Sunny, Fun Day in the Park

The FHA Day in the Park was a hit | story by Jen Gennari  |  photos by Michael Lewis, Flo Hoylman and Larry Clinton
Shoshana helps Davey Jones make soup the morning of the event
Bubbles by the Bubblesmith captured everyone's attention
Kids enjoyed bubbles ...
... bubbles
... and more bubbles
Joe Tate and his group brought aloha spirit
Kilani Ka'anoi sings and dances
Edo Castro-Woodhouse on bass
People of all ages loved the music by Katy Boyd and Marty Atkinson
Bob and Louise from Yellow Ferry kicked up their heels
Lucy on the judging stand
Another contestant
Joey was a winner with his UPS costume
Waiting in line for soup

The FHA Day in the Park was sunny and nearly windless, attracting about 90 people out for a beautiful Sunday afternoon of soup, music, and conversation.

Davey Jones, Shoshana and Maria Finn started cooking up two large pots of soup at 10 a.m., and the aroma of lentil, ham and white beans drew an eager crowd.

Joe Tate and his band of many, including Maggie Catfish, Pacifico Sumante, Rick Pruett on bongos, and Hawaiian dancer/singer Kilani Ka’anoi got the party started with an eclectic mix of folk and Hawaiian numbers. Edo Castro-Woodhouse evoked comparisons to Pat Metheny, and John Schlag joined him on keyboard for a few Edo-arranged tunes. Katy Boyd and Marty Atkinson got a few people dancing and the Van Damme Hot Clams (Davey Jones and Gavin Smith) serenaded the community as dusk fell.

Fifteen dogs entered the dog show! Judges Julie Durbin and Mari Steeno judged the entrants and awarded prizes in three categories: small, medium, and large. The winners were Joey, in a UPS costume, with his owner Judy Shaper; Puna, the medium-sized winner, owned by Pam and Denise of Issaquah; and gorgeous Lucy owned by Ted and Linda Sempliner.

To add to the festive feeling, Sterling Johnson of Fairfax entertained packs of kids and grownups with beautiful large and small bubbles. Dona Schweiger answered questions about the Van Damme ferry exhibit, and the FHA collected ideas for how to serve the community better. Many people asked for more gatherings like the Day in the Park!

Pete Hudson, Elana Yonah Rosen and Jen Gennari give a hearty thank you to volunteers Barbara Rycerski, Flo Hoylman, Linda Sempliner, Court Mast, Stefan Krug, and others who helped.