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.”

Summer has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest, and it is beautiful! Blue skies, white puffy clouds, green grass and trees, colorful flowers, ripening fruit on vines and trees, picturesque ferries crossing blue-green waters with whitecaps, snow-capped mountains, roaring waterfalls fed by melting mountain snow … summer in the northwest part of the United States (and on Hood Canal in particular) is something special!

It’s not only beautiful, but there’s so much to do here in the summer. Picking (and eating) berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, gooseberries), going for a ferry ride, visiting farmers’ markets, boating, fishing, picnics on the beach, digging shellfish, swimming, scuba diving, hiking, geocaching, gardening, antiquing, horseback riding, bicycling, climbing, camping, collecting seashells on the beach, motorcycle touring, community art walks, bird watching, skateboarding, waterskiing, windsurfing/sailboarding, and of course, golfing at our own Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club (as well as other area golf courses).

So pick an activity you enjoy, and get out there and celebrate summer! And if you’re looking for an extra-unique way to celebrate, check out Bremerton’s East Park “Melt Down” on Friday, June 27th from 5-8 pm. They will have piles of snow for snowmen and snow angels, a snowman building contest, carnival games, music and more – all to celebrate the beginning of summer! (More information available at 360-473-4525.) Sounds like fun to me!

Have you decided what to do this weekend? If not, here are some excellent ideas both on the Hood Canal and nearby to get you started.

Thursday June 19

Cruz Port Gamble-Thursdays at 5:00 PM at Forest Ridge, behind Historic Grounds Espresso. Classic cars and hot rods welcome. Call 360-297-8114 for more information.

Friday June 20

Battle at Port Gamble (Street Battle)-7:30 PM-Civil War-Re-enactment (Battles & Encampments). Includes hospital demonstrations, period fashion shows, magic lantern exhibitions, music & historic displays. More information or email millerj73@hotmail.com.

Parking Lot Sale-Christian Life Center, 1780 SE Lincoln Avenue, Port Orchard. 8 AM to 6 PM. Proceeds go to the benevolence fund. For more information call Sue at 360-621-1502 or the church at 360-876-5595.

Saturday June 21

Belfair Farmer’s Market- Theler Community Center, south parking lot. Take State Route 3 in downtown Belfair. Hours are 9am-3pm. For more information, contact Norma Stencil at 275-0616 or visit.

Shelton Farmer’s Market- Located on 3rd Street between Cedar and Franklin in downtown Shelton. Hours are from 9am to 2pm.

Port Orchard Farmer’s Market-Waterfront Marina from 9 AM to 3 PM. This is our 30th Anniversary season and we hope that you will join us for children’s activities, music, entertainment, art demonstrations and much more.

Parking Lot Sale-Christian Life Center, 1780 SE Lincoln Avenue, Port Orchard. 8 AM to 5 PM. Proceeds go to the benevolence fund. For more information call Sue at 360-621-1502 or the church at 360-876-5595.

Battle at Port Gamble-9 AM to 5 PM-Civil War-Re-enactment (Battles & Encampments). Includes hospital demonstrations, period fashion shows, magic lantern exhibitions, music & historic displays. More information or email millerj73@hotmail.com.

Secret Gardens Tour- in and around Port Townsend. Sponsored by the WA State University Jefferson County Master Gardeners, 10 Am to 4 PM. Six private gardens open for self-guided tours. Enjoy live music and Master Gardener docents on hand to answer questions. No pets. Tickets available at various garden centers or call Kathi Boyker at 360-765-4717. Email kboyker@mindspring.com for more information.

Summer Reading Kick-Off-from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Poulsbo library. Goody bags, treats, balloons and more available. St Hans, Midsummer Fest-from 4 PM to 9 PM at the Poulsbo waterfront and Sons of Norway. This is a Scandinavian tradition of celebrating the Summer Solstice.

Summer Reading Kick-Off-from 1 PM to 4 PM at the Silverdale library, 3450 NW Carlton, Silverdale 98383-8325. Come watch “Charlotte’s Web” with us.

Sunday June 22

Port Gamble Sunday Market-11 AM to 4 PM. Come visit crafters, artisans and farmers on Puget Way, next to the maintenance shop and tennis courts. For more information, call 360-297-8074.

Digging for clams is one of the quintessential experiences of the Pacific Northwest. And if you’re going to dig for clams, then you might as well go for the king of the clams: the geoduck (pronounced “gooey-duck”). They’re ugly but delicious in clam chowder, and a prized delicacy in Asia, where they are called “King Clams.” And one of the best places to find (and dig) them is right here along the Hood Canal at Dosewallips State Park.

The geoduck (panopea abrupta) is the world’s largest burrowing clam, although once they are full-grown, they don’t move much. The average size is 1.9 pounds, although they can grow much bigger. They can live as long as 168 years, reaching full size at around 15 years old.

They are usually found buried two to four feet deep in mud, sand or gravel, and can only be found at very low tides (-2.0 feet or more). And before you go digging, be sure you have the appropriate licenses/permits, and have learned the rules and laws related to digging clams in Washington State. If you don’t observe the laws, you can get a hefty fine!

You can get more information about digging for geoducks at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website. Clam digging opened at Dosewallips on April 1st, and runs through September 30th. You might want to head over there at the next extremely low tide to watch “expert geoduck diggers” at work, before giving it a try yourself. And if you do try it yourself, be prepared to get wet and dirty while having a lot of fun!

