Aug 21 Friday
Welcomed by KNKX. Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List:” for the Wall Street Journal.
His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.
Pasquale Grasso - It was the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of, and then some. In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine’s February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who’d impressed him. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult. “Mostly what I hear now are guitar players who sound a little bit like me mixed with a little bit of [John Scofield] and a little bit of [Bill Frisell],” he continued. “What’s interesting about Pasquale is that he doesn’t sound anything like that at all. In a way, it is a little bit of a throwback, because his model—which is an incredible model to have—is Bud Powell. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.”
From Tony winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, creators of such Broadway classics as Ragtime and Once On This Island, this dazzling show transports its audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love and family.
Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word: he’s a straight‑laced lawyer; she’s a free spirit chasing her next thrill. Their sixth‑floor Manhattan walk‑up is riddled with leaks, bad plumbing, and a paint job long overdue. After a six‑day honeymoon, Corie’s eccentric mother crashes the party, and their quirky attic neighbor, Velasco, drops in—literally—turning domestic bliss into comic mayhem. As Paul’s pragmatism clashes with Corie’s spontaneity, only a barefoot sprint through Washington Square can save their marriage. Smart, snappy, and full of heart, Tony Award-winning Barefoot in the Park opened on Broadway in 1963 and ran for 1,530 performances, becoming Neil Simon’s first smash hit and one of the ten longest‑running plays in Broadway history. Today, Simon’s landmark comedy remains an American stage treasure, its sparkling wit and heartfelt charm as irresistible as ever.
The CD Woodbury Trio is teaming up with Polly O'Keary and the Rhythm Method for a night of Rockin' Blues. These two award winning bands have been lighting up stages around the Pacific Northwest for many years.
Aug 22 Saturday
With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, 2 NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Award, and more, Take 6 continues to bring extraordinary vocals to their worldwide audiences.
Take 6 has admirably and adeptly crossed most musical genres, from straight-ahead Jazz to Pop to adult R&B, doo wop to blues. Like a fine-tuned vocal orchestra, the group continues to push the boundaries of creativity and musical genius with every new release, and with their ever-evolving live performances.
Take 6 has come a long way from their early days days at Huntsville, Alabama's Oakwood College where Claude McKnight formed the group as The Gentleman's Estates Quartet in 1980. When tenor Mark Kibble heard the group rehearsing in the dorm, he joined in the harmonies and performed on stage that night. When Mervyn Warren joined shortly afterward, they took the name Alliance. Yet, when they signed to Reprise Records/Warner Bros. in 1987, they found that there was another group with the same name, so they became Take 6. Says McKnight: "Take 6 was all about a democratic process of sitting in a room together and throwing a couple of hundred names at each other and Take 6 was the one that got the most yay votes. It pretty much was a play on the Take 5 jazz standard and the fact that there are six of us in the group, so it became Take 6."
Love hiking? Looking for a way to make a difference? 👀 Join Hike-a-Thon, Washington Trails Association’s community fundraiser!
Hike-a-Thon is for you if you want to …♥️ Give back to trails and public lands (and inspire others to do the same)🌲 Spend more time outdoors this summer, solo or with a team✨ Earn awesome prizes, including the official 2026 T-shirt once you raise your first $40
Everyone is welcome, no matter how or where you enjoy spending time outdoors. Register today to make the most of your Hike-a-Thon!
Drop into Easy Street Records for an afternoon of crate digging. While you're there drop off your damaged or unplayable vinyl records to help support vinyl recycling efforts! Collection bins will be out through the end of September.
Event website: https://www.wmg.com/news/independent-record-stores-and-warner-music-group-launch-nationwide-pilot-to-explore-recovery-pathways-for-vinyl-records
Every Weekend in August Historic Downtown Issaquah transforms into a lively pedestrian playground every weekend in August! Explore car-free Front Street with live music, outdoor dining, local shopping, pop-up experiences, and activities for all ages.
Front Street closed: Saturday, 8 a.m. – Sunday, 10 p.m. Programming: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. – varies Outdoor dining & sidewalk shopping Live music & family-friendly fun Pop-up experiences & community activities Free to attend
Experience downtown in a whole new way!
Al Fresco on Front Kicks Off with a Weekend of Play August 1–2Bubbles, Mini Golf and Foam FunGet ready to get a little silly, a little sudsy, and have a whole lot of fun. Al Fresco on Front kicks with a weekend packed with family-friendly activities that turn Historic Downtown Issaquah into one giant playground.Challenge your family to a game of ping pong, or grab a board or yard game and make your own fun. Then, things get bubbly!The magic of bubbles takes over downtown on Sunday, Aug. 2, from noon to 2 p.m., while Foam Fun takes over from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get ready to run, play, and make a splash in a mountain of foam. Finally, try a little friendly competition on the mini golf course Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Times may vary, so keep checking back for more updates!
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society invites you to explore the history of building the State History Museum. 30 Years and Counting: The Making of the Washington State History Museum is a special exhibition that uncovers the vision, effort, and community spirit that brought this iconic Tacoma landmark to life.
Discover the bold ideas and architectural ingenuity that shaped the museum’s distinctive look. From early sketches to final blueprints, see how the building’s design reflects both innovation and reverence for Washington’s past. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s construction. Through photographs and artifacts from the building process, witness how a dream took shape—brick by brick, beam by beam.
Staff Picks: 30 Objects for 30 Years
In a special feature area, museum staff share their favorite objects from the collection—each one a personal reflection on the power of history to inspire, surprise, and connect us.
Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.
Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.
