Columbia Citizens

Live locally.

Consult your community calendar.

• HCBA meeting (Wed),
• an evening book group (Wed),
• storytime and playtime (Fri),
• Beatwalk (Fri),
• SkinStories (Fri, Sat),
• Christmas Ships (Fri),
• C-City runners (Sat, Tue),
• a neighborhood brunch (Sat),
• LWSP Community Club holiday bazaar (Sat),
• a tree lighting and Santa visit (Sat),
• a Senior Center Santa brunch (Sun),
• a "sip & shop" (Sun),
• a discussion: Seattle's energy future (Tue),
• African dance (Tue),
• and Citizens post more events all the time!

In the calendar, you can click through to each event's online information. If a local event is missing, please send a Citizen's alert.

Fri Dec 5, 7-10pm
$5 adults, kids are free
Venues are along Rainier Ave S between S Edmunds and S Hudson.

More info at columbiacitybeatwalk.org

And don't forget to give the gift that keeps on giving: BeatWalk merchandise is available. All proceeds go to paying the bands and minimal operating costs. So help keep BeatWalk alive!

Now Showing through 12/11: Twilight, Bolt, and Quantum of Solace.

Coming Soon: The Day the Earth Stood Still, Marley and Me, and Valkyrie.

On Facebook? Join the Columbia City Cinema group. Just another great way to stay on top of all that's happening at Seattle's Coolest Neighborhood Cinema.

See you at the movies.

Grupo Bilingüe de Juegos / Bilingual Play and Learn Group Fridays from 11:30-1pm. Grupo bilingüe de juegos para padres y cuidadores con niños entre las edades de nacimiento hasta 5 años. / Bilingual play group for ages birth to 5.

Evening Book Group on Wednesday December 3rd from 6:45-7:45pm. Join us for a book group discussion. Everyone is welcome. This month’s title is Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler. Pick up your copy at the Information Desk

Homework Help Except for school holidays, volunteers will assist students with homework on a drop in basis. Mon-Thu, 5-7:45pm.

• Thu — (theater) Chris Sicard and the Vain Transparent, Bryant Moore and the Celestial Shore, Olympus, The Fun Guys
  (lounge) Buffalo Breath, Issac Barham & more
• Fri — The Led Zeppelin Experience Featuring No Quarter
• Sat — The EriAm Sisters Showcase featuring Haben Abraham
• Sun — BlueStreet Jazz Voices First Annual Benefit
• Mon — XIL Presents Tribute to Dimebag Darrell, Pantera (exotic vertical gymnast), edge of oblivion, deathbeat, ranofer, stories under sin mourning sixx, final wish, before the quarantine gift of prophecy
• Tue — Soulflys (lounge)

More details here...

8th Annual Tree Lighting

Saturday, December 6th, 6-7pm, SW corner of Rainier Ave S & S Hudson

Come and enjoy some entertainment and refreshments before we flip the switch on our big, beautiful evergreen — complete with environmentally-friendly LED lights!

Sing Noel will lead us in caroling. The Zionettes will perform, Zion Prep's award-winning step drill team. Special guest: Haben Abraham of the EriAm Sisters

Following the tree lighting, Santa will be at KC's Flowers from 6:45 - 8pm (4873 Rainier Ave. S).

Columbia City Bakery and Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria will provide hot chocolate and cookies.

South Seattle Solstice: Festival of Lights

The Gateway Group & SEEDArts invite you to be part of the first South Seattle Solstice. Join us on Sat, Dec 13th between 10-1pm for a free lantern-making workshop at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center,3515 S Alaska St.

The following Sun, Dec 21st, we will meet at the RVCC parking lot at 4pm with our lanterns and noisemakers and head south to Hillman City to celebrate community on the darkest day of the year, with light, music & refreshments.

Learn more...

Seward Park Playground Improvement Foundation

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved in Phase I/Design for the new play area. We had our Final Design Open House on 11/18, and everyone seemed very happy with the plans and ready to help with fundraising to allow us to continue on to construction drawings. We'll keep lobbying to be among the first levy projects and hope to break ground this summer.

