Edmonds Lunar New Year celebration

Here’s a wonderful community opportunity to celebrate the Lunar New Year on Saturday, Jan. 29, with both entertainment and family options. The day will start with a Lunar New Year Story Time at the Edmonds Library at 10 a.m. That will be followed by two performances of a Lion Dance and a Kung Fu demonstration at 10:30 a.m. and noon, with a free community movie at 1 p.m. at the Edmonds Theater. To learn more about this event, click here.

Lynnwood Convention Center debuts Northwest Waters Art Exhibit

The Lynnwood Convention Center launched its newest exhibit with 35 pieces of art from 15 Northwest artists. This exhibit will run from January through June of 2022.

The exhibit features depictions of Northwest waterways, aquatic themes and nautical subjects. This exhibit highlights the work of artists Deborah Barten, Enid Smith Becker, Chaim Bezalele and Yonnah Ben Levy, Amanda DeSilver, Genevieve Fritschen, Trish Harding, Sonya Lang, Frank Port, Sarah Rehfeldt, Marcel Schwarb, Ian Shearer, Janice Tayler, Valentina Voronkova, and Jamie Wick. Art mediums include oils, pastels, photography, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, and more.

View the exhibit free of charge during the Lynnwood Convention Center’s regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Feb. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. there will be an opportunity to meet the artists in person at a free artist reception. The public can enjoy complimentary house-made appetizers and a no-host bar. To learn more about the exhibit and the artists, click here.

First Third Thursday for Art Walk in 2022 happening next week

There is new art around downtown Edmonds. Ten businesses are participating this month and most will also be hosting artist shows during the Third Thursday Art Walk on Jan. 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be hand-crafted jewelry, collage art, portrait sketches, paintings, poetry and author events. There will also be interactive art features with hands-on creativity at Create Next Steps and the 365 Day Drawing Challenge at ArtSpot.

Artists this month: Annika Elizabeth at Maje Gallery, William Liao at Cole Gallery, Brandi Morris at Edmonds Vision Center, and Fay Lim at Cascadia Art Museum.

Edmonds Center for the Arts presents International Guitar Night

The 22nd edition of International Guitar Night is Saturday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. There is a brand-new lineup this year, featuring acoustic rock sensation Luca Stricagnoli from Italy, progressive classical guitarist Thu Le from Vietnam, Slack Key master Jim Kimo West from Hawaii and Latin Swing pioneer Lulo Reinhardt from Germany.

The evening will showcase classical guitar, modern fingerstyle, jazz, Latin swing and gypsy jazz stylings, paired with some contemporary hits. Tickets range in price from $19 to $49 and can be purchased here.

If I Can Help Somebody, fourth annual Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The fourth annual tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., produced by Lift Every Voice Legacy, is Monday, Jan. 17.  The evening event includes song, dance, and spoken word and is presented in partnership with Edmonds Center for the Arts.

Due to the surge in COVID cases, the morning program for children and families will be reduced to a free vaccination distribution site. It will still take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan.17 at the Edmonds Waterfront Center.

Vaccines will be available for the following ages:

5-11 Pfizer only

12-18 Pfizer only

18-plus Pfizer, Moderna or J&J

The event at the Edmonds Center for the Arts begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 when purchased ahead of time ($5 for students) and $18 on the day of the event. Featured storyteller will be Sean Goode, executive director of Choose 180, and there will be performances by renowned gospel, R&B and jazz vocalist Josephine Howell and her band; Barclay Shelton Dance Centre and PRICEarts Dance Company. Seattle theologian Dr. Brian Bantum will help set the stage with the story of Dr. King’s last sermon on Feb. 4, 1968 at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church. The Greater Everett MLK Celebration Ensemble also will be featured in the program for the first time.

To learn more about the event, click here. You can purchase tickets here. Note: Events at ECA require proof of vaccination or negative COVID test, so make sure to read the requirements before attending.

— By Rachel Gardner

Rachel Gardner has a heartfelt appreciation for art in all forms and believes everyone is an artist, some just don’t know it yet. A dedicated and involved Edmonds resident, she can often be spotted onstage cracking jokes between sets or in the audience enjoying local live performances. She enjoys being playful with her art and finding unique ways of expression, like forming a boho-grunge-folk ukulele trio with local Edmonds moms.