and R&B tunes.
In the between times, consider getting serious about that resolution — whatever it may be. But don’t overdue it. We’re only in January, after all. And remember: Nobody looks back and wishes they ate more salads.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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