Current Events

Ongoing. PIPIRU RATELIS ("Little Pepper Club") will start meeting every second Friday. Membership is open to kids 0-5. We're a lot of fun, and any new folks who want to participate this year should contact Austina De Bonte, austinad@hotmail.com, 425-788-5609.

Ongoing. Lietutis, Linas and Lankas folk dance groups continue preparing for The XIIIth Folk Dance Festival of the Lithuanian Diaspora (Sokiu Svente).

Thursday, May 8th, 7:00 pm, the Audejaitis family will host a potluck dinner for Meilute Ramoniene, the head of the Department of Lithuanian Studies, University of Vilnius. Prof. Ramoniene is visiting the U.W. Baltic Studies Program to help set standards for evaluating the proficiency of Lithuanian language students. The same evening is also a celebration of the release of the book “Continuity and Change in the Baltic Sea Region" co-authored by U.W. doctoral student Ainius Lasas.

Join in a lively discussion with both scholars at the home of Jurate and Remigijus Audejaitis, 4221 S. Hudson Street, Seattle. Please bring a potluck dish to share. Help Jurate plan for the proper number of guests by sending a confirming email to hijurate@hotmail.com

PLEASE NOTE: the celebration of the book release had originally been scheduled for May 17.

Friday, May 9, 12 noon to 3:00 pm, community members are welcome to attend the Baltic Studies round table at Thomson Hall, Room 317 at the University of Washington. Prof. Meilute will lecture and everyone will be able to hear all about the Baltic studies that are currently being undertaken at UW.

Sunday, May 18, 3:00 – 7:00 p.m, Opening of an Exhibit Featuring Members of th Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Communities, Martin-Zambito Fine Art Gallery, 721 E. Pike Street, Seattle, (on Capitol Hill on E. Pike between Harvard and Boylston). There will be a short program at 4:00 p.m. This exhibition tells the story of nineteen members of the Baltic community in King Country through current portraits by notable Northwest photographer Mary Randlett, photographs from their personal collections, and their own words. The nineteen individuals represent those who immigrated before and after them and those who were born in the United States of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian heritage. Through their personal statements in the accompanying booklet they tell their own stories about life in King County and how they have preserved their identity as Americans and as Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians.

Saturday, May 24, 7 pm, NORTHWEST FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL. Lietutis, Linas and Lankas will present a joint program of dances over Memorial Day weekend at Seattle Center. They will perform Saturday, May 24, 7 to 7:30 pm, Seattle Center Pavilion A, International Stage. The full 2008 Festival information will soon be available on-line at www.nwfolklife.org.

Saturday, May 31, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm MAINTENANCE DAY AT "KURSA" CAMP. For more info please visit the Lankas Camp page at http://seattle.lietuviu bendruomene.org or call Camp Director Nomeda (425)359-4521

July 4 - 6, The XIIIth FOLK DANCE FESTIVAL of the Lithuanian Diaspora (Sokiu Svente) will take place in Los Angeles, at the Galen Center, an athletic facility owned and operated by USC. The main performance is on Sunday, July 6. Tickets can be ordered on line at http://www.sokiusvente.com/_en/main.php?id=home

August 18 - 22, "LANKAS" CAMP. The Seattle LAC invites you to a fun-filled week sharing the richness of our heritage with our
families. Join us for Lithuanian dancing, singing, language, crafts, history, folklore, hiking, swimming, sports, and more at West Coast
Latvian Education Center Campground "Kursa", Shelton, WA. For more info please visit the Camp page at or call Camp Director Nomeda Lukoseviciene (425) 359-4521.http://seattle.lietuviu bendruomene.org