May is Just Around the Corner…here is a sampling of events in the greater Seattle area

May 1^st – The Fremont Arts Council presents its yearly Maypole picnic in Woodland Park.  The picnic starts at 5pm, near the horseshoe court.  http://fremontartscouncil.org/may-day/

May 5^th through 19^th – The Seattle Opera presents Verdi’s masterpiece,  Aida. https://www.seattleopera.org/on-stage/aida/

May 10th through 20^th – Seattle Beer Week has scores of events around the sound.  For details visit:  http://www.seattlebeerweek.com/

Mat 11^th and 12^th – Canoeist and kayakers, come on out to the Northwest Paddling Festival, held at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah!  http://northwestpaddlingfestival.com/

May 17^th through June 10^th – The 44^th Seattle International Film Festival, the largest film festival in the US, has something for everyone.  https://www.siff.net/festival

May 18^th through 20^th – Celebrate Scandanavian heritage at the Poulsbo Viking Fest, held at the waterfront.  http://www.vikingfest.org/

May 19^th – Celebrate your 4-legged family member at Petapalooza, in Auburn’s Game Farm Park. https://www.auburnwa.gov/things_to_do/community/petpalooza_s_p205.htm

May 25^th through 28^th – Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle Center. https://www.nwfolklife.org/festival/

May 30^th through June 3^rd – The 11^th annual Bellevue Jazz and Blues Festival, various locations. https://www.bellevuedowntown.com/events/jazz-and-blues-festival

Enjoy!

A Sampling of Seattle Events – March 2018

March 1^st-4^th – Emerald City Comicon at the WA State Convention Center

http://www.emeraldcitycomiccon.com/

March 1^st-4^th – Sewing and Stitchery Expo at Fairgrounds in Puyallup, over 150 vendors

https://sewexpo.com/

March 10^th-11^th – Seattle Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show at Century Link Event Center

http://seattledogshow.org/2018-seattle-kennel-club-dog-show/

March 16^th-18^th – Friends of the Seattle Public Library Huge Book Sale at Seattle Center

http://www.friendsofspl.org/book-sales/

March 24^th and 25^th – Best of the Northwest Art and Fine Craft Festival at Magnuson Hangar 30

http://nwartalliance.org/event/29th-annual-best-of-the-northwest-art-and-fine-craft-show-spring-2017/

March 24^th and 25^th – Grand Taste of Washington at Century Link Event Center

http://tastewashington.org/grand-tasting-2018/

March 31^st – Taste of Georgetown, 30 participants, find your new favorite place to eat

http://www.georgetownmerchants.org/georgetown-bites.htm

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show starts today at the convention center!

https://www.gardenshow.com/the-show/

Happy New Year to all! Here is a sampling of the January 2018 happenings in the Seattle area:

01/05/18 – 01/07/18:  Northwest Remodeling Expo.  Held at the Washington State Convention Center.  http://www.homeshowcenter.com/overview/seattle

01/11/18 – 01/14/18 :  Nordic Lights Film Festival. Limited number of tickets available. http://nordicmuseum.org/nlff

01/12/18 – Kirkland Art Walk:  Second Friday of every month from 5-8pm. http://kirklandartwalk.com/home/

01/26/18 – 02/03/18:  Seattle Boat Show, the west coast’s largest boat show.  https://seattleboatshow.com/

Need some activities to get into the mood? Here is a sampling of the many Holiday Happenings in December 2017

11/21/17 – 01/01/17 – Sheraton Hotel Gingerbread Village, 1400 6^th Ave at the Sheraton:   http://www.sheratonseattle.com/gingerbread-village

11/24/17 – 12/23/17 – Christmas Ships Festival:   https://www.argosycruises.com/argosy-cruises/christmas-ship-festival/

12/01/17 – 01/01/18 – Seattle Wildlights at the Woodland Park Zoo:  https://zoo.org/wildlights

12/01/17 Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition – Downtown Seattle at Westlake Center:  http://www.pikemarketseniorcenter.org/figgy-pudding/

