Islewilde

UMO spent four years actively organizing Islewilde before handing it off to members of the Vashon arts community, who have run the festival since with limited continuing involvement from its founders.

While initially designed primarily with the Vashon Island community in mind, the festival has attracted and retained both national and international celebration artists, including, notably, members of Seattle's Fremont Arts Council, Minneapolis' In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Olympia's Procession of the Species, and Taiwan's Dream Community.

For two weeks prior to the event, Islewilde features workshops by which, through the learning and application of various theatrical, artistic, and celebratory crafts and skills, the festival is designed, built, and rehearsed.

Islewilde traditionally begins on Friday evening with a community Lantern Walk through the festival grounds, currently Vashon's Agren Park.

The number and variety of shows change from year to year depending on the interests and energy of the community, but traditionally Islewilde puts on two feature shows: The Waterbucket Circus, a comic, faux circus; and The Islewilde Pageant, a theatrical piece that features a large cast of community members and large-scale, beautiful images and works of art, often including giant puppets.