Peninsular Thinking

Port Orchard kicks off its First Friday Art Walk tonight (the art walk is held on first Fridays through the warm weather season). Can summer be far behind?

Also on Friday is the kick-off of Viking Fest, Poulsbo’s celebration of its Norwegian Heritage. Events are scheduled through Sunday.

Festival season kicks off as well. The Armed Forces Day parade is set for Saturday in Bremerton. This year’s event will focus on the community’s healing from two shootings that took place in February. The parade will include a tribute to Trooper Tony Radulescu, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop Feb. 23. Amina Kocer-Bowman, 9, will be the civilian grand marshal. Amina suffered critical gunshot wounds Feb. 22 when a gun a fellow student brought to school went off. She is healing slowly.

And mark you calendars. Kitsap Harbor Festival runs May 26 and 27 (Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend), with multiple events on both the Bremerton and Port Orchard waterfronts.

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This will be your Friday Afternoon Club heads up a little early. The Rotary Club of South Kitsap plans a “Bay Street Bash” at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Port Orchard Pavilion, 701 Bay St.

The Mardi Gras-style event features casino games, a light Cajun-style dinner and activities. There’s a no host bar.

Tickets are $40.

The Rotary Club hosts exchange programs and has scholarships for local students, as well as international feeding programs and disaster relief. The club is involved with a mission to help Kenyan villages get clean water and sanitation.

“Here in Port Orchard we take life’s basic necessities for granted, but for much of the world such things are an everyday struggle”, said club President Kyle Morkert. “We hope the good folks in South Kitsap and throughout the region will join with us to make a difference through this fun and exciting fundraiser.”

In conjunction with the Bay Street Bash, MoonDogs, Too will host a “Bling a Bra” event. This a is widely used type of fundraiser for breast cancer, according to MoonDogs owner Darryl Baldwin.

Individuals and businesses can decorate bras; the respective entry fees are $10 and $25. The glamorous bras will be on display at MoonDogs from Friday through March 3, when the winner in each category will be announced. Votes cost $1 apiece and all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

The individual winner will get a Victoria’s Secret basket. The business category winner will receive a plaque from MoonDogs at this year’s Relay for Life, set for June 1 through 2. This is MoonDogs’ third year to participate in South Kitsap Relay for Life.

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Here’s a South Kitsap tradition that’s been carried on for more than 20 years. The folks on Sherlyn Avenue get their neighborhood all gussied up with lights, a fantastic display, and they collect food and donations for South Kitsap Helpline.

As light displays go, it’s always been one of the more elaborate ones.

Sherlyn is off Sedgwick Road just past Converse heading away from Fred Meyer. If you get to Jackson Avenue, you’ve gone too far.

“Anyone who would like to volunteer to stand with us is welcome! Businesses or organizations are welcome to come stand out and advertise while doing so,” said Crystal Bozarth.

Musicians or choirs are invited to come and perform. Bozarth and company are looking for, “Anyone who can brig some zest!”

The food collection runs 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. nightly through Christmas Eve. To volunteer, call (360) 536-8247.

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Loads of events on this three-day weekend, including Bremerton’s Blackberry Festival and the Taste of Port Orchard. Belfair will go Celtic with the inaugural Hood Canal Highland Celtic Festival.

On Saturday, the South Kitsap Skatepark Association will have a fundraiser at Moondogs Too, 714 Bay Street. From 3 p.m. to closing a $5 entry fee (those under 16 years are free) gets you into a concert featuring three or four bands including Angel Reca Tribute to Hendrix. Those 21 and under are welcome 3 to 8 p.m.

Blackberry Festival Fun Runs
Date: Saturday, September 03, 2011
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Cost: $10
The City of Bremerton’s Blackberry Festival 1-mile and 5k fun runs are Saturday, Sept. 3 in Bremerton. The 1-mile will begin at 9:30 a.m., and the 5k at 9:50. The course begins on Pacific Avenue at 7th Street, and loops around downtown Bremerton. Fees are $10 before Aug. 26 and $12 day-of-race. Register the whole family for $30 total, or $40 day-of-race. Kids dashes will be free, following the 5k, and run on 4th Street. Shirts are available for $12. Registration is available online, or at 8:30 the day of the event. For more information visit www.blackberryfestival.org.

