The Week Ahead
November 17, 2025
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As autumn settles fully onto Bainbridge Island and the days lean toward the early dusk of late November, the community’s calendar fills with the kind of gatherings that remind people why this place is so rooted in creativity, connection, and local spirit. This week’s events highlight three corners of island life—its cultural curiosity, its literary heartbeat, and its deep appreciation for handmade work—each offering something distinct while still reflecting the same communal warmth. At one end of the spectrum is Meet Me at the Movies: Fall 2025, a program that uses carefully chosen film clips to open up conversations about the different stages of life, inviting attendees into an atmosphere where memory, humor, and shared experience matter more than cinematic analysis. It’s a quiet but meaningful reminder that storytelling, especially through film, can bridge gaps between generations and provide a chance for people to connect in real time. Then, in a very different expressive lane, the Moonstruck poetry evening brings together five poets from Moonpath Press alongside an open mic that welcomes anyone aged fourteen and up to take the stage. After the temporary closure of the BI Library, the event shifts to Eagle Harbor Book Company, demonstrating how easily the island’s creative community adjusts and supports one another when needed. There, visitors can expect a night shaped by spoken word—some polished, some freshly drafted, some shared aloud for the first time—offering a look at the region’s diverse poetic voices and the many ways writers draw from everyday life in the Northwest. And rounding out the week with unmistakable holiday energy is the BARN Holiday Bazaar, an annual celebration of makers with vendor tables tucked throughout both levels of the BARN building, filling the space with everything from glasswork to woodturning, textiles to ceramics, printmaking to handmade books, jewelry to dyed fiber arts, and countless other creative forms. The Bazaar isn’t just a place to shop; it’s an interactive snapshot of the island’s maker culture, where visitors can talk directly with artisans, learn about the processes behind their work, and pick up gifts rooted in the hands-on ingenuity that BARN fosters year-round. With additional parking arranged at the nearby Tree Farm, accessible parking reserved at the upper lot, and Filipino fusion food from Grillipinos available throughout the day, the event is structured to welcome a steady stream of guests who want to linger, browse, and celebrate the start of the holiday season in a setting intentionally built around local craft. Taken together, these three events reflect a community rhythm that is unmistakably Bainbridge: thoughtful yet lively, rooted in creativity yet open to everyone, and driven by the idea that art—whether in film, poetry, or handcrafted objects—is best experienced in the company of neighbors.
Featured Events:
Meet me At the Movies: Fall 2025
Meet Me at the Movies returns this fall with a program built around a straightforward but meaningful premise: using selected film scenes to prompt discussion about the different stages of life. Rather than relying on full-length screenings, the program presents curated clips chosen for their ability to spark conversation, reflection, and shared insight among attendees.
The Fall 2025 session draws from four distinct sources: the French documentary Babies; a classic episode of I Love Lucy; the offbeat 1971 film Harold and Maude; and the more contemporary feature The Bucket List, directed by Rob Reiner. Each selection highlights a different point along the lifespan—from infancy to late-life considerations—and invites participants to examine how people experience, navigate, and make meaning of their lived stages. The choices lean on contrast: documentary versus sitcom, dark comedy versus mainstream drama, early life versus end-of-life perspective. Together, they provide varied entry points into a consistent theme.
After each clip, a trained facilitator leads a group conversation. These discussions are structured but flexible, giving participants room to respond to what they’ve seen, make connections to their own experiences, or simply listen. The goal is not to interpret the films academically or sentimentally, but to use them as neutral, relatable reference points for talking about memory, identity, relationships, and change.
While the program was originally designed for people living with memory loss and their care partners, it deliberately maintains an open-door policy for all adults. The emphasis on short clips and guided discussion makes the format accessible and removes the pressure often associated with traditional film events. Participants can engage at their own pace, contribute when they choose, and step into a community setting without needing prior knowledge of the films.
Meet Me at the Movies is free to attend, aligning with its broader goal of reducing barriers to social connection. For individuals with memory loss, the program offers a supportive environment where familiarity, humor, and shared cultural references can help stimulate recall and conversation. For care partners, it provides an activity that is structured yet low-stress, giving both parties an opportunity to enjoy a shared experience. For general attendees, it’s simply a chance to join a thoughtful discussion in a relaxed, welcoming setting.
Overall, the event uses film not for entertainment alone but as a tool for understanding how people move through life—and for creating space where those stories can be shared.
Cost, tickets and logistics:
Thursday, November 20, 10-11am
Bainbridge Performing Arts 200 Madison Ave N, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Full details here
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Bainbridge Open Mic Poetry - Moonstruck!
