Submitted by Katie Cava for Forterra

Sat., Feb. 4
10 am – 2 pm
Lake Fenwick Park
25828 Lake Fenwick Rd., Kent, WA
YOU can help Pearl Jam mitigate their carbon emissions by volunteering to plant native trees and shrubs at three upcoming events!

Last year Pearl Jam partnered with Forterra to mitigate 7,000 metric tons of carbon emitted during their 2009 world tour. Together we are restoring 33 acres of forested parkland in Kent, Kirkland, Seattle and Redmond. These restoration efforts are part of Forterra’s Green Cities Partnerships, programs with cities and the community that restore our beloved forested parklands.

Volunteers will spend the morning planting native trees, shrubs and ground cover in Lake Fenwick Park while rocking out to Pearl Jam music.

As always, no experience is necessary, and we’ll have all the gloves, tools, and other materials for you, as well as water and snacks. Please remember to bring your own water bottle to re-fill, and/or a mug for coffee.

Wear sturdy shoes and consider long pants and long sleeves. All ages are welcome, although all volunteers under 18 must either be accompanied by an adult or bring a signed waiver (available here).

Please register early by clicking below so that we can plan a great event for our volunteers.  We will follow up with any additional details as we get closer to the date.

EXTRA: Please REGISTER by following this link: http://www.forterra.org/events/2_4_help_pearl_jam_mitigate_their_2009_tour

On Thurs., Jan. 26, 2012, ShoWare Center and Pandora present Unforgettable Moments of Love on Ice, a love-themed ice skating extravaganza featuring world class ice skaters and entertainers.

Sponsored by The Joint Center at Valley Medical Center, the show will be hosted by Nancy Kerrigan and Kristi Yamaguchi. Kenny G and Gladys Knight will also be performing that evening, along with ice skaters Ilia Kulik, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Joannie Rochette, Sasha Cohen, Ryan Bradley, Kurt Browning and more.

The live show will be taped by NBC and aired on Feb 4.

Ticket prices range from $39.50 to $125. The higher end packages feature club seats, dinner and a post-event reception. Visit ShoWare Center online to buy tickets.

Join Kiwanis Club of Kent for Dinner, Jazz and Comedy.

Sat., Dec. 17, 2011
6:30 p.m.

Honorary Emcee Susannah Frame, KING5 TV

Kent Events Center
10120 SE 260th St.
Kent, WA  98030

*Live Jazz
*Local Comedy
*Kids Corner
*Silent Auction
*Live Auction

Dinner and Entertainment, $30 for adults, $20 for children

Buy tickets online:  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/210921

Contact Bailey Stober with questions at 253-306-4445 or by email.

Disney on Ice and Pixar present Toy Story 3 at ShoWare Center from Nov. 9 – Nov. 13.

Visit the Disney on Ice website for more information including show times and tickets. Group discounts are available for groups of 15 or more.

From the City of Kent:

The City of Kent is hosting the largest creative gift boutique in all the state’s senior centers when the 25th Annual Holiday Craft Market opens its doors on Friday, Nov.4 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov.5 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

This Juried show boasts 70 booths of handcrafted one-of-a-kind gifts all in one stop at 600 E. Smith Street in downtown Kent. There is free onsite parking, festive live entertainment and the ever popular Figgy Pudding Café and Bake Sale. No admission fee is charged. Proceeds benefit the programs and services of the Kent Senior Activity Center.

For more information about the Holiday Craft Market, call 253-856-5162.

