Good thing there’s decent weather on the horizon because this weekend is packed with fun outdoor events in and around Queen Anne. There are not just one, but two opportunities to run through the neighborhood – one for charity, the other for kicks. Plus Seattle’s biggest outdoor yoga event, and the annual Queen Anne Sidewalk Sale. Check out Queen Anne’s weekend calendar:

Saturday, July 9

• Crown of Queen Anne Fun Run – Help support the Queen Anne Helpline by participating in the annual QA Fun Run. The 5k (3.3 mile) run/walk of beautiful streets on Queen Anne hill kicks off at 8 a.m. (walkers) and 8:20 a.m. (runners). If you haven’t yet registered, you may do so between 6:45 and 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Day of registration is $35. Participants should gather at the Queen Anne Lutheran Church, located at 2400 8th Ave West. The Fun Run/walk will start at 5th and Halladay, and finish at Coe Elementary School. After the run/walk participants should reassemble at the Queen Anne Lutheran Church for awards, coffee, water, snacks and random drawings for prizes. Details here.
• 3rd Annual Yoga for Hope Event – Join hundreds of other yogis at the International Fountain North Lawn at Seattle Center for the city’s annual outdoor yoga event for charity: Yoga for Hope is an outdoor yoga event for yoga beginners and experts alike to bring awareness to the benefits of yoga practice for patients with life-threatening illnesses. Four of Seattle’s top yoga instructors will lead hundreds of participants in a two-hour class at the Seattle Center. The proceeds from the event will benefit research, treatment and education programs at City of Hope, aiding the treatment and research center’s efforts to expand awareness of the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection when battling cancer, diabetes or HIV/AIDS. The Yoga for Hope event was born out of City of Hope’s efforts to expand awareness of the importance of the mind-body-spirit connection and the hospital’s unique approach to utilizing complimentary and integrative therapies such as yoga and meditation in the patient treatment programs. Instructors from Queen Anne’s own Haute Yoga will be joining other teachers at the event this year. Registration $35 if done online by midnight tonight (register here), or $45 day of. Registration and vendor booths open at 9 a.m., with classes taking place between 10:30 a.m. and noon. Details here.
  
• 2nd Annual Queen Anne Running of the Bulls – In case walking/running it out over 3.3 miles of Queen Anne streets during the Fun Run isn’t enough, Queen Anne’s own self-proclaimed “division of the Queen Anne mafia,” The Comstock Commission, is putting on the second neighborhood Running of the Bulls on the very same day. Swing by Paragon Bar & Grill at 1 p.m. to join in the fun or just watch it unfold. And don’t forget to wear the Comstock uniform–white shirts and pants, a red scarf and “fast shoes”. Details here.
• Queen Anne Sidewalk Sale – If you feel like shopping in the sunshine, don’t miss Queen Anne’s annual summer Sidewalk Sale, which will be happening all day at stores up and down Queen Anne Ave N. We don’t have a full list of participating vendors, but many stores have planned sales and special events in years past. Many vendors also often extend the sales for the whole weekend, so if you can’t make it Saturday, you’ll have another chance on Sunday, July 9. Just look for balloons and big crowds!

Know of more events happening on the hill this weekend? Email us at tips@queenanneview.com or comment below and we’ll add the event to our weekend calendar.

The Comstock Commission – a self-proclaimed “division of the Queen Anne mafia” – is up to more of its shenanigans this summer, putting on the Second Annual Queen Anne Running of the Bulls on Saturday, July 9.

The QA ROTB is taking place on the same weekend as the Pamplona Running of the Bulls, and on the same day as the Queen Anne Fun Run for the Queen Anne Helpline (though this even starts at 8 a.m., so enthusiastic runners will be able to make both).

For those of you who caught the Running of the Bulls here in Queen Anne last year (I was unfortunately out of town that weekend and missed it), you probably noticed Queen Anne-ers running about in the event’s uniform: white shirts and pants, a red scarf and “fast shoes”. If, like me, you missed the event last year,  you can check out pictures from the first QA ROTB in the Flickr album.

If you’d like to participate in the Queen Anne Running of the Bulls this year, suit up in your red and white uniform and meet at Paragon Bar & Grill at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, or swing by and watch the festivities unfold. Either way it should be a festival and fun event.

Check out another example of The Comstock Commission’s past pranks here.

Today is your chance to donate to Queen Anne charities and have your money go further.

