Opening the doors of research and marine science to student of all ages will take center stage, as Friday Harbor Laboratories hosts its 13th annual Jazz at the Labs showcase on Saturday, June 1.

Part musical entertainment, part fundraiser, and with a delectable dinner thrown in as well, Jazz at the Labs is a benefit for Friday Harbor Laboratories K-12 Science Outreach Program. Proceeds from the event help to fund the Outreach Program, which offers local elementary to high school-age students a first-hand look into the world of marine science by bringing scientists and their research into the classroom. More than 900 students were program beneficiaries just this year.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., at the Friday Harbor Labs Commons; dinner, prepared by the Labs culinary staff, is served 6-7 p.m. Musical entertainment will be provided during the dinner hour by San Juan Island’s own stalwart of jazz, the San Juan Jazz Quintet, featuring former Labs director Dennis Willows on drums and Richard Barker on saxophone. The quintet, which has entertained Northwest audiences for more than a decade with its brand of bebop, swing, Latin jazz and originals, and performs weekly at the Rumor Mill in Friday Harbor, recently added tunes by The Crusaders and Steely Dan to its song list.

The quintet will give way at 7 p.m. to acclaimed jazz trombonist, and scientist, Chris Amemiya of Seattle and his band, Jazz Coalescence. Radio personality Dick Stein of KPLU, host of the station’s morning jazz show, returns to emcee the event, and, in between sets, Friday Harbor’s Farhad Ghatan will lead the “almost silent” auction.

Typically a sell out, reservations for Jazz at the Labs are recommended. For dinner reservations, $40 per person, or info, 378-2165, ext. 0.