The 8th annual Cambodian Festival will be held this Saturday, April 3rd from 10:30am to 5pm on 98th St. SW between 15th Ave. SW and 16th Ave. SW in White Center, and will include live music, traditional and classical dances, traditional Cambodian food, games, prizes and much more.

It’s sure to be another diverse, cultural celebration that continues to make this community so lively.

Oh, and it’s also FREE!

Here are the details:

WHAT: 8th annual Cambodian Festival

WHEN: Saturday, April 3rd from 10:30am to 5pm.

WHERE: On 98th St. SW between 15th Ave. SW and 16th Ave. SW in White Center.

INFO: Here’s a poster:

Despite its ironic name, White Center is a colorful, diverse place that lends itself well to Photography.

We here at The White Center Blog love both the Dub-C and Photography, hence today’s Photo Friday submission by Nicole Painter, who describes herself as:

I am a 26 year old college student and aspiring/amateur artist. I grew up in a middle class home in California with my single mother, the accountant.

Four years ago my mother bought a house in White Center as a means to get an “edge on the housing market”. Her thought was that her property value would go up once “white center got cleaner”. Two years ago I moved to White Center to take over my live in my mother’s house while she traveled and lived in Europe.

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about my surroundings at first. I was the minority, and therefore out of my element and comfort zone. After my time spent here, my ideas about White Center have changed immensely. I see beauty and charm around every corner. White Center is the heart of what Seattle means to me. With it’s colors that run vibrant and culture that reigns. open markets, laundromat time machines, rusted Chevy novas and screams of children playing in the street.

White Center’s charm is sometimes what we choose not to see.

About her Photo Slideshow below, Nicole says:

there’s a beauty in white center, a charm. colors run vibrant and culture reigns. open markets, laundromat time machines, rusted chevy novas and screams of children playing in the street. white center is what sometimes we choose not to see:

Click to View Nicole Painter’s Photo Slideshow

See more of Nicole Painter’s Photography here.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Photo Friday is a new feature we're trying out at The White Center Blog. Are you a local Photographer? Have some pics shot in White Center you think we should showcase? Please email us a link and explanation and we'll consider posting yours!]

Our friends at White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) tell us that they’re trying to develop a local Art Gallery/Coffee House that could be used as a “home” of sorts for our community’s culture and arts.

WCFTA will be celebrating its one-year anniversary on Feb. 20th, and over its short lifespan has provided monthly art walks, after-school art programs, galleries for local artists and much more.

They’re looking for donations, starting at just $10 and continuing up to whatever you can give – here’s a link to their website where you can safely and securely donate online. Some employers will even match your gift donations.

And here’s an email sent out by WCFTA Chair Shelli Park:

Dear Lovers of Art in White Center,

White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) believes that the White Center community’s rich tapestry of culture and local arts should be shared with everyone. Our work to establish a permanent home for the arts in the neighborhood is off to a great start! In the past six months we:

• Established an after-school art program in the local Highline District Middle and High School
• Established the Third Saturday Art Walk, exhibiting more than 25 local artists in 9 months time.
• Are hosting Community Artists Meetings to open the lines of communication
• Established a working relationship with local, county, and state arts organizations and continue to identify and foster new partnerships within the community to create a web of services and support for artists and youth.
• Partnered with the YWCA at Greenbridge to showcase local artists in the lobby on a quarterly basis, and are working with Youth Media Institute and the Highline School District to implement non-violent extracurricular creative youth activities in the schools and in the White Center Downtown Business District.

But we have more work to do, and we are in urgent need of your support so that we can create the anchor of our vision and visiability, DREAM Community Gallery.  We are asking for a small donation of $10.00 from 100 people, a $15.00 donation from 55 people, and 10 $100.00 donations.  You will be supporting the entire White Center Cultural Community, helping to give visibility to local artists in all media, ages, and neighborhoods. A gift right now will assure that WCFTA can continue on our mission to be a catalyst for the coming together of the arts and cultural community of White Center.  The time has come for a permanent home for the arts in White Center. Our current projects are:

DREAM, a Community Gallery sustained by an in-house Coffee House, providing un-juried exhibition space for local artists and performers, and providing a safe gathering place, and empowering activities, for youth

Development of our arts education programming

Collection of oral histories and artifacts for a permanent local history collection

Facilitating cross medium and cross cultural collaborations, and continuing to bring positive business to White Center through the Art Walk

We appreciate gifts of any amount, and in return WCFTA is working hard to promote art and culture in the daily life of White Center residents. We are to receive a $5,000 grant. We need more to open our Community Gallery by February 20th, the first anniversary of White Center for the Arts.  We have scheduled two dance performances, a musician, and two artists for the evening of February 20th, and they are counting on your gift to help make this happen.  When combined with the work of our dedicated volunteers, established, emerging, and students artists, the community as a whole will benefit from seeing our mission to bring art, and the celebration of culture and heritage to all of White Center and its neighbors, succeed.