Taste of Port Orchard
Place: Port Orchard City Marina
Date: Sunday, September 04, 2011
Time: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Taste of Port Orchard at Waterfront Park. On Sunday, September 4th –over 20 artists at Art on the Boardwalk from 11am-6pm, a Beer Garden from 11am-5pm, “tastes” ($1-$5 each) of great food from over ten local restaurants and food establishments!! Shopping in downtown Port Orchard includes, art, antiques, collectibles, coins, jewelry, clothing and accessories, gifts and décor. Western WA Center for the Arts will be holding their closing musical show of “Into the Woods” at 5pm that day.
From 1-2 pm Concerts on the Bay will offer live entertainment at the Marina Park by the Wreckers and from 3-7pm the music of Steppenwolf by the Magic Carpet Ride. The Magic Carpet Ride features former members of Steppenwolf Inc.– Nelson, Pegasus, Titanic and special guests.

Hood Canal Highland Celtic Festival
Saturday and Sunday
Theler Community Center, Belfair

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As Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent planned to ride in Saturday’s Life Cycle Bremerton, a fundraiser in the American Red Cross in Puget Sound, she envisioned herself riding tandem with the Mayor of Port Orchard. That was news to Lary Coppola, who will participate in the event, but hadn’t heard about the bicycle built for two. Asked who would get to sit in front, Coppola said he’d be the gentleman and let ladies go first.

Lent has since visited the plan. Since neither mayor is experienced at riding a two-seater, it’s entirely possible one wrong move could send them both head over teacups, she said. That would be a civic catastrophe. Instead, Lent will ride shotgun on the tandem bike, with another road savvy rider up front.

The Life Cycle, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., offers routes for every ability, including a three mile “Ride with the Mayor” (make that two mayors), 10-mile “Family Ride,” 40-mile “Northern Route,” 60-mile “All Cities Ride” and “100-Mile Century Challenge.”

The routes begin and end at picturesque Rotary Evergreen Park, with rest stops scattered throughout the 101 mile route at Evergreen Park, Blueberry Park and Kitsap Lake Park in Bremerton; Long Lake Park and Port Orchard Marina Park in Port Orchard, and Muriel Williams Pavilion on the Poulsbo waterfront.

Although registration closed at noon Thursday, everybody’s welcome to come cheer the cyclists on. It’s not every day you see a couple of mayors on wheels.

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Proving that we really can all get along, the Port of Bremerton, city of Port Orchard and city of Bremerton will team up over Memorial Day weekend for Kitsap Harbor Festival.

The port is hosting the festival to showcase its marinas on either side of Sinclair Inlet. City governments, chambers of commerce and community groups all have their oars in the water to offer up a boatload of fun.

At the heart of the festivities will be boats: big, small, vintage, military and famous. Scheduled events include a visit from tall ships, boat shows and races, food and entertainment.

Port Orchard is using the festival to roll all its wacky maritime festivities into one weekend, including turning the town over to pirates, a murder mystery contest, a Dingy Derby Race, a seagull wing cooking contest and … the ever lovin’ reason we are Port Orchard, while other, more sane towns are not … the Seagull calling contest on Sunday.

Bremerton’s waterfront will be alive with action, including a Bridge-2-Bridge Run, arts and antique show, Kitsap Car Cruz with live entertainment, scuba demos, tours of an historic Coast Guard vessel and more.

Linking the two fair cities over the weekend will be the Bremerton to Port Orchard foot ferry, operating every 30 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Saturday through Monday. The fare is $2 each way. The port and both cities contract for the service, which is no longer provided on Sundays by Kitsap Transit.

Events are on the Bremerton Boardwalk (B) or Port Orchard waterfront (P), unless otherwise specified. For a complete listing of events, visit the Port of Bremerton’s Kitsap Harbor Festival page.

Saturday, May 28
7 to 10 a.m.: Bremerton Lions Club Pancake Breakfast (B)

8 a.m.: Registration, 4.4-mile Bridge-2-Bridge Run/Walk (run starts
at 9 a.m.) (B)

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Kitsap Arts & Antique Show/4th Street Market (B)

9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Farmers Market and Pirate Marketfaire (P)

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Bremerton Boardwalk Festivities, crafts, merchants, food, scuba demos; remote underwater vehicle demos at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.; beer garden, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Kitsap Library story time, 10:30 to 11 a.m., Carrie Kay, 1 to 1:30 p.m., Northwest Navy Band, 5 to 7 p.m. (B)

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Kitsap Harbor Regatta (both)

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Kitsap Car Cruz (B)

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Murder Mystery Weekend Registration & Clue Gathering (P)

