Allie Vrable baked bread using locally sourced wheat from Skagit County for the second annual York Yard Crawl on July 6, 2019. // Photo by Ally Burdett
By Ally Burdett
Bright flowers and bright faces were in full bloom throughout the historic York District streets for the second annual York Yard Crawl Saturday, July, 6.
The York Yard Crawl invited residents of the York neighborhood to showcase a variety of yard sales, art, music and activities for surrounding community members unique to their interests.
This year's events included Maeby's Porch Party, which exhibited handmade quilts and live music, a pool party with hip-hop tunes and a Lemony Lemonade Stand, which offered fresh lemonade and treats.
If participants were looking to save their money, live music was available throughout the day. Montgomery Brown and the Orchestra of Dust performed a show from the inside of a garage, for their first “Music in the Garage” event.
The York Yard Crawl was first introduced last summer by June Hathaway who has been a York resident since 2012.
“Some folks live here for decades, and some just for a semester, but we can all take part in the York Yard Crawl,” Hathaway said in a statement about the event on her webpage.
A printed map of every participating house was available to grab at Nelson’s Market and Marlins Cafe where there were fresh drinks and warm breakfast for sale to help fuel the day full of walking. There was also an interactive online map available to help participants navigate where each event was.
According to the event’s website, participating members have the option to sponsor the event at three different levels depending on the donation. However, participation is completely free. One of the sponsors for this year was Crosby Glass Studio.
Crosby Glass Studio is located in the back studio of owner Erin Crosby’s York home.
“I have been a craftsman for about 10 years,” Crosby said. “I get my inspiration from all over the place,” he said.
Crosby creates original stained glass windows and offers custom design pieces for individual clients. His services also extend to repairing and restoring existing stained glass.
Crosby said that his Father John Misty piece, representing the musician's first debut album cover art of “Fear Fun,” was created because of his liking for the music. He said that the particular piece was for his own interest.
He pointed out that he also reconstructed the inside cover art of the same album, depicting the American flag known for “Fear Fun”.
Although this piece was made for his personal taste, Crosby often makes pieces that customers request.
[caption id="attachment_32460" align="alignright" width="225"]
Custom made stained glass by York Yard Crawl sponsor Erin Crosby portraying Father John Misty’s album “Fear Fun”. // Photo by Ally Burdett[/caption]
Further on down in the neighborhood lined with lemonade stands, echoing sounds of a musician playing the mandolin drifted near a table with fresh baked goods guarded by a neighborhood dog.
Allie Vrable, the owner of the dog, is a York resident and has lived in Bellingham for around 10 years. Vrable graduated from Western and said she likes to bake goods for her friends, but is hopeful to make a career out of the hobby one day.
“I’ve been baking for a long time and I would love to have a bread subscription,” Vrable said.
All of the food Vrable made for the York Yard Crawl was made from wheat locally sourced in Skagit County.
This was the second annual York Yard Crawl, which is scheduled to happen annually for future summers in the York neighborhood.
