KITSAP—Amidst one of the largest national protest movements in decades, groups in all geographical areas of Kitsap turned out, some thousands strong, for the ‘No Kings’ rally last month. National estimates count collective demonstration numbers at more than five million people. Seattle estimates were some-70 thousand (roughly 10 percent of the population of the city). In Kitsap, there was a full day of protests across the county, beginning with a march on city hall in Poulsbo at 8 a.m., a protest sailing which garnered national attention for its uniqueness on the Bainbridge to Seattle ferry at 10:30, in Bremerton an alliance between the city’s storied and annual Juneteenth freedom march from City Hall to Evergreen Park followed by the No Kings protest on the Manette bridge and a roadside sign waving and food drive for South Kitsap Helpine at the intersection of Bethel and Lund in Port Orchard. Organizers in both Port Orchard and Bremerton counted attendance at their events at more than 2,000 each while Bainbridge organizers sent in photos of their boatload. The nationwide protest movement (which also organized the ‘Hands Off’ protests early this spring) is being spearheaded by an organization called Indivisible. The Indivisible Movement has roots as an online organization sprung from a google doc in reaction to the 2016 presidential election. It now has chapters in towns and cities across the nation, including four in Kitsap: Indivisible Bremerton, Port Orchard Southworth Indivisible, North Kitsap Indivisible and Indivisible Bainbridge Island. Another Indivisible national day of protest is scheduled for July 17 marking the fifth anniversary of the late-congressmen John Lewis’ death and centered around his philosophy of ‘Good Trouble.’ Chapters throughout Kitsap have events planned.
ALSO KITSAP—In big news for what some see as the black sheep of the Kitsap ferry family last month, the Bremerton-to-Seattle Washington State Ferries route finally got its second boat back following years of reduced service in the wake of the covid pandemic. The route is still, however, missing a vital nightlife return trip for passengers needing a boat back after 10:30 p.m. but before 12:50 a.m. Ahem. Meanwhile, the Kingston route saw delays last month due to back-to-back fatalities at the Edmonds dock. One in which a person was hit by a train and another when a driver-on-the-run-from-the-cops drove a car full of passengers off the dock, into the water. Also last month, news came out that Kitsap Transit (which operates fast ferry service from Kingston, Bremerton and Southworth) is looking into feasibility of a modern day mosquito fleet of small passenger-only boats that would ferry riders between waterfront docks located within Kitsap.
BREMERTON—The grand opening of Quincy Square, is scheduled for July 12-13. (And word has it, the school district’s plan to cut the jazz band and jazz choir programs at the high school has been reconsidered.) In other Bremerton arts news, we received a press release from a new publicly accessible ceramics studio that ‘quietly opened earlier this year’ on Kitsap Way. Unity Fired Arts is designed to provide a space for a dozen ceramic artists to share a space to create and learn pottery with access to eight wheels, a variety of tools, a library of techniques, kiln and glaze kitchen. More on Quincy Square at downtownbremerton.org, more on the ceramics studio at unityfiredarts.com
IN OTHER NEWS—Two new arts-leaning conventions debut in Kitsap this month: West Sound Crime Con, with events in Bainbridge, Bremerton, Olalla and Gig Harbor Aug 1-3, spearheaded by bestselling Olalla-based True Crime author Gregg Olsen (more at westsoundcrime.com) and the inaugural Kitsap Tattoo Convention, hosted by Bremerton’s Imperial Tattoo, July 19 at the Kitsap Fairgrounds Pavilion. ALSO… The summer festival season rolls on with Fathoms Of Fun fireworks in Port Orchard July 5, the Annual Bremerton Air Show at the airport and the Olalla Lavender Festival July 12-13, Kitsap Pride and Monster Trucks at the fairgrounds July 18-19, Whaling Days in Silverdale July 25-27 and Taste Of Kitsap food festival coming to the Bremerton Boardwalk Aug. 1-2. PLUS… The 33rd Annual Flashback Music Festival Aug 3, with music from 12:30-5 p.m. at Jarstad Park in Gorst. AND IN BUMMER NEWS… Darren Erickson, owner of Mainline Music in Port Orchard, died of cancer last month, leaving the fate of that local music shop uncertain. A celebration of life is set for July 6 at the Brickhouse Bar & Grill.
