Happy Mother’s Day weekend! In addition to Mother’s Day events, there are also quite a few free events this weekend, plus free parking at 6 waterfront parking garages. Check out the links below for all the details.
Multi-Day Events:
Boeing Boeing, Seattle Repertory Theatre, April 19-May 19
Local gardeners can take a pledge to be pesticide-free, joining over 800 parks and trails in King County that use few to no pesticides – and get a free Pesticide Free Zone sign.
The ladybug signs are free to households gardening without pesticides, courtesy of King County and Washington Toxics Coalition. If you maintain your yard or garden with no pesticides, take the pledge and get your free sign at the Washington Toxics Pesticide Free Zone web site.
According to Anna Dyer of Washington Toxics Coalition:
“We are pleased to partner with King County to offer families an attractive way to share their pesticide-free yards with neighbors and friends. Pesticide Free Zone signs spread the word that our yards and parks can be beautiful and healthy for kids, adults and wildlife.”
And, if you’re looking for a pesticide-free park, you can locate one in King County via an online map of public places in King County where park staff use few to no pesticides.
For help with pesticide alternatives, you can visit the Grow Smart, Grow Safe site or contact the Garden Hotline at 206.633.0224.
Gilman Gardens, the self-sufficient community garden on West Queen Anne ordered two truck loads of wood chips for spring garden work… then the service showed up with four. Now that Gilman Gardens has used what they need from the pile of wood chips, they’re now offering the rest of them for free to the community.
The wood chips are located in the median just north of the main garden (down the hill on Gilman). There are about 15 cubic yards left, and it’s first-come, first-serve. All you need to do is show up at Gilman Drive and 13th Ave W, and have a way to haul what you need away – by the bucket, wheelbarrow, or truck!
Sherlock Holmes first came to life in 1886 in the page of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A” Study in Scarlet” – a work that he wrote in 3 weeks and published in 1887. Since then, over 125 years later, Holmes has appeared in books, television shows, and feature films, remaining relevant today.
A free talk by the Seattle Times’ Tom Keogh will examine the history and allure of Doyle’s character over the years. The discussion is part of a series of arts lectures from Humanities Washington and is being hosted by Bayview Retirement Community. “Dr. Doyle and Mr. Holmes: The Cultural Staying Power of Sherlock Holmes” will be held at 7pm next Tuesday, May 7th at Bayview’s Albertson Center at 11 Aloha St.
Tom Keogh
Photo courtesy of Humanities Washington
A member of the 2012-14 Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, Tom Keogh is an arts journalist and critic forThe Seattle Times and contributor to various arts-industry magazines. A lifelong Holmes fan, Keogh was recently commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theatre to write an original drama featuring the detective.
The presentation will take a conversational format, with Keogh leading the discussion about Sherlock Holmes, the story of his creation by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Doyle’s subsequent love-hate relationship with the character over decades. Key issues for the talk include why Holmes still matters in the 21st century, and why we remain so attached to a character invented in 1886.
The talk is free and open to all, so Holmes fans should mark their calendars for next Tuesday!
For more information, contact Nancy Weinbeck via email or at 206.284.7330.
The Queen Anne Historical Society continues its series of guest lectures this Thursday, March 28th with a presentation by Becca Aue of the Seattle Parks Foundation. All are welcome to attend the free talk, which will be held at the Seattle Church of Christ (2555 8th Ave W) at 7pm.
Photo courtesy of QAHS
Becca Aue is the manager of the Neighborhood Parks, Green Connections and Strategic Project Initiatives at the Seattle Parks Foundation. She’ll be speaking about the organization and how it works to improve, expand, and connect parks, trails, and green spaces.
These projects all include large historically significant portions of Queen Anne. The west side of the Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop runs along the site of the first Seattle streetcar line and the new Lake to Bay Loop treks from Myrtle Edwards Park over the Thomas Street bridge, passing the landmark Seattle Center buildings.
Join the Queen Anne Historical Society on Thursday to learn more about the Seattle Parks Foundation and discuss our own Queen Anne parks.
Twirl Café is hosting a week of free health and wellness events, with special guests from Swedish Queen Anne, Little Pearls Kids Dentistry, and more. Twirl “offers a place for families to connect while providing valuable resources” – and to live up to this mantra, Twirl is hosting a series of events – “Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds” – to help parents and kids take advantage of wellness tips, tricks, and activities.
The week-long celebration starts on Monday, February 18th and runs through Monday, February 25th. The events range from educational events to targeted workouts to meditation for busy parents. All events are FREE and will take place at Twirl Café, 2111 Queen Anne Ave N:
Monday, Feb 18
All Day: Raffle Kick-Off
Tuesday, Feb 19
10-10:45am: Healthy Snack Demo with Mikki Kingrey
Wednesday, Feb 20
9:30-10:30am: Body Back Workout for Moms
Thursday, Feb 21
3-3:45pm: Parent-Tot Creative Dance (1.5-2 years)
6:45-7:15pm: 30 Minute Breathing and Meditation
Friday, Feb 22
noon-1pm: Beat the Flu, Doctor Talk with Swedish Queen Anne
5:30-8:00pm: Family Movie Night
Saturday, Feb 23
9:30-11:30am: Family Book Swap and Waffle Feed
Monday, Feb 25
10-10:45am: Dental Storytime and Activity with Dr. Dan, Little Pearls Dentistry
SIFF is running over with movie posters, and to make room they’re giving them away! That’s right, you can pick up FREE movie posters at the SIFF Film Center this Sunday – just bring your own bags, poster tubes, rubber bags, and a donation of your choosing (yes, the posters are free, but please help support SIFF when you snag your favorites!).
