By Cynthia Burke, Owner, Cynthia’s Bistro I am celebrating my daughter Claire Mira Burke’s upcoming birthday on Dec. 3 by giving back to our community! Receive a free, kitchen sink dinner from 4:30-6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3, at Cynthia’s Bistro at 65 Nichols St. in Friday Harbor. We are offering free takeaway meals to anyone  Continue Reading

For more than four decades, the San Juan Lions have displayed a Noel sign in Friday Harbor to ring in the holidays. The sign was lit again this year on Wednesday, Nov. 25. Lion Brian Brown spoke with the Update about the sign’s creation, history and meaning. Q: Tell me a little about the sign.  Continue Reading

By Town of Friday Harbor Traffic will be disrupted from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1 while the Town of Friday Harbor crew and contractor install water and sewer mains across Mullis Street near Bakery San Juan and the Friday Harbor Food Co-op. “Local access on Mullis Street from Market Street to 775 Mullis Street  Continue Reading

By Friends of the Libray It’s that time of year! However, Friends of the San Juan Island Library will be hosting an online auction in place of their annual holiday fundraiser. The online auction “Seasons’ Readings” will be available from Dec. 5-12. There is a wide variety of items and experiences waiting for your bid.  Continue Reading

By the San Juan County Agricultural Resources Committee The San Juan County Agricultural Resources Committee was able to respond to the challenges of 2020 with creativity, resilience and collaboration. The coordinator and volunteers on this committee worked hard to address the ongoing policy and outreach work of the ARC, the emergent challenge of COVID-19, and  Continue Reading

‘Treat Yo Elf’ This Holiday Season By San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau “I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes. Christmas is all around [us], and so the feeling grows…” If that feeling is finding the perfect gift for family near and far, there’s something from the San Juan Islands for  Continue Reading

By Alchemy Art Center This summer and fall, Alchemy Art Center had the pleasure of participating in the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center’s mentorship program. Thanks to this partnership, as well as support from the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s fair fundraiser and our 2019 fall fundraiser, Alchemy was able to provide free arts  Continue Reading

By San Juan Community Theatre In many homes across the world, the holidays are marked by candlelight. Menorahs, Kinaras, Advent wreaths, and the classic holiday decoration of window candles spill the warmth and light of home into the darkness of our world. As night falls earlier, and we enter a holiday period in which we  Continue Reading

By The Friday Harbor Atelier  The studio artists at The Friday Harbor Atelier are hosting a creative way to share art during the unique challenges of the 2020 holiday season with a Holiday Art Sale and Exhibit from Friday, Nov. 27 through Jan. 1, 2021, at the Friday Harbor Atelier, 313 Spring Street.  Friday Harbor  Continue Reading

By EDC San Juan County, the Washington State Department of Commerce, and the Economic Development Council have awarded over $300,000 in COVID-19 relief grant funds directly to locally-owned and -operated small businesses, community nonprofit organizations and childcare facilities in San Juan County. These funds will help business owners pay expenses such as rent, utilities, safety  Continue Reading

Local Holiday Decorating Contest By Becki Day, Executive Director, San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce The holidays are just around the corner. What better way to brighten things up than to have a “Let’s Light up Friday Harbor” campaign, beginning Friday, Nov. 27 to start off the shop local holiday? This is a Christmas decorating  Continue Reading

By Laura Norris, Owner, Griffin Bay Bookstore To all of our loyal friends and customers, a huge thank you for making it possible for the bookstore to survive these difficult times.  It is our main objective at Griffin Bay Bookstore to bring joy to our friends and customers, to provide a respite and escape from  Continue Reading

Cask & Schooner staff sent the Update a taste of their Thanksgiving options. The staff is offering take out Thanksgiving dinner this year, and pre-ordering is required. Check out the menu below. 

By Francie Hansen, San Juan Island Have you been to the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park lately? It’s had a make-over, thanks to the park’s president David Jenkins and a small group of committed islanders. It’s the perfect place — winter, spring, summer, or fall — to walk (the park is both dog-friendly and child-friendly),  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Islanders are creative resourceful people. For everyone’s health and to see our way through this pandemic, holidays will be a little different this year. That does not mean we cannot celebrate, enjoy good food, share with our loved ones  Continue Reading

By SJI Farmers Market The San Juan Island Farmers Market is hosting three holiday craft markets this year. Support local vendors and stock up for the holidays. The markets will take place from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays, Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and Dec. 19.  Join farmers, crafters, makers and artisans for a safe and socially  Continue Reading

By San Juan Island Prevention Coalition The 2020 Washington State Prevention Summit’s Award of Excellence for Lifetime Achievement goes to San Juan Island Prevention Coalition’s own dedicated and caring Executive Coordinator Cynthia Stark-Wickman. Cynthia has cultivated an uplifting and inclusive environment so our community can grow in hope, science, and positive outcomes.

By Carrie Unpingco, Executive Director, San Juan Island Community Foundation As many families in our community have been adversely impacted by COVID-19, these impacts are magnified when children don’t have a safe and supportive place to go to while their parents are at work. Please consider a gift to the Head Start building expansion project,  Continue Reading

By SJIL Join a virtual Open Mic for Writers at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14. The event is hosted by the San Juan Island Library. Held on the second Saturday of the month, Open Mic Night is for anyone interested in writing. Don’t be shy, come read your work or just listen. You’ll be inspired  Continue Reading

Need a gift card for the holidays? Check out Islands Strong for gift cards from San Juan Islands’ businesses, as well as Orcas Strong for businesses on Orcas Island. The Washington Tourism Alliance also has a website called ShowWAlove.com, where people can support their favorite local businesses by purchasing gift cards for future use. If  Continue Reading

(Bellingham WA) Salish Current (salish-current.org), a local nonprofit, independent news platform dedicated to reporting news for the civic good in Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties, today announced its participation in the national NewsMatch giving campaign. “Donations made to Salish Current in November and December will be doubled by NewsMatch and applied directly to paying  Continue Reading

By Kevin Porter, Community Thanksgiving Dinner It is time for the 22nd San Juan Island Community Thanksgiving Dinner, on Thursday, Nov. 26.  One would think that after 21 years of having a community dinner there would be no more surprises. At least until 2020 and COVID-19.   Unfortunately, we will not be able to spend Thanksgiving Day  Continue Reading