Contact:
Cindy VandenBerg Robinson, Kent Parks, Recreation & Community Services
253-856-5162

If you are a fan of Dancing with the Stars, or just enjoy a fun night out, mark your calendars! The Kent Parks Foundation and Arthur Murray Dance School are sponsoring “Dancing with the Stars Kent” on Saturday, October 22. Held in Green River Community College’s Cascade Room, the event begins at 5:30 pm and it features the following “celebrity” dancers:

1. Mayor Suzette Cooke
2. Kent City Councilwoman Deb Ranniger (sponsored by Allegro Performing Arts Academy)
3. Kent City Council President Jamie Perry (sponsored by Pacific Raceways)
4. Deputy Chief, King County Steve Strachan (sponsored by Great American Casino)
5. Representative Dave Upthegrove (sponsored by Pat’s Bar & Grill)
6. Kent Chamber President Andrea Keikkala (sponsored by Airways Brewing Company)
7. Timberwolves Receiver Jeremiah Captain (sponsored by Charley’s on Central)
8. Kiwanis Noon Club President Janet Stebbins (sponsored by Kiwanis Noon Club)
9. Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas (sponsored by Rotary Club of Kent Sunrise)
10. Kent Firefighter Marvin Oakcrum (sponsored by Gators Sports Bar and Grill)

Guest Judge:  Ken Sharp, owner of Minuteman Press of Kent

VIP Tickets are $100 and include dinner, wine, priority seating and voting rights in the People’s Choice Trophy Presentation; General admission tickets are $30 each.

Call 253-639-0124 to purchase tickets, or buy them online now –>  Click Here To Buy Tickets Now

Additional information is available on Facebook.

Donations will benefit the Kent Community Center’s music lab.

Oktoberfest comes to Kent via Kent Sunrise Rotary on Saturday, October 1 at Town Square Plaza.  The event is scheduled from 12 noon to 8:oo  pm, rain or shine.  This family friendly event features grub and grog and entertainment.  Beer garden pre-sale tickets are $20; $25 at the door.  The ticket price includes a German beer stein and first beer, and there is free admission to the Family Fest Zone.  Proceeds will support local veterans’ organizations.  It is a family event so kids and grand kids are welcome!  There will be entertainment for all ages, food booths and lots of fun.  Hope you’ll stop by!

Buy tickets online now at OktoberfestKent.com. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event.

Proceeds for the event will support returning veterans.

On Saturday, October 1, ShoWare Center presents its fourth Ladies Night Out show. Hosted by comedian Nate Jackson and DJ Funkdaddy, featured performers include Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Michel’le, Choklate, Rocky Sandoval and Caitlin Cardier.

Tickets are available at $32, $42, $55, $60* and $99. *Club seats include access to the lounge with a full bar. Doors open at 6 pm, show begins at 7 pm.

For more info. and to buy tickets, visit ShoWare Center online.

Kent, Washington, August 30, 2011 – Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to sip, shop and sparkle at the sixth annual Wine, Women, WOW! celebration, hosted by Kent Downtown Partnership. This year the event moves to Saturday, September 10 and features pampering, shopping, wine sipping, beer tasting, food sampling, live music and more.

Wine, Women, WOW! will be held at the Kent Senior Activity Center (600 E. Smith St., Kent) from 5 to 9 p.m. It will include many new features. One exciting addition to the event is the ManCave, a 32-foot mobile game theatre with the latest in video games, six 50-inch TVs, a cigar bar, cocktails and more. Sponsored by Clowns Unlimited and Games2U, the ManCave is open to both men and women.

In addition, Wine, Women, WOW! will include a one-hour VIP event preceding the main event. Sponsored by Heritage Bank, the VIP hour will run from 5 to 6 pm and VIP ticket holders will enjoy complimentary appetizers, a hosted cocktail hour, and the opportunity to preview the pampering and shopping vendors, along with a few extra goodies including a color-changing “blinky” glass.

The main event runs from 6 to 9 pm and will include a variety of pampering services and shopping opportunities, as well as wine sampling, beer tasting provided by Airways Brewing Company, hors d’oeuvres and delicious treats. As an added bonus, guests may purchase raffle tickets to win a beautiful diamond ring donated by Bonaci Jewelers, a getaway weekend from Hawthorne Suites and gift card trees featuring gift cards and other items from local businesses. Guests will enjoy live music jazz and blues by the Still Got It Band, sponsored by Hanis Irvine Prothero.