The Seattle Foundation is hosting the “GiveBIG” challenge from 7 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. to support a long list of charities around town, a great many of which are based right here in Queen Anne, including the American Cancer Society – Great West Division, ArtsFund, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Forgotten Children’s Fund, Friends of KEXP, GreenStage, Hilltop Children’s Center, KCTS Television, Northwest Folklife, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pacific Science Center, Pottery Northwest, Queen Anne Helpline, Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle Children’s Home, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, SIFF, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound Affiliate, Whim W’Him and more.

The money donated to charities through GiveBIG will be “stretched” by $500,000. Here is how the “stretch pool” and match works:

Credit card donations made during this time period will be counted as GiveBIG donations and used to calculate distribution of the stretch pool. The amount of a nonprofit organization’s share of the stretch pool will be based on the percentage of donations the nonprofit receives of the total online contributions made through www.seattlefoundation.org on June 23. In other words, distribution of the stretch pool will be pro-rated. If X organization receives 1% of the donations through our site on GiveBIG, they will receive 1% of the stretch pool dollars.

Here is the long list of charities that are participating. There will also be a Golden Ticket given away every hour. Donors will be chosen at random to have more money donated to the charity they chose to support. Most tickets are worth $1,000 but the one-time extra special Golden Ticket is worth $5,000.

The June Queen Anne Community Council meeting last Wednesday night was highlighted by a visit from Seattle Police Department’s West Precinct Captain Joe Kessler and Sergeant Paul Gracy – both natives of the Queen Anne/Magnolia area.

The crime rates in Queen Anne remain relatively low, said Kessler.

“Overall Queen Anne is one of the safest areas around,” said Kessler.

Violent crime rates are down only a little from the same time last year, but Kessler said they weren’t that high to begin with. Car prowls and car thefts are down significantly from the same time last year. Burglaries, however, are up slightly.

“Burglaries are one of those tough ones for us,” said Kessler. “Personally, I hate burglaries. Short of a violent crime, I think one of the worst things that can happen to you as a citizen is to have a burglary.”

Burglaries tend to come in bunches and are often perpetrated by the same individuals, so that once a burglar is caught it often brings the number of burglaries down, said Kessler. The SPD has been working with the prosecutor’s office extensively to  target repeat burglars under the Repeat Burglary Initiative.

“We’re concentrating on the prolific guys that need to be in jail for a substantive period of time,” said Kessler.

Concerns over budget cuts and staffing were also discussed. The number of department staff is expected to remain stable despite budget cuts, said Kessler. SPD is firm on not cutting any of their patrol officers, and the current numbers are the highest they’ve ever been, said Kessler. However, increases in overall officers, like they’ve seen in previous years, is likely to stop.

The Crime Prevention Coordinators, who coordinate block watches and other neighborhood actions, may be phased out at the end of this year, said Kessler. It hinges on what the budget looks like for mid-year, but those positions will probably disappear, Kessler said.

“They do an incredible service, and they help the officers out tremendously,” said Kessler. “It’ll be a difficult thing for us to replace that … I don’t know how we will.”

It was encouraged by Kessler and Gracy that residents take advantage of the SPD’s online resources, in particular the SPD Crime Blotter for the West Precinct and the crime statistics on My Neighborhood Map. The King County online sex offender search was also mentioned.

Council Chair Ellen Monrad brought up the issue of the 7-Eleven the sells high-octane alcohol drinks on the hill. Gracy said officers have met with owner to discuss the problem, as well as notify the liquor control board. Stings to try to catch staff selling alcohol to minors have been performed, and they are working on an operation to address homeless buying alcohol for minors, said Gracy.

A few councilmembers discussed the problem of car speeding and drag racing along 10^th Avenue West late at night. Gracy said they would make local patrol officers aware of the situation, and it was recommended that residents petition SDOT for a mobile speed monitor.

After the talk by Kessler and Gracy, the council discussed briefly the elections coming up in September, and Councilmember Nicole Pastarnack volunteered to be chair of the elections committee.

The committee reports followed, including:

The Queen Anne Rotary Club is hosting a document shredding event from 10 a.m. to 1  p.m. this Saturday, May 14 at the Upper Queen Anne Safeway, located at 2100 Queen Anne Ave N.

The event, which is being held by the Queen Anne Rotary Club, Safeway, and SEADRUNAR Recycling, is completely free, though donations of non-perishable foodstuffs for the Queen Anne Helpline will be accepted.

