On April 27th, Governor Inslee announced a May 5th partial opening of some outdoor recreation activities. Included in his action was a opening of many State Parks across Washington for day use activities. However, he held off on announcing any opening of San Juan County State Parks, pending support from San Juan County decision makers.  Continue Reading

Library staff are working hard, albeit remotely, to serve the community in new ways to meet your changing needs.   We’ve heard that many of you miss our Staff Picks book recommendations in the Library; these are now available online in our new and improved Reading Room.   Staff members have answered questions about reading interests and are  Continue Reading

  Are you missing your morning fitness class routine? Island Rec is continuing to carry classes with Jacquelyn Reiff and Katerina Wen through the end of May via Zoom. All classes will be accessed through a live Zoom video link that is sent to you each morning of class. Sign up for the whole month,  Continue Reading

Land Bank Preserves continue to remain open despite other federal and state public land closures because we believe people need access to nature close to home, especially when nothing else in life seems normal. We islanders are fortunate enough to live in a place where we can get outside and take in fresh air while  Continue Reading

Planning for the San Juan County Fair occurs year round.  As planning continues for the 2020 San Juan County Fair, each day presents new situations, issues to explore, and opportunities for creative problem solving.  In case you haven’t heard, the San Juan County Fair Board selected a futuristic theme for this year – “2020: A  Continue Reading

Land Bank Preserves remain open despite other public land closures because we believe people need access to nature close to home, especially when nothing else in life seems normal. Early evidence suggests that dogs don’t spread COVID-19. However, current social distancing rules apply to both people and their pets. To that end, we want to  Continue Reading

An update from the San Juan Island Park and Recreation District board of commissioners: All Island Rec in-person programs for April and May remain cancelled in order to prevent community spread of COVID-19. Have you tried one of our adult fitness LIVE Zoom classes with Jacquelyn Reiff or Katerina Wen? It is a great way  Continue Reading

Spokane, Wash. – The health and safety of our visitors and staff remains the first priority of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, our local partners and the state of Washington, the BLM is temporarily closing the following recreation sites, effective today, to help limit  Continue Reading

COVID-19 updates from San Juan County around subjects on the minds of islandersNavigating This article is from Brandon Cadwell, Chief of Visitor and Youth Engagement at San Juan Island National Historical Park. Now is the time to take the road less traveled. Or perhaps, the trail or sidewalk less traveled. As the Chief of Visitor  Continue Reading

“And because enjoying the outdoors is critical to supporting your mental health, you can still go for a walk or a bike ride or garden in your yard.” Governor Jay Inslee from his “Stay home, stay healthy” order. “English Camp is good hiking spot with its upland trails to Young Hill, Bell Point loop, Westcott  Continue Reading

This week, we announced the temporary full closure of all Washington state parks for at least two weeks. The decision follows Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order issued on Tuesday. We want to do our part to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, COVID-19. The measure adds to our March 22 decision  Continue Reading

Love the 80’s?  They are back, at least for a night at the San Juan County Fairgrounds. The Spring Fling, Adult Prom will be held on March 28th showcasing live music by Prom Date Mixtape. Come dance the night away to the sounds of The Cure, Bon Jovi, Depeche Mode, U2, Flock of Seagulls, Wham!,  Continue Reading

Where can book lovers go to rub shoulders with the likes of Timothy Egan, Nicola Griffith and Luis Alberto Urrea, and also take in a little jaw-dropping splendor while they’re at it?  If you’re a book lover, you owe it to yourself to make the trip at least once to the Orcas Island Lit Fest.  Continue Reading

The Yacht Club is hosting an open house Saturday February 29th from 5-7pm for anyone interested in checking out what one of the island’s most active clubs has to offer. The club is a diverse community of nearly 300 active and fun islanders and a great place to make friends and fully experience our island  Continue Reading

Community Projects Press Release Are you interested in astronomy? Do you love exploring the wonders that space has to offer? Well, here at the Library we do! And, thanks to the admirable Community Project fundraising efforts of two of our Friday Harbor High School students, Allie and Tyler Fleming, the San Juan Island Library is  Continue Reading

The next Know Your Island Walk on Saturday, February 22, from 1 to 4 pm will be guided by intrepid hikers Dave Zeretzke and Bill Severson. Participants will meet at the corner of Roche Harbor Road and West Valley Road and walk up through Roche Harbor Highlands and up the back (north) side of Young  Continue Reading

Today we have a guest post from TripOutside.com on the Benefits of Getting Outdoors… By Julie Singh If you’re a self-professed homebody, you could seriously benefit from a change of scenery. Spending time in nature could improve your physical and mental health, ward off illness, and actually make you happier! As the Father of Western  Continue Reading

The US Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer the Washington Basic Boater Education Course. Everyone wishing to learn or share their safe boating skills as well as review our local boating regulations is invited to attend. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees may submit a copy of their individual “Certificate of Accomplishment” with $10 to  Continue Reading

Where will one find 30,000 blooming bulbs across 30+ gardens, gain expert knowledge in 100 or more seminars and workshops and shop at a marketplace with over 350 exhibitors? Where else can one find all things garden related and hear speakers such as Dan Hinkley, plantsman, writer, naturalist and gardener speak? Only at the Northwest  Continue Reading

This just in, Island Rec and SJI Fitness have decided to offer a second session of Barbell Pulse this season. This motivating class is a full body workout that uses 2.5, 5, and 10-pound plates on a bar and is set to music. The movements are proven to burn calories and tone your bone building  Continue Reading

Interested in using native plants in your landscape? There are many wonderful reasons to use PNW natives: they are often long lived and need little maintenance, they provide year-round color and garden interest, they can be used to stabilize hillsides and prevent erosion, and some are drought and heat tolerant, helpful in a warming climate.  Continue Reading

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to swim with sharks, create a sculpture out of thin air, or fly through space?  Find out what all the VR buzz is about and head to the Marie Boe Building on Saturday, February 8th from 11am-6pm.  Spend the day with Bellingham’s Heady Virtual Reality and choose from  Continue Reading