A&E BRIEFS — Aug. 5, 2026

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Writers Read event

Visual art becomes the inspiration for the written word during the annual Ekphrastic Poetry Writers Read, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Blue Whole Gallery, 129 W. Washington St. in Sequim.

Members of Olympic Peninsula Authors (OPA) will share original ekphrastic poems inspired by artwork currently displayed in the gallery. Ekphrastic poetry is a form of writing that responds to visual art, allowing poets to interpret an artwork through story, emotion and imagination.

Visitors are encouraged to explore the gallery and view the artwork that inspired the poems before and after the readings.

The Writers Read event is free and open to the public.

Blue Whole Gallery is located in downtown Sequim and is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and Sundays 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Toy Show coming in September

Fans of vintage toys and collectibles might want to mark their calendar for Saturday, Sept. 19, when the Olympic Peninsula Toy and Collectibles Show will take place at the Guy Cole Event Center, 144 N. Blake Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The fourth return of this annual event will feature more than 30 tables of vendors selling a wide variety of vintage toys and collectibles: action figures, Hot Wheels/Matchbox, playsets, models, Lego, games, comics, Barbie, TMNT, Godzilla, Star Wars, Star Trek, Transformers, MOTU, pop memorabilia, and more.

More information and vendor sign-up is at peninsulatoyshow.com.

Call for art for Flora & Fauna

The Sequim Arts Commission invites artists to submit original artwork for an upcoming exhibition celebrating the beauty, biodiversity, and spirit of the Pacific Northwest through the theme “Flora & Fauna.”

This exhibition will highlight artistic interpretations of the region’s natural world. From towering evergreens, mossy forests, native wildflowers, and coastal landscapes to salmon, herons, elk, pollinators, tidepool life, and the many creatures that shape our environment.

The deadline to submit artwork is 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18. Submit artwork at https://portal.laserfiche.com/r7962/forms/survey/flora-fauna.

Submissions will be juried by the Sequim Arts Commission on Monday, Sept. 28. Artists will be notified of accepted artworks in early October. Delivery of accepted artwork will be scheduled for late October. The exhibition will be on display from Nov. 6 through mid-January 2027.

Contact Arts Coordinator Sarah Hurt at shurt@sequimwa.gov or 360-582-2477 for more information.