Kent-area community calendar | Aug. 7

Events

Kent Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, through Sept. 27, Town Square Plaza Park, corner of Second and Smith. Kent Lions community service project. Vendors offering a variety of fresh locally grown farm-based foods, hand-crafted items, live entertainment and more. Free admission. Information: 253-486-9316, www.kentfarmersmarket.com.

EmD3on3: Aug. 9-10, Emerald Downs, north parking lot, 2300 Emerald Downs Drive, Auburn. Emerald Downs’ second annual 3 on 3 basketball tournament. Cost is $120 for a team with a maximum of 4 players. Each team guaranteed a minimum of 3 games in the tournament and each player receives a tournament T-Shirt for participating. For more information, including registration, rules and volunteer/referee opportunities, visit www.emd3on3.com.

Experience Historical Kent: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Aug. 16, Kent Historical Museum, 855 E. Smith St., Kent. Visitors and residents invited to celebrate Kent’s past. Day-long celebration features special exhibits and bus and walking tours of the city’s oldest homes, businesses and cemeteries. For more information, visit kentwa.gov/experiencehistoricalkent/

Benefits

Hats & Heels benefit: 1 p.m. Aug. 9, Emerald Downs, 2300 Emerald Downs Way, Auburn. Dress up in beautiful clothes and watch 3-year-old fillies compete in the $65,000 Washington Oaks. First post is 2 p.m. Men and women of all ages encouraged to dress their best and enjoy an afternoon of food and activities – all centered around the live racing program at Emerald Downs. More than 20 vendors. EmD Afternoon Tea offered in the Trackside Tent. Priced at $45 for adults ($20 children ages 5-10) the per-person package includes a buffet lunch, seating in the Trackside Tent, official program and tip sheet, discount in the Gift Horse, expert handicapping advice, service charge and tax. Hats & Heels benefits Valley Girls & Guys, one of the largest Susan G. Komen Walk for a Cure teams in the nation. Ten percent of vendor booth fees and $5 from each ticket sold to the Afternoon Tea will be donated to Valley Girls & Guys. General admission tickets, providing access to the facility, Track Level booths and the live racing program are $7. Tickets may be purchased at www.emeralddowns.com or by calling 253-288-7700.

K-M Royals Football Team Car Wash: 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 16, corner of Southeast 272nd Street and 132nd Avenue Southeast, Newberry Realty, Inc. parking lot. Proceeds support the school’s program. royalsfbboosters@gmail.com or www.kmroyals.com.

Holiday Magic Dinner Auction: 5-10 p.m. Sept. 6, Kent Commons, 525 Fourth Ave. N. Quota International of Kent Valley fundraising event. Evening includes buffet dinner, silent and live auctions, raffle and dessert dash. Proceeds go to local, national and international beneficiaries, including the Kent and Highline School Districts; Kent Parks and Recreation Studio 315; college scholarships; Quota Cares Western Days; local area food banks; Quota World Service and 30 international service projects. The live auction Fund-a-Need recipient is Children Therapy Center’s hippotherapy program. Cost: $45 per person. For more information, www.quotakentvalley.com

Health

Kent4Health Guided Walk: 9-11 a.m., 6-7:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Locations vary. Kent4Health is designed to encourage wellness by offering free healthy activities and information. For trail locations more information, visit kent4health.com.

TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly): 6 p.m., Thursdays, Swanson Court Clubhouse, 12200 SE 207th St., Kent, near Kentridge High School. Nonprofit weight loss support group. For more information, call 253-709-5098 or visit www.tops.org or www.whywelovetops.com.

Southeast King County Parkinson’s Disease support group: Meets on the third Tuesday of the month, 10:30 a.m., St. John The Baptist Catholic Church, 25810 156th Ave. SE,Covington. Group’s monthly lunches are on the first Tuesday of the month at the Auburn Senior Activity Center, 808 Ninth St. SE, Auburn. For more information, contact Stephanie Lawson at 206-579-5206.

Gamblers Anonymous: For meeting times and locations, call toll free the Gamblers Anonymous Hotline 1-855-222-5542. Visit www.gawashington.org or www.gamblersanonymous.org for additional information.

Clubs, programs

Community garden p-patch: Season runs April 1-Oct. 26, corner of James Street and 64th Avenue South. Gardeners may rent a 20-by-20-foot plot for the season for $45 plus a refundable $25 deposit. There are 44 plots available, assigned on a first-come, first-served basis once the rental fee has been paid. Returning gardeners are allowed a maximum of two plots per household. Open registration. For more information, call 253-856-5110.

Kent Black Action Commission Action Up Meeting: 3-6 p.m., every fourth Saturday from September through June. November and December meetings are on the third Saturday, Kent Commons, 525 Fourth Ave. N. Welcome all who live, work, or attend school in Kent or the South King County region to join us. For more information, call 253-852-0614 or visit www.kentblackactioncommission.com.

