Discover Bainbridge Island
The Great Blue Herons are a familiar sight on Bainbridge Island, sharing their habitat with the majestic eagles, their archenemies. While not as abundant as gulls and other recognizable shore birds like Canadian Geese and Mallards, the herons have established a remarkable presence on the island. What sets the herons apart is their nesting behavior. […]
Enhancing Birding Experiences in the Pacific Northwest Birding, the observation and study of birds in their natural habitats, is a popular activity for nature enthusiasts and bird lovers. Bainbridge Island, located in the Pacific Northwest region of Washington state, offers a diverse range of bird species and stunning natural landscapes, making it an ideal destination […]
In late summer to early fall, you can see a red streak in the waters of Bainbridge Island. This is the annual zooplankton bloom of the dinoflagellate algae, often referred to as “red tide.” The bloom is caused by a surplus of nutrients. The population of the dinoflagellate algae can jump to more than 20 […]
According to the 2020 census, Bainbridge Island’s population is now 24,825. Those 24,825 people live in 10,115 households across the island. The Bainbridge Island population is up by 1,800 residents (or 7.8%) over the past 10 years – which averages out to an Bainbridge annual population increase of less than 200 people. Additional census facts: […]
As a boy, Erik Lindbergh had a vivid recurring dream. “If I flapped my arms hard enough, I could fly,” he recalled. “It was a lot of work because I didn’t have wings, just these stupid arms, but I got good at it. I flew from my house in Manzanita around Big […]
“Our children were young when we moved here, the youngest was 5,” said photographer Sue Larkin, whose family of five has been on the island since 2000. “And from day one, we were able to watch from our home a pair of eagles live, raise young and take first flights. We are all wildlife enthusiasts.” […]
Online research reveals 245 nonprofit organizations in our 98110 zip code, which includes public and private family foundations, service organizations, religious groups and educational institutions. To better understand how many nonprofit organizations are serving the island, a better source is One Call for All, Bainbridge’s nonprofit supporting nonprofits. It lists 125 organizations […]
A few things have put Bainbridge Island on the national map. Our high-profile governor calls Bainbridge home. Its history inspired the bestselling novel Snow Falling on Cedars. And, increasingly, our island is known across the sporting world as the birthplace of pickleball—one of the fastest growing sports in the country with millions […]
The Chymiys’ forever home on Bainbridge Island is many miles—and many years—from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where Andrea and Thomas met in 1992, just days into their freshman year. The friendship that started at a dormitory mixer soon turned into more and by the second semester they were dating. The pair […]
The short answer: it’s complicated. The longer answer is that you might need a permit and whether you do depends on many factors, such as zoning, lot size, tree conditions, title restrictions (some subdivisions require a minimum number or certain location of trees), and whether the lot is subject to rules regarding […]
Lori Blevins-Schilling is no stranger to major lifestyle adjustments. She founded Bainbridge HeArt & Soul: Art as Therapy Studio with her family, after a head-on car crash that left her with a traumatic brain injury and the need for several surgeries. Dealing with physical, mental and emotional challenges, Blevins-Schilling found her life […]
Dominique Cantwell is no stranger to the spotlight. Recently named an Island Treasure, she is known by many as the charming, dauntless executive director of Bainbridge Performing Arts. But her impact as a leader extends far beyond the theater. Cantwell has participated in arts funding and cultural planning on the island, served […]
We islanders love our avian friends (except possibly that territorial owl on the Gazzam trail). We invite them over with feeders full of seed and suet (homemade, of course) and skulk along the water lines with binoculars to spot even more. As the days get longer, many islanders look for certain special […]
If pickleball has a cousin in the golf world, it might be disc golf. The rapidly growing sport is especially welcoming of new players with its easy learning curve and low cost of entry. Players navigate a course of distinctive chain baskets with inexpensive flying discs—no golf clubs or memberships required. As […]
Picture an apple. The shine of its skin, the star of seeds at its center. Statistically speaking, if each of those seeds were planted, they would most likely grow into completely different varieties of apple trees—different from the parent fruit and different from one another. Because most apple varieties are not self-pollinating, […]
Suzanne Selfors excitedly forged ahead early this year with two new ventures: a book co-written with her son Walker Ranson and ownership of a bookstore. “Braver: A Wombat’s Tale” will be released June 23. It was set to launch with a celebration at Liberty Bay Books in Poulsbo, which she bought in […]
If you’ve noticed more gardens popping up around the island (and on your friends’ Facebook feeds), that’s because there’s a budding trend in our midst. According to the National Gardening Association, the number of households that currently grow food has risen 200 percent since 2008. Since the novel coronavirus took hold, changing […]
