Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
Keith Busha January 18, 1951 – September 18, 2026
Keith David Granley, also known as Keith Busha, was born on January 18, 1951 in Queens New York, the second child and only son of David Granley, a half-Swedish mining engineer from Minnesota, and Irma Moisio Granley, a native New Yorker of Piedmontese Italian heritage. He died from complications of lung cancer on September 18, […]
Washington authors speak out against censorship in honor of Banned Books Week
OLYMPIA — In honor of Banned Books Week (Oct. 4-10, 2026), Washington authors speak out against censorship and share what reading freely means to them. The Washington Center for the Book, a program of the Office of the Secretary of State, partnered with the Washington chapter of Authors Against Book Bans to curate a collection of short videos about what […]
October 10: Surina Block Party – Friday Harbor
October 11: An Act of Faith: Fanciful Yarns and Old Timey Tales – Friday Harbor
October 16, 17 and 23, 24 and 30, 31: Haunted Roche Harbor Cemetery Tours
October 16, 17 and 23, 24 and 30, 31 | sunset to 10 pm | Roche Harbor Cemetery Tours | 193 Afterglow Dr | Friday Harbor,
October 3: America 250 Trivia Night in Friday Harbor
The Town of Friday Harbor and San Juan Island Brewing Company are hosting a trivia night Saturday, October 3, 2026, starting at 6 p.m. in celebration of America 250. No pre-registration or entry fee required. Teams are limited to six players and prizes will be awarded. “Join us in commemorating our country’s 250th anniversary with […]
30 county residents’ poems selected in Friday Harbor’s 3rd Annual Poetry Gardens contest
Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield selected the 30 winning poems from the 162 entries in the Town of Friday Harbor’s third Poetry Gardens Contest. He noted they make “a really strong, evocative selection” for the Poetry Gardens. Winning poems will be published in a limited-edition booklet and e-book as well as engraved for display […]
Scarecrow contest returns, sign up by October 19
Celebrate fall and participate in the7th annual SCARECROW CONTEST! This year we are again expanding the contest to the Town of Friday Harbor neighborhoods as well! It’s a fantastic opportunity for Town residents and businesses to showcase their creativity while celebrating the season. Plus, decorating the Town and neighborhoods for trick-or-treating adds an extra layer […]
September 26: Book Release and Reading: Poems for Grandmom
Sept 26, 2026 | 6:30 to 9:30 PM | Brickworks | 150 Nichols St | Friday Harbor Join us in celebrating the release of local islander Nick Benavides’ first book, Poems for Grandmom!
September 25: Island Voices in Eastsound
Ten island writers. Ten unique voices. One night of stories, poems, essays, and the unexpected. Join the Orcas Island Public Library for Island Voices on Friday, September 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Emmanuel Parish Hall, an evening celebrating the writers and storytellers who live right here in our community. Each writer gets just a few […]
September 27: 2nd annual Harvest Festival at Madrone
September 27 | 12 noon to 8 pm | Madrone Bar and Kitchen | 40 First Street | All ages welcome | $15 cover. Join us for our second annual Harvest Festival at Madrone. It is officially our favorite time of year again, and we are excited to throw a party to celebrate. There will […]
San Juan Island Library Celebrates Record Participation in 2026 Summer Reading Program
San Juan Island Library is celebrating record youth participation in its annual Summer Reading Program, with more than 450 registrants for the second consecutive year. In 2026, the program reached a record 496 registrations—the highest total to date. A cornerstone of the library’s commitment to lifelong learning and community engagement, the Summer Reading Program encourages […]
September 23: Two free performances benefitting Friday Harbor Food Bank
Free Concerts to Help the Food Bank will be held at 3 p.m. and 7 pm Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at San Juan Island Grange in Friday Harbor. Musical selections include Adele, Beatles, Cold Play, Elton John, John Legend, Tim McGraw, Pearl Jam, Duran Duran, Stevie Wonder, One Republic, U2 and many more tunes on piano. […]
September 20: Writing Workshop Orcas Island Library
Sep 20, 2026 | 2 to 4 PM | Orcas Island Public Library | 500 Rose St | Eastsound | RSVP Join Island Verse founder Danny Sherrard for a free, in-depth writing workshop from 2–4 PM at the Orcas Island Library. We’ll spend the afternoon digging into the craft, generating new work, and making space to […]
September 27: Poetry Reading: Gary Thompson with Sam and Sally Green
Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 3 to 4:30 pm | San Juan Island Library Join us for a delightful afternoon of local poetry, with San Juan Islander Gary Thompson, and Waldron Islanders Sam and Sally Green, who are launching their newest collections of poetry. For half a century Sally Green has been the caretaker of words […]
September 21: Poetry of Place at Westside Preserve
September 21, 2026 | 5 to 7 PM | Westside Preserve | 296 West Side Rd #298 | Friday Harbor, WA Join land steward Shauna Barrows and Danny Sherrard at the West Side Preserve for a Poetry of Place writing workshop! Find nature in your nature and your nature in nature. Island Verse event