Winter storm forecast leads to many canceled events around Whidbey

Predictions of another weekend of snow and icy roads have led many events around Whidbey Island to be postponed or canceled.

With a winter storm warning forecasting six inches or more of snow for the Seattle metropolitan area and Puget Sound region on Friday, many organizations are playing it safe, including the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce.

The town’s annual Chocolate Walk, that attracts many out-of-town visitors, won’t take place Saturday as planned.

“We are postponing the Chocolate Walk until Saturday, Feb. 16th and erring on the side of caution,” said Lynda Eccles, Coupeville Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Likewise, the Saturday afternoon fundraiser planned for South Whidbey Hearts & Hammers at Langley’s Clyde Theater is also postponed.

“We believe it is in the best interest of South Whidbey Hearts & Hammers and all of our friends and neighbors to cancel the event for Feb. 9 and reschedule for next week, Feb. 16, same time at 2 p.m., some place at The Clyde Theatre,” said Judith Walcutt, producer of “Not Insane 2020! The Hello & Goodbye Tour.”

The fundraiser for the volunteer nonprofit home repair organization stars local musicians and David Ossman, part of the popular Firesign Theatre troupe of the 1960s and 1970s. All sales of the $20 tickets directly benefit Hearts & Hammers.

Whidbey Island Nourishes also rescheduled its planned Saturday $100-plate Heart to Heart fundraiser at Useless Bay Coffee to March 23. In Clinton, the Whidbey Island Community Seed Swap, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, is rescheduled for 2-5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23 at Clinton Community Hall.

The weekend Sweetheart of Gems Show, an annual two-day event at Oak Harbor Senior Center, is canceled.

Inclement weather also nixed a Saturday drag show for seniors and a chance to get outdoors and volunteer for a good cause.

The popular “Not Your Grandma’s Bingo” feature some elegantly-dressed and wigged entertainers who lead bingo games for Island Senior Resources. But its many fans will have to put off their fix until Tuesday, May 11. The organization also canceled Saturday’s AARP Driver Safety Course.

A new date is to be announced for Saturday’s planned kick-off for trail maintenance at Trillium Community Forest sponsored by the Whidbey Camano Land Trust.

The National Weather Service predicted four to six inches of snow accumulating in Island County Friday. High winds are expected through Sunday morning, which could create problems with falling trees and debris.

Thursday, South Whidbey residents swamped grocery stores, filling up on food, water and other liquids.

Langley Mayor Tim Callison, who’s been helping organize a community emergency response network, saw that as a positive sign.

“Based upon the crowds in the grocery stores yesterday, I believe that people took their preparations for this snow storm more seriously as a result of their experiences in the last wind storm and power outage,” Callison said Friday.

Sno-Isle Libraries closed its Whidbey branches early Friday and canceled many planned talks and presentations, including the Clinton Library class “Painting Roses with Carla Walsh” planned for Saturday, Feb. 9.

Langley Library bumped up its Feb. 9 presentation, “Walks With Wheels: Accessible Local Trails for Hiking” to 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 6.

Events scheduled Saturday for Freeland Library are also canceled.

Island County Museum decided not to open Friday and if it will remain closed on Saturday wasn’t known at press time.

The Island Shakespeare Festival is going ahead with its opening weekend of “Shakespeare’s Other Women” and offered to exchange dates of ticket-holders who don’t make it to the following weekend.

To find out about other cancellations, it’s suggested social media sites of organizations be checked as well as event listings found online in the Whidbey News-Times calendar.

Among other events canceled or postponed notifications received at the Whidbey News-Times:

  • Daughters of Norway canceled a Saturday afternoon scheduled slide show presentation by Barbara Sjoholm at Clinton’s St. Peter’s Lutheran Church; a new date will be announced.
  • The Island Bohemians canceled its Feb. 13 Creative Cafe gathering in Langley and rescheduled the Annette Hanna Open Studio visit to 2:30-5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16.
  • A Saturday night show at Oak Harbor’s Click Music, Sock Hop-The Day the Music Died, is canceled and a new date will be announced at a later time.
  • Langley’s Crawford House postponed its planned Saturday evening show, Songs from the House of Love, to 7 p.m., Saturday, May 11.
  • The Citizens’ Climate Lobby canceled its monthly meeting set for Saturday morning.