Tag: Everett WA

  • Water Ways at Schack Art Center: Closing May 16 in Everett

    Water Ways at Schack Art Center: Closing May 16 in Everett

    Q: When does Water Ways close at the Schack Art Center in Everett?
    A: Saturday, May 16, 2026 is the final day. The free exhibition of more than ninety Pacific Northwest artists has been on view in Schack’s Main Gallery and Mezzanine Gallery in downtown Everett (2921 Hoyt Avenue) since March 26. Hours through closing day are Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Sunday 12–5 PM.

    You have six days left to walk into the Schack Art Center and stand in front of the most ambitious group exhibition the building has hung this year.

    Water Ways: Healing the Circle of Water and Life closes Saturday, May 16, 2026. It is the Schack’s 2026 Arts Education in Action exhibition, and it spans both the Main Gallery and the Mezzanine. Ninety-plus contemporary Pacific Northwest artists answered a single prompt — what does it mean to live next to water that is increasingly under stress — and the resulting wall is one of the more honest reckonings with Puget Sound, the Snohomish River, and the broader watersheds of the region that any local institution has put together in years.

    Curation verdict: GO. Free admission. Six days left. If you do one downtown Everett thing this week before lunch on Saturday, make it this.

    What you actually see when you walk in

    Water Ways is not a quiet exhibition. The Main Gallery wall hits you with Jared Rue’s Here’s the Catch, the lead image the Schack picked to represent the show, and from there the room moves between glass, ceramics, fiber, painting, photography, and sculpture without losing the thread. The list of participating artists reads like a regional Pacific Northwest who’s-who: Dan Friday, David Boxley, Pat McVay, Steve Jensen, Steve Klein, Rik Allen, Shelley Muzylowski-Allen, Georgia Gerber, Kait Rhoads, Lisa McShane, Cynthia Gaub, Christopher Mathie, Jan Hopkins, Chris Hopkins, Joy Hagen. Ninety-plus names, with field-trip-grade interpretive labels next to each.

    Standout works flagged on the Schack’s own page include Jeremy Kester’s The Last Drop, Julie C Baer’s Acorn Barnacle, Steve Jensen’s The Fish are Disappearing, Stephen Yates’s Streaming V, Trish Harding’s Sea Stars, and Deborah Singer’s Great Blue Heron Near Aberdeen. The Mezzanine carries additional work and field-trip activity stations.

    You can move through the show in twenty minutes. Most people stay an hour. The interpretive copy is excellent and the pieces talk to each other — salmon next to glass next to hand-built relief tile next to photograph — in a way that makes you think harder about what you’re looking at than a single-medium exhibition usually does.

    Practical details for the closing week

    • What: Water Ways: Healing the Circle of Water and Life
    • Where: Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
    • Closes: Saturday, May 16, 2026
    • Hours through closing: Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM; Sunday 12–5 PM (closed Mondays)
    • Admission: Free
    • Parking: Free street parking on Hoyt and California avenues; 2-hour metered on Hewitt
    • Phone: (425) 309-7723

    Why this exhibition matters more than most regional group shows

    Two things separate Water Ways from a typical Schack group hang.

    First, the prompt is real. Arts Education in Action is the Schack’s curriculum-anchored programming track. The exhibitions in this series are built to be taught from — school groups walk through, do hands-on response activities, and leave with a mental model that ties what they saw on the wall to a watershed they actually live next to. The Schack’s Education Coordinator, Breannah Gammon, runs the field-trip program out of the show.

    That changes what artists submit. When the audience includes seventh-graders who will walk a Snohomish County riverbank that afternoon, you cannot get away with abstract gesture as a substitute for a point of view. Marguerite Goff’s two-panel relief tile, Traveling Upstream: Beauty Returns to Our Rivers, lands harder when you understand it next to a class of kids who just learned what a watershed is. Tiami Hogberg’s Without them there’s no US works on art-school terms and on get-it-immediately terms at the same time. Jeanne Poling’s five photography prints push the show toward documentary and back.

    Second, the curatorial framing is honest about what’s happening to our water. The exhibition title — Healing the Circle of Water and Life — is not lukewarm. The Schack’s programming page describes work that “highlights the beauty and interconnectedness of Earth’s water systems, the science behind them, and the effects of environmental change on all forms of life—human, animal, and plant.” A May 2 panel discussion, How We Heal the Circle of Water and Life, brought in Adopt A Stream Foundation and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance to talk watershed restoration, orca pod health, and clean-water supply alongside the artists.

    Most regional group shows give you a theme and let the artists respond loosely. Water Ways picks a fight with how the region is letting down its water and asks the artists to put a stake in the ground. Most of them do.

    Who you should look for in the gallery

    If you have an hour and want to walk out remembering specific work, here are the names worth slowing down for:

    • Jared Rue — Here’s the Catch, the show’s lead image, in the Main Gallery
    • Dan Friday and David Boxley — Coast Salish work that sits naturally in a watershed-themed room
    • Steve Jensen — The Fish are Disappearing, a piece whose title does most of the work and whose execution earns the title
    • Pat McVay and Georgia Gerber — sculptural responses with Pacific Northwest provenance
    • Kait Rhoads, Rik Allen, and Shelley Muzylowski-Allen — glass work that uses the medium for what it was made for here
    • Chris Hopkins and Christopher Mathie — painters working in two very different traditions, both responding to the prompt seriously
    • Lisa McShane — landscape painting with a documentary eye
    • Marguerite Goff — Traveling Upstream: Beauty Returns to Our Rivers, a relief tile that anchors a corner of the room

    The full ninety-plus-artist roster is on the Schack’s exhibition page. The gallery store on the way out carries work by many of the same artists at meaningfully smaller scale and price.

    What to pair the visit with

    The Schack sits on Hoyt between California and Wetmore, two blocks from Hewitt Avenue. Make a half-day of it: park free on Hoyt, walk through Water Ways, then drop in at the Schack Gallery Store on the way out for Pacific Northwest work you can actually take home. Lunch options within five blocks include Narrative Coffee, Lombardi’s at the marina, the food trucks at Beverly Park, and the steady rotation at Tony V’s Garage if you’re staying for a happier hour.

    If you want to make it an arts day, the show closes May 16 at 5 PM, the same evening Geoff Tate is performing Operation: Mindcrime in full at the Historic Everett Theatre and Dana Gould is at HET that same week. Walk Water Ways at 11 AM, lunch on Hewitt, then make a real evening of it.

    What’s next at Schack after Water Ways

    The Schack’s biggest art week of the spring drops May 28 with the Contemporary Northwest Artists Exhibition and the Summer Auction. Two days later on May 30 the Artists’ Garage Sale spreads 140-plus artists across Wetmore Plaza for the best art-buying day of the year in Everett. The Garden Party, the Schack’s annual summer kickoff, lands Thursday, June 4 from 5–8 PM and opens Sorticulture weekend.

    That’s a packed three weeks. Water Ways is what closes the spring run, and after Saturday it’s gone. There is no extension. There is no traveling version. This installation lives at 2921 Hoyt Avenue until 5 PM on May 16 and then it comes down.

    Six days. Free admission. Ninety-plus artists. A real point of view about a river system most of us drive over without thinking about. Go.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much does it cost to see Water Ways at Schack Art Center?

    Admission to the Schack Art Center is free, including Water Ways. The Schack is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and accepts donations at the door if you would like to support free programming.

    What are the Schack’s hours through May 16?

    Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM, Sunday 12 to 5 PM. Closed Mondays. The final day of the exhibition is Saturday, May 16, 2026 — plan to be in the gallery before 5 PM.

    Is the exhibition kid-friendly?

    Yes. Water Ways is part of the Schack’s Arts Education in Action series and was designed to support school field trips with hands-on response activities. Strollers are welcome and the galleries are stroller-accessible.

    Where do I park near the Schack Art Center?

    Free street parking on Hoyt Avenue and California Street is usually available within a block. Two-hour metered parking on Hewitt is free after 6 PM. The Wall Street garage is the closest covered option for a longer visit.

    Can I buy work from the exhibition?

    Most pieces in Water Ways are not for sale through the show, but the Schack’s Gallery Store stocks work from many of the same artists at smaller scale. The annual Schack Summer Auction on May 28 and the Artists’ Garage Sale on May 30 are the next major Schack buying opportunities.

    Is the Schack Art Center accessible?

    Yes. The Main Gallery is fully ADA-accessible at street level. The Mezzanine has elevator access. Service animals are welcome.

    What is the Schack’s relationship to Sorticulture?

    The Schack runs Sorticulture, the city’s beloved garden festival, which returns to downtown Everett June 5–7, 2026. The Schack’s Garden Party on Thursday, June 4 from 5–8 PM kicks off the weekend and is the unofficial summer-arts opening night for the building.

  • Los Lobos Everett: Brotherhood Tour with Los Lonely Boys

    Los Lobos Everett: Brotherhood Tour with Los Lonely Boys

    Q: When are Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys playing in Everett?
    A: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM at Kings Hall inside APEX Everett (1611 Everett Avenue). Tickets went on sale Friday, May 1 through Ticketmaster. The Brotherhood Tour pairs the East L.A. Grammy winners with the Garza brothers’ Texican rock trio for a single double-bill stop in the Pacific Northwest.

