BIMA Block Party – Come celebrate BIMA’s 10th anniversary with 12 bands, art, food and free entry to two museums – August 5, 2023

Margaret Millmore | Posted on July 21, 2023 |

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) will host a free all-day festival of art and music on August 5, 2023 from 12:00pm-9:30pm as the keystone community celebration of the Museum’s 10th anniversary.

The BIMA Block Party will take over the entire Island Gateway development with four stages of live music and free entry to both BIMA and KiDiMu (Kids Discovery Museum). Free offsite parking is available, see below for details.

BIMA Block Party is the Museum’s gift to the community in honor of its 10th anniversary. The museum, which opened its doors in June of 2013, has quickly become a bright light on the cultural scene. BIMA is open seven days a week, free of admission, and serves almost 100,000 guests a year from around the world. “It’s our chance to celebrate this milestone with our friends and neighbors,” said BIMA’s Executive Director, Sheila Hughes. “We’re calling this the year of Appreciation. Bringing together music, art and community creates such a special shared experience, and getting to do that while celebrating the support of our community, a significant birthday, and the wealth of talented working artists in our region just felt right.”

The event also coincides with BIMA’s first-ever juried exhibition, BIMA Spotlight. “Featuring work from more than 150 actively working Puget Sound area artists and craftspeople, the exhibition ties in beautifully with our 10th anniversary, and is the perfect companion to the BIMA Block Party,” continued Hughes. It’ll be a fun day where guests can really get the sense of what is happening artistically in our region.”

BIMA Block Party isn’t limited to music and art. The event will also include a pop-up vendor market that includes art and crafts, jewelry, henna tattoos, clothing, and other festival favorites, including a booth featuring Friends of the Bainbridge Troll, an upcoming public art feature (to learn more, click here).

FOOD, DRINK and HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES

A beer garden at the Gateway Stage will also feature a live model “Drink & Draw” between bands. Food vendors from the area, including Taste da Boot, Erick’s Seafood & More, and other local vendors will supplement offerings by BIMA Bistro, Agate Restaurant, Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse, Fletcher Bay Winery, and Pegasus Coffee. Additionally, hands-on projects will be offered by BIMA and KiDiMu to keep hands and minds of all ages engaged in art making.

MUSICAL LINEUP

GATEWAY STAGE:

12:00-1:00PM – Civil Rebellion – From the messy depths of punk rock to modern style alternative pop, the Emerald City’s young rock band roams from end to end to incorporate everyone and anyone who chooses to listen.
2:30-3:30PM –Tres Leches – Tres Leches began one night when Alaia D’Alessandro and Ulises Mariscal heard the doorbell ring to reveal Zander Yates standing at the step waving with an everlasting grin. Together the soon-to-be-formed trio would find an expression for life’s chaos and an escape from societal pre-destiny.
5:00PM –Reposado – That soothing yet profound fire in your Soul. The feeling of elevation, but with a deep-rooted Culture. Now imagine mixing that with a strong hit of funk, chopping up a little jazz, a steady shake of Afro-beat, Reposado is a family of musicians and artists that can vary from a 6–15-person ensemble and you never know what surprise guest will be joining them, guaranteeing a unique experience every time.
8:00-9:30PM –Shaina Shepherd – Singer, songwriter, vocal teacher, and community organizer in Seattle, WA, known for her pervasive style as front-woman to soul-grunge band BEARAXE, her notable vocal stylings have brought her into various creative spaces — from collaborating with Duff McKagan, Chong The Nomad and Acid Tongue to sharing stages with rock stars like Dave Matthews and Thunderpussy to being a soloist with the classical ensembles around the country.

PLAZA STAGE PRESENTED BY TOUR BAINBRIDGE:

1:00-2:30PM – Abyssinian Creole – South Seattle duo of Khingz and Gabriel Teodros. The group’s name symbolizes one of the oldest African nations and one of the newest African tongues, unified in the most visible African culture.
3:30-5:00PM –Terror/Cactus – The digital folklore and psychedelic electro-cumbia project of Martín Selasco. Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Miami, the Seattle-based producer draws from a wide variety of Latin-American influences in his productions including Argentine folk, Peruvian chicha, and Colombian cumbia.
6:30-8:00PM – Tomo Nakayama – Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, WA, Tomo Nakayama is an artist whose melodic, complex and emotionally compelling music has been praised by NPR, New York Times, and The Stranger.

BUXTON AUDITORIUM:

2:30-3:30PM – Lydia Ramsey – Lydia was raised in an Indianola, WA home, scattered with instruments, from guitars and mandolins, to clarinets and accordions. These influences shaped the foundation of her songwriting, combining the melodies of classical and jazz composers, with the storytelling and harmonies rooted in folk music. Her original music has been celebrated worldwide by NPR Music, The Americana Music Association, and featured on HBO’s hit series, Somebody Somewhere.
5:00-6:30PM – Stas Thee Boss – Born on Hilltop in Tacoma, but raised in the South end of Seattle, Stasia represents her home through and through. After learning all the lyrics to Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” at the age of 8, she realized that a career in hip-hop was her destiny. She is formerly one half of the Psychedelic-Space-Rap-Jazz duo THEESatisfaction, with whom she produced, wrote and performed.

BEACON STAGE:

12:00-1:30PM –Mirabai – Seattle playwright, guitarist, and (maybe most importantly) a singer/songwriter, Mirabai loves nothing more than telling an absurd story with an honest emotional core. The songs of this genre-blending “floral folk goddess” are characterized by vulnerable lyrics, walls of harmony, collaboration with friends, and a refreshing blend of irony and sincerity.
3:00-4:30PM –Maya Marie – Bringing an unforgettable ambiance to any stage, Maya Marie keeps an audience captivated as her soulful voice kicks a beat into your heart. Backed by the grit of rock, she inspires the audience to let go and liberate themselves while singing her truths from the bottom of her gut.
6:30-8:00PM – Bannister & Maine – Kristen Ferguson and Anne Mathews are Bannister & Maine, a musical duo from Kingston. Both accomplished musicians with years of experience in various bands (Kristen: the Outskirts, Ferguson & Co; Anne: the Lonely Coast, the Toy Boats), their talents combine in a beautiful harmony-filled repertoire of American music. From classic country and R&B to funky roots, folk, and beyond, these vibrant musicians bring a distinctive expertise to acoustic Americana.

BIMA Block Party is at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and the surrounding Island Gateway development, located at 550 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

Free offsite parking with free shuttle service from Tour Bainbridge will be available at Bainbridge High School, Commodore Options School, and Ordway Elementary School.

Nearby paid parking is available at the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal.

The museum is located one block from the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal, making it an easy walk-on ferry escape for music and art fans in Seattle. For event updates and the most up-to-date information, visit https://www.biartmuseum.org/bima-block-party/.

BIMA is open daily, year-round, from 10am-5pm, and admission is always free. From June 30-September 2, 2023, the museum will be open until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

BIMA is supported through contributions by members and donors like you, with ongoing support from the National Endowment for the Arts, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Laird Norton Wealth Management, Stoel Rives LLP, BIMA PRISM Fund for Cultural Programs & Celebrations.

*Images and content provided by BIMA

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