If you are blue (and even if you’re not) and are looking to get away, it’s a good time to schedule it. Whistler and Canada is calling. Best rates for ski and lodging packages ends November 15th. Let’s Go! Winter activities galore. Relax. Explore. Thrill.
Festivals & Events
Beauty of June
June is a month of many…
- Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival, June 17-19
- Fleur de Lis Festival & Art in the Vines, Westport, June 26
- Inspiring Beauty: 50 years of Ebony Fashion Fair, Bellevue Art Museum, through August 14th
- See the Afrodisiacs perform at Tulalip Resort Casino, Thursday evenings
- Farmers Markets abound
- Posing Beauty in African American Culture, Northwest African American Museum, through September 4th
- Drive Hwy 20 and beauty surrounding the North Cascades National Park
- Seattle PrideFest, June 26
- Atoms + Bytes: Redefining Craft in the Digital Age, Bellevue Art Museum, through June 26th
- River Rafting in eastern Washington
- Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration, Leavenworth, June 16-19
- America’s Classic Jazz Festival, Lacey, June 23-26
- Cool Desert Nights, Richland, June 23-26
- Taste of Tacoma, Tacoma, June 24-26
- Explore the many cuisines, specialty restaurants, bakeries and bars on Capitol Hill, Seattle. Too many to name. Someday.
Summer Guide
The Seattle Times does a great job of compiling their annual Summer Guide that showcases the many things to do in the Puget Sound area . Whether it be a favorite picnic spot, weekend-by-weekend events, festivals, concerts, farmers markets, 4th of July events, and more… you’ll be sure to find a variety of fun events that support your local community or are ‘within 4 hours reach’. Check out the sampling here: http://www.seattletimes.com/category/summer-guide/
Seattle Beer Week
It’s time for Seattle Beer Week! Celebrate in the Seattle area with a variety of events May 12th – 22nd, 2016. There’s a great many locations for a tasty beverage. See http://www.seattlebeerweek.com/ for all the info.
http://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/seattle-beer-week-2016-these-are-the-best-events-on-tap/
Also, if you haven’t been into Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery on Greenwood Ave N, check it out. http://www.flyingbike.coop/
Flower Festival and a Seattle Sampling
What makes for a fun outing to prepare for a Mother’s Day feast? Head to downtown Seattle to Pike Place Market’s annual Flower Festival ~ that’s what! Whether you make it for a few hours or all day, grab a bite and support the locals. Flowers. Halibut. Broccolini. Shiitake Mushrooms. Pork Hom Bow. Chocolate. Sunshine. Check it off your list of May events. Done.
Ballard Jazz Festival
Now this is cool. The Ballard Jazz Festival (an d Walk) is May 11 – 14th. Individual and festival pass tickets are available. Get the schedule, purchase tickets and download the festival program and Jazz Walk map at http://ballardjazzfestival.com/
It’s May so Let’s Play
So many fun things to do in May.
- SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival, May 19-June 12
- 18th Annual Camano Island Studio Tour, May 7-8 and May 14-15
- Savor Spring Food, Wine & Spirit Tour, Camano and Whidbey Islands, May 14-15
- Ballard Jazz Festival, Seattle (Ballard), May 11-14
- Windermere Cup Regatta / Opening Day of Boating Season, Seattle, May 7
- Go to a car show in Monroe or Downtown Everett
- Penn Cove Water Festival, Coupeville, May 14
- Nordstrom Beat the Bridge Run/Walk, Seattle, May 15
- 8th Annual Flower Festival, Pike Place Market, May 7-8
- 71st annual ’49er Days Celebration, Winthrop, May 7-8
- Spring Release Weekend, Walla Walla, May 6-8
- Apple Blossom Festival, Manson, May 13-14
- Untapped Blues and Brews Festival, Kennewick, May 13-14
- Play Ball! Check out a Seattle Mariners game
- Rhododendron Festival, Port Townsend, May 16-21
- Artisan Food Festival, Port Townsend, May 28
- Roots and Vines Festival, Yakima, May 14
- Northwest Folklife Festrival, Seattle, May 27-30
- Juan de Fuca Festival, Port Angeles, May 27-30
- Summerfest, Long Beach, May 28-30
- See a movie… like Captain America – Civil War
- and more…
National Park Service Centennial
Last week was National Park Week. Did you #FindYourPark? If so, which one? Also, it is the National Park Service (NPS) 100th Anniversary this year. Check out https://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/index.htm for a variety of centennial activities in your area.
http://findyourpark.com/ is not the most user-friendly site but a decent list of parks can be found at the nps.gov site. Bam! For WA, the list is located at https://www.nps.gov/state/wa/index.htm ~ so which one will you choose for Spring 2016?
There is a variety of parks and forest within each state…here are some examples for Washington State:
- City Park – Bellevue Downtown Park
- County Park – Ravensdale Park
- State Park – Deception Pass State Park
- National Forest – Mt.Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
- National Park – Olympic National Park
- and recreation areas, lakes, trials, open spaces, and more…
Savor at Sunset
Hey! Have you heard? Check out Savor at Sunset…Thursday Wine Walk. Enjoy wine (and cheese) in parts of Woodinville wine country on the first Thursday of the month May through October. $20 – Get all the details at https://shopwoodinvillewine.com/shop/savor-at-sunset/
Project 562
An inspiration plenty. The Hibulb Cultural Center is showcasing the Project 562 exhibit….ends June 11th! Matika Wilbur is presenting an extraordinary exhibition of portraits of Native Americans devoted to the protection of the sacred and the natural. In three words… beautiful. inspirational. powerful. There are 562+ tribal nations in the United States. View the exhibit and check out project562.com
Within 4 hours reach... 