    If you only clear your calendar for one show this summer at Kings Hall, this is the one.

    Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys are bringing The Brotherhood Tour to APEX Everett’s Kings Hall on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, doors typical for the room and the show running 7:00–10:00 PM. Two of the most important Mexican-American rock bands in the country, on one stage, in a downtown Everett ballroom that has spent the last eighteen months quietly turning into the best mid-size music room between Seattle and Vancouver. Tickets went on sale Friday, May 1 at 10 AM through Ticketmaster, and the floor is already moving.

    Curation verdict: GO. Clear the calendar. This is a once-in-a-tour bill that almost never passes through a room this size, and the room itself is a big part of why this matters.

    Why a double bill of Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys actually matters

    You can list the hits and it still won’t capture it. Los Lobos are East L.A. lifers who started playing weddings and quinceañeras in the mid-1970s and ended up rewriting the rules for what a working American rock band could carry. They won the first Grammy in what was then called the “Mexican-American Performance” category, took “La Bamba” to number one in 1987, and have spent forty-plus years stitching rock, blues, Tex-Mex, son jarocho, and traditional Mexican folk into something that doesn’t actually sound like anyone else. David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas trading guitar lines is one of the great underrated sounds in American music.

    Los Lonely Boys are the Garza brothers — Henry, Jojo, and Ringo — out of San Angelo, Texas, who broke nationally in 2004 with “Heaven” and a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. They call what they do “Texican rock ‘n’ roll,” which is shorthand for guitar-forward blues with three-part harmony brothers can only get from sharing a kitchen table for thirty years. Henry’s tone is famously the closest thing to Stevie Ray Vaughan that the modern blues circuit produces, and his brothers’ bass and drums lock in like a single pulse.

    Pairing them is the obvious move and somehow nobody had done it. The Brotherhood Tour started rolling in 2025 and has been one of the year’s harder tickets in markets that have seen it. Kings Hall in Everett is one of a small handful of West Coast stops on the run, and the Pacific Northwest gets exactly one shot.

    Why Kings Hall is the right room for this show

    This is the part that gets undersold. Kings Hall is the upstairs ballroom inside the APEX Art & Culture Center at 1611 Everett Avenue — a 1909 Beaux-Arts Masonic temple that APEX has spent the last two years rehabbing into one of the more thoughtful mid-size venues in the region. Soaring proscenium, hardwood floor, balcony seating, and sightlines that work from anywhere in the room. It’s not a barn. It’s not a club. It’s the size of room where a band like Los Lobos can stretch out on “Don’t Worry Baby” or a half-time son jarocho jam without losing the audience to bar noise.

    The smaller-room upside is real. Los Lobos plays sheds and theaters all summer. Los Lonely Boys plays casinos and amphitheaters across the South. They both play arena seats opening for bigger acts. Kings Hall is meaningfully more intimate than any of those, and the room reads warm — wood, plaster, none of the cinderblock-bounce that wrecks so many converted-warehouse venues. If you have ever wanted to hear “Will the Wolf Survive” without 9,000 people in front of you, this is the night.

    Practical details for August 12

    • What: Los Lobos & Los Lonely Boys — The Brotherhood Tour
    • When: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 — 7:00 PM start, scheduled to 10:00 PM
    • Where: Kings Hall at APEX Everett, 1611 Everett Avenue, Everett, WA 98201
    • Tickets: Ticketmaster (on sale since May 1, 2026); also listed via Live Nation and SeatGeek
    • Age: All ages with a paying adult; the venue serves 21+ at the bars
    • Parking: Hewitt Avenue meters are free after 6 PM; the Wall Street garage at 2820 Wall Street is the easiest walk-in

    Where this slots into a great Everett summer of live music

    The Brotherhood Tour is one stop on what is shaping up to be the strongest concert summer downtown Everett has had in a decade. Kings Hall alone has The Crystal Method and Rabbit in the Moon on June 13, Petty Thief and Pretenders UK on June 27, and now Los Lobos / Los Lonely Boys on August 12. Around the corner at the Historic Everett Theatre, Grupo Niche is bringing a Latin Grammy–winning salsa orchestra to an 1901 opera house on May 31, and Geoff Tate is closing the book on Operation: Mindcrime on May 23. Tony V’s Garage is stacking weekend bills on Hewitt that consistently outperform their billing.

    You can argue with the calendar but you can’t argue with the math. For roughly the price of one Climate Pledge Arena ticket, an Everett summer of music gets you four headline shows and a couple of weeknight surprises in a venue you can walk to from a downtown brewpub. The Brotherhood Tour is the best individual bill of any of them.

    What to expect from the live show

    Both bands have framed this as a true co-bill, not an opener-and-headliner split. The pattern from earlier 2025 stops is each band doing roughly seventy minutes, then closing the night with a joint encore that has paired “La Bamba” and “Heaven” back-to-back, with all six players on stage. If you are coming for the catalog, you’ll get it: Los Lobos has been pulling deep cuts from Kiko and How Will the Wolf Survive? alongside the Ritchie Valens material, and Los Lonely Boys have rotated “Crazy Dream,” “More Than Love,” and “I’m a Stranger” into their core run.

    What you should not expect is a strict Latin-music night. Both bands draw from blues, classic rock, country, and gospel as much as anything Mexican-American specific. Los Lobos in particular is a roots-rock band that happens to also be one of the most important Mexican-American bands in history; the Tex-Mex framing under-sells what they do live. Bring earplugs if you want — the room can get loud — and bring the friend who still talks about that one time they saw Stevie Ray.

    Why this kind of booking matters for Everett

    Two summers ago, this show would not have stopped in Everett. It would have played the Moore in Seattle or skipped the Pacific Northwest entirely on its way to Portland. The fact that APEX has steadily landed Crystal Method, Canned Heat, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Petty Thief, and now The Brotherhood Tour in 2026 says something about how fast Kings Hall has become a real touring stop. Promoters route to rooms that fill seats and treat the artists right. Kings Hall has now done both, repeatedly, and it shows.

    For locals, that translates to fewer trips to Seattle. For visitors, it means a credible Wednesday-night reason to be in downtown Everett in August — three blocks from the Historic Everett Theatre, six blocks from Tony V’s, and a five-minute walk from the Schack Art Center, the Funko HQ store, and a stretch of Hewitt Avenue that increasingly looks like a real downtown again.

    August 12. Kings Hall. Two great American bands on one stage. Don’t miss it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much do tickets cost for The Brotherhood Tour at Kings Hall?

    Pricing was set by APEX and Live Nation when tickets went on sale May 1, 2026. Across the run, Brotherhood Tour tickets have generally listed from the mid-$30s for general floor and rise into the $80s for premium reserved seating, with VIP tiers higher. Check Ticketmaster for the current Kings Hall price and any remaining premium reserves.

    Is Kings Hall a seated or standing venue?

    Kings Hall is a flexible-floor ballroom — for The Brotherhood Tour, expect a mix of reserved table seating, balcony seating, and a general-floor area near the stage. Configuration varies by show; the Ticketmaster seat map for August 12 reflects the final layout.

    Where is Kings Hall in Everett?

    Kings Hall is the upstairs ballroom inside the APEX Art & Culture Center at 1611 Everett Avenue, Everett, WA 98201, between Wetmore and Rockefeller in downtown Everett. The building dates to 1909 and was originally a Masonic temple.

    What’s the parking situation?

    Hewitt and Everett Avenue street meters are free after 6 PM. The Wall Street parking garage at 2820 Wall Street is the closest covered option (about a two-block walk). The lot at Wetmore and Pacific is the next best alternative.

    Will there be food and drink at the show?

    Yes. APEX runs El Sid, the on-site bar and lounge, plus 16Eleven downstairs for a sit-down dinner before the show. Reserve early — a Kings Hall headliner night fills 16Eleven by 6 PM.

    Is the venue accessible?

    Yes. APEX has an elevator to the Kings Hall floor and accessible seating sections. Note accessibility needs at the time of ticket purchase or call APEX directly to confirm placement.

    What other shows are coming up at Kings Hall?

    The Crystal Method and Rabbit in the Moon play June 13. Petty Thief: A Tribute to Tom Petty and Pretenders UK share the bill on June 27. The full APEX calendar is at apexeverett.com/events.

  • Wesco 4A Baseball: Glacier Peak Advances, Funko Field Hosts

    Wesco 4A Baseball: Glacier Peak Advances, Funko Field Hosts

    **The quick read:** Wesco 4A baseball regular-season champion Glacier Peak punched its WIAA State Tournament ticket Saturday at Bannerwood Park with an 8-2 quarterfinal win over Bothell. Jackson and Lake Stevens dropped their quarterfinals and head to the Consolation Bracket — both of which are being played at Funko Field in Everett on Thursday, May 14. Then on May 29-30, the WIAA 3A and 4A State Baseball Championships return to Funko Field for the third straight year. This is a great time to be a local high-school baseball fan.

    If you grew up around Everett, you already know: high school spring sports get every bit of the love that the pro and junior teams in this town do. And right now, the Wesco postseason is putting all of it within a five-mile drive of downtown Everett.