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Bay Street Merchants’ Beer Garden; separate kids’ root beer garden (P)

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Historic military vehicle display (B)

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Tours of Comanche 202 – Historic U.S Coast Guard Vessel (B)

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Tall Ship Tours and Cruises – exact times to be scheduled by ship captain (B)

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: B.O.O.M Pirates at the Marina Park (P)

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Pirate Costume Contest (adults, kids, pets) (P)

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Kids’ Pirate Zone (Mermaid Cove) (P)

1 p.m.: Kids’ Pirate Story Time (kids ages 2-5) at the Port Orchard Library (P)

1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Land Lubbers Pirate Dingy Derby Race (P)

4 p.m.: Free movie (Blackbeard’s Cove) at Port Orchard Library (P)

6:30 p.m.: Pirate Ball at Moon Dogs Too, music by Soulstice, (kids welcome until 8 p.m.)

Sunday, May 29
8 a.m. to 10. a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Amy’s On The Bay benefiting the South Kitsap Helpline (P)

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Farmers Market and Pirate Marketfaire (P)

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Kitsap Harbor Regatta (both)

10 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Tall Ship Tours and Cruises – exact times to be scheduled by ship captain (P)

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Historic Military Vehicle Display (B)

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Tours of Comanche 202 (B)

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Bremerton Boardwalk Festivities (see above); beer garden 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Kitsap Library Storytime 10:30 to 11 a.m.; Freckles Brown Band, noon to 2 p.m.; freestyle 3 to 5 p.m. (B)

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Bay Street Merchants’ Beer Garden/separate kids’ root beer garden (P)

11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Murder Mystery Weekend continues (P)

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: B.O.O.M Pirates at the Marina Park (P)

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Kids’ Pirate Zone (Mermaid Cove) (P)

11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.: Coroner’s report: Hear the gritty details surroundin’ the murder and piece the mystery together. (P)

Noon to 2 p.m.: 23rd Annual Seagull Calling Contest Contest (P)

Noon to 2 p.m.: “Seagull” Wings Cook-Off (amateur setup at 9 a.m.) (P)

4:30 p.m.: Murder Mystery reveal and cannon show (P)

Monday, May 30
Note: Monday events are held in Bremerton only.

10 a.m. to noon: Memorial Day Service, USS Turner Joy (DD951)

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Bremerton Boardwalk Festivities; 10 to 10:50 a.m., Carrie Kay Patriotic Songs; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m,. Synergy Dance Company; 1 to 3 p.m., Joey Dean Band

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Tours of Comanche 202, historic Coast Guard vessel

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Quick, run outside and look up. The National Weather Service promises party sunny weather for Saturday and a mostly sunny day Sunday. How pathetic is it when you start to count sun — or at least the absence of rain — as entertainment.

Which reminds me a of a true story about my daughter. (Stop me if you’ve heard this. … Too late.) When she was three, one day about this time of year, she looked out the car window and said, “Mommy, what’s that blue stuff up in the sky?”

Here are some other things that sound promising for the weekend:

Saturday
Becoming Soul Mates: Learn from relationship experts Les and Leslie Parrott, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Island Church, 9624 Sportsman Club Road NE, Bainbridge Island; download registration form at www.islandchurch.org; $29

America’s Boating Course: From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wholesale Sports, 9577 Ridgetop Blvd. NW, Silverdale; call Kevin Pisani at (360) 479-1085 or e-mail seokp@comcast.net; $40

First Aid Class: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Westsound Service Center, 811 Pacific Ave., Bremerton; (360) 377-3761; $63

Saturday and Sunday
Reiki I and II: Registration is required for this two-day class on “the healing touch.” Contact Sandra Charbonneau at (360) 509-0959; www.bodyandsoulcarellc.com; $350

Sunday
Bremerton Foursquare Church Celebrates 75 Years: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 5610 Kitsap Way, Bremerton (look for the Kitsap Sun’s coverage of this event).

Parenting with Love and Laughter: 9 to 10 a.m. at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church, 11042 Sunrise Dr NE, Bainbridge Island; free

Celluloid Bainbridge Film Festival: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Lynwood Theatre, 4569 Lynwood Center Road, Bainbridge Island

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We’ve heard the Historic Orchard Theatre is closing. Tonight is its last night. Reporter Ed Friedrich is working on a story.

In an earlier post, Southworth resident James Kelsey indicated that the theater, with other arts venues, was struggling for lack of support. The building has been the site of a number of movie theater businesses that have come and gone. I’d welcome your thoughts on the end of this run.