Members of Coe Elementary’s “Team CoeBotics” will also be on hand at the event to talk about the program with the community. CoeBotics will soon be traveling to Legoland in California to represent Washington state in the national team competition of robotic technology, design and function. This event gives the community an opportunity to meet the team members, learn about this educational extra-curricular program, and learn how to help support the them.

Queen Anne’s Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are once again going “Scouting for Food,” an annual food drive put on by The Boy Scouts of America. The event is put on every March because food banks are historically at their lowest levels between the more traditional food drive times of Christmas and Easter, and in the greatest need.

This Saturday, March 19, scouts will be canvassing Queen Anne homes, leaving door hangers with information about hunger in the community and soliciting for donations of food, toiletries and diapers. The scouts will then return next Saturday, March 26, to pick up all donations. Those interested in making a donation should leave bags or boxes with donated items on their doorsteps, clearly marked with the words “Scouting for Food” or the door hanger taped in a visible place. All donations will go to the Queen Anne Helpline and Ballard Food Bank.

Last year the Queen Anne scouts raised over 1,050 pounds of foods for both organizations. For information on recommended donation items, see the Ballard Food Bank’s wish list. For more information on Scouting for Food and how to get involved, click here.

QuallyQue.com, a website that works to helps connect businesses and neighbors within communities around Seattle, has asked Queen Anne residents to vote on our neighborhood’s business, organization and service gems—stores with staff that always have smiles on their faces, non-profits that consistently do great work to help the community, and restaurants with dishes so delicious you’d gladly break a diet for a bite.

The results are in in several categories, and every day QuallyQue is announcing a few more of the winners. Take a look at which businesses in Queen Anne have made the list so far:

• “Friendliest Staff”—El Diablo Coffee (Runner up—the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market)
• “Bring Your Kids”—Twirl Cafe
• “My Donation Goes to”—the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market (Runner up—the Queen Anne Helpline)
• “My Office Away from Home”—El Diablo Coffee (Runner up—Muse Coffee)

Want to put in your two cents about your favorite gems in Queen Anne? There’s still time to vote here.

In true holiday fashion, Queen Anne Presbyterian Church will be hosting a benefit concert for the Queen Anne Helpline this Wednesday, December 22 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the church’s sanctuary, located at 414 W Howe Street.

The music for the evening will be courtesy of a brass quintet, including Michael Davis and four other Roosevelt High School jazz band alumni, playing arrangements of classic and favorite holiday tunes.

“It’s a brass quintet of outstanding musicians,” says Pastor Doug Early.

Admission to the event is free, though the church will be accepting donations, all of which will go directly to the Queen Anne Helpline to support the work it does in the community. The Queen Anne Helpline offers assistance to community members and neighbors “confronting personal crisis and unexpected life transitions.”

We lend a helping hand to neighbors fighting hunger and homelessness. We facilitate an individual’s move out of poverty by supporting training and educational programs. And we promote Queen Anne neighborhood pride in our tradition of being an inclusive compassionate community by participating in neighborhood events and activities.

Find out more about the Queen Anne Helpline and where your donation will go here.

Now that Thanksgiving has passed, it seems the holiday season is upon us. And just in time, the Queen Anne Helpline and the Boy Scouts of America Troop 72 have opened up their annual Christmas tree lot in the Upper Queen Anne Safeway parking lot.

Staffed by neighborhood volunteers, Scouts, and their families, the tree lot offers trees (Noble, Tannenbaum, Fraser, Douglas, and Norway Spruce), wreaths, and garlands. And on top of that, 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the Queen Anne Helpline and Scouts Troop 72.

The tree lot will be open now until Sunday, December 21 (or until the trees sell out). Want to get a tree? Swing by during the following hours:

• Monday through Thursday—12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday—12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Saturday—9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday—9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More information here.

This week might end up being one of the hottest Queen Anne Farmers Markets to date (with temperatures estimated to reach a high of 92 degrees!) but that won’t stop us from enjoying fresh food, live music and some outdoor festivities! It’s Family Day at the market this week, so there will be lots of fun games and extra goodies for all ages. Check out the schedule for the market this Thursday, July 8:

• 3 to 7 p.m.—Dress up and strike a pose at the vintage photo booth. (And as if that weren’t enough, vegetable props will also be available.)
• 4 p.m.—Chef Demo with Kaspar Donier of Kaspar’s Special Events and Catering
• 5 p.m.—Book Signing with Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden author Bill Thorness
• 5 to 7 p.m.—Music performance by Snake Suspenderz
• 5 to 7 p.m.—Facepainting for the kids (in true summer fashion) with Emi Halvorson and Kristina Doherty
• 6 p.m.—Chef Demo with Emmer and Rye‘s Seth Caswell

QueenAnneView is the featured sponsor this week, while the Queen Anne Helpline is the featured nonprofit.