    Here’s where Wesco baseball stands heading into the back half of May — and why all roads lead to Funko Field.

    Glacier Peak Locks the State Bid

    Glacier Peak entered the District 1/2 4A Baseball Tournament as the No. 2 seed on the back of the Wesco 4A regular-season league title. Saturday at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue, the Grizzlies took care of business in their quarterfinal, beating No. 10 Bothell 8-2 to clinch a state berth.

    In a District tournament where five of the 12 teams advance to State, a quarterfinal win is the magic number. Glacier Peak is in. From here it’s playing for seeding and a potential District 1/2 championship.

    Their next game is the semifinal Thursday, May 14, at 4:00 p.m. at Bannerwood Park against No. 3 Eastlake (out of KingCo 4A). That game will be streamed on the Eli Sports Network. If Glacier Peak wins, they’re in the District championship Saturday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m., also at Bannerwood Park.

    Jackson and Lake Stevens Aren’t Done — and They’re Playing in Our Backyard

    This is the part that matters for an Everett high-school baseball fan with no easy way to get to Bellevue on a school night: the Consolation Bracket is being played at Funko Field.

    Two Wesco programs are still alive in that bracket:

    • **No. 8 Jackson** (which beat No. 9 Issaquah 3-0 in the first round before falling 3-2 to top-seeded Woodinville in the quarterfinal Saturday)
    • **No. 4 Lake Stevens** (which dropped a 5-1 quarterfinal to No. 12 Skyline)

    Both teams play their Consolation games at Funko Field on Thursday, May 14:

    • **Bothell vs. Lake Washington — 4:00 p.m. at Funko Field**
    • **Jackson vs. Lake Stevens — 7:00 p.m. at Funko Field**

    That’s a Wesco-vs-Wesco showdown between Jackson and Lake Stevens in a loser-out game on AquaSox dirt. The winner survives to play on Saturday May 16 for the final State Tournament bid out of this District. It’s exactly the kind of high-school baseball game that makes a Thursday night worth showing up for.

    Kamiak’s Run Ended Early

    The other Wesco team in the field, Kamiak (No. 11 seed), drew No. 6 Lake Washington in the first round Thursday May 7 and dropped that game 6-0. Tough draw, tough result, but the Knights’ regular season — and the fact that they made the District field at all — speaks to the depth of Wesco 4A baseball in 2026.

    And Then State Returns to Everett

    Once the District 1/2 dust settles, the bigger picture: the 2026 WIAA 3A and 4A State Baseball Championships return to Funko Field on Friday and Saturday, May 29-30, for the third consecutive year. Four 3A teams and four 4A teams will play for state titles on the same field where the AquaSox host Northwest League games all summer.

    This is one of the cooler quirks of the Everett sports calendar. The same outfield grass where Felnin Celesten will be standing in June was, three weekends earlier, where a Washington high-school senior took an at-bat for a state championship. That’s a sneaky-great asset for the city, and the Snohomish County Sports Commission has done well to bring it back year after year.

    What About the Wesco South 2A-3A Race?

    In the Wesco South 2A-3A baseball league, Edmonds-Woodway won its fourth straight league title with a clincher against Shorewood on May 1. That’s a remarkable run of program-level dominance — four-peat at the league level is the kind of thing that puts a coaching staff in the local baseball hall of memory.

    Edmonds-Woodway will represent Wesco South in its respective District 1 3A tournament. Specific bracket information for that race is still developing on the WIAA schedule page; we’ll track it as the playoffs unfold.

    Things to Watch This Week

    Wesco 4A loyalty test: Both Jackson and Lake Stevens are alive at Funko Field Thursday night. If Wesco fans want a clear preference, it’s “let one of ours grab the last State bid.” Showing up in person is the easiest way to be loud about that.

    Glacier Peak’s semifinal: Eastlake is a serious draw on Thursday at 4 p.m. The Wolves were a state semifinalist a year ago out of this same tournament. If Glacier Peak gets through, the Grizzlies are in the District championship Saturday with a real shot at the No. 1 District 1/2 4A seed at State.

    The state weekend: Mark May 29-30. Two days of high-school state-championship baseball at Funko Field, before the AquaSox come back home for their summer push. If you’ve never gone to a state championship game in person, this is a good year to start.

    Fan-Voice Take

    There’s a thing this town does well that doesn’t always get praised the way it deserves: we show up for the kids. The Silvertips and AquaSox get the headlines, but the Wesco 4A district tournament has been a real local event for as long as the four-school Everett School District plus Glacier Peak, Jackson, Lake Stevens, and Kamiak have all been playing in the same league pyramid.

    A Thursday-night doubleheader at Funko Field where one Wesco team has to send another Wesco team home with one swing? That’s why we love it. Bring a hat. Bring some money for the concession line. Bring your kid. Sit behind the dugout and pay attention, because two years from now one of those guys might be in pro spring training and you’ll get to say you saw the first big swing.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Who won the Wesco 4A baseball regular-season title in 2026?

    Glacier Peak. The Grizzlies entered the District 1/2 4A Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

    Where is the District 1/2 4A Baseball Tournament being played?

    The main bracket games are at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue. The Consolation Bracket games are being played at Funko Field in Everett.

    When is the Wesco vs Wesco Consolation game at Funko Field?

    Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., when No. 8 Jackson plays No. 4 Lake Stevens in a loser-out game.

    How many teams from the District 1/2 4A Tournament advance to State?

    Five teams. Quarterfinal winners are guaranteed State bids; Consolation Bracket survivors play for the remaining spots.

    When and where is the WIAA State Baseball Tournament?

    The 2026 WIAA 3A and 4A State Baseball Championships are at Funko Field in Everett on Friday and Saturday, May 29-30. Four 3A and four 4A teams will compete.

    Who won the Wesco South 2A-3A baseball title in 2026?

    Edmonds-Woodway, defeating Shorewood on May 1 for the Warriors’ fourth straight league title.

    Where can I watch the District 1/2 games online?

    Eli Sports Network is streaming all seven games at Bannerwood Park. The Consolation games at Funko Field have been historically streamed by local outlets — check the WIAA and Wesco Athletics schedule pages.

  • Anders Miller’s Historic Run Fuels Silvertips in Game 3

    Anders Miller’s Historic Run Fuels Silvertips in Game 3

    **The quick read:** Everett Silvertips goaltender Anders Miller takes a 12-0-1 playoff record, a 1.79 goals-against average, and a .936 save percentage into Game 3 of the WHL Championship Final on Tuesday, May 12, at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert (6:30 p.m. PT). Through two rounds he sat at .948 — no WHL goalie with nine-plus playoff games has ever posted better. With the series tied 1-1 and the next three games on the road, the Silvertips’ chances of winning their first Ed Chynoweth Cup since 2007 depend on whether Miller can carry that work in front of someone else’s crowd.

    Hockey playoff series get decided by goaltending. We say that every spring like it’s a fortune-cookie cliché, but in the 2026 WHL Final it’s also literally what’s happening. The Everett Silvertips are tied 1-1 with the Prince Albert Raiders heading into a three-game road swing, and the player most responsible for keeping this dream season alive is wearing pads.

    Here’s why Anders Miller’s Game 3 might be the single most important shift of his career, and why Silvertips fans should feel both nervous and weirdly calm.

    The Number That Makes the Rest of the WHL Stop Talking

    Through two rounds of the 2026 WHL Playoffs, Miller put up a .948 save percentage. That is, per QuantHockey, the highest save percentage ever recorded in WHL playoff history by a goalie with nine or more games played. Not the highest of the year. Not the highest in the conference. The highest, full stop, going back through every postseason the league has ever played.

    Through 13 playoff games this spring, Miller now sits at:

    • **Record: 12-0-1**
    • **Goals-against average: 1.79** (2nd in the WHL playoffs)
    • **Save percentage: .936** (2nd in the WHL playoffs)
    • **Shutouts: 1** (T-2nd)
    • **Wins: 12** (1st)

    He’s the Mary Brown’s Chicken WHL Goaltender of the Month for April. He was Goaltender of the Week earlier in the run. He came over from Calgary in a midseason trade and proceeded to author the most efficient playoff goaltending stretch any 16-team WHL has seen.

    For fans who weren’t paying attention until the Penticton series: this isn’t a hot streak. This is the structural reason this franchise is two wins from each side of a championship.

    What Game 2 Told Us — and What Game 1 Didn’t

    In Game 2 of the Final at Angel of the Winds Arena, Miller stopped 37 of the shots he saw and the Silvertips ran away with it 6-2. That’s the version that has the Penticton series fresh in your head: Anders deletes a six-game series with goaltending, the team scores enough, off we go.

    Game 1 wasn’t that. The Raiders broke through with three second-period goals and won 4-2 — Mason Sivertson, Lukas Cootes on the power play, and Owen Christensen with the game-winner. Miller wasn’t bad; the second period got away from the entire team. But the gap between his Game 1 line and his Game 2 line is the entire reason this series shifted in 48 hours.

    Translation: the Silvertips don’t need Miller to be perfect. They need him to be the version of himself that the 2026 playoff numbers describe, and they need the team in front of him to give him a second period he can actually defend.

