About this Event
An evening of Northwest flavors and remarkable stories from the mountains that shape our home.
Join us in IslandWood’s Dining Hall for a Pacific Northwest-inspired feast celebrating the wild, complicated, and ever-changing Cascade Range.
Dinner will be prepared by Chef Jim White and his team, who are passionate about bringing sustainably sourced foods and thoughtful dining experiences to students and adults alike. Inspired by the evening’s theme of Fire & Ice, our culinary team will bring a little of the Cascades to the table, playing with fire, smoke, and seasonal Northwest ingredients, with a special dessert to finish the feast.
Following dinner and dessert, we’ll head into the Great Hall for a special conversation between award-winning author and naturalist David B. Williams and longtime NPR correspondent and science journalist Joanne Silberner. Together, they'll take us on a journey through the stories written into Washington’s Cascades, bringing their shared curiosity about science, history, and the natural world to this engaging discussion.
In his new book, In the Range of Fire and Ice: A Human and Natural History of Washington’s Cascades, Williams explores these mountains through geology, wildlife, plants, glaciers, Indigenous history, and the people who have traveled through and made their lives here.
From traditional Indigenous huckleberry harvesting grounds and ancient footpaths to erupting volcanoes, shifting glaciers, and forgotten mining camps, Williams reveals a place shaped by both deep time and constant change. Along the way, we encounter returning wolverines and wolves, the remarkable rebirth of Mount St. Helens, and growing efforts to care for the Cascades in a changing climate.
Drawing on firsthand exploration and conversations with anthropologists, park rangers, ecologists, and climate scientists, Williams invites us to see these familiar mountains in a new way—and discover just how much is hiding in the landscapes we thought we knew.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
David B. Williams is an author, naturalist, and tour guide whose work explores the connections between people and the natural world. He is the author of twelve books, including the award-winning Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound and Wild in Seattle: Stories at the Crossroads of People and Nature. His books Stories in Stone and Waterway: The Story of Seattle’s Ship Canal and Locks were finalists for the Washington State Book Award.
A former environmental educator and interpretive park ranger, Williams has spent more than 35 years sharing stories about natural and human history with audiences in the field and in the classroom. He is a curatorial associate at the Burke Museum and writes the weekly Street Smart Naturalist newsletter. He lives in Seattle.
ABOUT JOANNE SILBERNER:
Joanne Silberner is a journalist who has spent more than four decades covering science, medicine, health policy, global health, and climate change. A correspondent for NPR for nearly 20 years, her work has appeared in Scientific American, The New York Times, WIRED, STAT, The BMJ, Undark, and other publications.
A Bainbridge Island resident, Silberner has taught radio storytelling and podcasting at the University of Washington. Her forthcoming book, Hush, explores the health effects of noise and the benefits of quiet.
Accessibility
We work to ensure that all reasonable accommodations are in place so that everyone can fully participate and learn during their time on our campus. All indoor spaces and many of our outdoor spaces and field structures were built and are continually maintained to meet ADA code, adhering to WAC 51-50. Learn more about the physical accessibility of our campus here.
ADA-defined service animals only, please.
If you are feeling unwell, please stay home and rest up! We care about you.
Agenda
🕑: 05:00 PM - 05:30 PM
Doors Open & Check-in
Host: IslandWood
Info: Check-in with us, and if you arrive on the earlier end, you can learn a little about IslandWood if you're new! We have a beautiful Welcome Center. We'll direct you to the Dining Hall for your dinner, which begins promptly at 5:30 PM.
🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:30 PM
Dinner is Served
Host: IslandWood
Info: Your scrumptious and Cascade-inspired dinner is served in our Dining Hall - including dessert! You may visit our no-host bar to find various refreshments you can purchase as well. Non-alcoholic beverages will be served with your dinner and dessert.
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
David B. Williams in conversation with Joanne Silberner
Host: David B. Williams
Info: Following dinner, join us in our beautiful Great Hall, just steps from the Dining Hall, for a fascinating conversation between award-winning author David B. Williams and longtime NPR correspondent Joanne Silberner, exploring the remarkable natural and human history of Washington’s Cascades.
🕑: 07:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Book Sales & Signing
Host: David B. Williams
Info: Keep the adventure going! Copies of In the Range of Fire and Ice will be available for purchase, and David B. Williams will be on hand to sign his books and chat with guests.
Event venue & nearby stays
IslandWood, 4450 Blakely Avenue Northeast, Bainbridge Island, United States
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