There’s a lot going on this weekend on the peninsulas, so if you’re looking for something to do, read on!

Theler Wetlands Guided Bird Walk, Friday, 8/29, 9-11 a.m.: Dress for the weather and come prepared to enjoy our feathered friends on this guided tour which leaves from the Theler Exhibit Center. For more information, visit the Theler Community Center website or call 360-275-4898.

Bremerton Blackberry Festival, Saturday, 8/30 – Monday, 9/1: Stroll along the Louis Mentor Boardwalk and enjoy over 100 booths with wares ranging from arts and crafts to delicious food items. Entertainment for young and old provided on two stages, along with a car show, fun run, chalk art competition, bike race, fly-in and more!  For more information, visit the Blackberry Festival website or call the Bremerton Main Stream Association at 360-377-3041.

3-on-3 Silverdale Shootout, Saturday, 8/30 – Sunday, 8/31: Enjoy recreational and competitive basketball tournaments, as well as activities for the whole family. Get more information at the website or call the Silverdale Beach Hotel at 360-698-1000.

Olympic Art Festival, Saturday, 8/30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: The Olympic Art Gallery in Quilcene (40 Washington Street/Hwy 101) will host artists exhibiting their work and doing demonstrations. This quarterly art festival aims to support local artists and provide fine art and great prices. You can find more information at their website or by calling the art gallery at 360-765-0200.

Mini Van Destruction Derby, Saturday, 8/30, 6 p.m.: The Kitsap Destruction Derby presents a special Mini Van Derby in Bremerton. Gates open at 4 p.m. General admission is $10, with discounts available for seniors, children, students, and military. Get more information at the Kitsap Destruction Derby Association website.

With all these diverse events, there’s truly something for everyone!

Local area residents have a treat in store this coming weekend, with the first annual summer musical presented by Anna’s Bay: Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This production, which includes the Anna’s Bay Chorale, the Mosquito Fleet, the Hood Canal Youth Choirs and the Shelton High School Choir, will begin on Friday, August 29th at 8 p.m. in the Shelton High School Auditorium, with a second performance running at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 30th. Tickets cost $15 ($10 for members of Anna’s Bay Center for Music), a real bargain for live musical theater!

I’ve blogged about Anna’s Bay events before, but maybe you’re still wondering what the Anna’s Bay Center for Music is all about. I think their website says it wonderfully:

“The Anna’s Bay Center for Music is many things, but most of all, it is a community of people who believe in the power of music to enrich and strengthen community. Part community music school, part professional performing arts organization, our mission is music that brings people into harmony with themselves and each other. Our flagship programs make participatory live music experiences available to as many as possible …”

You can learn more about the Anna’s Bay Center for Music at their website, including a calendar of their 08/09 season schedule, which includes several community sing-along events as well as concerts which will both engage and inspire you.

English novelist Charles Kingsley once said, “There is something very wonderful about music. Words are wonderful enough; but music is even more wonderful. It speaks not to our thoughts as words do; it speaks through our hearts and spirits, to the very core and root of our souls. Music soothes us, stirs us up, it puts noble feelings in us, it can make us cringe; and it can melt us to tears; and yet we have no idea how. It is a language by itself, just as perfect in its ways as speech, as words, just as divine, just as blessed.”

Spend a little time this weekend enjoying the language of music, and support your community musicians at the same time. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Looking for some interesting things to do this weekend? Check out these local events:

Start your weekend early! Pack a picnic basket and blanket, head on down to the Evergreen Rotary Park’s Amphitheatre in Bremerton TONIGHT (Thursday, 8/21) and enjoy “Shakespeare in the Park: The Tempest.” The show, presented by the Changing Scene Theatre Northwest and directed by Derek Niegemann, begins at 6 p.m. And if you can’t make it tonight, don’t worry. You can catch it next Thursday (8/28) instead! Call 360-473-5425 for more information.