    Why Art Hauser Centre Changes Everything

    The Raiders take a 26-6-2 home regular-season record into Game 3. That is one of the best home environments in the entire CHL. The Art Hauser Centre is older, smaller (roughly 2,800 capacity), and louder than what Everett’s faced in this run — the building is structurally close to the ice in a way that newer arenas have engineered away.

    Three games in a row in that environment is the test. Game 3 Tuesday, Game 4 Wednesday, Game 5 Friday if needed. Then back to Angel of the Winds. The Silvertips have been 8-0 on the road through these playoffs — the best road playoff team in the WHL this spring — but that record was built against Wenatchee, Spokane, Penticton’s South Okanagan Events Centre. The Art Hauser Centre is a different room.

    What Miller controls on the road is the same thing he controls at home: angle, depth, rebound control. What he doesn’t control: the second-period crowd surge after a Raiders push, the visiting bench getting last change, or the in-between TV stoppages that hand a hostile building its momentum back. Those are the moments where playoff goaltending stops being numbers and becomes character.

    What to Watch in Game 3

    Three things to track Tuesday night:

    Volume on the first 15 shots. Miller has been excellent on the early-game shot volume across the playoffs. If Prince Albert generates 12-15 shots in the first period and Miller is at full credit, expect the Silvertips to find their offensive feet by the second.

    The second-period scoreboard. It’s been the franchise’s bête noire of this series — three goals against in the second of Game 1, then the team fixed it in Game 2. If Game 3 features a clean middle 20 minutes, the road games are winnable. If Prince Albert finds another second-period gear with their crowd behind them, the math gets harder.

    Power-play goaltending. Lukas Cootes scored on the power play in Game 1. Killing penalties on the road in a 2,800-seat building is one of the most uncomfortable jobs in hockey. Miller’s .948-through-two-rounds work included serious short-handed minutes against Penticton; the road PK in Saskatchewan is the next level of that test.

    The 19-Year Drought Context

    The Silvertips have not won the Ed Chynoweth Cup since 2007. That’s the entire framing for this stretch. There have been good Everett teams. There have been deep Everett playoff runs. There has not been a championship.

    Anders Miller wasn’t on any of those rosters, obviously. He was traded in from Calgary mid-season for exactly the moment Everett is in right now: a deep run in late spring where the path is mostly carved out by goaltending. If the Silvertips lift the cup, the franchise will print Miller’s stat line on a banner.

    If they don’t — well, the .948 was still the best save percentage in WHL playoff history at the cutoff, and that doesn’t go away.

    Schedule

    • **Game 3:** Tuesday, May 12 — at Prince Albert (Art Hauser Centre), 6:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. CT
    • **Game 4:** Wednesday, May 13 — at Prince Albert
    • **Game 5 (if needed):** Friday, May 15 — at Prince Albert
    • **Game 6 (if needed):** Sunday, May 17 — at Angel of the Winds Arena
    • **Game 7 (if needed):** Monday, May 18 — at Angel of the Winds Arena

    TV: TSN in Canada. Streaming: Victory+ in the United States.

    The Silvertips are eight wins from their first championship since 2007. Three of them, maybe more, have to come 1,200 miles from home. The goalie carrying the franchise’s first banner in 19 years is on the bus.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When is Game 3 of the 2026 WHL Final?

    Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. PT (7:30 p.m. CT) at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

    What are Anders Miller’s 2026 WHL playoff stats?

    Through 13 games: 12-0-1 record, 1.79 GAA, .936 save percentage, 1 shutout. His .948 SV% through two rounds was the highest in WHL playoff history for a goalie with nine or more games played.

    Who has home-ice advantage in the WHL Final?

    The series follows a 2-3-2 format. Games 1-2 were at Angel of the Winds Arena (split 1-1). Games 3, 4, and 5 (if needed) are at the Art Hauser Centre. Games 6 and 7 (if needed) return to Everett.

    Where is the Art Hauser Centre?

    Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Capacity is approximately 2,800. The Raiders went 26-6-2 there in the regular season.

    How can I watch the WHL Final from the U.S.?

    Victory+ streaming service is the U.S. broadcast partner. TSN carries the games in Canada.

    When was the Silvertips’ last WHL championship?

    2007. The franchise has not won the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 19 years.

    Who is starting in goal for the Raiders?

    Michal Orsulak started Game 1 and stopped 39 of 41. He is expected to be the starter for the home games at Art Hauser Centre.

  • Everett AquaSox Drop Finale but Win Series vs Hillsboro

    Everett AquaSox Drop Finale but Win Series vs Hillsboro

    **The quick read:** The Everett AquaSox lost the Mother’s Day finale 8-5 to the Hillsboro Hops on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at Funko Field (Everett Memorial Stadium) in front of 2,261 fans — but they won the series five games to one, sit at 18-15, and are now tied with Tri-City for second place in the Northwest League. Next up: a six-game road trip to Vancouver starting Tuesday, May 12.

    You don’t usually want your homestand to end with a loss. But if you have to give one back, give it back the day after you put up 15 runs on Star Wars Night and after you’ve already locked up five of six against your division opponent. The AquaSox can live with that math.

    Here’s how the Mother’s Day finale at Funko Field went, what the full Hillsboro homestand told us, and what to watch when the Frogs cross into Canada on Tuesday.

    How the Finale Got Away

    Hillsboro came out of the dugout like they were trying to salvage something — and they did. The Hops put up a four-spot in the top half of the first two innings on the strength of a Kenny Castillo two-run single with the bases loaded, a Wallace Clark RBI single, and a Trent Youngblood RBI single in the second.

    To Everett’s credit, the Frogs answered immediately. Josh Caron took the first pitch he liked deep for a solo home run to put Everett on the board. Then the AquaSox loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Jonny Farmelo drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in run number two, and a passed ball plated the third. Just like that, 4-3 game, and Funko Field had its Mother’s Day energy back.

    That was as close as it got. Alberto Barriga’s two-run blast to left-center in the fifth — his fifth homer of the year — made it 6-3. Then in the top of the eighth, Wallace Clark and Brady Counsell hit back-to-back solo home runs to push it to 8-3.

    The Frogs had one more swing left. Luis Suisbel led off the bottom of the eighth with a 386-foot solo shot, and Anthony Donofrio followed two batters later with a 395-foot blast to the Paine Field Home Run Porch — his first long ball of 2026 in his Everett Memorial Stadium debut. Beautiful piece of theater for Mother’s Day. Not enough to flip the result.

    Final: Hillsboro 8, Everett 5. Loss to Walter Ford (0-2). Hops righty Joangel Gonzalez (W). Game time: 2:32.

    The Homestand: Five-and-One

    This is the part that matters. Across six games against Hillsboro, the AquaSox took five. They opened the series winning four straight, blew the doors off the Hops 15-1 on Star Wars Night Saturday in front of a season-high 3,254, and then dropped the Mother’s Day matinée. Net result: the AquaSox climbed to 18-15, tied with the Tri-City Dust Devils for second place in the Northwest League, and they did it while running their best hitters through their first true rhythm of the season.

    Star Wars Night Saturday was the showcase — four home runs from Luke Stevenson (a three-run shot in the first that put Everett on the board), Luis Suisbel, Felnin Celesten, and Carlos Jimenez. Evan Truitt pitched 5.1 innings of one-run baseball, walked one, struck out four. The bullpen — Will Armbruester and Adam Smith — closed it without surrendering another run. 15-1. That game alone tells you why this prospect group is starting to feel real.

    Friday’s 8-1 win on Colton Shaw’s seven-strikeout start. Bryce Miller’s rehab gem on Silver Sluggers Night. Stevenson, Celesten, Jimenez, Caron, Donofrio, Suisbel — six different bats putting up tape-measure swings on a single homestand. That’s not noise. That’s a roster catching fire at the right time.

    Players to Watch Heading Into Vancouver

    A few names you want on your radar before the Frogs roll into B.C.:

    Felnin Celesten. Back-to-back Northwest League Player of the Week earlier this stretch, the Mariners’ top-tier middle infield prospect kept it going on Star Wars Night with a two-run home run plus an RBI single. He’s the engine.

    Luke Stevenson. Mariners’ Hitter of the Month for April, ranked the organization’s No. 8 prospect, and the Star Wars Night three-run homer was a reminder why the rankings exist.

    Anthony Donofrio. The Sunday solo homer is his first of the season, but the swing path on a 395-foot ball to the Home Run Porch is the kind of contact you remember. Watch this one.

    Luis Suisbel. Two homers across the homestand including the Mother’s Day shot. He’s quietly building a power profile.

    Brandon Eike. Six homers on the season heading into Vancouver. Still the longball pillar in this lineup.

    Brock Moore out of the bullpen — April Bullpen Award winner, 8.1 IP / 20 K / 4 SV / 2.16 ERA across the early season. Whenever this lineup gives him a lead, you trust the result.

    Next Up: Six in Vancouver, Then Home Against Tri-City

    The Frogs head north and cross the border for six games against the Vancouver Canadians at Nat Bailey Stadium — the legendary “Nat” — starting Tuesday, May 12, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m. The Canadians are the Blue Jays’ High-A affiliate and play in arguably the most charming ballpark in the Northwest League: 6,500 capacity, opened 1951, dual-purpose for baseball and the occasional concert.