Did you patronize the Orchard? Why do you think it was unable to survive? What do you think will (or should) go in its place?

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Bear with me while I ramble a bit here.

First things first. It’s Friday. Run, don’t walk, to this week’s featured event, which is under way as we speak. It’s a wine and hors d’oeuvres affair at the Amy Burnette Gallery on 4th Street in Bremerton to celebrate the grand opening of the “Crazy Lady on 4th Street Gallery,” with featured art by Shelly Wilkerson … “think Norman Rockwell meets Mad Magazine,” says the item on the Kitsap Sun’s calendar. You have until 8:30 p.m. Wilkerson’s Gallery is at 296 Fourth St.

Now, there’s considerable irony in the fact that the reception is in Bremerton, according to South Kitsap artist James Kelsey of Southworth. Wilkerson is from South Kitsap, said Kelsey, but alas if it has anything to do with art, it’s probably happening in Bremerton.

Kelsey, a former dyed-in-the-wool optimist, sounded positively cynical and downright despondent when I called him today to ask if he met his goal of fund-raising for a piece of public art in Port Orchard. He hadn’t even hit the halfway mark.

Last month on this blog, I wrote about Kelsey’s efforts to raise $15,000 through an online private fund-raising campaign for a sculpture he proposed to install in a public place in Port Orchard. The money would have covered his materials, including a large stainless steel sphere that cost $6,000 to manufacture. Kelsey, willing to take a gamble on PO’s heart for art, paid for the sphere on his credit card. His plan was to get the statue installed, then mount a campaign to cover his time and other costs.

At the time he launched the fund-raising drive, Bremerton had just approved another statue (that makes about 300 quadrillion so far) paid for with the city’s 1 percent for the arts program.

Port Orchard has no arts funding program, but Kelsey believed private citizens would step up to beautify their fair city. By the deadline of the campaign, he had raised only $4,000. The giant sphere sits in storage. Perhaps he will use it in another piece.

Kelsey is a successful artist with works on Kitsap County properties and in Bremerton (did we need to ask?), as well as in other states and British Columbia. His art fetches a fair price, but producing is is a lengthy and often speculative process. With the recession, Kelsey struggled. In March he lost his home. Some friends bought it and are allowing him to rent until he can buy it back. But in truth, Kelsey is starting to lose spring in his step.

Asked if he’s given up on Port Orchard, Kelsey said. “They’ve given up on me. I keep forgetting I live here because it’s a good place to live, not because it’s an arts community. This is a blue collar, NASCAR town, not an art-centric community.”

Bremerton, in comparison, is bustling with activity, largely as a result of its arts scene, Kelsey said. “You look at Bremerton’s parks, and the art and the fountains they have. It’s becoming a destination, and a lot of that has to do with the arts.”

Ironically, Kelsey said, there are numerous artists living in South Kitsap, but most of their work is displayed and sold elsewhere. In his opinion, support for the arts, including the Historic Orchard Theatre and Western Washington Center for the Performing Arts, comes from a small core group of people, and it’s not enough to support a thriving arts community.

Kelsey, citing a 2009 study on Arts and Economy by the National Governors Association, said Bremerton and Port Orchard respectively will reap what they sow in the realm of investment in the arts.

Since this is a single source blog post, I’d like to open this forum up to comments from those of you who agree or disagree with Kelsey.

What say you, is Port Orchard culturally challenged (take the poll on this blog’s hoome page)? Why do you think efforts to privately fund a public sculpture have failed?

Is Bremerton’s investment in the arts paying off?

I was going to poke fun at Bremerton for poking fun at Port Orchard about our new 7Eleven, but we’re in the middle of a serious discussion here. Guess I’ll just have to save if for a future post.

Reach Kelsey at james@jameskelseystudios.com.

Chris Henry, South Kitsap reporter

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The weekend starts early with holiday festivals on Friday in Manette and on Bainbridge Island. I hear Manette has an ugly holiday sweater event. We tried that one year at the Kitsap Sun, but nobody looked any different than they do every day.

On Saturday, Port Orchard will hold its 12th annual Festival of Chimes and Lights, with the ever popular pets-in-holiday costumes parade. Other Saturday festivals take place in Poulsbo and Gig Harbor.

Tracyton will have a tree lighting Sunday and festivals are planned in Oldtown Silverdale (Dec. 11) and Port Gamble (Dec. 11 and 12).

Click on this link for complete details.

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