“Wine, Women, WOW! has always been a fun event, but we wanted to bring back that ‘girlfriend feel’ this year with more pampering and shopping,” explains Barbara Smith, Executive Director for Kent Downtown Partnership. “We’ve also added a VIP event and a ManCave to make our guests – men and women alike – feel extra special!”

Bonaci Jewelers is the presenting sponsor for Wine, Women, WOW! Other sponsors include Clowns Unlimited, Games2U, Kent Station, Hanis Irvine Prothero, Heritage Bank, Airways Brewing Company, Tents & Events Party Rentals, Kent Reporter, Virtually Yourz, Café Pacific Catering, Teresa Clark of Silpada Designs, Pearson Chiropractic, Marti Reeder of John L. Scott Kent-Covington, Judy Woods, Valley Bank and MultiCare.

VIP tickets and tickets to the main event, including the ManCave, are available by calling Kent Downtown Partnership at 253-813-6976. VIP tickets are $50 and tickets to the main event are $25 in advance, or $5 additional at the door. Raffle tickets will be available for $5 with special pricing for multi-ticket purchases. For more information about the event, including a current list of sponsors and vendors, please visit http://winewomenwow.com.

All proceeds from the event benefit Kent Downtown Partnership, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. KDP’s mission is to develop and promote a vibrant downtown. To learn more about KDP, call Executive Director Barbara Smith at 253-813-6976 or visit http://kentdowntown.org.

For more information, please contact:

Barbara Smith, Executive Director
Kent Downtown Partnership
202 W. Gowe St.
Kent, WA  98032
253-813-6976
barbaras@kentdowntown.org
www.winewomenwow.com

Throughout July and August, enjoy a variety of the region’s best live peformances in some of Kent’s most beautiful parks – for free!

Tuesdays at Kent Station, 417 Ramsay Way, sponsored by Kent Station, happen from noon to 1:00 pm.  Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem are scheduled for July 12 and feature wicked percussion, sublime lead singing and great harmonies.  They are a Kent favorite!

Wednesdays for Kids are scheduled at Town Square Plaza, 2nd Ave. and Harrison St. from noon to 1:00 pm.  July 13 brings Roberto the Magnificent with comedy, juggling and crazy stunts.  The former star of “The Gentlemen Jugglers”, Roberto rides towering unicycles and juggles everything from torches to rubber chickens.  The Wednesday concerts are sponsored by Allied Waste.

Thursdays at the Lake take place from 7:oo to 8:30 pm at Lake Meridian Park, 14800 SE 272nd.  July 7 LeRoy Bell & His Only Friends will wow audiences with passionate vocals and a captivating style.  You won’t want to miss this performance.

Bring a blanket and a picnic and be prepared to enjoy yourself at these free concerts!

May 23, 2011 — So You Think KENT Has Talent was held Sat., May 21 at Kent-Meridian’s Performing Arts Center. The show was emceed by King County Chief Deputy Steve Strachan, more than 200 people were in attendance at Saturday’s performance. More than $3,000 was raised for Kent Youth and Family Services.

The competition was judged by Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke; Deborah Ranniger, Kent City Council; Ronda Billerbeck, City of Kent Cultural Programs Manager; Bill Boyce, KSD Board President; Debbie Theisen, KMHS Campus Manager; and Polly Shepherd, Publisher, Kent & Tukwila Reporter.

Shown below are the winners of this year’s competition:

1st place overall NFI Enterprises Grand prize $1000 -
Brenna Benson, 15, ‘District Sleeps Tonight’ (dancer)

2nd place overall Heather McCurdy PNW Realty prize $500 –
Mackenzie Visser, 15, yrs ‘Green Finch and Linnet bird’ (vocalist)

3rd place overall Baldwin Chiropractic prize $250 –
Brenna Kay O’Farrell, 16, ‘Back to December’ (vocalist)

*’Audience Pick’ Winner – Maria-Victoria Kovalsky, 10, ‘Pie Jesu’ (vocalist)

The audience voted for their favorite with $1 per vote. $1,017 dollars was raised with audience votes for KYFS.

