Kids Storytime at the Orcas Island Library
May 2nd from 11:00am-12:00pm
Join Jenny for storytime in our kids section!
First Friday Book Group
May 2nd from 12:00-1:00pm at the Orcas Island Library
Join community members in person at the library to discuss this month’s book selection. The same book will be discussed over Zoom on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Please contact areback@orcaslibrary.org for more information.
Art with Carla at The Orcas Senior Center
Fridays from 1:00-3:00pm
Led by experienced artist Carla Stanley, this lighthearted class focuses on the creative process with a strong belief in your artistic potential, regardless of skill level. The class is $10 (or $8 for OSC members). Contact Carla at 360.317.5652 or onlyonorcas@gmail.com to secure your spot. Uncover your artistic potential and join creative Fridays at Orcas Senior Center!
Needlework Circle at The Orcas Senior Center
Fridays from 2:00-6:00pm
Join this weekly gathering for knitters, crocheters, embroiderers, and all needleworkers at Orcas Senior Center, every Friday at 2pm. Come hang out—no project required! Whether you haven’t knitted in years, want to learn to crochet, or just want to relax and chat, you’ll find a wonderful selection of donated yarn, needles, books, and plenty of friendly advice. For more information, contact Edy Hansen at edy@orcasseniors.org or 206.413.6167
YA Book Club
May 2nd from 3:30-6:00pm at the Orcas
Join us for the monthly Between the Lines Book Club. For April we are reading The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. We will watch the movie after, snacks will be provided
Kids Chorus Classes Ages 6-11
Friday from 3:30-4:30pm at The Funhouse Commons
Spring music classes will run from the beginning of April through the end of May. Enroll today! Beginner Violin (ages 5-8 and 7-11), Group Ukulele ages (7-11), Beginner Guitar (ages 8-12), and Kids’ Chorus (ages 6-11).
The Kitchen Pop-Up at Odd Fellows Hall
Fridays from 4:00-7:00pm
Island institution The Kitchen returns to feed your body and spirit with a Fridays pop-up down stairs Odd Fellows Hall. The Hall has been undergoing renovations and you won’t want to miss this exciting addition to the scene! The Kitchen will be accepting phone orders, but please no voicemails! Get your order in at: 206.581.1913
Bruce Scott Art Opening
May 2nd from 5:00-6:00pm at the Orcas Library
The pastel paintings of Bruce Scott will be featured in the Orcas Island Library’s “Art in the Library” series for the month of May. Bruce’s show is entitled A Life in Pastel. A longtime Orcas resident, Bruce left for Seattle in the eighties to pursue a long-held yearning to draw and paint, studying at the Gage Academy. He had a pivotal experience at their pastel landscape workshop in New Mexico, working in the footsteps of Georgia O’Keefe, and has spent the years since working on mastering the medium of pastels.
Patagonia Short Film Festival
May 2nd & 3rd at 6:00pm
Island Life, The Exchange, and The SeaDoc Society present a weekend of Patagonia Short Films. Exploring themes like conservancy, environmentalism, and activism, these films hit close to home. Bob Friel will introduce the Salish Sea Wild episode “A Shocking Story About Sandpipers” on Saturday night. Ticket sales benefit The SeaDoc Society and The Exchange. Plus, each ticket sold gets a raffle entry for an Island Life gift certificate!
On Stage at Orcas Center: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Mary 2nd & 3rd at 6:30pm, May 4th at 2:30pm
The whimsical world of Wonderland takes center stage at Orcas Center in an extraordinary new ballet production, offering audiences a fresh and imaginative interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s beloved classic. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland will premiere on April 25 and features stunning choreography created by the artistic minds of Stephanie Moss and Tiffany Loney, breathtaking visuals from Everett Keithcart, and performances by adults and children of all ages! For more information and tickets visit: https://orcascenter.org/event/alices-adventures-in-wonderland/
Annual Morning Star Farm Plant Sale
May 3rd & 4th from 10:00am-2:00pm
Neighbors and friends, it’s time for the Annual Morning Star Farm Plant Sale! You’ll find a bounty of organic veggies, fruit, and flowers for your home garden!
25th Annual Science Fair at The Funhouse
May 3rd from 12:00-3:00pm
It’s the 25th Anniversary Science Fair at the Funhouse Commons. Join us for pizza, ice cream and refreshments! Every participant receives an award. The top three scores in each category will receive cash prizes. The top three from each age category receive the best in show “Rocket Ship Of Wonder” award, commemorating founding Funhouse Commons Tech Wizard, Richie Moore.
Laurel Holmes Art Opening
May 3rd from 3:00-7:00pm at The Boardwalk Collective
Tucked beside the ferry landing, The Boardwalk Collective – a beloved vintage boutique curated by Shawna Villavazo of The Bubblery and Annie McIntyre of Warm Valley Farm – presents a new kind of garment: paintings. The Boardwalk Collective invites you to view the work of painter Laurel Holmes as she presents “Moss & Rouge” – an exhibit where rural softness meets bold emotion. Laurel’s paintings reflect impressionistic faces, figures, and florals – feminine, contemporary, and streaked with moss and memory. Come welcome the artist to the island at an opening reception Saturday, May 3 from 3-7pm. The exhibit will be showing the entire month of May.
Salmonberry School Spring Soirée
May 3rd from 5:00-8:00pm at the Emmanuel Parish Hall
Join the Salmonberry School as they return the annual Soirée to its original seasonal home, Springtime! The evening will begin at 5pm with drinks, appetizers, and live music from Salmonberry’s incredibly talented and charming music teacher, Pedro Lopez de Victoria. Time to connect, listen, and laugh together and as well as view the Live and Dessert Auction offerings to benefit the school will be followed with be a sumptuous seated family style dinner catered by Sabrina and Spencer, the talented team at Lone Pine Larder. Before the evening draws to a close, there will be lively auction fun and the evening will end with an incredible line up of cakes and pies, of course! The Soirée will run from 5-8pm with free childcare provided at Salmonberry School. Salmonberry School as well as the sacred setting for this event exist on un-ceded Coast Salish Ancestral lands. For more info, visit: https://salmonberryschool.org/event/salmonberry-annual-soiree/
A Night of Folk Music at The Grange
May 3rd at 6:30pm
One and all are invited to a night of warm and powerful folk music featuring Bad Posture Club (Anacortes), plus Marlo Mudd (Port Townsend) and local duo Salt Sisters (Rebecca Cohen and Suzanne Olson). Doors open at 6:30. Donation at the door.
Indoor Adult Drop-In Pickleball
Sundays from 10:00am-12:00pm at the Old Gym
Competitive Puzzling
May 4th at 3:00pm at the Orcas Library
Put your skills to the test and join fellow puzzle fans for an afternoon of fast-paced, friendly, speed puzzling at the Orcas Island Library! Teams of four will race to complete a 500-piece puzzle. All teams will receive the same puzzle, but only one will finish first and claim the title of Premier Puzzleheads! Prizes, glory, and plenty of puzzling fun await. The event will be on Sunday May 4th at 3pm at the Orcas Library and it is free to participate. Space is limited, so sign up in advance at the library front desk. You can register with your teammates (maximum four people) or sign up solo and you’ll be matched with other puzzlers. This competition is intended for ages 13 and up, but serious puzzlers of all ages are welcome. For questions, please contact wciskowski@orcaslibrary.org.
