Three of the four Sister Wives at the Music in the Park venue last summer. Photo Courtesy of Gail Johannes.

The Sister Wives, an all female blues band from Salt Lake City, will perform at the Lower Tavern on Monday, August 2nd beginnning at 8:30 p.m.

They will be accompanies by special guest Ritambhara.

There will be a $5 cover charge.

Maria Papademetriou's artworks will be on display at Orcas Artworks in Olga

The Orcas Island Artworks features three dimensional work by Olga artist Maria Papademetriou through the month of August.
Using found objects as a vocabulary of symbols and form, Maria has created iconic, shrine-like objects which she conceives as deities or nature spirits. Having grown up in the Greek Orthodox tradition, “objects used in ritual, such as shrines and personal altars, were ever present in my childhood and continue to occupy my creative consciousness.” Those who know and love Maria’s art from her many years at the Artworks will find this inspired body of work an exciting new development.
The Artworks is open daily from 10 to 6.

Susan Slapin's artwork will be displayed at Islanders Bank in August

Susan Slapin will exhibit her work at Islanders Bank through the month of August.

A reception will be held Thursday, Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. All are invited to attend.

Orcas Rec again sponsors the summer favorite, British Soccer Camp from August 2 through 6 at Buck Park.

The camp is for boys and girls in two age groups:
4-6 years
6-14 years

Register now at www.challengersports.com or come to Buck Park at 9 a.m. on Monday, August 2nd.

Kids play soccer at Orcas Rec soccer program last fall

Look ahead to Skyhawks All-Sport Camp — MUST pre-register by August 13^th

The Skyhawks Multi-Sport Camp will be held August 23^rd-27^th (Monday-Friday) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. provided at least 16 kids to sign up.

The week-long camp will be held at  Buck Park for kids aged 7 to 12.

This is our 4^th year with the Skyhawks program, which allows boys & girls ages 7-12 to gain experience in several sports. Play soccer, baseball, and basketball in a day-program setting. There is no pressure, just lots of fun, while young athletes participate in all three sports through unique Skyhawks games. Designed to motivate children to lead a healthy active lifestyle while giving them the fundamental skill sets needed to succeed and grow in whichever sport they choose.

The cost is $133.Orcas Rec Coordinator Linda Sheridan says, “Full or partial scholarships are available for all of our programs EXCEPT British Soccer Camp. No scholarships available for British Soccer, sorry.

“Scholarship request forms are located on our website www.orcasrec.org or at our office in the Senior Center. Scholarship recipients must qualify for the free or reduced lunch program; all requests are confidential.

For more information contact Orcas Rec at 376-5339.

Register at www.skyhawks.com or you can sign up at with us (be sure to indicate your child’s t-shirt size). Multi-Sport participants will receive: T-shirt and a Merit Award.

Carl has delighted Orcas audiences several times as half of the folk duo The Wanderers, and once solo in his Woody Guthrie persona.  This time he will present a program of travelling songs that he has put together for the various Journey Stories museum locations.  Carl will draw upon various songwriters such as, Utah Phillips, Bill Staines, Tom Paxton and, of course his specialty, Woody Guthrie, to present an enjoyable evening of travelling stories in song.  A donation of $10 is suggested.

For more information, call Bill Buchan at 376-3613.

Airplanes line the Orcas tarmac at the 2009 Fly-in

The 26^th annual Orcas Old-Fashioned Fly In takes place this weekend with camping and tie-down fees waived for the fledglings and buzzards that fly in to enjoy the beautiful locale of the Orcas Airport.

Local Mercy Pilot Dwight Guss is again organizing the affair, for the second year in a row. He says that “hopefully there will be no big changes from last year; everything’s in place.”

While last year’s attendance was down from previous years, Guss has observed at air shows already held this summer that more people are back flying. People agree that Orcas Island’s Fly-In is one of the best because of the camping and the beautiful setting, Guss said.

The event runs Friday through Sunday, with Pancake Breakfasts sponsored by Orcas Island’s volunteer firefighters on Saturday and Sunday mornings across Mt. Baker Road from the Port at the Eastsound Fire Hall.

The Fly-In is sponsored by the Port and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) the biggest aviation association in the world; the Orcas chapter has about two dozen members, says Guss. Along with the Young Eagles free airplane rides, which takes place all over the nation, the Fly-In is the main concern of the local EAA chapter.

“The Orcas Fly-in is one of the most popular Fly-ins in the northwest, and it’s good to see old friends,” said Guss.

The Port offers free parking, plane tie-downs and overnight camping, along with showers, for the event. It also bears the cost of bringing in portable toilets for the event. Von Tobel says, “We encourage our visitors to spend their money in town!” said Port Manager Bea von Tobel.

Experimental aircraft, old-fashioned airplanes, seaplanes and “warbirds” will be on display at the show, which is free and open to all. An Air Lift NW Helicopter will be at the show, as it was last year. T-shirts, hats and sweatshirts will be for sale.

Volunteers are still sought to help with various tasks, and can call Guss at 317-5970.

Anita Orne, JP Whitman and Gordon Koenig will play at the Sunday Concert in the Park on July 1

Bring your picnic dinner and settle in on the grass at the village green this Sunday for some furious fast fancy fiddling with JP and the OK Rhythm Boys.

Champion fiddler, JP Wittman, with Anita Orne and Gordon Koenig on guitar and stand-up bass, will present toe tappin swing tunes, old time fiddle tunes, dreamy waltzes and classic rags August 1st from 5pm to 7 p.m.  FREE!

Mt Baker Road and Trail Design Workshop, Eastsound Firehall 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 27

Eastsound Sewer and Water District meeting at 4:30 p.m. East side of Airport, at end of Cessna Lane.

