As in years past, we’ll kick off the weekend with a heymish gathering on Friday night. We’ll jam and nosh as folks gather, and then sing some songs from our special songbook, created by Sasha Lurje and Michael Alpert. Everyone is encouraged to bring food for a potluck dinner (please note alcohol is officially not permitted in Seattle Parks), which will give us some time to get to know each other and catch up with those we already know. We will do a few of the traditional blessings and songs for the sabbath, but we strive to create a space where everyone feels welcome and comfortable. Like the rest of the festival it is NOT a religious event! After dinner there will be more singing and we’ll read and translate a little Yiddish Poetry, have space for open discussions and informal learning, and hopefully if it’s not raining we will also be able to have a campfire to stay warm.

Please note, we have reserved Picnic Shelter #2 in Seward Park for the evening (feel free to show up from 5:30pm until the park closes at 10:00 pm). This is a space that has a roof but no walls, and a couple bbq grills. We’ll bring some coals for folks who wanna grill, and paper plates, cups and utensils, but please do bring some food to share if you can (if not, no worries!) and dress appropriately for the weather! There is a fire pit just a little further around the lake, which is first come first served, so our hope is to move there around 8pm if it’s not raining. Shelter #2 is the one a little bit past the parking lot on the south side of the park. It’s about a 5 minute walk from the parking so just be aware of that - if you have trouble finding it, it should show up on maps/google maps if you search for ‘Seaward Park Shelter 2’ or look on the Seattle parks website.