September events

Art Walk returns

This will be the fourth year for the Madison Park Art Walk, which begins with a public reception at Starbucks at 6 pm on Friday, September 13.  More than 30 "Madison Park artists" are expected to exhibit this year, with art on the walls of various neighborhood shops and restaurants through October 6.  This year there will be a kid's day art walk, an awards program, an art history lecture and art seminars as part of the Art Walk experience.  Details can be found on the official website here.

New Zealand Forest to open in the Arboretum

It cost about $2 million to design and build the new New Zealand Forest portion of the Arboretum's Pacific Connections Garden, and the public will get its first chance to view the results when the forest officially opens on September 15, with opening ceremonies from 11 am until 2 pm.

The new two-acre forest is the first of five "eco-geographic" forests to be fully planted as part of the Pacific Connections project, which will eventually cover 14 acres of the Arboretum.  The New Zealand section has taken two years to develop "and features 10,000 trees, shrubs and grasses propagated from seeds collected in the wilds of New Zealand."  More information about the opening day event is available here, and a great article about the planting of the New Zealand Forest is available here.

Tour Arboretum wetlands by kayak

Did you know that the Arboretum has the largest stretch of saltwater marsh in Washington State?  Well whether you knew that fact or not, you still have the six opportunities this week to take a guided tour these wetlands by kayak. Sponsored by the UW Botanic Gardens and the Agua Verde Paddle Club, the tours on September 5, 6, and 7 will each last 90 minutes and will include commentary about the history of the area and details about the plants and animals you'll meet along the way. Registration and details are available here.

Yo Yo contest  returns after decades-long absence

It was apparently once the thing in Madison Park, so we've been told, for there to be an annual yo-yo contest held in front of the old pharmacy that once graced the space that now houses Bing's.  The folks at Aegis have decided to try their hand at reviving this event and will be sponsoring the first Madison Park yo yo contest of the 21st Century on September 27 at 5:30 pm.  So get out your old yo yos and start practicing. If you don't have a yo yo, never fear.  Aegis will be providing complimentary yo yos, as well as the food and drink.  Prizes will be awarded for "all age groups."  The venue, appropriately, will be the Triangle Park in front of Bing's.