Kent Evening Toastmasters: 7 p.m., Wednesdays, The Lodge, Arbor Village Retirement Center, 24004 114th Place SE, Kent. Are you interested in practicing and improving your public speaking skills? Boosting your self-confidence? Making yourself heard in that weekly meeting at work? Come practice your oratory skills with a friendly and informative group of people. With members ranging from beginners to experts, Kent Evening Toastmasters welcomes people of all skill levels. For more information, visit www.kenteveningtoastmasters.net.

Autism Support Group: 6:30-8:30 p.m., second Wednesday of the month, Kent Covenant Church, main conference room, 12010 SE 240th St. Share resources and encouragement. Childcare available with 72-hour advance reservations by calling Fabiana Steele at 253-631-0222, ext. 325. For more information, visit www.kentcov.org.

NAMI Support Groups: 6:30-8 p.m., every second and fourth Tuesday of the month,  515 W. Harrison St., Kent.  Friends and family support group for family members and friends who are affected by mental illness. Free. For more information, call 253-854-6264 (NAMI)  or email namiskc@qwestoffice.net, or visit www.nami.org.

Network

The Kent Chapter of Business Network, Int’l (BNI): Meets every Wednesday morning at 7 at the Old Country Buffet, 25630 104th SE, Kent.  Chapter is growing.  Currently have 38 members.  Do you want excellent, personal, word of mouth referrals for your business?  Then come join us.  For more information, contact Dr. Allan McCord at 253-854-3040.

Speed Candidating: 5-8 p.m. Aug. 21, Kent Senior Activity Center, 600 E. Smith St. Meet the candidates for state senator and state representative for District 11, 33 and 47. Admission is $10 for guests and includes wine and appetizers; free to Kent Chamber of Commerce members. Register by calling 253-854-1770, emailing info@kentchamber.com or online at www.kentchamber.com.

Reunions

Kent-Meridian Class of 1959: 5 p.m. Aug. 15, 16, Hilton Garden Inn, 1800 NW Gilman Blvd., Issaquah. 55th reunion. Events on Friday and Saturday. Contact Reunions Unlimited at 360-866-8842 or www.reunionsunlimited.com for details and to pay.

Kent-Meridian Class of 1984: 6 p.m.-midnight, Aug. 23, Meridian Valley Country Club, 24830 136th Ave. SE. Cost: $40 per person.For payment and more information, visit www.kmclassof1984.com.

Libraries

Kent Public Library: 212 2nd Avenue N., Kent. 253-859-3330. Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday; 1-5 p.m., Sunday. Library events include:

CHILDREN & FAMILIES

Counteract the “Summer Learning Slide” at the library: Kids and teens who spend their summer reading and learning, come back in the fall better prepared for school than those who don’t – so KCLS created a new summer learning program called Thinkology: The Study of Fun. Build robots, do hands-on science projects, learn magic, create puppets and, of course, read! For details, visit any KCLS library or kcls.org/kids/summer.

Play & Learn: 10:30 a.m. Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29. Kaleidoscope Play & Learn is an organized play group for newborns to age 5 and people who take care of them. Have fun learning while we play, sing songs and create art.

Spanish Story Time: Noon, Aug. 9, 16. Family program. Ages 2 and older. Family program, all ages welcome with adult..

Kids Movie of the Month: 2 p.m., Aug. 29. Family program, all ages welcome. Enjoy a family friendly film with a light snack.

Infant & Young Toddler Story Time:  10:15 a.m. Aug. 14. All ages welcome, ages 5 and younger with adult.Stories, catchy tunes, puppets, finger plays and fun.

Family Story Time: 11 a.m. Aug. 14. Family program, all ages welcome with adult.

Family Pajama Story Time: 7 p.m. Aug. 12. Family program, all ages welcome with adult.

Brown Bag Story Times: 11 a.m. Aug. 13. Family program, all ages welcome with adult. Bring your lunch and come enjoy summertime stories. Pick up a cool take-home craft. Afterwards, stroll over to Town Square Plaza across the street for their wonderful summer concert series for kids beginning at Noon.

TEENS

Teen Zone, Movie Time: 5 p.m. Aug. 19. Call the library to find out what’s showing.

Teen Zone: Game On!: 3 p.m. Aug. 12, 26. Play video games at the library.

Study Zone Summer Session: 3-5 p.m., Wednesdays. Don’t get rusty over summer – practice basics or pick up new skills in this summer session with Study Zone volunteer tutors.

ADULTS

Drop-In to Learn about eBooks: 10 a.m. Aug. 23, 30; 7 p.m. Aug. 21, 28. Get started with KCLS eBooks. Bring your eReader, tablet, phone or just your questions.

Talk Time: 5 p.m. Tuesdays. Improve your speaking and listening skills in this English conversation group.