    Vancouver is a road test for a roster that’s been thriving at home. Funko Field is friendly. The Nat has its own personality — the right field porch, the wind off False Creek, the sushi-and-Pacific-Dip concessions — and the Canadians have been playing well in their own building. This is the homestand-momentum-meets-road-reality matchup.

    After the six in Vancouver, the AquaSox return to Funko Field for a six-game homestand against the Tri-City Dust Devils — currently tied with Everett for second place. That’s a series with second-place implications baked in. Promotions confirmed for the Tri-City series include a ZOOperstars appearance, an AquaSox beanie hat giveaway presented by IBEW/NECA, and Sunday Fun Day.

    What This Homestand Told Us About 2026

    Three things came out of these six games against Hillsboro that matter for the rest of the season.

    First, this lineup can score in bunches. Fifteen runs on Saturday. Eight on Friday. Ten or more in multiple games across the prior road trips. The power is there, the patience is there, and the prospect-driven energy is there.

    Second, the bullpen depth is real. Moore, Smith, Armbruester, the back-end pieces — Everett has been winning the late innings even on nights where the offense doesn’t blow it open.

    Third, 18-15 with a five-of-six series win over a division opponent in May is the kind of position you want to be in heading into a road swing. The Frogs are not chasing anymore. They’re being chased.

    The Mother’s Day loss stings. The homestand was a statement.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What was the final score of the AquaSox-Hops game on May 10, 2026?

    The Hillsboro Hops beat the Everett AquaSox 8-5 in the Mother’s Day finale at Funko Field (Everett Memorial Stadium). Attendance was 2,261.

    Who won the AquaSox-Hops series?

    The Everett AquaSox took five of the six games against Hillsboro on the May 5–10 homestand.

    What is the AquaSox record after the homestand?

    The AquaSox are 18-15 on the season, tied with the Tri-City Dust Devils for second place in the Northwest League.

    When does the AquaSox next series start?

    The Frogs play a six-game road series at the Vancouver Canadians starting Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Nat Bailey Stadium. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.

    Who hit home runs for the AquaSox on Mother’s Day?

    Josh Caron hit a solo home run in the second inning. Luis Suisbel hit a 386-foot solo shot in the eighth, and Anthony Donofrio hit a 395-foot solo shot in the same inning — his first long ball of the season.

    What happened on Star Wars Night?

    The AquaSox demolished the Hops 15-1 on Saturday, May 9, in front of a season-high 3,254 fans. Luke Stevenson, Luis Suisbel, Felnin Celesten, and Carlos Jimenez all homered.

    When do the AquaSox return to Funko Field?

    After the Vancouver series, the AquaSox return home for six games against the Tri-City Dust Devils. The Tri-City series includes a ZOOperstars appearance, a beanie hat giveaway, and Sunday Fun Day.

  • Armed Forces Day 2026: Bremerton Parade & NAVSTA Everett

    Armed Forces Day 2026: Bremerton Parade & NAVSTA Everett

    What is Armed Forces Day 2026 and where is the Puget Sound’s flagship event? Armed Forces Day 2026 falls on Saturday, May 16. Established by Defense Secretary Louis Johnson in 1949 to honor all U.S. military branches under one banner after the Department of Defense unified the services, it lands annually on the third Saturday in May. In the Puget Sound region, the Bremerton Armed Forces Day Parade — the longest-running such parade in the country — steps off at 10 a.m. along Pacific Avenue in Downtown Bremerton, followed by a Heroes’ BBQ free to anyone with a military ID at Quincy Square. For NAVSTA Everett’s Navy families, it’s an hour’s drive (or a ferry ride) to the regional center of the day.

    For the roughly 6,000 sailors who call Naval Station Everett their duty station and the families who PCS in alongside them, Armed Forces Day is the one calendar day each year that recognizes active service across all branches at the same time. It is distinct from Memorial Day — May 25 in 2026, honoring those who died in service — and from Veterans Day in November, which honors those who have served honorably. Armed Forces Day, as the Department of Defense puts it, is the day for the people currently wearing the uniform.

    A Holiday Built for Uniformed Service

    On August 31, 1949, Defense Secretary Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day to replace the separate Army Day, Navy Day, and Air Force Day observances. The unified holiday followed the 1947 National Security Act, which had folded the services under a single Secretary of Defense. The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated on May 20, 1950, with a parade in Washington, D.C. that drew 10,000 troops from all branches past the president and his party. The inaugural theme — “Teamed for Defense” — survives as the holiday’s core idea seventy-six years later.

    The Puget Sound’s Flagship Event: The Bremerton Parade

    Across the water from Everett, Bremerton has run an Armed Forces Day Parade every year since 1948 — the local procession predates the federal holiday itself. The first march was organized by the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce to honor Master Sergeant John “Bud” Hawk, a Bremertonian who received the Medal of Honor from President Truman for his actions in the Falaise pocket during World War II. The parade absorbed the Armed Forces Day designation when the holiday formalized in 1950 and has run continuously since.

    By scale, the Bremerton parade is now the longest-running and largest Armed Forces Day parade in the nation, per the City of Bremerton and the Greater Kitsap Chamber, which organizes it. It draws 20,000+ from across Western Washington, with entries from Oregon and Spokane.

    Parade Specifics for 2026

    • Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
    • Step-off: 10:00 a.m.
    • Route: Pacific Avenue, Downtown Bremerton
    • Reviewing stand: Pacific & 5th Street (units perform a one-minute slot in front of the stand)
    • Cost to spectate: Free
    • Runtime: About two hours

    Expect military marching units, color guards, classic vehicles, school bands, civic groups, and floats. The U.S. Navy Brass Band, Naval Base Kitsap’s resident ensemble, typically anchors the parade’s music slot.

    The Festival, the BBQ, and the Resource Fair

    After the parade clears Pacific Avenue, festivities continue at Quincy Square in downtown Bremerton. The Heroes’ BBQ is free to active-duty, reserve, retired, and veteran service members with a valid military ID — a nontrivial perk for NAVSTA Everett sailors and their families willing to make the trip across Puget Sound. The day also includes a Resource Fair, where veteran service organizations, family-support providers, and benefit administrators staff tables and field questions.

    For a Navy family new to the region — the May-through-August window is the peak Permanent Change of Station arrival period — the Bremerton resource fair functions as a one-day overview of what’s available across Puget Sound for service members and their dependents.

    How NAVSTA Everett Families Get There

    NAVSTA Everett to Downtown Bremerton is roughly an hour by car (I-5 south to WA-16 west to WA-3) or, often faster on a Saturday, the Edmonds-Kingston ferry plus a 30-minute drive south down the Kitsap Peninsula. Vehicle wait times on Washington State Ferries grow on Armed Forces Day weekend; check the morning sailing schedule before leaving.

    Closer-to-Everett options exist on a smaller scale. USO Northwest serves NAVSTA Everett and other regional installations with Armed Forces Day recognition activities. The American Legion Post 6 in Everett and the Snohomish County Veterans Assistance Program at the Drewel Building (425-388-7255) historically mark the day locally.

    For confirming whether NAVSTA Everett itself runs a base-specific Armed Forces Day program in any given year, the Fleet & Family Support Center at 425-304-3735 is the right clearing-house.

    What Civilian Everett Neighbors Can Do

    Armed Forces Day is one of the few non-controversial holidays on the American calendar specifically asking civilians to show up for the people in uniform. Practical, low-key ways to do that this year, ranked by effort:

    • Lowest effort: Pick up a check at a local restaurant for a uniformed sailor sitting two tables over, without making a scene. That one gesture lands.
    • Modest effort: Drive south, or take the ferry. Bremerton’s parade was built by a chamber of commerce in 1948 because a small Navy town wanted to thank one of its own.
    • Higher effort: Plug into the resource fair as a civilian volunteer. The Greater Kitsap Chamber takes parade-entry and volunteer applications through Eventeny each spring.

    Why the Day Still Matters for Everett

    Naval Station Everett is the destroyer pier for the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Northwest grouping, with Arleigh Burke-class ships homeported here per the most recent Navy Region Northwest public listing. The community footprint of those crews — the families in Mukilteo, Marysville, north Everett, Lake Stevens, and Mill Creek schools — is the part of “Navy in Everett” that is visible 364 days a year, in classrooms and grocery aisles and youth-soccer sidelines. Armed Forces Day is the one day that makes that footprint visible to everyone else, all branches at once, under one roof.

    It also sits at the center of the longest stretch of military observances on the U.S. calendar — Military Spouse Appreciation Day (May 8), then Armed Forces Day, then Memorial Day (May 25), with Navy Gold Star Remembrance Month and Mental Health Awareness Month running underneath. Armed Forces Day is the active-duty thank-you in the middle.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When exactly is Armed Forces Day 2026?

    Saturday, May 16, 2026. By federal designation since 1949, Armed Forces Day always falls on the third Saturday in May (afd.defense.gov).

    Is Armed Forces Day a federal holiday?

    No. It is a federally recognized observance but not a federal holiday. Federal offices, banks, and post offices remain open. Active-duty personnel are typically scheduled normally, though units often participate in parades, ceremonies, and community events.

