Portage Fill at Ober Park

Vashon Park District’s Summer Concerts in the Parks will present the Portage Fill band, at 7 p.m. tonight, Aug. 15, in Ober Park. For more than 40 years, the community band has entertained islanders with danceable music from the Big Band era and beyond. The band includes two dozen current or former islanders, and has full horn and sax sections, a complete rhythm section and two vocalists. And with 300 tunes to choose from, the band is sure to get barefoot dancers shimmying up close to stage. The free concert series, curated by Vashon Events, runs every Thursday throughout August. Next up, on Aug. 22, will be Polecat, playing bluegrass, country, Celtic, rock, and world music. Bring your own chairs and blankets, but leave your dogs, smokables and booze at home — these aren’t allowed in the park. Food trucks will be on hand if anyone is hungry. The back-up venue for the show, in case of rain, is Open Space for Arts & Community.

Ron Artis II returns

Ron Artis II, a soul artist from Hawaii, will play at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at Snapdragon. After a successful show at the Vashon Theatre with Mike Love last year, he’ll return to the island with his band to play soul and funk at Snapdragon’s Black Cat Cabaret as part of the venue’s current photo exhibit by Monica Gripman and Debra Heesch Presents. There is a suggested donation of $15 at the door for this all-ages show.

Go wild with ‘The Goonies’

Vashon Theatre will present the 1985 family classic, “The Goonies,” at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. The film, part of Vashon Theatre’s family-friendly Summer Nights Series, follows the madcap adventures of a gang of misfit kids on a quest to find a pirate’s long-lost treasure. Tickets are $8 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and younger.

Rooster crows at Red Bike

The island band Rooster will play rock, blues, pop, funk and more at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at Red Bicycle Bistro & Sushi. The band, which will soon release a new album, includes Rick Doussett, Ken Widmeyer, Andy Doussett and Stephen Cooper. The no-cover show is for all ages until 11 p.m., and 21 and older after that.

Arts Fest rolls to a close

Vashon Summer Arts Fest, a two-month festival of island art, will end with nine new solo shows, opening at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at Vashon Center for the Arts. Artists include Art Chippendale (digitally-manipulated photography); Bennett Hu (cardboard assemblages); Ken C. Judd (paintings and mixed media works); Pamela Wickard (collage); Penny Grist (watercolors); Richard Rogers (photography); Robert Bornn (abstract glass sculpture); Shelley Hanna (photo-composite fortune-telling cards images) and Stephen Ellis (paintings in oil and cold wax). The arts fest will also present a showcase of works by island choreographers and dancers, including Arlette Moody, Duncan Barlow, Emma Rose DeSantis, Talia Roybal, Tiffany Adams, Vanessa Wiley and Vadne White, at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at VCA. Admission is $5 at the door. The festival ends on Aug. 25.

Gospel goodness at Vashon Theatre

“Patrinell: The Total Experience,” a documentary about Patrinell Wright, the director of Seattle’s famed Total Experience Gospel Choir, will be screened at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, at Vashon Theatre. An award-winner at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2018, the film details Wright’s journey, from 1973 to the present, to share faith and create community through music. All proceeds from the screening will go to the Bailey-Boushay House, an AIDS hospice in Seattle. The night is presented by islander Larry Flynn, who has brought Wright and the choir to perform on Vashon many times. Admission is $10.

Get critical with ‘Chinatown’

Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan will host a 45th-anniversary screening of Roman Polanski’s 1974 film, “Chinatown,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Vashon Theatre. Turan — who is also the film critic for National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and the author of several books — will introduce the film and lead a Q and A after the screening. The evening is a fundraiser to support Voice of Vashon’s community service operations. Tickets to the movie are $20. For an additional $20, attendees can hobnob with Turan at a pre-show reception at Voice of Vashon’s nearby Jean Bosch Broadcast Studio. Buy tickets at Vashon Theatre’s box office and vashontheatre.com.

Moody Little Sister comes to town

The Truth or Consequences, New Mexico duo, Moody Little Sister, will bring what they call “Southwestern Americana soul” to an upcoming performance at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at Vashon Center for the Arts. Duo members Naomi Sparrow and Rob Stroup’s show is a celebration of Moody Little Sister’s new CD, “Great Big Mama Sunshine.” Special guests Skybound Blue and Ara Lee James will open the show. Tickets, ranging from $15 to $22, are on sale now at vashoncenterforthearts.org. The show is co-presented by islander Debra Heesch.

Rock pride with Vashon Events

Vashon Events is seeking sponsors, volunteers, silent auction donations, performing artists and concert-goers for “True Colors: A Showcase of Songs Celebrating Diversity of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity performed by LGBTQ Artists and Allies.” The gala showcase will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 at Open Space for Arts & Community. To get involved or buy tickets for the event, visit vashonevents.org.