Mason County has some great loops and trails near Shelton for those who love to run in the great outdoors instead of on a treadmill.

First, you have the Huff’n’Puff Trail, a scenic 1.45 mile groomed trail which winds through a forest. You will find the parking lot located across from the Shelton High School on Shelton Springs Road.

Then there’s the Shelton Valley Loop, located a mile west of downtown Shelton. This 5.5 mile run starts on Shelton Valley Road. Park by the school or the 7th Day Adventist Church, and start running on Shelton Valley Road, turning left on West Deegan Road, then left on Shelton-Matlock Road, then left back onto Shelton Valley Road, until you reach your parking spot.

Finally, we’ve got the Old Airport Loop, which offers a longer run through all kinds of terrain. The run starts on Dayton-Airport Road (SR 102) by the big field at the north end of the industrial park near Sanderson Field on Highway 101. Run west on Dayton-Airport Road, passing the Washington State Patrol Academy on the left. Turn left on a dirt road and go for about a mile. At the bottom of the hill, take the footpath across the clearcut area until you reach the airport runway, then follow that back to where you parked.

And if, by chance, you like to participate in Fun Runs, then you’re in luck, because the 3.2 mile Mountain Fun Run is scheduled for this Saturday morning, June 14th, at 9 a.m. You can find contact information, as well as a calendar of all scheduled runs in Kitsap County, sponsored by the Kitsap Roadrunners, here.

So if you’re a runner, a jogger, or even a walker, take a break from that treadmill and check out these trails. You need the fresh air! (hat tip for the running routes goes to the Mason County 2008 Visitor’s Guide)

Did you know that Hood Canal is a fjord? A fjord is a “long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity” (hat tip: Wikipedia).

Most people think of places like Norway or New Zealand when they hear of fjords, but residents of the Pacific Northwest only need travel to Hood Canal to enjoy the beauty of this unique geographical feature.

Hood Canal separates the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula, and averages 1.5 miles wide and 177 feet deep. It’s long, extending for about 50 miles from its entrance between Foulweather Bluff and Tala Point down to Union, Washington, (just down the road from Alderbrook Properties) where it makes a sharp turn, known as The Great Bend. It continues for 15 miles to the northeast, ending in the shallow tidelands of Lynch Cove, near Belfair.

Hood Canal got its name from Captain George Vancouver, who named it for Admiral Lord Samuel Hood, on May 13, 1792. It boasts the world’s third longest floating bridge, the Hood Canal Bridge, which spans 6,521 feet. (Information and statistics courtesy of Wikipedia, here.)

Hood Canal is a great place for all kinds of water activities: kayaking, boating, fishing, whale-watching, shellfishing, and scuba diving, to name just a few. It features many state parks along its coastline, such as Belfair, Twanoh, and Potlatch, where you can swim, fly kites, picnic, camp overnight, and generally enjoy the beauty of Hood Canal. Or, if you prefer, you can enjoy the beauty of Hood Canal from your automobile on the Hood Canal Scenic Drive.

Have you caught the Geocaching bug yet? It’s too much fun. You need a hand-held GPS as coordinates are essential to the chase. And then all you need to do is to log onto the web to get the coordinates, read the clues, find the caches and report your findings.

Geocaching is the modern day treasure hunt. Anyone can hide an object in a container, place it anywhere in the world and record the information and coordinates on a website. Then others search via the coordinates, find the object and report their findings on same site. Sometimes, finders will replace the object with something else or add to the cache. Often, the hider will make it more of a game or mystery and add other components (such as figuring out clues) in the process of finding said object.

There are plenty of geocaches available on the Hood Canal. Go here and search by zip code. Note that you have to sign up for a free account on this site in order to access the information.

Washington State Parks have approved the parks for use of geocaching if you get permission when hiding your object so there are lots of places to hide…and hunt.

Have fun!

Now is the time to plan ahead for the next several weeks of family activity. Not only will pre-planning help you find the right facilities to support what you enjoy, but it will also help the experience be as stress-free as possible.

Camping-I highly recommend camping along the Hood Canal at the various State parks available. In particular, Twanoh State Park and Potlatch State Park have many amenities and beautiful nature settings for the whole family. Along with camping, there are rivers, beachfront, hiking, bike trails, sail boarding, boating, crabbing and more.  

Directions to Potlatch

Directions to Twanoh

Fishing- Check out Maggie Lake near Belfair for a good fishing area, as well as a boat launch. To get there, take SR 3 in Belfair and turn west onto SR 300 (name changes to North Shore Rd). Follow to Belfair Tahuya Rd. Turn right and go 2.5 miles to site. Parking is available.

Fishing is also available closer to Shelton at Limerick Lake. To find Limerick Lake, go east from Shelton for 4.2 miles on SR 3, then north on Mason Lake Road for 2.2 miles. Go west on St Andres Dr for 0.5 mile to site. Parking and an undeveloped grass bank are available.

Sunday Brunch- Every Sunday in May from 10 AM-1:30 PM, you can take advantage of a Sunday Brunch at Fort Worden in the Commons. Area residents voted it as the Best Brunch on the Peninsula in 2006. It costs $16.95 per person and reservations are required. Make sure to check out the historic buildings while you are there. For more information and directions, call (360) 344-4441.