Islewilde returns to Vashon Celebratory festival is homegrown and colorful

Islewilde, Vashon’s homegrown, collaborative, build-it-yourself arts celebration, will unfold at Farmstad on the north end of the Island on Aug. 15 to 17, after nine days of workshops where participants will build puppets, make costumes and design events for the festival.

August 5, 2008 5:22 pm
A scene from Islewilde’s 2006 pageant at Agren Park.
A scene from Islewilde’s 2006 pageant at Agren Park.

Islewilde, Vashon’s homegrown, collaborative, build-it-yourself arts celebration, will unfold at Farmstad on the north end of the Island on Aug. 15 to 17, after nine days of workshops where participants will build puppets, make costumes and design events for the festival.

As in years past, the multi-day festival will include pageantry, juggling, music, crafts, physical comedy and circus arts — and will likely draw both participants and spectators from throughout the region.

The behind-the-scenes work begins tomorrow, Aug. 7, when volunteers will start moving items from Islewilde’s storage space to the festival site. An Islewilde kick-off party and camp setup takes place at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8. Other workshops include physical comedy, acrobatics, hand-puppet making and band.

The festival kicks off with a lantern walk at dusk on Friday, Aug. 15, and continues through the weekend. The event as well as all the workshops are free.

Farmstad, a beautiful spread of land owned by Doug Dolstad’s family, is located at 12108 S.W. 148th, off the Westside Highway. Organizers ask that attendees angle park on the road and walk down the driveway to the site.