Thanks to our wonderful community!

Click here to see the plans.

BlueStreet Jazz Voices benefit dinner

Sun, Dec 7, Columbia City Theater (21+), 6 to 9pm

BlueStreet's benefit performance will feature not only the ensemble, our terrific trio, and several solo performers, but also dinner, the acclaimed chocolate buffet, a no-host bar, and an auction — all in Columbia City's jewel of a nightclub, Columbia City Theater!

We are a group of passionate amateur and professional musicians who care deeply about jazz. The 20-member ensemble has sold out venues including the Triple Door and Tula's. But we're also a community-based nonprofit dedicated to outreach and education. BlueStreet brings entertainment and a greater appreciation of jazz to students, seniors and other audiences through pro-bono performances of jazz standards, lush ballads, blues, latin, and contemporary jazz.

read more...

Jazz Night School Performance Dec 18

Private instruction students, ensembles and students from Singing with Jazz Trio class all perform the week before Christmas. Come hear what people have been learning and share in their fun!

At the Columbia City Theater, Thursday Dec. 18th at 7:00 pm, $5 admission. See jazznightschool.com for more info.

2nd Annual Sip-n-Shop

Sun., Dec 7 1-7pm
Verve Wine Bar and Cellar (3820 S Ferdinand St)

During the Sip-n-Shop Andaluz will offer 10% off all merchandise, while Verve will serve specially priced tasting flights.

2008 Final Performance: World Music of Peace

Rainier Valley Cultural Center (3515 S Alaska St)

On Saturday, December 13th at 7pm, vocal percussion ensemble Abrace and The MB Orchestra present Ladino (Jewish) and Arabic music, with multi-lingual songs from around the globe, featuring Middle Eastern and Afro-Brazilian dance. Evening includes free Middle Eastern Tasters served at 8:15pm and a song arranging workshop at 8:45pm for audience members.

Purchase discounted advance tickets online! or tickets available at the door

Contact: Kathya Alexander 725-7517

C-City Runners

a great way to get in shape for the holidays!

Join us for our regularly scheduled run at 8:30 Saturday morning, starting at the Columbia City Bakery. We don't care if you're slow, fast or in between — we have a variety of routes available based on your own fitness level. Look for the CCity Runners host at the bakery and introduce yourself — we'll get you all set up for a fabulous neighborhood run. Check us out at www.ccityrunners.com.

Music for Everyone

New Thursday 10:30 am music class!

Music for Everyone's parent/caregiver and child music classes offer musical activities that are playful, interactive and educational. Seward Park classes meet at The Seward Park Community Clubhouse. All classes are for ages 2-5 with an accompanying parent/caregiver. Winter Session begins January 15. For questions and schedule see www.musicforevery1.com

Columbia City in the news

• This (unrestrained) piece in the Stranger caught my eye:

Some days, Pam does feel like moving to a white neighborhood, not that she would. Several months ago, on a bus in Columbia City, a young black man asked her whether her kids were adopted. She said yes. He chanted, "That's fucked up, that's fucked up." Then he told her that when her son got older, he'd get up in the middle of the night and kill her, so maybe the man would just kill her now, there on the bus. Another time, a black woman in a car yelled at Pam and the kids when they were walking on the street in Columbia City: "How does it feel to steal black babies, you white bitch?"

• A P-I review of Genesee's Eloi
• A report on the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club's grand opening

Hillman City Posts

• Welcome neelblair and Amber Flame.

• Site members can update their own posted comments, send private messages, upload small files, and have broader write-access across the wiki. It's easy to join.

• carrie d has posted a few cool updates to Sustainable South Seattle's blog:
  • work parties on Beacon Hill
  • details about a neighborhood buying co-op for sustainable meat
  • and Human Rights Day.

• Diana Vinh created a new page devoted to Expanding Rainier Valley gardening opportunities and updated the page for Healthy & Active Rainier Valley Coalition.

• We have a few new hosts for neighborhood brunches.

• abbeynorris posted all the fun details for [[[South Seattle Solstice]].