Monday, February 9, 2026
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Art Beat: Call for artists, concerts, classes, books and ‘Flight Patterns’

By
Nahline Gouin

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Stacy Jones Band at Terrace Creek Park. (Photo by City of Mountlake Terrace)

Call for musicians: ’Terrace Summer Nights’

Mountlake Terrace

Performances: July 9 and 23 at Civic Campus; July 16 and 30 at Terrace Creek Park; 4:30-7 p.m.

Application deadline: March 5, 4 p.m.

Local bands and musicians are invited to help set the summer soundtrack at Terrace Summer Nights, an outdoor concert series presented by Mountlake Terrace Recreation and Parks.

Selected artists will perform live in a casual, family-friendly setting at both Civic Campus and Terrace Creek Park. The free concerts draw community members of all ages for evenings filled with music and summer fun.

For more information, contact MLT Events Coordinator Andrew Appelwick at 425-744-6287 or aappelwick@mltwa.gov.

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Call for playwrights: ‘Festival of Shorts’ 

Wade James Theatre, 950 Main St., Edmonds

Script submissions: Jan. 26 to Feb. 22

Edmonds Driftwood Players (EDP) announces the theme and calls for submissions for its 15th annual Festival of Shorts.

The 2026 festival theme is “MILESTONES: markers in time of significant achievements or events.” Playwrights are encouraged to submit both comedic and dramatic stories with uplifting endings.

The festival will be presented in five performances June 25-28, 2026, featuring eight shorts finalists that include eight directors and eight casts.

Finalists are selected from submissions received from around the world. Volunteer readers and judges are Seattle-area theater lovers and playwrights. To ensure fairness, they are given blind copies of the script submissions for judging.

Awards will be announced following the closing performance, including first-, second- and third-place Judges’ Awards as well as the Overall Audience Favorite.

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Watercolor workshops with Joan E. Archer

Aria Studio Gallery, 535 Main St., Edmonds

Saturday, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Workshops: $148 (limited to six participants)


Private classes: $80 per hour

Register online or call 425-774-5811 for availability 

Watercolor artist and longtime instructor Joan E. Archer offers group workshops and private classes at Aria Studio Gallery. 

Group workshops are held two Saturdays per month and include all materials and supplies. Lunch is also provided by the studio with each workshop.

Archer said, who has more than 30 years of teaching experience. “Teaching painting to others has been a life-long privilege. It’s rewarding to share with others, and I, also, learn a great deal from my students.”

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Adventures in Acrylics & Oils with Kathleen Moore 

Thursdays, Jan. 22 to Feb. 19, 2-4:30 p.m.

Cole Art Studio, 107 5th Ave. S., Edmonds (located in the lower level of Cole Gallery)

Level: All levels


Cost: $325

Registration and supplies list 

Students will gain confidence in the fundamentals of color mixing with each session featuring clear demonstrations, practical tips and guided practice. 

Kathleen Moore’s approach combines exercises with personalized feedback, equipping each student with the skills to paint with confidence and joy.

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Intro to Irish Dance for Adults

Mondays, Jan. 26 to March 2, 6:15-7:15 p.m.

Carroll-Henderson School of Irish Dance, 6121 176th St. SW, Lynnwood

Level: All levels


Registration required

This six-week introductory Irish dance series for adults offers a unique mix of dance, fitness and social connection. Participants will experience the joy, energy and community of Irish dance – all while getting a workout.

The series is designed for adults who want a fitness routine that feels more like fun than a gym session. Dancers will learn fundamental techniques, including high-energy footwork, strength-building movements and authentic social dances still enjoyed across Ireland today.

Classes feature traditional Irish tunes alongside modern Irish artists such as The Cranberries, Kingfishr, Kneecap and Amble, creating an engaging experience for both music lovers and first-time dancers. 

The series is open to adults of all backgrounds and abilities with a focus on enjoyment, connection and movement rather than competition.

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Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop

Friday, Jan. 30, 9:30 a.m.