SIFF doesn’t have a list of title and you can’t reserve a poster in advance, it’s first-come, first choice. However, if you purchase a ticket to the SIFF Oscar Snubs Movie Marathon (some of the titles may bring back crazy-angry memories), you get first selection from 1-2pm. Everyone else has to wait until 2pm, and the poster clearance giveaway lasts til 5pm or posters are gone.
If you’re planning to stick around Queen Anne to celebrate New Year’s this year, then there are plenty of places you can go for a prime view of the fireworks at the Space Needle at midnight.
Photo courtesy of the Seattle Center.
Here are just a few places you can ring in the New Year, for free, around the neighborhood.
Center House, Seattle Center—Ring in 2011 with the rocking sounds of The Machine, and witness the fireworks up close and personal.
For many years, The Machine has been playing around the Pacific Northwest, offering the best PARTY music in town. When you come and see The Machine, you will only hear DANCEABLE, FUN, PARTY rock and roll, AND you will have a great time.
Kerry Park—Climb up to Kerry Park, Seattle’s quintessential viewpoint (211 W Highland Dr.) to see the city skyline, Elliott Bay, and of course, the fireworks at the Needle. But remember, Kerry Park is a small space and likely to be packed, so get there early to scope out a prime viewing spot.
The South Slope—If you’re looking to have a more low key New Year’s, while still enjoying the festivities, you can have your own private viewing party from a number of sites along the south slope. Just drive around and pull over anywhere you have a clear view of the Needle. Advantages: these viewing spots are likely to be less crowded, and offer you a quick way home if you live nearby.
From the Water—If you’re lucky enough to own a boat, or know a friend who does and are comfortable battling the cold and wind, the view of the fireworks will be picturesque from Elliott Bay. Ahoy matey!
Wondering what’s in store for New Year’s at the Needle? Check out this footage of the 2010 New Year’s fireworks show, courtesy of PJtheFey.
While the weather today left the possibility of snow open, the forecast predicts mostly sunny skies on Friday, December 31, with a high of 40 degrees, a small chance of precipitation, and an overnight low of 28 degrees. So wherever you plan on watching the fireworks, the skies should be clear.
Have a favorite—and free—place to catch the fireworks? Comment below to add them to our list. Happy New Year!
PI blogger Mary Cropp has discovered some potentially wonderful information: admission to the Space Needle will be free all day long tomorrow, Friday, August 13! Apparently Bausch + Lomb is celebrating the release of its new contact lens solution by making free access to the Needle for all (i.e. the first 10,500 visitors) for a day.
The Needle’s Observation Deck is open from 9 a.m. to midnight tomorrow. Check out the restaurants hours here. Admission is normally $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $11 for kids 13 and under (children under the age of three are always free).
Exene Cervenka will be doing a free, all-ages show at Easy Street Records (20 Mercer St.) at 6 p.m. tonight, Friday, April 16. Cervenka is most known as the lead vocalist in the 1970s LA-based punk rock band X.
She told Easy Street:
“The reason I am touring independent record stores from San Diego to Seattle this April is that I want to play for free, to people of all ages, at a reasonable hour, in a place we love to be. I’m touring at my own expense, because I don’t want the economy to stand between my music and people that might want to hear it. Yes, I hope I sell some aprons and a few cds, but bring your X records, the kids, shop independent, and let’s have a party! xo exene”
(As always, thanks to Easy Street for the picture!)
Renown pediatric brain surgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson will be giving a lecture on health care at 1 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University today, Tuesday, April 6.
In 1987, Carson led a team of 70 in the first successful separation of craniopagus conjoined twins connected at the back of the head. During his distinguished career, he has received hundreds of awards and recognitions, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A highly regarded motivational speaker, Carson has addressed audiences from grade school classrooms to the National Prayer Breakfast. The 2009 movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., is based on Carson’s life.
This event is free and open to the public. The lecture will be held in the Upper Gwinn Commons at SPU. For more information contact Bobbie Taylor at 206-281-2723 or btaylor@spu.edu.
(Photo courtesy of Tracy Norlen, SPU News and Media Relations Manager).
It’s free pastry day at Starbucks. Bring in your coupon (good when you order a drink) until 10:30 a.m. and get a free pastry. Perhaps you’ll power up with the Apple Fritter, which has a respectable 5 grams of protein (OK, OK, it also admittedly has some other stuff, namely 420 calories, 20 grams of fat and 59 carbs).
Not too worry, though, you can head to Green Lake and work it off. Oh, and when you’re done walking, stop by 7900 E. Green Lake Drive N., Suite 104. It’s Ben & Jerry’s annual free cone day from noon until 8 p.m.
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It’s free pastry day at Starbucks. Bring in your 