As always, the Queen Anne Farmers Market will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on W Crockett St. at Queen Anne Ave N.

We’re diving into the heart of the Queen Anne Farmers Market season! Now all we need is for this summery weather to stick around… Check out the lineup for this week’s market on Thursday, June 24:

• 3 to 5 p.m. – Musical performance by pedal steel guitarist Hal Merrill
• 3 p.m. – Cooking Demo with Jon Rowley
• 4 p.m. – Cooking Demo and a Book Signing with The Newlywed Kitchen author Lorna Yee
• 5 p.m. – Chef Demo with Betty‘s Brittany Adams
• 5 to 7 p.m. – Music by Chantelle Tibbs
• 5 to 7 p.m. – Musical stylings of Vince Mtz. & The Great Blue Yonder
• 6 p.m. – Cooking Demo with Herschell Taghap from All Things Chill

The featured sponsor this week is Metropolitan Market, and the featured nonprofits are the Queen Anne Helpline and new option school Queen Anne Elementary. As always, the market will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on W Crockett St. at Queen Anne Ave N.

Queen Anne Rotary will be hosting a Post Tax-Day Shredding Event for charity this Saturday, April 17 at the Upper Queen Anne Safeway, at 2100 Queen Anne Ave N.

For a tax-deduction donation (recommended $10 per banker-box), you can have your documents safely and securely shredded. All proceeds will go to the Queen Anne Helpline, a local non-profit with the mission “To promote personal dignity, self-respect, hope, and an independent quality of life to our neighbors by providing supportive social services to those who need assistance.”

Document collection will begin at noon, shredding will happen from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, contact James Gram at jimgram@windermere.com.

Last week the Queen Anne Cub Scouts (Troops 70 & 72) went “Scouting for Food,” collecting donated food and toiletries in an annual drive for local food banks. After collecting over 600 pounds of food last year, the scouts set their sights a little higher, aiming to reach 1,000 in the 2010 drive.

Between the two troops, the scouts were able to collect over 800 pounds of donations, which when paired with the 250 pounds collected by the Queen Anne Boy Scouts, added up to over 1,050 pounds!

According to scout parent and 2010 Scouting for Food campaign co-chair Mary Chapman, the majority of the food was donated to the Ballard Food Bank, and another 100 pounds of food and toiletries were given to the Queen Anne Helpline. Chapman wrote,

The Ballard Food Bank thanked the Queen Anne Scouts profusely, saying that their food supplies are very low this time of year.  Recently the Ballard Food Bank has had double the number of requests for assistance – up to 1,400 families a month – compared to an average of 700 just two years ago.

Thanks to the Scouts and their parents for putting this drive together, and to everyone who donated!

(Photo credit: John Hogan)

Update: This story has been updated since it was originally published. See the bottom of the story for details.

The 5 Corners Mini Mart opened this weekend, despite the heated discussion among neighbors concerning the store since the beginning of the month.

For those of you who haven’t been following the debate, here’s a quick recap: Three weeks ago neighbors noticed signs for a new mini mart located on 3rd and McGraw that read “Grocery,” “Discount Cigarette,” and “Wine & Beer”, spurring controversy among many who took stands against the store for a number of reasons including concerns over safety (vagrancy and violent crime and its connection to alcohol sales), the late hours and lack of adequate parking not being conducive to a residential neighborhood, as well as the close proximity to a preschool and elementary/middle school bus stops.

At the March Queen Anne Community Council meeting, concerned parties voiced their complaints and 5 Corners owner Steve Park vowed not to sell pornographic materials and signed a document stating that he would not sell fortified beer and wine, which has higher alcoholic content. A few days later he changed the signs at the mini mart to read “Organic Ice Cream,” “Grocery and Beverages,” and “Organic Coffee,” and told the community that he aimed to open a store that represented their needs. Those who opposed the store began circulating a petition around the neighborhood, asking to the Washington State Liquor Control Board to deny his liquor license. The controversy got the attention of local media and was even covered on KUOW.

