Columbia Citizens

your Wikli-fix: angels in our midst

It's that week we all love, or love to hate. Take some time to notice our better angels too.

Columbia City BeatWalk August 5th

Get a rocking start to Seafair weekend with August's edition of BeatWalk. $7 gets you into eleven venues! Kids 14 and under free. 7 - 10pm.

Alma y Azucar, Mucho Gusto, The Canotes, Blues Machine, Bottom Line Duo, The Toy Boats, Manghis Khan, Brian Kent Duo and more. Check out the line-up.

Columbia City Farmers Market

Check out Columbia City's beloved Let Us Farm in USA Today last week.

Today, Wednesday August 3, 2011:

• Last day for St. Jude Tuna till fall. Stock up on the best, line caught tuna in town.
• Organic Blueberries showing up en masse on market tables!
• Next Week: more sweet tree fruits from R&R Farms and RAMA!
• Music: Arts in Motion
• Kids Tent: ReWA

four awesome shows this week

We've got a great month of shows ahead of us at Columbia City Theater this August, if we do say so ourselves, and it all starts this week.

We've got an Appalachian string band, one of Seattle's hottest up-and-coming bands and an all-star Tom Petty cover band, a CD release show from one of the PNW's most gifted young singer-songwriters & a free show in the Bar on Sunday.

Here's this week's lineup.

free wood chips for your garden

Well, the giant poplar had to go. All the tree experts said so, even the Audubon Society! So it came down, sooo sad. But we are recycling a driveway full of chips to anyone in the neighborhood who wants to save on water usage by putting this fabulous mulch on your plants. You can also reduce herbicide use — a lot of mulch makes pulling weeds after a rain like a walk in the park. Sooo — come one, come all, and help yourselves! The pile is on the north side of Ferdinand, between 42nd and 43rd.

Rainier Valley Heritage Parade and Summer Streets Party

Saturday, August 20 is going to be the biggest celebration in the Valley! We are opening Rainier Ave from Brandon (at Group Health) to Alaska (at the library) for peds and bikes. First the parade at 11am, then the Street Party from 12 to 3pm.

Celebrating the diversity of 98118 with the Rainier Valley Culture Fest Weekend on Sat 8/20 and Sun 8/21: Seafair Sanctioned Event with continuing celebration on Sunday at Othello Park International Music and Arts Festival.

Valley Vibes outdoor jazz concert

SEEDArts presents Valley Vibes, a free jazz concert and conversation series on Friday, Aug 12 at 6 pm at Columbia Park. Tor Dietrichson's Salsa/ Afro-Cuban Jazz Band Mambo Cadillac and Jeff Busch’s Latin influenced Sambatuque will perform this outdoor concert in Columbia Park. The stage will be located in the middle of the park behind Columbia Branch Library.

Multi-percussionist, vocalist and composer Tor Dietrichson’s group Mambo Cadillac will headline the concert, performing Salsa/Afro-Cuban Jazz tunes. Sambatuque will open the concert at 6 pm with a blend of music from Brazil and the Caribbean.