Festival Fever

Take your pick — three local cities offer reasons to celebrate this week

Shoreline: Swingin’ Summer Eve

Swingin’ Summer Eve, Shoreline’s annual outdoor community barbecue and concert event, is set for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 23 in Cromwell Park, located at Meridian Ave. and 179th St.

Musical entertainment at 7 p.m. will be provided by Guarneri Underground. Led by electric violinist Jeffrey Sick, Guarneri Underground (pronounced gwar-nay’-ree, rhymes with canary) performs a rich blend of jazz, world, funk, blues, new age, and rock. Mohammad Shaibu of Ghana, West Africa, is featured on talking drum, djembe, guitar and vocals. TJ Morris, featured in “Modern Drummer Magazine,” plays world drum kit, and provides backup vocals. Eric Jaeger on vocals, flamenco and electric guitars, is a member of the Children of the Revolution. Mikel Rollins, on bass, has performed throughout the U.S. and Japan for two decades. Beth Quist is a multi-instrumentalist, whose voice is featured as a member of Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra. Violinist Sick has played violin on stage in the Broadway and Road productions of “M. Butterfly” with Tony Randall. He is also featured on the upcoming PBS special “Keep Holding On” with the Children of the Revolution.

Children’s activities and food are also part of the celebration, with games, juggling and bouncing and a community BBQ sponsored by the Shoreline Fire Department.

Swingin’ Summer Eve is sponsored by the City of Shoreline and the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council for residents to celebrate summer and community. For more information, call Shoreline Parks and Recreation at 206- 546-5041.Lake Forest Park: Picnic in the Park

Lake Forest Park’s 7th annual community festival Picnic in the Park takes over the grounds of Lake Forest Park Towne Centre for two days, July 25 and 26.

Friday night the parking lot will be cleared from 7 to 9 p.m. for music and dancing by Latin Expression. Hailing from Tacoma, Latin Expression offers the traditional Latin American music of Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and other South and Central American countries with a 12 piece salsa ensemble. Formed in 1987 by Frank “Papo” Medina, a native of Puerto Rico, the band’s sound is powered by a four-piece brass section and a five piece rhythm section. The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is sponsoring the dance as part of their concert series.

Saturday’s activities begin at 8 a.m. with a family pancake breakfast sponsored by the Rotary Club. The Antique Car Show takes place from 9 a.m. to noon in the lower Mall Parking lot featuring vintage automobiles and street rods. At 10 a.m. kids are invited to dress up, play instruments, make noise and join the Children’s Parade from Animal Acres to Towne Center, where there will be activities for children in the upper parking lot, including games, slides and bouncers and a children’s entertainment stage.

The lower parking lot will host community booths, arts and crafts, and food vendors. The LFP Fire Department will have a fire truck on display. A Health Fair in the lower level of the shopping center will feature health vendors with information and demonstrations.

Friends of the Lake Forest Park Library will be hosting their summer mini-book sale in the hallway outside of the library inside Towne Center between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. An evening variety show and coupon specials at eateries in the Commons is followed by music on the stage at 7:30 p.m.

The Lake Forest Park Towne Centre is located at the intersection of Ballinger Way NE (SR 104) and Bothell Way NE (SR522). For more information, visit www.cityoflfp.com or call Sarah Phillips at 206- 368-5440.Mountlake Terrace: Tour de Terrace

Mountlake Terrace will celebrate summer at the Tour de Terrace community festival beginning Friday, July 25 and continuing Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27.

The Seafair-sanctioned event features a carnival, live entertainment, 5K and Kids Fun Run, pancake breakfast, classic car show, beer garden and a Friday evening parade through the heart of Mountlake Terrace. Most events take place at Evergreen Playfield, located at 56th Ave. W. and 224th St.

The Tour de Terrace Carnival will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., beginning Wednesday, July 23 and run through Sunday, July 28 at Evergreen Playfield. In addition to carnival rides, there will be inflatables, a train ride and putt putt golf. Crafts and food booths will be open on 224th St. SW at 56th Ave. W. from 4 to 11 p.m., Friday, July 25; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, July 26; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, July 27. The Beer Garden will be open at the festival site from 1 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 26; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The Tour de Terrace Parade begins at 7 p.m., Friday, July 25, and will proceed north on 56th Ave. W. from 234th St. to 220th St. The Café of the Terrace barbecue begins at 5:30 p.m.

The Lions Club Pancake Breakfast starts off the weekend’s activities from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27 at Evergreen Playfield. The Tenth Annual Tour de Terrace Custom Car, Hot Rod and Motorcycle Show takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 26 at the festival site. There is a $10 registration fee for show participants. Admission is free to viewers who can stroll along the grass field and vote for the People’s Choice Award. For information, call 425-776-7331.

The Tour de Terrace 5K Run, presented by the South County Chamber of Commerce, begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, July 26 at the festival site. Check-in and day-of-the-race registration ($25 entry fee) begins at 7:30 a.m. An awards ceremony will take place at the finish line immediately following the race. For more information, call 425-771-8343. The Kids Fun Run begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, July 27 at Evergreen Playfield. This half-mile run for children ages 8-and-under is free. Finishers will receive a commemorative ribbon.

Musical entertainment is featured all three days on the festival stage, with performers including Little Bill and the Blue Notes, the Brian Waite Band and the Flashbacks. A fireworks display at 10:15 p.m. will top off Saturday night.

For more information on any Tour de Terrace event, call 425-776-7331.