    What’s the difference between Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day?

    Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May) honors currently serving active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel across all branches. Memorial Day (last Monday in May, falling on May 25 in 2026) honors those who died in service. Veterans Day (November 11) honors all who have served honorably, living or deceased.

    Will NAVSTA Everett be open to the public on Armed Forces Day?

    Naval Station Everett does not run an annual public open-house tied to Armed Forces Day. The base hosts its separate public-access events on different dates each year, and operational tempo influences which years feature broader community access. Call the NAVSTA Everett Fleet & Family Support Center at 425-304-3735 for current-year guidance.

    What’s free for military ID holders on May 16, 2026?

    At the Bremerton festival at Quincy Square, the Heroes’ BBQ is free to active-duty, reserve, retired, and veteran service members with a valid military ID. Many Snohomish County restaurants and businesses also run independent discount or free-meal programs for Armed Forces Day; those vary year to year and are not centrally listed.

    How long has the Bremerton parade been running?

    Since 1948. It started a year before Armed Forces Day was federally established, originally as a hometown tribute to Master Sergeant John “Bud” Hawk, the Bremertonian Medal of Honor recipient. The parade absorbed the federal designation in 1950 and has run continuously every year since.

    Can civilians march in the Bremerton parade?

    Yes. The Greater Kitsap Chamber accepts parade-entry applications from civic groups, school bands, businesses, and veterans organizations through its annual Eventeny portal. There is also a “Veterans Walk with Pride” participant track for individual veterans.

    What’s the fastest way for an Everett family to get to the Bremerton parade?

    The Edmonds-Kingston ferry plus a 30-minute drive south is often the faster door-to-door option than I-5 to WA-16 on a Saturday morning, and it’s the more pleasant trip. Check the Washington State Ferries schedule and vehicle wait times before leaving — wait times grow on Armed Forces Day weekend.

  • K Fresh Everett: 100% Gluten-Free Korean Bibimbap Bowls

    K Fresh Everett: 100% Gluten-Free Korean Bibimbap Bowls

    Q: What is K Fresh in Everett, WA?
    A: K Fresh at 1105 Hewitt Ave is a Korean-inspired restaurant specializing in build-your-own bibimbap rice bowls and hot stone bowls. The entire menu is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free with vegan options, there’s a dog-friendly back patio, and hours run Monday–Saturday 10:30 am–8:30 pm.

    K Fresh on Hewitt Ave Is Everett’s Answer to Every Dietary Restriction — and the Stone Bowl Bibimbap Is Good Enough That You’ll Forget That’s Why You Came

    Address: 1105 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA 98201 | Hours: Mon–Sat 10:30 am–8:30 pm, Sunday closed | Price range: Fast-casual pricing | Parking: Street parking on Hewitt, free lots nearby | Reservations: Not required

    Hewitt Avenue’s food scene has become a serious story over the last few years, and we’ve spent a fair amount of space documenting it: Heritage African Restaurant, Luca Italian, The New Mexicans, R Harn Thai, Yummy Banh Mi — all within a few blocks of each other, all worth your time. The corridor has real identity now.

    K Fresh has been part of that corridor since before the corridor had an identity. Owner Lewis opened K Fresh at 1105 Hewitt Ave with a concept that seemed niche at the time and has turned out to be genuinely essential: Korean-inspired build-your-own bowls, executed rigorously, with an entire menu built 100% gluten-free and dairy-free from the base up.

    That’s not the gimmick. The food is the gimmick. In the best way.

    The Concept: Build-Your-Own, With Intent

    The model at K Fresh is a build-your-own bibimbap framework — you pick your base (white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice), your protein, your vegetables, your house-made sauces and toppings. But the emphasis on customization doesn’t mean the kitchen is leaving decisions to you and walking away. The house-made toppings and sauces are where the kitchen’s identity lives, developed to work together even when you’re mixing and matching.

    The hot stone bowl — dolsot bibimbap — arrives sizzling from the oven, the rice crackling against the cast-iron sides, a soft egg on top if you want one. This is the order for a first visit. It’s the format that best expresses what a Korean rice bowl is supposed to be: textural contrast, layered flavors, the kind of warmth that holds up through a full lunch hour.

    Why the Dietary Accessibility Matters More Than You Think

    K Fresh is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free. Not “we have options.” The whole menu, by design.

    Visit Everett has highlighted K Fresh specifically for this. The restaurant serves a genuinely underserved population in the city’s dining landscape. For diners managing celiac disease, dairy intolerance, or who are following a vegan or dairy-free diet by choice, the Hewitt Avenue corridor has historically required a careful menu scan at every table. K Fresh removes that friction entirely.

    The result is a restaurant that serves two overlapping audiences: people who came specifically because of the dietary accessibility, and people who didn’t care about that at all and just wanted a good Korean rice bowl. Both groups leave satisfied, which is a harder trick to pull off than it sounds.

    The Back Patio

    Dog-friendly back patio. For the people for whom this is the deciding factor — and you know who you are — K Fresh has you covered.

    The Recognition

    When Visit Everett named K Fresh a standout new restaurant back in 2019, the recognition was deserved, and it turned out to be ahead of its time. The fast-casual Korean bowl format that seemed unusual in 2019 has since proliferated nationally. K Fresh was doing it on Hewitt Avenue before the national trend made it mainstream.

    Years later, with the Hewitt corridor now dense enough to hold its own against any food street in Snohomish County, K Fresh remains one of the more distinctive and consistent options on the block.

    The Practical Stuff

    Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:30 am to 8:30 pm. Closed Sundays. No reservations required — this is fast-casual, counter-service format. DoorDash delivery is available if you want it at your desk or home. Street parking on Hewitt, free lots nearby. The back patio is the move if it’s a dry afternoon, which happens more often between May and September than people expect.

    The Bottom Line

    K Fresh isn’t trying to be the most ambitious restaurant on Hewitt Avenue. 16Eleven is down the street for that. What K Fresh is: reliable, thoughtful, and genuinely committed to making the Korean stone bowl format work within a dietary accessibility framework that removes the guesswork for a significant portion of the population.

    The stone bowl bibimbap is the order. The house-made sauces are the reason you come back. The back patio is the reason you bring the dog. Go on a weekday lunch and enjoy the fact that you’re not sharing the counter line with everyone who just found out about it.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is K Fresh gluten-free?

    Yes — the entire K Fresh menu is 100% gluten-free and dairy-free by design. Vegan options are available throughout.

    What is K Fresh known for in Everett?

    K Fresh is known for build-your-own Korean bibimbap bowls and hot stone dolsot bowls, with a menu that is entirely gluten-free and dairy-free.

    Where is K Fresh located?

    1105 Hewitt Ave, Everett, WA 98201.

    Is K Fresh dog-friendly?

    Yes — K Fresh has a dog-friendly back patio.

    What are K Fresh’s hours?

    Monday–Saturday 10:30 am–8:30 pm. Closed Sundays.

    Does K Fresh deliver?

    Yes, via DoorDash.

  • 16Eleven Everett: Downtown’s Fine Dining Steakhouse

    16Eleven Everett: Downtown’s Fine Dining Steakhouse

    Q: What is 16Eleven in Everett, WA known for?
    A: 16Eleven at 1611 Everett Avenue is Everett’s fine-dining steakhouse, known for dry-aged steaks, Beef Wellington, Chilean Sea Bass, and what local press has described as the largest wine-by-glass list in Snohomish County. Live piano plays Thursday through Saturday inside the historic Apex Art & Culture Center.

    16Eleven Is the Steak Dinner Downtown Everett Has Always Deserved — Beef Wellington, Dry-Aged Cuts, and Live Piano in a Historic Building

    Address: 1611 Everett Ave, Everett, WA 98201 | Hours: Mon–Thu 4 pm–9 pm, Fri–Sat 4 pm–10:30 pm, Sunday closed | Price range: Fine dining | Parking: Street parking on Everett Ave, city lots nearby | Reservations: Recommended via OpenTable and Tock

    The most common complaint from longtime Everett residents about their city’s restaurant scene is a variant of “it’s fine, but there’s nothing special for a real occasion.” Somewhere to go when the reservation actually matters. A place with genuine kitchen ambition and a wine list that doesn’t feel like an apology.

    16Eleven, which opened at 1611 Everett Avenue in August 2023, is the answer to that complaint.

    The Setting: History That Works

    The building is part of it. 16Eleven occupies space inside the Apex Art & Culture Center in downtown Everett — a venue with the kind of bones that make new restaurants look borrowed rather than built. High ceilings, good acoustics, a room that communicates before the food arrives that something intentional is happening here.

    Live piano plays Thursday through Saturday. This is not background noise. It is a commitment to a full evening.

    The Kitchen: Chef Joel Childs

    Chef Joel Childs designed the menu with a specific goal: put dishes on the table in Everett that you couldn’t find anywhere else in Snohomish County. He largely succeeded. The menu centers on dry-aged steaks with technique that actually requires the dry-aging process — which is to say, real dry-aging, not the warehouse shorthand.