If theatre (or Shakespeare) isn’t your thing, then you might want to head to the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede instead. It runs from August 20th (yesterday) through Sunday, August 24th at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Bremerton. Enjoy carnival rides and games, a rodeo, a free concert by Emerson Drive (we already missed the free concert by Three Dog Night), a Wild West show, juggling, hypnosis, a petting farm, racing pigs, tractor pull races, a beard and mustache contest, educated parrots (?!?), and even karaoke! You can get all the details at the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede web page.

History buffs and those who enjoy documentary films won’t want to miss seeing the film “Mystery U-Boat of  World War I,” showing at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport on Saturday at 2 p.m. Watch as the Deep Sea Detectives explore the site of the sunken German submarine UB-107 and the surprise discovered there. And did I mention that it’s FREE?

On a side note, you may see hordes of bicyclists on the roads of Puget Sound, because this weekend is the 5th Annual Ride Around Puget Sound, supporting statewide bicycle advocacy and education. It’s a 1 or 2 day ride of 170 miles (which is impressive, because I think it would take me at least a week to get that far!) So keep an eye out for those bicyclists and let’s share the roads with them!

It’s time to talk about some more reasons why I like summer in the Pacific Northwest! (If you missed reasons #1-5, you can find them here.)

6. Yummy Berries to Pick: Whatever your favorite berry, it’s almost certain to grow here. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, thimbleberries, salmonberries … they’re not only delicious, but good for you, too! Western Washington has the perfect weather for these superfoods so they’re easy to grow in your own backyard, and many of them (especially blackberries, huckleberries, and thimbleberries) can be found growing wild along rural roads. Right now we’re heading out of blueberry season and into the beginning of blackberry season. Anybody hungry for some blueberry cobbler or blackberry pie?

7. Farmers’ Markets: In the last decade we’ve become more aware of the benefits of supporting local farmers and craftsmen by attending local farmers’ markets. They happen all over the Pacific Northwest (and right here on the Peninsula), bringing fresh produce and handcrafted wares to us, right where we live!

8. Great Seafood: Have you ever tried to eat salmon (or any seafood) in Colorado, or Iowa? If you have, you’ll know that nothing beats fresh-caught wild pacific salmon, or Dungeness crab, or oysters, or Penn Cove Mussels, or … well, I think you get my point. I’m not trying to pick on those states—I know they have their own unique strengths as well—but great seafood wouldn’t be one of them! *grin*

9. The Washington State Ferry system: Lots of people complain about the lines, but our ferry system is one of only a few in the United States. And there’s nothing like standing on the bow of a ferry, facing into the wind, letting it blow over and around you while you gaze at snow-capped mountains and forested hills rising from the Puget Sound. It clears your head and refreshes your soul.

10. A thriving artistic community: We have craftsmen, painters, musicians, actors, and writers living here and creating works of art for others to enjoy. You’d probably expect to find artists in big cities, and we have many fine artists in our larger cities of Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane, but we also have many fine artists living and working in our smaller, rural communities. Take a trip around the peninsula and you’ll find many art galleries, studios, concerts, and book readings featuring the work of local artists.

OK, that’s 10 reasons in two posts, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. We’ll revisit this topic in some future posts, digging a little deeper and getting more specific. As usual, we welcome your comments. What are your favorite things about living in the Pacific Northwest?

Here’s a round-up of some fun things to do this weekend …

Thursday, 8/14, 6 p.m., Music in the Park: Shelton’s outdoor summer concert series at the Shelton Post Office Park in downtown Shelton will feature the band Reincarnation of Rock and Roll this week. Relax and enjoy some “oldies but goodies” from Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, and others. Dress for the weather and come prepared to sit on the lawn. You can find more information here and here.

Saturday, 8/16, 12-3 p.m., Harmony Hill SummerFest & Open House: If you’re a supporter of Harmony Hill, you won’t want to miss their SummerFest and Open House, with tours, light refreshments, a Storytelling Gathering and a garden Q&A session with gardening expert Ann Lovejoy. Admission is free. You can find more information at the Harmony Hill web site.

Saturday, 8/16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Shelton Art Festival: Come to the Shelton Civic Center and enjoy photography, ceramics, jewelry, wood sculpture, quilts, paintings, fiber arts, poetry, and knits.