Edmonds Bookshop, 111 Fifth Ave. S.

Free

Local author Dr. Audrey Barbakoff will read from her newest children’s book, Mazel Toes, during a before-the-store-opens story time at Edmonds Bookshop. All children and their grownups are welcome.

Mazel Toes is a rhyming picture book written from a parent to a young child and features Yiddish terms woven into a story celebrating “Jewish joy.” A hands-on activity for young attendees will follow the reading.

Barbakoff is a librarian, educator and entrepreneur. She holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Southern California and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington. She lives on an island in Puget Sound with her husband, two children and chickens.

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Briarfinch band members. (Photo courtesy of Edmonds Arts Commission)

Wintergrass Festival Preview Concert

Sunday, Feb. 1, 2-3:30 p.m.

Frances Anderson Plaza Room (above the Edmonds Library), 650 Main St.

Free 

The Edmonds Arts Commission and Edmonds Sno-Isle Library present a Wintergrass Festival Preview Concert, featuring Olympia-based Briarfinch. The band blends bluegrass, jazz, rock and Irish influences in an interactive, family-friendly performance.

The concert will be followed by a jam session led by band members, and audience members are encouraged to bring their own acoustic instruments and join in. 

Attendees can also explore the Wintergrass Instrument Petting Zoo for a hands-on chance to play instruments and talk with musicians. Wintergrass will also hold a drawing for a free day pass to the music festival.

Wintergrass Festival takes place Feb. 19-22 in downtown Bellevue. The four-day indoor festival features bluegrass, Americana, roots and acoustic music and dance, along with concerts, workshops, education programs and informal jam sessions.

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Paint Your Partner

Graphite Arts Center, 202 Main St., Edmonds

February 4, 6-8 p.m. (one evening session)

Level: All levels

Cost: $45

Supply Fee: $15 supply fee payable to the instructor (cash preferred but Venmo & PayPal accepted)

Ages: Adults 21+

Pre-registration required

Instructor Missy Hancock will lead a playful watercolor painting class celebrating Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day and Palentine’s Day. Designed around love and friendship, the class invites participants to take turns as artist and model in a relaxed, fun and interactive setting.

Champagne will be served with nonalcoholic beverages also available, along with strawberries and chocolate.

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Family Concert: ‘The Story of Babar’

February 7, 3 p.m.

Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 4th Ave. N.

Cost: $5 for students; $15 adults 

Tickets

Cascade Symphony Orchestra (CSO) presents Francis Poulenc’s Story of Babar the Elephant, narrated by longtime Seattle radio host Dave Dolacky with visual aids to entertain the children. 

This concert will also feature the winner of CSO’s annual Rising Star Competition.

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‘Flight Patterns: The Art and Motion of Winged Life’

Exhibition: through June 22, 2026

Meet the Artists reception: Tuesday, April 14, 6-8 p.m.

Lynnwood Event Center, 3711 196th St. SW

Public hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Flight Patterns: The Art and Motion of Winged Life brings together more than 45 works by 27 artists. From birds in flight to butterflies, the exhibition explores themes of freedom, migration, resilience and connection.

Visitors will encounter a wide range of artistic styles and materials, including glass mosaic, charcoal, watercolor, pen and ink, stainless steel, photography and wood.

The spring Meet the Artists reception in April will feature a hands-on installation led by artist Alexandra Nason, titled The True Butterfly Effect. Guests will help decorate modular aluminum butterflies, which Nason will assemble throughout the evening. 

Because the Lynnwood Event Center hosts conferences and community gatherings, visitors are encouraged to call 425-778-7155 to confirm exhibition availability.

*If you would like your event included in future Art Beat listings, email Nahline Gouin at nahline.gouin@gmail.com.

Based in Edmonds, Nahline Gouin is a freelance writer, ceramicist and arts advocate with experience in art museums and performing arts centers. She continues to create with clay, homeschool her son and write as a creative practice.

 

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