This November, Bainbridge Island’s literary community shifts its attention to Eagle Harbor Book Company for Moonstruck, an evening centered on contemporary regional poetry. The event features five poets published by Moonpath Press—Lisa Ashley, Pamela Carter, Katy Ellis, Susan Landgraf, and Cindy Veach—each bringing a distinct voice shaped by the Pacific Northwest’s landscapes, concerns, and creative traditions. Rather than a themed program, Moonstruck functions as a straightforward showcase: authors read their recent work, introduce new pieces, and engage directly with listeners in an intimate setting.
The structure is simple. Featured poets open the evening with scheduled readings, offering a cross-section of styles ranging from narrative to lyric, introspective to outward-looking. For regulars of Moonpath Press events, the lineup represents a mix of established contributors and writers whose recent collections have earned regional attention. For newcomers, the program provides a concise survey of contemporary Northwest poetry without requiring prior familiarity with the authors.
Following the featured readings, the event transitions into an open mic. Sign-ups begin at 6:45 p.m., and anyone aged 14 or older is welcome to participate. The open mic portion is not competitive and doesn’t adhere to a strict theme; its purpose is to give local writers a platform and to maintain the community-centered character that has anchored Bainbridge’s poetry gatherings for years. Participants may read a single poem or a brief selection, depending on turnout and time. For those who prefer to observe, the open mic offers a snapshot of the island’s grassroots creative activity—work in progress, experiments in form, and first public readings.
This month’s relocation adds context to the event. With the Bainbridge Island Library temporarily closed for an extended period, Eagle Harbor Book Company has stepped in to host. The shift underscores the bookstore’s longstanding role as a community hub and its willingness to absorb programming during unexpected disruptions. The setup is straightforward: chairs arranged among the book displays, a small microphone, and enough space for an audience without overformalizing the environment.
Light refreshments—cookies provided by Town & Country, along with wine and tea—will be available. These are incidental but practical, encouraging attendees to stay for the duration of the 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. program.
Ultimately, Moonstruck is less about performance and more about presence: writers sharing their work, listeners engaging without pretense, and a community venue filling in when needed. It’s a concise, accessible opportunity to hear what poets in the region are creating now, and to participate if you choose.
Cost, tickets and logistics:
Thursday, November 20, 7-8:30pm
Eagle Harbor Book Co. 157 Winslow Way East Bainbridge Island, WA, 98110
Full details here
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BARN Holiday Bazaar
The BARN Holiday Bazaar returns on Saturday, November 22, and it’s the kind of event that instantly switches Bainbridge into holiday mode. Running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the bazaar spreads across both levels of BARN’s studios, turning the building into a lively maze of workshops, tables, and creative surprises. If you’ve never visited BARN before, this is an easy first step into its world—every corner offers something different, and every booth gives you a glimpse into the hands-on creativity that defines the place.
One of the best parts of the bazaar is how varied the makers are. Rather than a predictable craft-fair lineup, this event pulls from a huge range of disciplines. You’ll see functional and decorative woodwork, hand-woven textiles, fiber arts of every kind, and a wide selection of jewelry styles—from delicate metalsmithing to glass and mixed-media pieces. Glass artists show everything from ornaments to sculptural objects; printmakers and book artists bring cards, monotypes, stitched goods, and small works on paper; authors share locally written fiction and poetry; and several vendors focus on ceramics, watercolor, and original art. There are also plenty of imaginative items that defy easy categories: cosplay pieces, embroidered jackets, topographical map art, hand-dyed clothing, fandom-inspired colorways, tiny houses, bookmarks, knitwear, mosaic pendants, and more. The common thread is that everything is made directly by the artists—no mass production, no generic holiday stock, just the kind of small-batch creativity you only find in a makerspace.
Food is part of the fun, too. Grillipinos will be on site serving handcrafted Filipino fusion dishes, making the bazaar a solid Saturday lunch option as well as a shopping stop. Whether you’re browsing for gifts or just exploring, it’s worth planning extra time to wander, snack, and circle back to the tables you can’t stop thinking about.
Parking is straightforward: the main BARN lot is available, with the upper-level reserved for accessible and elder parking. Overflow parking will be provided in the nearby Tree Farm on Three Tree Lane.
More than anything, the bazaar is a community day—busy, friendly, and full of small discoveries. It’s a chance to meet the makers, support local creativity, and kick off the holidays surrounded by color, craft, and winter-season energy. Whether you come with a shopping list or show up just to look around, the BARN Holiday Bazaar delivers the kind of cheerful, handmade spirit that makes this time of year feel special.
Cost, tickets and logistics:
Sunday, November 22, 10am-3pm
Bainbridge BARN 8890 Three Tree Ln NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Full details here
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