Thursday, July 2, 2026
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Art Beat: Edmonds Sketcher Fest, Friday Nite Jazz, Write on the Sound, watercolor classes, more

By
Nahline Gouin

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Ballet Folklórico Xochiquetzal

Frances Anderson Center, 700 Main St., Edmonds

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-6 p.m.

Enrollment

Learn traditional dances from different regions of Mexico. Classes emphasize confidence, discipline and teamwork while celebrating Mexican culture. Students will also have the opportunity to perform at community events and celebrations.

The beginner division includes three levels:

  • Level I: Posture and coordination
  • Level II: Footwork and strength
  • Level III: Skills for presentation

The intermediate division emphasizes intricate footwork and skirt work. 

The advanced division highlights overall performance quality and artistry. Placement in the advanced division requires completion of intermediate levels II and III, as well as selection by the instructor.

Upcoming art happenings:

Friday Nite Jazz Concert Series

Fridays, June 26 through Aug. 28, 7-9 p.m.

Main Street Commons, 558 Main St., Edmonds

Jake Bergevin and JazzClubsNW present the Friday Nite Jazz Concert Series. Music begins each Friday with a concert by the students and mentors of the Edmonds-Woodway High School Instrumental Jazz Program, directed by Bergevin. 

At 7 p.m. professional groups will entertain diners and concertgoers under the stars. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own folding lawn-chair. 

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Edmonds Urban Sketchers show off their artwork during a throwdown outside of ArtSpot on the day before the 2024 Sketcher Fest Edmonds. (Photo by Nick Ng)

Sketcher Fest Edmonds

Throughout Edmonds

Tickets

*Tickets are still available for the Sketchbook Fair and Artists’ Reception.

Schedule

Sketcher Fest in Edmonds is a weekend‑long arts festival celebrating travel sketchbooks and urban sketching, bringing artists, enthusiasts and visitors to share, learn and draw together. 

It also features a Sketchbook Fair showcasing original sketchbooks and art supplies, workshops and community sketching events.

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(Courtesy of EWC)

Annual Sand Sculpture Contest

Friday, July 17 11 a.m. – 2p.m.

No registration is required

The annual Sand Sculpture Contest returns, inviting artists of all ages to bring their creativity to the beach. Participants should bring their own buckets, shovels and supplies to create their own sand masterpieces.

Please keep creations family-friendly and help protect the natural habitat by avoiding the use of beach objects that could disturb the natural habitat.

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(Photo courtesy Graphite Art Center)

Flow Together: Partner Watercolor

Wednesday, July 22, 6-8 p.m.

Graphite Arts Center, 202 Main St., Edmonds

Cost: $45

Supply fee: $10, payable to the instructor (cash preferred; Venmo and PayPal accepted)

Ages: Adults 18+

Instructor: Missy Hancock

Pre-registration required

Flow Together: Partner Watercolor is a collaborative class designed to encourage creativity, communication and connection through painting.

Participants will work in pairs to create shared and individual watercolor pieces while exploring watercolor techniques. Guided exercises invite participants to respond intuitively to each other’s creations. 

Whether attending with a friend, family member or significant other, the class emphasizes creativity and presence rather than producing a finished product.

No prior watercolor experience is necessary. The $10 supply fee includes professional watercolor paints, paper and brushes.

Hancock holds a master’s degree in teaching from Seattle University and has more than 20 years of experience teaching in and out of the classroom. In 2022, she founded Rooted Design, LLC, with the goal of bringing positivity and purpose to people’s lives through art. She also serves as director of school programs for Art Start NW, a nonprofit that operates inside Graphite Arts Center.

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(Photo by Unseen Studio)

Write on the Sound registration opens

Pre-conference online programming: Saturday, Sept. 26

Writers conference: Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4

Frances Anderson Center, 700 Main St.

Registration opens Monday, July 27 at 9 a.m.

Established in 1985 by the Edmonds Arts Commission, Write on the Sound is an annual writers conference that draws presenters and participants from across the Pacific Northwest, U.S. and Canada. 

Held each October, the writers’ conference focuses on the craft of writing with comprehensive programming.

Conference schedule

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“Autumn’s End” by Ned Mueller. (Courtesy of Scott Milo Gallery)

Plein Air Washington Artists’ 11th annual ‘Little Gems’ show

Exhibition: July 31 through Aug. 29, 2026

Awards announced: Friday, July 31, 5-6 p.m.

Public opening reception: Friday, July 31, 6-8 p.m.

People’s Choice Award announcement: Friday, Aug. 29, 4-5 p.m.

First Friday Art Walk: Aug. 29, 6-8 p.m.


Scott Milo Gallery, 420 Commercial Ave., Anacortes

The 11th annual Little Gems Juried Art Show features more than 70 small works by members of the Plein Air Washington Artists (PAWA), an organization of more than 330 artists who paint throughout Washington State and beyond.

Award-winning American painter Ned Mueller, whose career spans more than five decades, will serve as Juror of Awards. 

Visitors may also vote for the People’s Choice Award.

Artwork from the show will be available for viewing and purchase through Scott Milo Gallery.

For more information, contact the Scott Milo Gallery at 360-293-6938 or at [email protected].

*If you would like your event included in future Art Beat listings, email Nahline Gouin at [email protected]. Discover more by following the Art Beat on Instagram.

Based in Edmonds, Nahline Gouin is a freelance writer, ceramicist and arts advocate with experience in art museums and performing arts centers. She continues to create with clay, homeschool her son and write as a creative practice.

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