12/02/17 – 12/03/17 – Urban Craft Uprising, Seattle Center 301 Mercer St:  http://www.urbancraftuprising.com/winter-2017/

12/2/17 – 12/28/17 – The Pacific Northwest Ballet presents The Nutcracker:  https://www.pnb.org/nutcracker/

12/09/17 – Greenlake Pathway of Lights, come stroll the pathways:  http://parkways.seattle.gov/2017/11/08/2017-pathway-lights/

12/10/17 – Annual Jingle Bell Run, a 5K:  http://www.arthritis.org/get-involved/jingle-bell-run/

12/15/17 – 12/17/17 – Seattle Symphony presents Handel’s Messiah :  https://seattlesymphony.org/concerttickets/calendar/2017-2018/symphony/handel-messiah

12/17/17 – Fremont Food Truck 4^th annual Winter Fest Festival at the Fremont Sunday Market:  http://www.fremontmarket.com/

12/30/17 – The Seattle Reparatory Jazz Orchestra presents Jazz with Duke Ellington:  https://www.srjo.org/2017-18-concert-season

Here are some happenings in the Seattle area for the month of September…

Puyallup Fair:  9/1 – 9/24    http://www.thefair.com/

Bumbershoot:  9/1 – 9/3   https://www.bumbershoot.com/

Seattle Art Museum:  9/7 is Free First Thursday   http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/

Bellevue Art Museum:  9/8 Free First Friday   https://www.bellevuearts.org/

Fremont Oktoberfest:  9/22-9/24   http://www.fremontoktoberfest.com/

Seattle City light began their program to upgrading existing electricity meters on July 31^st, 2017 with advanced meters that will enhance services for customers and help the publicly owned utility operate more efficiently.

This is a big step toward modernizing the service Seattle City Light provides its customers,” City Light Customer Care Director Kelly Enright said. “Upgrading our metering technology will put more power into our customers’ hands so they can better manage their energy use and it will empower our employees to provide even better service.”

City Light will replace more than 420,000 meters across its service territory by the end of 2018.

The new meters will provide more accurate billing by eliminating the estimated reads currently used to generate a bill when a meter reader is unable to access a customer’s meter or complete a route. Once the Advanced Metering data is connected to other utility computer systems, power outages will be reported automatically and customers will be able to access their energy use information online. The new meters also create opportunities for additional enhancements in the future, such as account balance alerts, monthly billing and optional time-of-use rates to support electric vehicle charging.

There is no charge for a customer to receive an advanced meter. City Light will provide three notifications before exchanging an existing meter with an advanced meter. A letter will be sent about six weeks ahead of the exchange. A post card will be sent about two weeks before the exchange. And an automated phone call will be made one to three days before the installation.

Customers who do not wish to participate in Advanced Metering can opt out of the program. Fees will apply.

For more information, please visit:  http://www.seattle.gov/light/ami/

Around the Sound in July 2017

July is a busy month for festivals and fun in Seattle area, here are 10….

July 1-4^th:  Wooden Boat Festival   http://cwb.org/events/festival/

July 3-29^th:  Chamber Music Festival   http://www.seattlechambermusic.org/concerts/concert-series/

July 4^th:  Seafair Summer 4^th at Gas Works Park & Lake Union Park   http://www.seafair.com/

July 7^th-9^th:  Seattle Beerfest   http://www.seattlebeerfest.com/

July 9^th & 15^th-16^th:  Olympic Music Festival   http://www.olympicmusicfestival.org/

July 14^th:  Seafair Milk Carton Derby:   http://www.seafair.com/events/2017/seafair-milk-carton-derby

July 15^th-16^th:  Chinatown Dragonfest   http://cidbia.org/event_cpt/dragon-fest/

July 15^th-16^th:  Seattle Street Food Festival  http://www.seattlestfoodfest.com/

July 21^st-23^rd:  Bite of Seattle   https://www.biteofseattle.com/

July 29^th:  Seafair Torchlight Parade   http://www.seafair.com/