To give a tax deductible donation, visit our website: www.whitecenterforthearts.org.

Sincerely,
Shelli Park
Chair, White Center for the Arts

P.S. You may be fortunate enough to have an employer that will match your gift. This is a great opportunity to give maximum impact with your gift to White Center for the Arts.

Burien’s Interim Art Space’s space in time is nearing its completion, with a Dec. 31st dismantling deadline fast approaching, and it’s fitting that the final big bash will be a special Day of the Dead “Night of 1,000 Pumpkins” celebration on Sunday, Nov. 1st.

Everyone’s invited to bring carved pumpkins and a candle to the B/ IAS site (beginning at 3:30pm), or carve one there to fill the area with illuminated jack o’ lanterns.

Bring something for the community Dia de las Muertes altar, walk through the cemetery, pay tribute to your departed loved ones and gather with your neighbor over food, drink and dance. Celebrate your community, your family and friends!

If you dig Tim Burton or Danny Elfman, or love Hispanic culture, you’re sure to enjoy this night (and we can assure you, we’ll be there…).

All pumpkins will be composted through a gift from King County Solid Waste.

Here’s info on B/ IAS from their website:

The Burien/ Interim Art Space (B/ IAS) is a year–long experiment that expires Dec. 31st. Founded by residents Dane Johnson and Kathy Justin, B/ IAS combines and transforms the concepts of art, temporary green spaces, and community gathering.

B/ IAS at Town Square displayed Burien’s first major temporary art piece, “The Passage,” a sculpture depicting a mother and child walking together to share and explore life. This artwork was first created by Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusolito for the 2005 Burning Man Arts Festival. The figures stand a dramatic 30′ and 20′ tall and are fabricated out of recycled and scrap metal.

B/ IAS is located just north of Burien Town Square; Phase I of the project is now under construction. This exciting space not only showcase art, but is an energetic gathering place for Burien’s citizens. B/ IAS is a working canvas being transformed by the efforts of both artists and the community throughout the year.

The art space celebrated its opening on Saturday, January 24th, 2009 with the installation of “The Passage.” The project will conclude a year later when the sculptures are removed.

B/ IAS is a collaboration between Ignition Northwest, the Burien Arts Commission, Urban Partners and GGLO.

Tuesday, May 5th is Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican holiday that gives everyone an excuse to take a shot of tequila on a weekday.

Oh, and it’s also the celebration of the Mexican army’s defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. However, it is not Mexican Independence Day, nor is it a national holiday in Mexico, but rather a day that can be observed voluntarily.

And no, we’re not going to mention swine flu in this story just to increase our Google pagerank.

Oops…we just did. Dang.

Here’s what’s going on:

WHITE CENTER:
McMurphy’s: 11069 16th Ave SW: Karaoke & Drink Specials

Marv’s Broiler: 9808 16th Ave SW: Appetizer & Drink Specials

Triangle Pub: 9454 Delridge Way SW: Beer & Tequila Specials

Viva Mexico: 10601 16th Ave SW: Beer & Tequila & Appetizer Specials

Cafe Rozella: 9434 Delridge Way SW: Music of Trio Lucero del Norte, specializing in Son Huasteca, 6pm

BURIEN:
Azteca: 153 SW 157th: Happy Hour All Day 32oz Beer Special

La Costa: 206 SW 152nd: BIG PARTY 9pm-2am Drink Specials & Jello Shots NO COVER

El Rinconsito: 15101 Ambaum Blvd SW: Taco Plate Special

Vino Bello: 636 SW 152nd: 2pm-9pm Beer & Sangria Specials

Tin Room: 923 SW 152nd St: All Mexican Menu & Drink Specials

Sunnydale Tavern: 14404 Des Moines Memorial Drive: Live Music, Beer & Tequila Specials. Jello Shots

Twiggs: 12803 Ambaum Blvd SW: $3 Corona’s

Breaktime Lounge: 635 SW 152nd: $1.00 Taco’s

Barrel Tavern: 11051 1st Ave South: Beer & Food Specials, Regular Jam session. No Cover

The House of Writers/Casa de Escritores is sponsoring a special literary and cultural event this Friday, Dec 5, from 6-9pm at the White Center Taqueria del Rio, located at 10230 16th Ave SW (map below).

There you’ll enjoy a variety of readings, music and food.

This is a FREE event for the community, so please spread the word!

For more on House of Writers/Casa de Escritores, visit their blog:

http://houseofwriters.blogspot.com/

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