Maria-Victoria received: Pizza for a year from Papa John’s, $100 certificate to Portrait Innovations, $50 cash from Allegro Performing Arts Academy and $25 McClendons Hardware Gift card.

Division Winners –

Youth Division 1st place Curran Law Firm Prize $100- Chloey Chae, 11, ‘Mozart Variations KV 265′ (pianist)

Teen Division 1st place Lemon Drop Skin Care Prize $100 – Brenna Benson, 15, ‘District Sleeps Tonight’ (dancer)

Adult Division 1st place Intimate Pilates Prize $100 – James Bacher, ‘In my daughter’s eyes’ (vocalist)

_____________________________________________

May 9, 2011 — The results are in. Kent does, indeed, have talent!

The preliminary qualifications for So You Think Kent Has Talent were held at Allegro Performing Arts Academy Saturday, May 7. More than 50 individuals and groups performed, vying to be selected for the final event later this month. Judged by Mychal Boiser, Dana Ralph, Patrick Briggs and Dave Hobbs, the following finalists will move onto the May 21 competition:

Youth Division (in alphabetical order)

Jacob Bernhard (drums)
Choley Chae (piano)
Joelle Egbert (vocal)
Maria-Viktoria Kovalsy (vocal)
Alvina Ngo (vocal)

Teen Division (in alphabetical order)

Brenna Benson (dance)
Brenna Kay O’Farrell (vocal)
Endless Rhapsody – Jason Garcia & Shaun Fisher (vocal & guitar)
Kailyn Montieth (vocal)
Mackenzie Visser (vocal)

Adult Division (in alphabetical order)

James Bacher (vocal)
Jeannette Benson (vocal)
Theresa Raleigh (vocal)
Mirei Zaborac (Japanese instrument)
5,6,7,8 Dance – Meghna Kapadia, Vinay Kapadia, Juhi Jain, Amit Bhardwaj, Kamal Kalra, Chetan Bhardwaj, Rahul Khyastha, Aditya Saurabh (East Indian folk dancing)

SHOW INFO.

‘So you think KENT has talent!’
Saturday, May 21, 6:30pm
Kent Meridian High School Performing Arts Center
Tickets $10 each, purchased at the door
Tickets can be reserved by calling 253-813-9630
All proceeds benefit Kent Youth and Family Services

Prizes provided by local businesses:

$1,000 NFI Enterprise Grand Prize
$500 Heather McCurdy PNW Realty 2nd Overall
$250 Baldwin Chiropractic 3rd Overall
$100 1st place for each age division: Lemon Drop Skincare, Intimate Pilates & Curran Law Firm

**Audience Pick (voted on by the audience/$1 ticket to vote) will receive:

$50 Cash provided by Allegro Performing Arts Academy
$25 McClendon Gift Card
Papa John’s pizza for a year
Portrait innovations $100 certificate

Theater Sponsor – Allegro Performing Arts Academy

Advertising Sponsor – Personal Financial Planning

Award Sponsor – West Coast Awards and Athletics

Judges for the Finals are Mayor Suzette Cooke, Deborah Ranniger, Ronda Billerbeck, Bill Boyce, Deborah Theisen, Polly Shepherd

So you think KENT has talent winners will participate in the Kent Cornucopia Parade on July 10 as well as perform at:

Kent International Festival – 6/18 Time tbd
4th of July Splash – 7/4 6:30 pm
Kent Cornucopia – 7/8  5:15pm

The Third Annual Kent International Festival is set for Sat., June 18 from
10 am to 6 pm at Town Square Plaza, at the corner of 2nd and Smith Streets in downtown Kent. Offered in conjunction with the weekly Kent Farmer’s Market, this popular event is a celebration of Kent’s cultural diversity and will feature native attire, musical performances, ethnic dance, delicious authentic cuisine and a Kent student art display.

For more information, contact Harpreet Gill at (253) 856-4968 or Dave Mortenson at (206) 818-8304.