Saturday, 8/16 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., 2nd annual Wetlands Festival: Theler Community Center will is sponsoring this festival, with a chili cook-off, tons of vendors, the Belfair Farmers Market, and a special performance by The Voetberg Family starting at 4 pm! Take a walk in the wetlands, enjoy some chili and an amazing concert!

Saturday, 8/16, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Salmon Fest: This festival, which includes a salmon BBQ, salmon exhibits, live performances, fine arts, and a “Kids of All Ages” zone, takes place in Shelton, WA, at the Little Creek Casino Resort parking lot. For more information, call Leslie at 360-432-3838.

Saturday and Sunday, August 16-17, Salmon Derby: The 8th annual Hood Canal Salmon Derby offers prizes of $500, $750, and $1000 for first through third place winners. Tickets cost $25. There’s also a FREE kids derby with one $100 first place prize. Get more info at the website for the South Sound Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers.

Now you know there are no excuses for sitting inside and staring at the walls this weekend. Get out there and have some fun!

The United States boasts lots of great places to live, but I personally think that the Pacific Northwest tops the list. In fact, here are the first five of my top ten reasons why I think summers are great here:

1. Extra Long Days: In the summer time we enjoy amazing long days, with the sun rising EARLY in the morning, and setting LATE at night. There’s nothing like watching the sunset at 9:45 in the evening.
2. An Incredibly Temperate Climate: Most people think of the Pacific Northwest as constantly rainy, but here in the summer we get our fair share of sunny, warm (but not overly hot) days, with moderate humidity. True, we may get a summer sprinkle or two, but summertime here usually brings with it a seasonal drought, and temperatures in the 70s and 80s. In other words, perfect weather.
3. Beautiful Scenery: Do you like mountain views? We have those. Do you like water views? We have those. Do you like forest views? We have those. Do you like forested mountains rising above lakes, fjords, bays, or rivers? We have those, too! There are very few places on earth as beautiful as the Pacific Northwest.
4. Great opportunities for outdoor life: Camping, hiking, sailing, kayaking, geocaching, windsurfing, waterskiing, fishing, hunting, shellfishing, biking, golfing, diving … just to name a few!
5. Great State Parks which provide venues for the activities in #4 (and more). But they’re popular, so you’ll probably need to make reservations early in the year if you want to get space!

We’ll cover reasons 6-10 in a future post, so stay tuned!

If you’re a resident of the Kitsap Peninsula, or the Pacific Northwest, leave a comment below and share your favorite reasons for living here!

This weekend Silverdale will host the Silverdale Thunder Hydroplane Races on August 8-10th.

Racing begins Saturday morning with qualifying runs. Preliminary heats will follow the qualifying runs and will determine which teams will be “seeded” into the final heat, eligible to win the Silverdale Thunder Trophy.

Even though the racing doesn’t start until Saturday, visitors are welcome to come Friday evening to join the festivities, because there’s more than just racing going on. There will also be a carnival, live music, a beer garden, and local groups performing on a “Family Stage” (Saturday afternoon). You can get more information, including a schedule of events, at the Silverdale Thunder Hydroplane Races website.

And if you’re curious about what the view from the cockpit is like during one of these races, check out this video on YouTube:

If hydroplane racing isn’t your cup of tea, you might enjoy stopping by the 7th annual “Taste of Hood Canal” in downtown Belfair (on Clifton Lane) on Saturday, August 9th, instead. The day kicks off with the Mason County Fire District 2 Pancake Breakfast, served from 8-11:30 a.m., with the rest of the events beginning at 10 a.m. (The pancake breakfast will be served at Station 21, 460 NE Old Belfair Highway.)

The Taste of Hood Canal, sponsored by the North Mason Rotary Club, features a custom and classic car show, microbreweries, wine tasting, specialties from local restaurants, family entertainment and live music all day, arts and crafts, antique fire engines, local artists, and food booths featuring local delicacies like grilled oysters.

You can park on the Old Belfair Highway, just 500 feet from the event, or take the free shuttle from Sandhill Elementary School.