Citizenship Class: 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Get help with the citizenship interview process, including civics and government questions, reading and writing English and practicing your interview skills.

English as a Second Language (ESL): 6 p.m.  Mondays, Wednesdays. A formal class to learn English grammar, reading, writing and conversation skills. The next class begins Sept. 22. Registration required by 5 p.m. Sept. 4.

SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives): Free counseling for small businesses. Please call 206-553-7320 for appointments.

Computer Classes: Registration required beginning two weeks before each class, 253-859-3330. • One-on-One Assistance: 3 p.m. Aug. 20; • Internet Level I: 7 p.m. Aug. 14; • Introduction to Computers: 7 p.m. Aug. 23; • Microsoft Word Level 1: 7 p.m. Aug. 27

After Lunch Book Bunch: 1 p.m. Aug. 13. “The Keeper of the Secrets” by Julie Thomas

Friends of the Kent Library Meeting: 1 p.m. Aug. 14. The Friends support the library through fundraising, volunteerism and sponsorship of programs and services. If you would like to get involved, please join us at the meeting.

Entertainment

SHOWARE CENTER

625 W. James St., Kent. 253-856-6777. Order at www.tickets.showarecenter.com. Events include:

Mika Singh and Sunny Leone: 8:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Singh, “The Badshah of Bollywood,” is a prolific singer, composer, performer and songwriter who has belted out many chart busters from his private albums and bollywood films. Tickets: $39-$250

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Republic Services Wednesday Performances, noon-1 p.m., Town Square Plaza, 2nd and Harrison. Free.

Roberto the Magnificent: Aug. 13. Roberto the Magnificent rides very tall unicycles; bounces on industrial strength pogo sticks; and juggles sharp knives, flaming torches and spinning hand saws – all while keeping audiences in fits of giggles.

Thursdays at the Lake, 7-8:30 p.m., Lake Meridian Park, 14800 SE 272nd Street (shuttle bus service available). Free.

The Senate: Aug. 7. With powerful walls of sound built by only two acoustic guitars, an upright bass and three voices, this Seattle trio’s catchy song-writing, tight arrangements and unorthodox instrumental techniques create a dynamic musical hybrid that pushes the boundaries of acoustic rock.

Tayla Lynn: Aug. 14. Southern girl’s country music bloodlines are undeniable – her grandmother is the legendary Loretta Lynn. She is an accomplished singer songwriter backed by a four-piece band, including Grammy Award-winning guitarist Eric Tingstad.

ELSEWHERE

“Jekyll & Hyde”: Through Aug. 9, Kentridge Performing Arts Center, 12430 SE 208th St., Kent. Show times: 8 p.m. Aug. 7, 8, 9; 3 p.m. Aug. 9. At the Ridge Theatre Company presentation. Intended for mature audiences, the evocative tale of the epic battle between good and evil is based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story about a brilliant doctor whose experiments with human personality create a murderous counterpart. At the Ridge Theatre, a nonprofit community organization, is dedicated to providing quality musical theatre experiences for the community. All profits from the production are awarded to the actors in the form of college scholarships. Tickets at $15 are on sale at www.showtix4u.com or www.attheridgetheatre.org and at the door.

Bluegrass on the Chancel: 3 p.m. Sept. 21, Kent Lutheran Church, 336 2nd Ave. S. Held in conjunction with the Fall Seattle Guitar Show at Kent Commons. Performers include the Downtown Mountain Boys of Seattle. Tickets are $12.50 at the door or in advance at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, visit www.downtownmountainboys.com.

Live music: Reds Wine Bar @ Craft Beers, 321 Ramsay Way No. 110 Kent Station, across from the parking lot. Tuesday jazz jam (6-9 p.m.); Thursday bluegrass jam (6-10 p.m.); Saturday rotating local musicians (8-11 p.m.); Sunday open mic (4-7 p.m.). 253-277-1852, www.redswinebar-kent.com.

Galleries, studios

Centennial Center Gallery:  400 W. Gowe St., Kent. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Closed weekends and holidays. For more information, call 253-856-5050 or visit artscommission@kentwa.gov.

Michael Tolleson Savant Art Center: 25524 74th Ave. S., Kent. Art studio and autistic art mentoring center. To learn more about the center and its programs, call 253-850-5995, visit www.MichaelTollesonArtist.com or email michaeltollesonartist@gmail.com. The center also can be found on Facebook.

Museums

Greater Kent Historical Society: 855 E. Smith St., historic Bereiter House, Kent. Hours: noon-4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, and by appointment. Admission: suggested $2 donation; no tickets are required for entrance. Parking is available behind the house off East Temperance Street. GKHS is a nonprofit organization that promotes the discovery, preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the history of the greater Kent area. www.kenthistoricalmuseum.org