Walkers should dress warmly and bring a flashlight, umbrella, and note-taking supplies. The walk will happen whether rain, snow, or sun. The walk should end at about 9 to 9:30, and will be followed by a wrap-up meeting, but you don’t have to stay for the whole thing. You are welcome to participate for as long as you are able.
Jefferson Community Center is located at 3801 Beacon Ave. S. For more information, call 206-684-7481.
The meeting is open to the public and provides an excellent opportunity for Southeast Seattle voters to meet Smith, who will be representing us when the new redistricting plan takes effect, moving Southeast Seattle into the 9th District along with Mercer Island, Bellevue, Renton, Tukwila, Kent, and other areas stretching southward to Tacoma.
Previously, our area was in the 7th Congressional District, represented by Jim McDermott. The new 9th District will be the first majority-minority district in Washington State.
The Beacon Rocks! summer music series will be back for its third season on Roberto Maestas Festival Street this summer, and performers are needed. This year’s family-friendly events will be June 24, July 29, and August 26, from 1-5 p.m.
Though the festival “Rocks!”, all styles of music and performance are welcome. Previous performers in the series have brought us trip-hop, blues, jazz, marimba, folk, and various kinds of rock, along with belly dancing, martial arts, modern dance, and more.
Performers may audition by sending links to music samples or descriptions of their performances to beaconrocks@gmail.com.
Beacon Rocks! is presented by ROCKiT Community Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to making music and art available to everyone.
You can help improve things for pedestrians on Beacon Hill by taking part in a Beacon Hill Walking Audit on Saturday, February 25, from 1-2:30 p.m. All are invited to join the Beacon Hill Merchants Association and Feet First in a conversation and walk through the North Beacon Hill commercial district to discuss improvements in connectivity and the overall pedestrian experience.
The walk will begin at the corner of Beacon Avenue South and South Spokane Street, near the fire station at the north end of Jefferson Park. It will begin with a short presentation by Feet First. Bring a poncho or umbrella if the weather calls for it—the walk will go on regardless of weather. Feet First will provide cameras and clipboards for notetaking.
The walking route will go north from Spokane Street to Beacon Hill Station, and the walk will take about 90 minutes.
For more information about the Walking Audit, contact Gia Clark of Feet First (gia@feetfirst.org or 206-652-2310 ext. 3), or Angela of the Beacon Hill Merchants Association (info@beaconhillmerchants.com or 206-459-1430).
On February 4, three local Filipino-American World War II veterans, Mariano Berona, Rosendo Luna, and Gene del Rosario, were honored at the dedication of a monument in Dr. Jose Rizal Park to honor the Filipino defenders of Bataan and Corregidor during World War II. February 4 was selected for the dedication because it is the anniversary of the date in 1945 when General Douglas MacArthur liberated Manila.
The Bataan and Corregidor Survivors Association proposed and sponsored the memorial placed within the park. At one point, it seemed that the memorial would not be able to happen, due to a city policy that prohibits memorials within city parks. Local writer Craig Thompson described the struggle in a recent column, quoting project leader Larry Cambronero: “‘…It dawned on me, I have no other choice but to press on. Perseverance and persistence were the two most valuable words taught to me by my grandfather, Robert [Rufino Cambronero, a Bataan survivor].'” The city eventually agreed to allow the monument.
Dr. Jose Rizal Park has also previously been the site of the Bataan and Corregidor Survivors Association’s yearly picnic. The park was dedicated in 1979, and is named after Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino patriot and reformer who was executed by the Spanish after he was accused of involvement in the 1896 Filipino insurrection.
See also a lovely write-up in the Seattle Times about Saturday’s dedication.
Among the festivities will be a singalong of an original song, “This Chair is My Chair”; a haiku treasure hunt, a game of musical chairs, and much more.
For more information, call 206-658-0187.
Findlay Street Christian Church has desperately wanted to move into the Beacon Hill area for years and this weekend (January 29th), we’ll be holding a trial service at The Garden House (2336 15th Ave. S.) 10:30am to check out the space and to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood. All are welcome—we have been an open and affirming congregation since 1987—and we’d love to meet you!
A bit more about the church, Findlay Street Christian Church sold its property six years ago with hopes of moving into the Beacon Hill area. Three years ago, we purchased property on the corner of Bayview and 14th Ave S, we designed an ambitious, forward looking, mixed use building that included worship space and multi-unit affordable housing. Unfortunately, we have run into a number of unforeseen setbacks and have so far been unable to get the project off the ground.
Despite numerous hurdles regarding this building project, we’re still eager to move into the Beacon Hill neighborhood and so we are excited to worship this Sunday.
For more information about Findlay Street Christian Church, head on over to our website at http://www.findlaystchurch.org/
We look forward to meeting you all!
Does music make your garden grow? Find out this week, when events for both musicians and gardeners will take place at the Garden House on 15th Avenue South.
On Tuesday, January 24 at 7 p.m., ROCKiT Community Arts presents this month’s Tuesday Folk Club show, featuring Percy Hilo and
Friends, who are described as “original songs to sing, laugh and think with in Americana folk stylings.” Opening the show will be Betty Jean Williamson and Jack Lenoir. (Make note—next month’s show will feature Golden Tree Story, with Jean Mann opening.) Admission is a $5 donation, and kids get in free.
The following day, Wednesday, January 25 at 7 p.m., the Beacon Hill Garden Club meets. The local chapter is the newest chapter of the Federation of State Garden Clubs. At this week’s meeting, the group will look at seed catalogs to make a group order from multiple companies. All are welcome to visit, and it is $10/year to join the club.
The Garden House is located at 2336 15th Ave. S.
The Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs announced funding awards totaling $46,800 to 39 neighborhood arts festivals and events yesterday through the Neighborhood and Community Arts (NCA) program.
Each organization received a $1,200 award. Two Beacon Hill-related events received grants: Cinco de Mayo, a Fifth of May celebration with music and dance presented by El Centro de la Raza, and the NEPO 5k (will it be a run this year instead of a walk-don’t-run?), in which eighty local artists will present site-specific installations and performances along of Seattle streets, presented by NEPO House.
Other nearby events include Columbia City’s Beatwalk; Celebrate Little Saigon, a Vietnamese cultural festival and night market; Word Expressed, readings by Filipino artists and writers; Honk! Fest West, a roving marching band festival; and the Georgetown Carnival.
For the complete list of events receiving funding, go here.