Temperatures near 40 and threat of rain Thursday didn’t deter more than 150 islanders and visitors from participating in the fourth annual “Turkey Trot,” a 5K (3.1 mile) run and walk which started at the Best Western Friday Harbor Suites.
This year’s event attracted families, couples, individuals, strollers and 19 dogs.
Islanders Nick Roberts and Pam Stewart walked away with first place in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively. Roberts won this year’s event in 17:15. Stewart took her second title, having won the women’s event in 2006, in 21:53.
Complete results can be found at www.runninginthesanjuans.com, your local running information Web site.
Entry fees for this year’s Turkey Trot were $5 and two cans of food. Proceeds and nearly 300 cans of food will be donated to the Friday Harbor Food Bank. The event is produced and managed by Island Athletic Events, LLC with special thanks to King’s Market and Best Western Friday Harbor Suites.
The Turkey Trot kicked off the four-day Thanksgiving Day observance. At noon, several hundred people attended the Community Thanksgiving Dinner in the San Juan Island Grange. The annual event is hosted by the island’s service clubs and other volunteers.
Today, the Thanksgiving Day fun continues.
Ferries from Anacortes to Friday Harbor have been packed for two days and some businesses are hopeful that the first day of holiday shopping season — today — could bolster the local economy and reverse two months of lagging sales.
Today and Saturday, local artists sell their works at the annual Island Artisans Holiday Marketplace at Friday Harbor Elementary School. Since its inception, this event has raised $120,000 for scholarships for for 150 graduating seniors. Students have used scholarships to further their education in Commercial Art, Graphics, Film, Fashion Design, Jewelry, Photography, Metal Work, Industrial Arts, Textiles, Sculpture, History, Culinary Arts and Education.
“We invite you to come celebrate our 30th anniversary by supporting Island Artisans and shopping locally at the Holiday Marketplace,” organizers wrote in a press release. “Stop by our booth to see impressive artwork from scholarship recipients, buy a raffle ticket for our ‘Best of Friday Harbor Shopping Spree,’ or a truck load of Richard Lawson’s gravel.
“We appreciate the generosity of our island community and would like to thank you for 30 years of support at the Holiday Marketplace.”
Several local art galleries have show openings today and Saturday.
Arctic Raven Gallery’s fourth annual “First Snow” show opens today with a hot cider reception (130 S. First St., Friday Harbor). “First Snow” showcases works in ivory, bone and stone from Inuit, Yup’ik and Inupiaq carvers. These works are gathered on the gallery’s fall trips north, a time when Native artists begin carving during the first snow.
The gallery will also debut new cedar masks by Kwagiulth master carver Simon Dick, intricately carved cedar wall sculpture by Coast Salish artist Ron Aleck and prints by Coast Salish artist Susan Point.
Waterworks Gallery’s annual Holiday Show opens Saturday, with new works by Jaime Ellsworth and Tom Small (Argyle Avenue and Spring Street, Friday Harbor). Other featured artists include Art Hansen, Jim Meyer, Sue Roberts, Richard See, Marilyn Stiles and Jill Trear, and a few artists new to the gallery. A portion of sales proceeds will help support local schools’ art programs.
Gallery San Juan & Framing’s Holiday Show opens Saturday with new works and new artists (232 A St., Friday Harbor). Enter for a chance to win a BJ Dollahite painting.