Ken Stern grew up surrounded by languages. His grandparents spoke Yiddish and his friends spoke Italian, though he never learned either himself. At age 8, Stern moved with his family from Brooklyn, New York, to the suburbs and found himself missing the linguistic and cultural diversity of his former neighborhood. In high […]
Sgt. Trevor Ziemba, a police officer for nearly 30 years, recalls a time when he would get a 911 call for a mental health crisis— “a suicidal subject, a person under the influence, someone having a psychotic episode”—and the best he could do was send the troubled person to a hospital. At worst, he […]
Bainbridge Island has been lauded for being the only place in the world where the chicken coops are nicer than the houses. But chickens, as it turns out, aren’t the only feathered friends receiving all-star treatment on the rock. Every morning for nearly two years now, Maxine Steele gets out of bed […]
Rachele Turnbull was one of a handful of women in her Oregon State classes while earning a degree is construction engineering management. After several years’ experience, she co-founded Clark Construction on Bainbridge Island in 2006. Her crews recently finished two multi-family residential projects, the Roost development in Lynwood Center and The Walk […]
By Alorie Gilbert When students and teachers file through the doors into the inspiring, light-filled new Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary School, there are few reminders of the aging building it replaced last year, save one. Like an old friend, welcoming them at the main entrance, is a tree. A very special one—a beloved Japanese maple […]
The school district might have had to cancel school for four days due to snow, but January 2020’s snowfall didn’t deter this hummingbird from commuting to its local diner. Bainbridge Island resident Carolyn Leigh snapped this shot as she walked by her dining room window, marveling at how the hummingbirds were working their beaks through […]
It only takes a few moments to cross the Agate Pass Bridge, but maintenance to ensure the safety and longevity of the bridge is an ongoing priority for the Washington State Department of Transportation. Beginning in spring of last year, drivers crossing the bridge were greeted with the sight of white tarps, […]
Google “the art of conversation” and you’ll find more than 1.7 million results for books, videos, blogs, memory tips, guided tours, TED talks and even seven-step systems for improving your ability to chat. Apparently, many, many of us have lost the gift for gab. Happily, a gamut of island groups recognizes the value […]
Great Abaco Island, located in the northern Bahamas, lies just under 3,000 miles southeast of Bainbridge. Its largest town, Marsh Harbour, boasts the island’s lone traffic light. In nearby Hope Town, transportation options are limited to golf carts and bicycles, and tourists pose for photos in front of the candy-striped Elbow Reef […]
For thousands of years, the land we know as Bainbridge Island, and the greater South Coast Salish area beyond it, was home to the Suquamish Tribe. One visit to the Suquamish Museum will immerse you in culture and history so deep, you’ll realize how inextricably linked native history is to the earth […]
At the start, Bainbridge Island Rod and Gun Club members fished for salmon in the Sound and hunted wild game in the woods. It was 1929, and “the island had a very rural character then,” said David Ward, president of what is now the Bainbridge Island Sportsmen’s Club. The island has changed a […]
By Alli Schuchman Perched on a north-facing hillside—across Eagle Harbor from the ferry maintenance yard—sits the stunning black home of interior designer Tracey Artiss. She describes it this way: “Somewhat a farmhouse with a rural vernacular and modern sensibility. Clean lines. A little bit industrial.” Though unquestionably bold, it nonetheless fits into her beloved Eagledale […]
The headlines are somber—wildfires rampaging, polar ice melting, glaciers vanishing, oceans rising. Even so—or perhaps especially so—Bainbridge will be celebrating Earth Day throughout the month of April with events that will inspire, educate and foster family fun. “We’re so bombarded with messages about the denigration of the Earth. There has to be […]
Takes place at Woodward Middle School every year. Since 1960, the annual Rotary Auction and Rummage Sale has raised nearly $5 million for service projects. It’s a major recycling event – and it’s also a community volunteer effort that raises a lot of money. Residents don’t have to look far to see those funds at […]
The Bainbridge Island Pumpkin Walk annual event benefiting the Boys & Girls Club features hundreds of carved pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns, food, jumpy house, maze, games for kids and more. It takes place every year from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. during select days that vary from year to year. Visit Bainbridge Gardens to learn more. Great […]
The annual Oktoberfest After Hours will be at the Village Shopping Center area (centered on Hildebrand Way). Enjoy Bavarian-style foods (bratwurst, sauerkraut, wieners and the like), microbeer and wine samples, music, raffles, and tours of participating businesses. This free event is presented by the Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the Village District Merchants. Public […]