    Beef Wellington appears on the menu, and not as a gimmick. Steak Tartare is there for the people who want it done properly. Chilean Sea Bass. Lobster Ravioli. Caviar service. These are not dishes that wander onto Everett menus frequently. The willingness to put all of them on one menu in a dining room in a mid-size PNW city and actually execute them is either reckless confidence or real skill. Based on consistent press coverage since opening — the Everett Herald called it the city’s “new dining destination” and Visit Everett put it on the must-visit list as “not your mother’s chain restaurant” — it is the latter.

    What to Order

    Beef Wellington — This is the move for a first visit if you’re here to understand what 16Eleven is. A properly executed Wellington is a 30-minute commitment from the kitchen. The version here holds up to that pressure. Order it, have wine while you wait, don’t rush it.

    Dry-aged steak — The core of the menu and the safest recommendation for anyone who knows what they’re looking for. The aging process concentrates flavor in a way that commercial supply chains rarely allow. The result here is what steak is supposed to taste like.

    Chilean Sea Bass — The non-red-meat option that doesn’t feel like a consolation. Delicate, well-executed, and a good test of a kitchen’s range beyond the steakhouse frame.

    Steak Tartare — For the confident diner who wants to see technique beyond the grill. Raw beef preparations require precision and sourcing discipline. 16Eleven does this correctly.

    The Wine List

    Local press has described 16Eleven’s wine-by-glass program as the largest in Snohomish County. The list is extensive, rotates regularly, and is paired intelligently with the menu. Whether you want Pacific Northwest reds or want to explore Italian producers that connect to the menu’s European sensibility, the program supports it. Full bar and specialty cocktails are also available.

    The Vibe

    Fine dining that doesn’t read as stuffy. The piano nights create atmosphere without requiring black tie. The service is attentive in the way that fine dining should be — present, knowledgeable, not intrusive. 16Eleven opens at 4 pm Monday through Saturday and is dark on Sundays. If you’re planning a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday visit, the piano is playing. Book accordingly.

    For more dining on the Hewitt corridor and downtown, see our guides to Capers + Olives, Luca Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, and The Muse Whiskey & Coffee — three other destinations that have raised the bar for what downtown Everett dining looks like.

    The Bottom Line

    Downtown Everett has needed a restaurant that clears this bar for a long time. The city is large enough, ambitious enough, and food-literate enough to support it. 16Eleven made the bet in 2023 and, based on two-plus years of consistent press, a dining room that requires reservations on weekends, and a kitchen that hasn’t coasted, the bet is paying off.

    If you’ve been putting off the reservation because you’re not sure it’s “worth it for Everett,” that’s exactly the wrong frame. The restaurant is worth it, period. Book the table.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What type of food does 16Eleven serve?

    16Eleven is a fine-dining steak and seafood restaurant. The menu centers on dry-aged steaks with notable items including Beef Wellington, Steak Tartare, Chilean Sea Bass, Lobster Ravioli, and Caviar.

    Does 16Eleven have live music?

    Yes — live piano plays Thursday through Saturday evenings.

    Where is 16Eleven located in Everett?

    1611 Everett Ave, Everett, WA 98201, inside the Apex Art & Culture Center in downtown Everett.

    Who is the chef at 16Eleven?

    Chef Joel Childs leads the kitchen at 16Eleven. He opened the restaurant in August 2023.

    When did 16Eleven open?

    16Eleven opened on August 14, 2023.

    Does 16Eleven take reservations?

    Yes. Reservations are available via OpenTable and Tock, and are recommended, especially on weekends.

  • Lombardi’s Everett: Marina Views & House-Made Pasta

    Lombardi’s Everett: Marina Views & House-Made Pasta

    Q: What should I order at Lombardi’s Italian Restaurant in Everett?
    A: Start with the porcini mushroom ravioli — a rotating signature that showcases house-made pasta in a wild mushroom cream sauce with goat cheese. The tortellini gorgonzola and lobster ravioli are also perennial favorites. Grab a table on the covered waterfront deck, go at sunset, and pair dinner with something from their rotating wine list.

    Lombardi’s at the Everett Marina: 38 Years of Getting Italian Right — and the Ravioli Is Why You Keep Coming Back

    Address: 1620 W Marine View Dr, Everett, WA 98201 | Hours: Lunch Tue–Sun 11:30 am–3 pm; Dinner Mon 3–8 pm, Tue–Thu & Sun 3–8:30 pm, Fri–Sat 3–9:30 pm | Price range: Mid-range fine dining | Parking: Free marina lot | Reservations: Strongly recommended on weekends

    There’s a version of the Everett Marina waterfront story that gets told every few months, usually whenever a new restaurant opens along the stretch of Craftsman Way and Seiner Drive that now bills itself as Restaurant Row. The story is right: the buildout has been real, the tenants are good, and the Port deserves credit for turning a spectacular piece of Pacific Northwest geography into the dining destination it always should have been.

    But that story usually skips the part where Lombardi’s has been here since 1987.

    That’s 38 years of house-made pasta. Thirty-eight years of watching the sun drop behind the Olympics from a covered waterfront deck. Thirty-eight years before Bluewater Organic Distilling arrived next door, before Rustic Cork opened its rooftop, before Tapped Public House became Snohomish County’s most-photographed restaurant deck. Lombardi’s was here first, and if you’ve been sleeping on it because it opened before Instagram existed, we’d like to have a word.

    The Story Behind the Table

    Diane Symms founded Lombardi’s in 1987 with a specific vision: a regional Italian restaurant drawing on the culinary traditions of Italy’s Lombardy region, built around fresh ingredients and seasonal rotation. That wasn’t a common restaurant playbook in 1987 Everett. It was an ambitious bet.

    It paid off. Lombardi’s ran for over three decades under Symms before she sold the majority share to her daughter, Kerri Lonergan-Dreke, in 2021. The founder remains involved. The kitchen philosophy hasn’t changed. The pasta is still made in-house. The menu still rotates seasonally, pulling from whatever’s fresh and good.

    Kerri has led the restaurant into its fourth decade as the most durable sit-down Italian option on the Everett waterfront — which, when you consider how many restaurants have come and gone along this stretch in 38 years, is not a small thing.

    The Room and the View

    The dining room at Lombardi’s works on two levels. Inside, it’s warm and a little old-school in exactly the right way — comfortable booths, good lighting, the kind of space where a long dinner conversation doesn’t feel rushed. The windows frame the marina, and if you’re eating in the evening the light on the water does most of the decorating for you.

    The covered outdoor deck is the move in spring and summer. Positioned directly on the marina, it catches sunsets over the Olympic Mountains and puts you at eye level with the boats. Bring a reservation and ask for the deck on any Friday or Saturday evening between May and September.

    There’s also a private dining room — the Harbor Room — that seats up to 50 people with dockside water views. It makes Lombardi’s an obvious call for larger celebrations or work dinners that need something more memorable than a conference center.

    What to Order

    The pasta program is where Lombardi’s earns its reputation. The menu rotates, but a few dishes have become perennial anchors:

    Porcini mushroom ravioli — house-made pasta in a wild mushroom cream sauce, finished with roasted tomatoes and goat cheese. This is the dish that reviewers have been describing as a reason to return since before most of the other restaurants on this waterfront existed. Order it.

    Tortellini gorgonzola — a rich, satisfying pasta that commits to the gorgonzola without apology. Not for the timid. Very much for the people who want to actually taste what they’re eating.

    Lobster ravioli — the showpiece for special occasions, house-made pasta with a filling that doesn’t skimp. Pairs well with whatever the wine list is offering in whites that month.

    The seafood side of the menu draws from local sourcing wherever possible and rotates with the season. The kitchen also runs gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options — a range that’s become increasingly important for group dining, and Lombardi’s handles it without reducing those options to an afterthought. The wine list is curated, rotates with the menu, and is strong enough to support the food.

    The Parking Situation

    Free lot at the marina. Easy to find, well-signed from Marine View Drive. No parking stress.

    The Bottom Line

    Lombardi’s isn’t new. It’s not trying to be the most-photographed thing on the waterfront. What it is: the restaurant that was doing house-made pasta with seasonal Italian menus and waterfront views before the Port of Everett’s Restaurant Row build-out was a gleam in anyone’s eye, and it hasn’t gotten complacent about any of it.

    Thirty-eight years is a long time to stay good. Most restaurants don’t make it five. The fact that Lombardi’s is still making its own pasta, still rotating the menu with the seasons, and still turning out a porcini mushroom ravioli that gets talked about in 2026 the same way it did in 2015 says something about the kitchen, the ownership, and the care. If you haven’t been, you’re overdue. If you haven’t been in a while, you’re overdue in a different way. Reserve the deck table. Go at sunset. Start with the porcini ravioli.

    Also worth your time on the waterfront: Fisherman Jack’s for dim sum and Asian-fusion, and Anthony’s HomePort for the halibut season menu.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Lombardi’s Italian Restaurant in Everett known for?

    Lombardi’s is known for house-made pasta, a rotating seasonal Italian menu, and a covered waterfront deck overlooking the Everett Marina. The porcini mushroom ravioli and tortellini gorgonzola are standout dishes.

    Does Lombardi’s take reservations?

    Yes — and you should make one, especially on weekends. The deck fills early on summer evenings.

    Is Lombardi’s gluten-free friendly?