Want a poster to display at your workplace, school or organization? Click here to download –> 2011 KIF Poster Final-2

Contributed by Book It Northwest

Free Poetry Writing Workshop with Author Erik Korhel
Event date: April 12, 2011
Location:  Covington Regional Library

Write a poem (or more) with help from King County poet Erik Korhel who will lead a Poetry Workshop for ages 7 and up April 12 at 7 p.m. at the Covington Branch of the King County Libraries, 27100 164th Ave. S.E., (253) 630-8761. Free.

More information at http://tinyurl.com/3u75g6v

ADDITIONAL FREE PERFORMANCES

April 9th at 3 p.m. – Sammamish Regional Library

May 14th at 2 p.m. – Kenmore Regional Library

4Culture seeks media artworks for e4c, a storefront gallery for electronic art. Visible by foot, bike, car or bus to more than 20,000 people each day, e4c exhibits selected artworks from regional and national artists, on rotation, from 7 am – 10 am daily.

Up to sixteen media works or media proposals will be selected for presentation through this public, gallery for a period of up to one year. Due to the transitory nature of the audience, works between 1-5 minutes are desired. Media artists, residing in the U.S., working in all genres are encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Guidelines and applications, which include information about eligibility and review criteria, are available online.

e4c is located adjacent to Gallery4Culture facing Prefontaine Place South in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. e4c consists of four, LCD monitors and two speakers mounted to face the exterior of the building, broadcasting sights and sounds to passers-by.

Selected artists will work with the e4c program manager to adapt selected work for optimal presentation. e4c utilizes software with a timeline interface, which is distributed through a network to the display monitors and speakers. The selected artists will also work with the e4c program manager to create promotional materials. Each selected artist will receive a modest honorarium to help defray expenses. The artists retain all rights of the works submitted.

For more information please contact Heather Dwyer at 206.296.8676.

This project received generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Come join us for the first game of the season. The Predators are also selling family ticket packs for the first game, 4 tickets for $40. Join us on February 25th for the return of Show Time at the ShoWare!

The City of Kent is looking for one or two strong, committed nonprofits to operate the Morford Family Carousel (at Town Square Plaza in downtown Kent) for the summer.

The club or organization will determine its operating hours, but typically the season begins after Kent Cornucopia Days (mid-July) through the last Sunday in August. Organizations can benefit by accepting donations for rides. One adult and two minors are needed per shift. A strong, committed volunteer work force is needed.

If you are interested, contact Victoria Andrews at Kent Parks at 253-856-5113 or via email by Fri., Mar. 11, 2011

Families and kids of all ages are invited to attend “You Me We,” a festival of free family fun scheduled for Friday, February 18 at the ShoWare Center.

The free event is a celebration of Kent’s being named, for the first time ever, one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People in America, by America’s Promise Alliance, the nation’s largest partnership organization dedicated to youth and children.

“We want to celebrate Kent’s kids with the community in a big way, so we’ve asked for ideas and more importantly, participation from a lot of different groups,” said Julie Stangle, the City’s Youth and Teen Program Manager. “The response has been terrific; families won’t want to miss You Me We! It’s a celebration with a street fair atmosphere.”

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with stage entertainment by Master of Ceremonies Greg Bennick, nationally renowned juggler, comedian, speaker, and family fun guy, as well as local performers starting at 6:30 p.m. Other activities include:

* Interactive booths

* Hands-on art activities

* Sports competitions

* Face painting

* Bounce houses

* ShoWare Center tours

* Games, contests, raffles, and prizes including a Redline bicycle

* “Family friendly pricing” on concessions

The event is being organized by a collaboration of community groups, including the Kent School District, Kent Parks Department, youth groups, sports and scouting organizations, churches, local businesses, service clubs and the list is growing every day.

For more event details, visit www.YouMeWeKent.com. To register your group to provide entertainment or to host a free interactive booth, call 253-856-5030 or email jstangle@ci.kent.wa.us.

The 100 Best designation recognizes those communities that make youth a priority by implementing programs that help keep children in school and prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce. The entire 2010 list of 100 Best Communities for Young People and their accomplishments can be found at www.americaspromise.org/100Best.