Pat Wright and the Total Experience Gospel Choir return to Bainbridge for the annual Sing Out! honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The concert will benefit Helpline House and donations of non-perishable food; warm clothing, new socks, underwear, jackets hats, blankets, toothbrushes, backpacks and phone cards will be collected at the door. Learn more: […]
Friends of the Farms sponsors and organizes the annual Harvest Fair at Johnson Farm on Bainbridge Island. This educational and fun event brings our community together to celebrate, appreciate and nurture local farming. Not just for the kids, Harvest Fair encourages everyone to take a day and join us on the farm. Activities of the […]
On October 31st, downtown Bainbridge Island merchants will close Winslow Way at 3:30 p.m. and sponsor a safe trick-or-treating evening with spooky family fun. Come in costume, listen for spooky tunes from the Eagle Harbor Church bell tower, drink free hot cider and place your vote for the best merchant costume at the Bainbridge Island […]
You’re invited to attend and participate in the Grand Old Fourth of July Parade and Community Celebration on July 4th. The Grand Old Fourth includes a Pancake Breakfast, all-day Street Fair, Foot races (benefiting Bainbridge Youth Services), a Classic Car Show, Historic Baseball Game, Music, Food, Entertainment, a Beer Garden, and plenty of Family Fun […]
Annual pancake breakfast and fire truck ride to benefit the local fire department on Bainbridge Island, celebrated every 2nd week of October. Learn more: http://www.bifd.org/ Bainbridge Island Fire Department Pancake Breakfast
They are back, still free, and better than ever! Concerts run from Wednesdays from 6:00-8:00pm. Grab the kids and a picnic and join your friends and neighbors for some terrific music! Concerts may be canceled due to inclement weather. Check biparks.org for dates and times. Bainbridge Island Concerts In The Park
The third weekend of August is reserved for the Chief Seattle Days annual celebration. There is no admission charge and everyone is welcome. Chief Seattle Days celebration activities are intended for the young and old alike. The Suquamish Indian Tribe sponsors Chief Seattle Days, with additional support from Port Madison Enterprises, The Suquamish Clearwater Casino […]
The Celluloid Bainbridge festival invites the Bainbridge Island community to take a cinematic walk on the noir side with several films that are reminiscent of the 1940s-50s film noir genre, with its crime-related plots, morally ambiguous heroes, urban settings, and dark, moody tones. Started in 1998, Celluloid Bainbridge is an free, all day screening of […]
Bainbridge Island Modern Quilt Guild organizes the Bainbridge Island Quilt Festival, which began in September 2013 by local fabric store owner Barbara Kirk. Quilts will be hanging throughout downtown Bainbridge on Winslow Way. They will be hung outside the store buildings, from front awnings mainly, depending on the structure of each building. We work with […]
The Bainbridge Island Studio Tour invites you to celebrate the beauty and craftsmanship of handmade, locally made, art. We are a twice-annual art show on Bainbridge Island, Washington – located in the beautiful Puget Sound, just a 30-minute ferry ride from Seattle. Surrounded by water and picturesque views, Bainbridge Island is a lovely town full […]
Taste of Lynwood is a celebration of a historic neighborhood. This is a special place where folks come to say hello…and stay to chat awhile. Customer service, with a smile. A gathering place for friends and neighbors, who set aside pretense and welcome visitors and neighbors. Experience Traditional Island Values – infused with new energy. […]
The Bainbridge Island touring map promotes Bainbridge island as a vacation, getaway and holiday destination. Download these free travel maps now.
From parks to beaches, painted rocks to spray painted walls, Bainbridge Island has so much to offer. Not sure where to begin? Get started with these five FREE “must-do” experiences for locals and visitors alike. 1 Get the Wiggles Out at Battle Point Park There’s something for everyone at the 90.3 acre Battle Point Park. […]
Map? Check. Boots? Check. Binoculars? Check. Now grab your hiking stick and prepare to explore. 1 Start out in the sun on the northeast end of the island. Fay Bainbridge Park offers a stretch of wild shoreline and a fresh salty breeze. Keep an eye out for eagles, ospreys and shorebirds, and be ready to […]
Once the grandkids have been thoroughly bounced, sample these special selections for the older visitor. 1 The Bainbridge Island Senior Community Center is an excellent resource that offers weekly programs including walks, line dancing, tai chi classes, card games and much more. Organized outings are also available, such as a one-day trip to Mount Rainier […]
Food lovers, wear something loose fitting. You’re going to have your plate full trying to cover the highlights in only one day. 1 If you’re here on a Saturday, don’t miss the Farmers’ Market. Stock up on fresh veggies, artisan goat cheese and organic meats. The market runs April through mid-November, 9 a.m. to 1 […]
If a fast pace is optional, but exercise a given, here’s a lineup for you. Tailor it to your interests, or go for the glory and do it all in a day. 1 Bike to the ferry dock to begin, just like they do for the famed Chilly Hilly, an organized 33-mile ride held every February, […]