Jim Lynch will read from Border Songs at Darvill’s Bookstore at 7 p.m.

Orcas Fire District Commissioners meeting Eastsound Fire Hall).  Call 376-2331 for more information.  Regularly meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.

Wednesday, July 28

Children’s Tour of Journey Stories Kids going into 3^rd grade and above are invited to sign up for a special tour of the Journey Stories exhibit at the Orcas Island Historical Museum beginning at 10 a.m.  Museum staff and volunteers will explain the exhibits and answer children’s questions.  Advance sign up at the Library is required, and there is no charge for the tour.  376-4985. Meet at the Library at 9:45 a.m., to walk down to the Museum for the tour.

Brown Bag Concert  with Olga Symphony 12 to 12:30 pm at Emmanuel Episcopal Church.  Concerts are free but donations are accepted.

Sustainable Orcas Island meeting 5:30 p.m. at the Public Library).  Call 376-4985 and speak with Phil for more information.  Meets last Wednesday of the month.

Thursday, July 29

Orcas Island Blood Drive at the Eastsound Fire Hall. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Please add donating blood to your summer list of things to do!  Call or email to make an appointment. Contact Paul Losleben @ 376-6804 or email losleben@rockisland.com

Friday, July 30

Orcas Island Airport Fly In Friday through Sunday –Fun for the whole family!  Camping available.  T-shirts & sweatshirts.  Food shack.  Come enjoy the best of General Aviation!  Warbirds, Experimentals, Old Fashioned airplanes, local pilots & aircraft – seaplanes, flying demonstrations. Contact Dwight Guss @ 317-5970.

Ecomusicology Concert at Doe Bay. Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, composer, and singer Carolyn Cruso takes the stage at 7 pm, followed by the danceable fun of The Hypoxic Punks, featureing Orca’s own Randy Jezierski on drums. As always, seating is limited in the Cafe so please call ahead to book your table – 360-376-8059. Free!

Premiere – ‘Getting Along Famously’ at the Grange. The Actors Theater of Orcas Island announces five performances of ‘Getting Along Famously’ by Michael Jacobs. This play is a fun, light-hearted look at what happens when Harry Leeby, the worlds most successful paperback novel writer wants to write a “good” novel.  Five performances: Friday & Saturday (July 30 & 31), and Friday – Sunday (August 6 – 9). All performances will be at 7:30 pm at the Grange. This script-in-hand production is suitable for all ages. Tickets are $10 and are available at Darvill’s Book Store or on-line at www.orcasactors.com or at the door. Contact Doug Bechtel at 317-5601

Saturday, July 31
Annual Fly-In Pancake Breakfast. The Orcas Island Firefighter & EMT Association invites you to their annual breakfast at the Eastsound Fire Hall, 7 to 11 a.m.  Come enjoy a truly scrumptious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage and coffee & juice.  Only $7 for adults, and $5 kids under 10.  A fundraiser for the benefit of the emergency responders, scholarships, volunteer retirement fund, annual banquet, emergency fund and other special events. Also on Sunday.

‘Getting Along Famously’ at the Grange. All performances will be at 7:30 p.m. This script-in-hand production is suitable for all ages. Tickets are $10 and are available at Darvill’s Book Store or on-line at www.orcasactors.com or at the door. Contact Doug Bechtel at 317-5601

Alpha Yaya Diallo and his band, Bafing, at Orcas Center at 7:30 p.m.Visit the Orcas Center website www.orcascenter.org for a video sample of Diallo and Bafing in concert, for more information or to purchase tickets. Patrons may also call or visit the Orcas Center box office 360/376-2281 ext 1 during box office hours, Thursday-Saturday, noon – 4 pm. Tickets are $25, $17 for Orcas Center members and $11 for students.

Sunday, August 1

Annual Fly-In Pancake Breakfast. The Orcas Island Firefighter & EMT Association invites you to their annual breakfast at the Eastsound Fire Hall, 7 to 11 a.m.  Come enjoy a truly scrumptious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage and coffee & juice.  Only $7 for adults, and $5 kids under 10.  A fundraiser for the benefit of the emergency responders, scholarships, volunteer retirement fund, annual banquet, emergency fund and other special events.

Guided Interpretive Walk at the Judd Cove Preserve. The San Juan County Land Bank invites the public to join Ruthie Dougherty, local historian Boyd Pratt, and Steve Cohan on a walk to explore the preserve’s natural and cultural history, including the lime quarry and kiln located on the property, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet at the Judd Cove Parking area — 103 Fowlers Way, just outside of downtown Eastsound. For questions, please call 378-4402 for more information

For this storytelling event, there will be four Orcas Island performers:

Nancy Wang will tell the story “Bittersweet,” her journey to understand her mother by researching her mother’s family of four American generations and discovering that a daughter’s perspective is limiting.

Ginni Stern will tell the story of her 15 annual “Sojourns to Auschwitz” with the Zen Peacemakers, first going to explore her personal family history there and what it has since evolved into: understanding the limits of compassion and the malleable boundaries of our humanity.

Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo will tell the magical story “Butterfly” – the story of his mother’s immigration from the Philippines to San Francisco when she was 5 years old.  He will also sing songs he wrote of cultural identity and the journey of self-awareness through the Asian American experience.

Anji Ringzin will recite the poetry of the Sufi poet Rumi, celebrating the heart journey of love.

The public is invited to come for an exceptional two hours of “Journeys that Shape our Lives.”  A reception follows.

Contact: Nancy Wang nancy@ethnohtec.org; 360-376-8705

Journey Stories is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and Humanities Washington