On Saturday, March 20 Park opened the mini mart, which as promised, sells a selection of organic coffee by the front counter, organic ice cream from Bluebird (available in pints and 8 ox cups), as well as a variety of general convenience store items including groceries and snacks, some produce (garlic, onions, potatoes bananas, applies and oranges as of Monday morning), a small Asian section and some baked goods (Park hasn’t yet found an Asian bakery to supply daily goods). There are also small sections for toiletries, housewares, and office supplies. Cigarettes are also available, which Park says he sells for less because he doesn’t mark them up as much as most stores do.

A few of the shelves are currently empty as the store’s liquor license application is still pending. According to Park, the applications is expected to be approved by the Washington State Liquor Control Board within two weeks. Regardless, Park says he stands by his promise not to sell fortified beer and wine. He is also working on the appropriate health regulations so that he may serve ice cream in the store, in addition to offering pints and cups of Bluebird.

As for the petition circulating around Queen Anne, according to Liquor License Investigator Allen Wambold, public petitions and protests from private citizens are noted in the application report, but do not alter the application process or the qualifications an applicant must meet to be granted a liquor license. Appeals and objections from the City of Seattle, or public institutions such as schools or religious bodies located within 500 feet of the application location, however, could result in a denial.

When the petition was originally composed, it cited the mini mart’s proximity to a Queen Anne Helpline office, located a few doors down, as one argument for blocking the liquor license.

On Wendesday, March 17, Attorney Michael Garner of Stokes Lawrence sent a letter on behalf of the Queen Anne Helpline to Michael Tasch, the author of the petition, demanding that “any and all references” to the organization “be removed from the petition itself and any materials circulating with respect to the petition.” From the letter:

The petition’s sixth bullet point states “The store is immediately adjacent to Queen Anne Helpline, which serves many clients with addiction issues.” This statement is not correct. Moreover, it may create the impression that the Queen Anne Helpline supports or does not oppose the presence of the proposed Mini Mart at that location. In fact, the Queen Anne Helpline has taken no position with respect to the proposed new business, and does not appreciate the light it has been placed in by this petition.

As a result of this letter, Tasch wrote on Thursday, March 18 in an email to local media that they would “likely take down the petition, as the prospect of a litigation campaign is not attractive.” However he also said that the group is considering alternative options, such as contacting the ACLU. He wrote,

The Helpline board is now demanding that we censor ourselves and limit our First Amendment right to petition the government.  I would remind you that a person who identified themselves as a QA Helpline worker spoke against the Minimart at the March 3rd QACC meeting, and it was from this public testimony that we crafted that bullet point in our petition.

Update 3/22 9:15 p.m.: As of this evening Tasch says the petition will not be taken down. “Upon more careful reading” of the letter from Helpline Counsel Michael Garner, Tasch wrote in an email, “I found that the arguments he made seemed thin to nonsensical, and the demands far reaching, to the point of absurd.  I am not a lawyer, however, and I have contacted him and requested clarification, in case I am missing or misunderstanding his logic.” Tasch also added that if the Helpline were to send a “cease and desist” action, he would retain counsel and reach out to the ACLU at that time.

“Washington has significant anti-SLAPP legislation on the books that speaks directly to this sort of action to squelch free speech and petition of government, and does not look kindly on it,” he wrote. “I am confident the I am within my rights and plan to go ahead with the petition as presently written, pending receipt of more detailed, cogent argument that we have somehow overstepped our rights to free speech, assembly and petition of government.”

Don’t be surprised if you notice a little something extra on your doorstep today. The Queen Anne Cub Scouts from Troops 70 and 72 will be walking through the neighborhood on assigned routes from 9 a.m. to noon placing door hangers on homes as part of their annual Scouting for Food drive.

The hangers will provide information on hunger in the community and ask for those who can to leave donations of food and toiletries on their porches by 10 a.m. next Saturday, March 20, when the scouts will come back to collect, weight and deliver them to the Queen Anne Helpline and Ballard Food Bank.

“In 2009 the food drive brought in over 600 pounds of donations. Our goal this year is to exceed 1,000 pounds of donations,” wrote scout parent and 2010 Scouting for Food campaign co-chair Mary Chapman. “The Queen Anne Helpline and Ballard Food Bank are especially in need this year to help hundreds of local households make ends meet as a result of the current economic situation.”

(Thanks to Mary for the tip and the picture!)

The 8th bi-annual Queen Anne Home Tour and Holiday Boutique is this weekend, and there’s still time to get tickets and enjoy the most beautiful homes on the hill, all while raising money for the Queen Anne Helpline and St. Anne School and Parish.

