Jazz at Ober

Free Concerts in the Park continue with Island Jazz Quintet at Ober Park at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21. The renowned Island group will play jazz standards and new tunes, too. Members of Island Jazz Quintet include Maggie Laird on melodica and vocals, Richard Person on horns, Todd Zimberg on drums, Todd Gowers on upright bass and Tom Wilkins on keyboards.

Portage Fill will bring their big band music to the series finale Sept. 4. Concerts in the Park, sponsored by Vashon Park District, Vashon Allied Arts and Windermere, are open to all ages. Please, no alcohol in the park.

VAA seeks new works

All Island performing artists are invited to apply for Vashon Allied Arts’ New Works Series 2009.

The New Works Series offers the Blue Heron venue for Island artists to premiere new work and/or new collaborations between January and November 2009.

Artists from all disciplines, including music (all genres), dance, literature and theater, are encouraged to apply. An interdisciplinary panel of Island performing artists will meet in October to review and select recipients.

Applications are available at the Blue Heron or online at www.vashonalliedarts.org. The deadline is 5 pm, Saturday, Sept. 27.

The New Works Series was established 20 years ago for Island resident artists to present new work to the community at the Blue Heron. Past New Works Series performances have spawned memorable performances by Daryl Redeker, Maggie Laird, Arlette Moody, Clay Martin and many others.

Call 463-5131, ext. 226, for more information.

Call for floral art show

Calling all Vashon flower and tree painters. Beginning Sept. 1 and running through Oct. 31, the walls of Vashon Community Care Center will be covered with photographs, paintings and limited prints of flowers and trees.

All local two-dimensional artists are invited to include two or three pieces in the show. The items may be for sale or not, according to the artists’ wishes. No commission will be taken on sold works.

VCCC will host an opening reception for the show on the first friday of September with wine and hors d’oeuvres, and the show will remain on view through September.

For more information, contact Geri Peterson at 463-2767.

Last open mic of summer

The last Poetry Open Mic of the summer will be held at Café Luna at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21.

Participants are encouraged to write a poem for the event that includes the following eight words (in intact phrases) — “invisible hands,” “blowing stained glass” and “choose only one.”

Poets should sign up at the café in advance of the event. The Island’s youth poets are always welcome, with the first half-hour of the evening reserved for their readings.

Organizers promise that this open mic will also feature a special sneak peek into how some Island groups have adapted the the “eight word” concept for their own special projects.

The evening will also feature an introduction to the poetry of Cal Kinnear, a Seattle poet with strong Vashon connections who will be giving a reading at the Vashon Library next month. Participants will also hear the work of Samuel Green, Washington’s first Poet Laureate. Green will also come to Vashon next month.

For more information, visit www.cafelunavashon.com.