    Yes. The menu includes gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options across most courses.

    Does Lombardi’s have private dining?

    Yes. The Harbor Room seats up to 50 with dockside water views and is available for private events.

    When did Lombardi’s open?

    Lombardi’s was founded in 1987 by Diane Symms. Her daughter, Kerri Lonergan-Dreke, now leads the restaurant as of 2021.

    Where is Lombardi’s Italian in Everett?

    1620 W Marine View Dr, Everett, WA 98201, at the Everett Marina. Free parking in the marina lot.

  • Mosaic Apartments Everett: Skotdal’s New Downtown Build

    Mosaic Apartments Everett: Skotdal’s New Downtown Build

    What is Mosaic Apartments in Everett? Mosaic is Skotdal Real Estate’s newest downtown Everett apartment development — a seven-story, 102-unit art-infused community at 1702 Pacific Avenue in the heart of downtown. The project, designed by Johnson Oaklief Architecture & Planning, was approved in August 2024 and is currently in construction. It features a 106-stall parking garage, EV charging stations, a fitness center, co-working space and club lounge, and public artwork on the building’s blank wall areas — celebrating Everett’s growing public art scene. Status: coming soon.

    If you have walked down Pacific Avenue in downtown Everett in the last six months, you have already seen Mosaic going up. The seven-story footprint at 1702 Pacific Ave is the latest addition to a Skotdal Real Estate downtown portfolio that already includes Peninsula, Library Place, Library Place South Stack, Aero, Marquee, Olympic Park, Colby Center, and the Port Gardner Collection — and it tells the same story the rest of the buildout has been telling: downtown Everett is no longer a place that has to convince anyone that more housing belongs here.

    The 102-unit count puts Mosaic in the same scale range as Skotdal’s other recent downtown work — bigger than Library Place South Stack’s nine homes, smaller than the Waterfront Place high-density block but planted firmly inside the urban grid, two blocks off the Hewitt Avenue spine. We checked in with the project this week and the bones are up, the artwork concept is approved, and Skotdal’s announced status is the magic two words every downtown watcher has been waiting for: coming soon.

    What the building actually is

    The numbers, in order:

    • 7 stories, the maximum that downtown Everett’s mixed-use zoning supports along this Pacific Avenue stretch.
    • 102 upscale apartment homes — Skotdal has described them as bright modern homes consistent with the company’s other downtown portfolio buildings.
    • 106-stall parking garage — slightly more than one stall per unit, which by Pacific Northwest urban-infill standards is generous. Most new Seattle multifamily projects in the same density band are closer to 0.7 stalls per unit.
    • EV charging stations — present from day one, not retrofitted.
    • Fitness center, co-working space, and club lounge — the amenities package that has become standard in mid-market downtown apartments in the post-COVID era, when remote work and hybrid schedules drove demand for at-home co-working space.
    • Public art on blank wall areas and a fifty-foot planter at the base of the blank wall facing Pacific Avenue, per the city design review.

    The architect on record is Johnson Oaklief Architecture & Planning, LLC, the firm that has handled several of Skotdal’s other downtown projects. Craig Skotdal is the applicant of record. The project received city approval in August 2024 and has been moving through construction since.

    Why Skotdal keeps building downtown

    Craig Skotdal’s family has been buying and building in Everett since 1968. Art and Marianne Skotdal made their first purchase that year, and the portfolio has grown steadily through a long-term-hold strategy. In 2004 the company shifted from repositioning existing assets to ground-up construction, and the Peninsula Apartments — the company’s first new-build downtown — set what is now the visual template for the rest of downtown Everett’s apartment stock: brick, art, ground-floor activation, and a deep amenity package.

    Mosaic continues that template with an explicit nod to Everett’s public art scene. The artwork-on-blank-walls approach is a design choice that runs through several of Skotdal’s other properties — Aero leans into aerospace iconography, Library Place uses bibliophile motifs throughout its hallways, and Marquee Apartments plays off the Village Theatre across the street with theater-themed design.

    The thesis behind this much investment from one family in one city is simple: downtown Everett is still pricing below comparable Seattle infill submarkets but is starting to deliver the same amenities, transit, and walkability. The 2028 Sound Transit Everett Link timeline, the September 2026 stadium groundbreaking, the Edgewater Bridge that opened April 28, and the growing list of downtown restaurants and food halls are all things that nudge rent comps up and make new construction pencil. Skotdal has been ahead of that curve for two decades and has the leases to prove it — Peninsula, Library Place, and Library Place South Stack have all consistently posted occupancy above 95 percent in recent quarters.

    How Mosaic fits into the broader downtown picture

    The downtown apartment supply story across 2025 and 2026 is one of acceleration. Just in the last 90 days the Waterfront & Development desk has covered: the Sage Investment Group conversion of the 9602 19th Street SE Econo Lodge to 124 studios (Phase 1 leasing August 2026); the Millwright District Phase 2’s 300-plus apartment count breaking ground; Waterfront Place’s Sawyer and Carling buildings posting 95-percent occupancy with $2,202-to-$2,800 premium rents holding through a softer overall county market; and a $640 million Snohomish County apartment investment year per Kidder Mathews and The Registry that doubled from the 2023 trough.

    Mosaic plays in a different slice. It is not waterfront, it is not an income-restricted conversion, it is not a missing-middle play. It is upper-middle-market downtown urban infill — the slice that historically had to push out to Bellevue or downtown Seattle to find a building that pencils. The 102-unit count is large enough to move the downtown rent comp set but not so large that it floods the submarket the way the Waterfront Place high-density block did.

    When Mosaic delivers — Skotdal has not published a specific opening date yet beyond the “coming soon” status — it will join a downtown apartment portfolio in which a single private operator (Skotdal) is responsible for somewhere north of 600 units across nine buildings within roughly a 10-block walk. That kind of consolidated ownership is rare for a city of Everett’s size and has been a deliberate strategy: Skotdal’s leasing pages and tenant portal funnel residents across the portfolio, and amenities (fitness, co-working, the rooftop deck at Aero) are shared marketing across the buildings.

    What this means for downtown rents and street life

    Two predictions worth tracking once Mosaic delivers:

    1. Pacific Avenue ground-floor activation. The Pacific Avenue stretch between Hewitt Ave and the Everett Public Library has been a quieter retail block than Colby or Hewitt themselves. A 102-unit building with concentrated foot traffic at the entrance is the kind of thing that gives a small ground-floor retail bay or cafe space a real shot. Skotdal’s pattern at other buildings (the Library Place ground-floor activation, the Aero retail at street level) suggests Mosaic will follow that playbook.

    2. Downtown rent floor. Library Place and South Stack rents have been comping at $2.45 to $2.80 per square foot for upper units. Mosaic’s amenity package — fitness center, co-working, club lounge, EV charging, the 106-stall garage — is consistent with that band. If the building leases at that range from delivery, it will reinforce the floor that Skotdal’s other downtown buildings have established. If it has to come in below that to fill 102 units in a stiffer rental market, it will signal something different about where downtown Everett rents settle for the next cycle.

    The bigger picture is one Will has been writing about for months: downtown Everett is building the housing stock to actually be a city center. Not a suburb of Seattle. Not a stop on the way to the Mukilteo ferry. A city center. Mosaic is one more brick in that argument.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Where is Mosaic Apartments being built in Everett?
    Mosaic is being built at 1702 Pacific Avenue in downtown Everett, WA 98201. The seven-story building sits on Pacific Avenue in the heart of the downtown commercial district, within a short walk of Hewitt Avenue and the Everett Public Library.

    How many units does Mosaic Apartments have?
    The building is a seven-story, 102-unit apartment community. It also includes a 106-stall parking garage.

    Who is developing Mosaic Apartments?
    Skotdal Real Estate is the developer, with Craig Skotdal as applicant of record. The project architect is Johnson Oaklief Architecture & Planning, LLC. The project received City of Everett approval in August 2024.

    When will Mosaic Apartments open in Everett?
    Skotdal has listed the project as “coming soon” with construction underway. The company has not published a specific opening date as of May 2026. Mosaic is the company’s newest downtown Everett development.

    What amenities does Mosaic Apartments offer?
    Mosaic’s announced amenity package includes EV charging stations, a fitness center, a co-working space and club lounge, and a 106-stall parking garage. The building also features public artwork on blank wall areas and a fifty-foot planter at the base of the Pacific Avenue facade, celebrating Everett’s public art scene.

    What other apartment buildings does Skotdal Real Estate own in Everett?
    Skotdal’s downtown Everett multifamily portfolio includes Peninsula Apartments, Library Place, Library Place South Stack, Aero Apartments, Marquee Apartments, Olympic Park Apartments, the Port Gardner Collection, and The Residences at Colby Center. The company has been buying and building in Everett since 1968 and shifted to ground-up new construction in 2004 with the Peninsula Apartments.

    Why does Mosaic emphasize public art?
    Mosaic is positioned as an art-infused community that celebrates Everett’s burgeoning public art scene. The design includes artwork on the building’s blank wall areas — both as a community-design feature and as a city design review condition. Skotdal’s other downtown projects have used similar themed-art approaches (aerospace at Aero, literary motifs at Library Place, theater design at Marquee across from the Village Theatre).