Of course, if you can’t make up your mind, you could always spend Saturday at the “Taste of Hood Canal” and Friday night and Sunday at the races!

Here’s a round-up of some of the fun things to do on the Peninsula this weekend:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 1950’s Rock & Roll: Shakespeare meets “Happy Days” in this adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities set in the Athens High School gym on Prom Night in 1957. Presented by The Mountaineers Players at the Kitsap Forest Theater near Bremerton, shows happen every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. from Saturday, 8/2 through Sunday, 8/24. You can find more information at the Forest Theater web site.

The Naval Undersea Museum: This Keyport, WA museum — a joint project between the U.S. Navy and the local Museum Foundation — will be showing the film, “The Death of the Edmund Fitzgerald” at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 2nd. This film explores the fate of this legendary shipwreck, and includes footage from more than 20 years of dives, as well as interviews with relatives of the victims. To get in the mood, you can watch a video tribute to the 29 men who lost their lives in this shipwreck.

Paddle Kitsap: This 2-day event (Friday and Saturday) is sponsored by local paddlers and volunteers with the North Kitsap Trails Association. Although registration to participate in this year’s event is closed, you might want to give a little wave of encouragement to any paddlers you see along the trail, which runs along the coast from Port Gamble to Poulsbo’s waterfront park. And if you’re a paddling enthusiast, mark this event on your calendar so you can register for next year’s event. You can find more information on this event here.

Have you ever seen a yak up close? Or have you ever had a buffalo stick its head in through your open car window, looking for a handout of bread? You can experience all this, and more, at the Olympic Game Farm on the north end of the Olympic Peninsula in Sequim.

It may not sound like much fun, but when we went, we laughed so hard that the video footage we took could barely be watched because we couldn’t hold the camera still enough. This family seemed to have the same problem (although their footage is more viewable than ours).

Many of the animals at the Game Farm are performing animals which have been used in Disney movies. They have buffalo, tigers, zebras, wolves, yaks, and three varieties of bears to see. The “safe” animals roam freely through fields which you can drive through (hence the slobbering buffalo head poking into the car window). Bears and tigers are kept in secure fields for viewing. You can also purchase loaves of bread to feed to the animals.

In addition to the drive-through tour, there is also a walking tour with a barn studio and other items of interest. You can buy a ticket for just the driving part of the farm (which was my favorite), or for just the walking tour, or a combo ticket which includes both. You can find more info on this fun family field trip at the Olympic Game Farm web site.

If you have kids or enjoy animals, you’ll have a great time at the Olympic Game Farm. Just make sure you plan to get your car washed soon after … the buffalo and yaks can really slobber up your windows.  *grin*

This year marks the 100th Mason County Fair and Rodeo, which will be held July 25th, 26th, and 27th at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Shelton, WA. In honor of this centennial, the fair is waiving the admission fee. That’s right, folks – you can get into the fair for FREE! (There will still be fees for the rodeo, concerts, and carnival rides.)

Here are some of the highlights of this year’s fair and rodeo:

• Country singer Lacey D performs on Saturday at noon in Building 17.
• Watch exciting rodeo events (admission fee to rodeo is $10 for adults)
• View the Roxy 94.5 Kids Art Contest entries and winners in the Fine Arts Building
• Enjoy (or participate in!) the first annual hands-free chocolate pie eating contest for the Guinness Book of World Records (must be 17 years or older to participate)
• Attend a Trent Tomlison concert on Friday night (tickets start at $15)
• Relive your childhood on lots of fun carnival rides (all-day wristbands for $16 in advance, or $18 at the fair – or go on “Buddy Day” and get 2 wristbands for $27)

You can get lots more information on these events at the Mason County Fair web site.

For the past 100 years, Mason County residents have been attending this fair, displaying their prize fruits, vegetables, flowers, wool, quilts, livestock, arts and crafts, and canned goods. And while these skills may have declined in importance for many of us today, the fair gives us a chance to pause, look back, and reflect on where we’ve come from so that we can move forward with confidence. As this year’s theme says: “Pride in the Past, Faith in the Future.”