This year the tour features seven homes – including one recently featured in Sunset Magazine – “highlighting an exclusive combination of noteworthy old-world architecture and stately new construction, with impressive city views, stylish décor and elegant design,” according to the website.

For the ticket price tour goers will get a tour booklet, map of the houses and a route stop at the Holiday Boutique, which features over 40 local vendors – everything from jewelry, clothing, antiques, art and food – and sustenance from Caffe Appassionato, all to benefit St. Anne School and Parish and Queen Anne Helpline, which has been providing social services to Queen Anne and the greater Seattle community since 1982. Patrons will have four hours to view houses on the tour at their own pace and in the order they prefer.

“The St. Anne community and Queen Anne Helpline are compassionate neighborhood groups that work on a variety of assistance programs for those in need. This festive event provides a rare opportunity for the Seattle community to view breathtaking homes and buy unique gifts with purpose,” said Mary Pat Iaci, Development Program Coordinator.

The Holiday Boutique will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 5 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 6 at Banchero Hall at the St. Anne School, located at 101 W Lee St. Admission is included with a Home Tour ticket, or with the donation of a warm blanket or monetary gift for Queen Anne Helpline.

The Queen Anne Home Tour will take place from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 6. Tickets are $25 in advance ($20 for senior and $30 day of). They can be purchased at Ken’s Market, located at 2400 6th Ave W, or online here. Download the Holiday Boutique vendor catalog here (.pdf).

Tomorrow is the 27th Annual Gala and Auction for the Queen Anne Helpline, an organization dedicated to the motto “neighbors helping neighbors” by providing social services and assistance to community members in need.

The yearly event is the organizations biggest fundraiser, providing the financial backing for many of their programs and services. Attendees will be able to enjoy a wine tasting and hors d’oeurvres from local restaurants, including Five Spot, Paragon and Julia’s, and of course, a live auction.

“While we Queen Anne residents undoubtedly have felt our philanthropic pockets tighten because of economic hardships, it is an unnerving reality that scores of people who donated food and money to Seattle’s needy families last year - this year find themselves lining up for help. Which means your donations now are going farther than ever!  One enjoyable way to help our Queen Anne community, is simply attending the 27th annual Queen Anne Helpline Auction this Saturday,” auction committee member Kelley Face said. “Earnings from the Auction supports the Queen Anne Helpline in providing assistance and resources to elderly, disabled, and needy right in our neighborhood. It’s not only a worthy cause but it is a wonderful excuse to catch up with old neighbors and meet new ones!”

The gala starts at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 24 at the Swedish Cultural Center, located at 1920 Dexter Avenue N. Tickets are $100 per person, or $1,000 for a table of ten. For more information, click here.

According to Queen Anne Community Council Chair Ellen Monrad, tickets are still available. If you’d like to attend, contact her at elmonrad@gmail.com.

The 3rd annual Canlis Backyard Burger BBQ Block Party that took place at the East Queen Anne Playground last Sunday afternoon was not only a good time, but a massive success. According to Canlis Private Dining & Promotions Assistant Rachel Lund, attendees of the block party raised over $1,740 towards the Queen Anne Helpline, an organization dedicated to providing a variety of aid services to residents and neighbors of Queen Anne.

This breaks last year’s record of just over $1,000. The turnout was incredible, considering they only announced the party 48 hours in advance. They do this to keep the block party a truly Queen Anne event, Rachel said, though news of the event spread like wildfire even at a moments notice.

When asked if he was surprised at the big turn-out this year, Mark Canlis said,

Not Really. Word travels fast in this neighborhood. It’s a tight-knit community, and Queen Anne enjoys a good party.

In addition to raising money for the local organization, the block party also supplied over 1,300 burgers and 600 milkshakes to partygoers. The restaurant hosts the party every year as a way of saying thanks to the Queen Anne community.

The Queen Anne Helpline has lined up Giving Trees at various locations around Queen Anne.  The Trees will be set up the week before Thanksgiving at HomeStreet Bank, 5 Corners Hardware, Wells Fargo Bank and the First Free Methodist Church. 

There will be tags with children’s names and needs on each tree.  Wrapped gifts with the tags attached should be returned to the same giving tree by December 16th.  Gift Certificates are also great gifts.  The Children’s Christmas parry will be held on Saturday, December 20th at the Queen Anne Masonic Temple from 2:00 – 4:00  pm with Santa distributing the gifts.
Try to be generous in spite of the economic downturn!

The Giving Tree at 5 Corners Hardware had not yet been set up, but the tags are there!