Community Calendar

The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.

Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.

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.

The festival honors the artistic edge and the rich history of the art form, celebrates Seattle’s jazz scene with performances, premieres, and special projects by esteemed resident artists alongside international masters.

This year’s lineup includes Christian McBride and Brad Mehldau, Brandee Younger, Arooj Aftab, Makaya McCraven,
Ghost-Note, and many more.

The 19th Annual Tacoma Film Festival showcases independent American and foreign films, with a strong focus on documentaries and films produced in the Pacific Northwest. The festival aims to celebrate film as an art form and provide a platform for filmmakers and industry professionals to connect and collaborate.

Established in 2006, the Tacoma Film Festival has developed from small regional festival to a welcoming, interactive haven for regional and international filmmakers, industry professionals, students, fans, critics, and creative entrepreneurs.

TFF centers artists and their stories, honoring the contributions of filmmakers as leaders, and building community from a foundation of diverse perspectives and shared stories.

Festival guests from around the world make for a rich networking and collaborative space where new projects are born and inspiration for future work grows.

The Dan Duval Good Vibes Quartet; Dan (vibes), Steve Yamasaki (sax) and Trent Leurquin (bass) with Nonda Trimis (drums). The group’s instrumentation echoes and celebrates sounds of jazz from the 1960s and ‘70’s. Their music offers in-the-moment jazz that draws upon the rich history of the music, from swing to bebop with plenty of Latin. The Quartet offers something for every jazz fan to appreciate.

Join us every Second Sunday for a soulful early afternoon of community, comfort food, and spirit-lifting sounds. Our Gospel Brunch blends the rich traditions of gospel and non-secular music through expertly curated playlists delivered in high-fidelity sound—designed to feed both your heart and your appetite.
Brunch favorites by Chef Tay
Curated gospel and soul playlists in rich, high-quality audio
Special guest performances are on the horizon—subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss a beat.

Are you a gospel singer interested in sharing your gift with our community? We’d love to meet you! Join us during Gospel Brunch and introduce yourself.

🎷 Jazz Jam at Butter Notes Café 🎷
📍 Butter Notes Café – Everett, WA
🗓️ Every 1st & 3rd Sunday @ 2 PM

☕ Come sip, snack, and swing!

Join us for an afternoon of live jazz and spontaneous creativity at Butter Notes Café! Whether you’re here to play or just enjoy the vibes, you’re welcome.

🧇 Fresh croffles and warm coffee served all afternoon
🎶 Open to all instruments, all levels
💛 Donations encouraged to support local musicians and future sessions

Bring your instrument, your friends, or just your love for music!

Our 3rd Brazilian Choro Music Festival builds on the success of the first two of these events. The first festival was a celebration of the longevity of the roda de choro at the Couth Buzzard, now entering its 13th year. The second festival celebrated the richness of the choro community in the Puget Sound region, and the ecosystem of performing bands, annual Centrum workshops and the monthly roda that nutures the growing interest in choro and Brazilian culture more generally.

This third festival celebrates the newly formed Clube do Choro Cascádia, a nonprofit whose mission is to present educational opportunities, concerts, and participatory jams (rodas) for instrumentalists of all ages and abilities, and to broaden the reach of Brazilian choro music. This reflects the traditional role of a clube in Brasil to bring a community of people together to play, learn and promote choro, an engaging music that combines groove elements from Africa with classical melodic expression and harmony that is deeply Brazilian.

On Saturday night, the festival highlights featured artists Tim Connell on mandolin and Sean Watson on 7-string guitar, a duo that joins masterful talents from the traditional acoustic music world and that of social media streaming platforms. Long-time choro performers from Seattle, Port Townsend and Olympia fill out the schedule on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Choro Tomorrow - Sunday, October 12 at 2:00 pm
Choro Tomorrow, Olympia’s flame keepers of choro, blends the talents of seven seasoned musicians: Lisa Seifert (clarinet, bass clarinet), Sonja Wiedenhaupt (flute and vocals), Brendon Keenan (guitar), Lorree Gardener (bass), Betsy Perkins (percussion and vocals), and David Moseley (percussion). Their instrumental mix emanates lively and bright at times, deep and soulful at others. Band leader Lisa Seifert has traveled to Brazil several times to study and play choro. Over the years, the group has evolved, adding standards of the repertoire and also new compositions by friends and mentors. One constant they really enjoy is playing choro.

They are excited to present material from their newly released album, highlighting compositions by friends and teachers from Brasil.

Combo Choro - Sunday, October 12 at 3:45 pm
Combo Choro had performed frequently around the Port Townsend area since 2010 at venues such as the Wooden Boat Show, Finnriver Cidery, and Seattle's BrasilFest. Tonight’s Quartet version has lead players Al Bergstein (mandolin) and Julian Catford (guitar and cavaquinho) with percussionist Teresa Catford, and brings in guest Jonathan Green for the bass line. Starting from a reverence for choro’s great composers Jacob do Bandolim and Pixinguinha, band members pool their talents, experience and passion for choro for an engaging performance.

Auburn Symphony’s season begins with This Beautiful Earth, a program that embraces music’s deep connection to nature and culture. Gabriela Lena Frank’s Elegía Andina reflects on her heritage with lush, folk-inspired melodies, while Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez transports listeners to the gardens of Spain with its breathtaking lyricism. Internationally acclaimed guitarist JIJI, praised for her “mesmerizing” performances (The Washington Post), brings her extraordinary artistry to this timeless masterpiece. The concert concludes with Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, a radiant and high-spirited work capturing the warmth and energy of sunlit landscapes.

Program
Gabriela Lena FRANK - Elegía Andina
Joaquín RODRIGO - Concierto de Aranjuez
Felix MENDELSSOHN - Symphony No. 4, “Italian”

Guest Artist
JIJI, guitar

Pre-Concert Talk: Ryan Dakota Farris
Join us at 1:30 PM for an engaging pre-concert talk with conductor Ryan Dakota Farris. With his dynamic background in orchestral conducting and performance, Ryan will delve into the inspirations and stories behind the evening's program, This Beautiful Earth. Gain deeper insights into the music's connection to nature and culture, setting the stage for a memorable concert experience.

Arrive early to enrich your understanding and appreciation of the performance.

Join us for the Fall Festival of Choirs, featuring the Adelphian Concert Choir, Voci d’Amici, and Puget Sound Singers conducted by Steven Zopfi and Erin Guinup.