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.”

One of the most unique concerts I’ve ever attended was held in a barn. And no, I’m not referring to a symphony of moos and bleats from barn animals. Instead, I heard world-class musicians performing great pieces from Beethoven, Handel, Mozart and Bach while wearing my blue jeans and sitting on bales of hay.

I’m talking about the Olympic Music Festival, of course. This year marks the 25th anniversary of this wonderful, idyllic summer concert series held in a pastoral setting. It first began with only a few weekends of concerts held during the summer months, but over the years it has expanded to run from late June through the beginning of September, with concerts held each Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

So if you’re a lover of classical music, or just interested in a new and unique concert experience, you’ll want to check this out. You can find the current season of performers and pieces, as well as directions to the barn, on the Olympic Music Festival web site.

On a side note, on Sunday, July 27th, Alderbrook Properties will host KING-FM classical radio host Steve Reeder along with 10 KING contest winners and their guest(s) to a tour of Alderbrook Properties homes, as well as lunch and a free round of golf at the Alderbrook Golf Course. This is one of KING radio’s “98 Days of Summer” events.

With its rural settings, one wouldn’t necessarily expect classical music to resonate on the Olympic Peninsula, but it does! Join in the fun and check out the Olympic Music Festival. And if you’ve ever attended the festival, share your experience with us in the comments section below!

Whether you’re an art buff, a movie afficionado, or just someone who enjoys a good community festival, we’ve got it all going on here on the peninsula this weekend!

For art lovers, we have two different art shows happening: one in Union and one in Gig Harbor.

The Union Art Show takes place at Cameo Boutique (6871 E. State Route 106 Union, WA 98592; phone 360-898-3200) on Saturday, July 19th, and features the beautiful photography of Nancy MacDonald, known for her captivating shots of Hood Canal scenery and wildlife.

The Gig Harbor Summer Arts Festival begins on Saturday and runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday on Judson Street in downtown Gig Harbor. There you will find almost 130 Northwest artists plying their paintings, jewelry, ceramics, stained glass, metalwork, clothing, basketry, mixed media work, toys and more. Throw in some music and food, and you’ve got the makings of a fun family weekend!

If you’re a community supporter, or if you just love to eat salmon, then you’ll want to head over to Allyn’s Waterfront Park on Saturday or Sunday for their annual Allyn Days Festival and Salmon Bake. The Salmon Bake runs from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturday, although the festival runs both Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy over 100 booths and attractions, including several local micro-breweries and the Hoodsport Winery. You can find more information on the Allyn Community Association web site.

Finish off your Friday or Saturday night with a free outdoor movie at the CinimaGig Outdoor Movies in Gig Harbor. Friday nights are dedicated to the Date Night series, with romantic favorites like Casablanca, Sleepless in Seattle, A League of Their Own, and Singing in the Rain. Saturdays entice families with family favorites like the Bee Movie, Enchanted, The Water Horse, and Happy Feet. Movies start at 8:30 p.m. both nights. For more information, call 253-857-4842.

Exactly one week from today, on July 22nd, the Frank Rodia Ladies Memorial Golf Tournament will kick off at the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club.

This tournament, open to female members of the Alderbrook Golf and Yacht Club, began as a memorial honoring Frank Rodia, a golf pro who lived on Hood Canal and supported golf for youth and women. When he passed away, his widow donated funds to put on a golf tournament in his memory. The Alderbrook Ladies Club has also donated money for this tournament, and expanded it as a memorial tournament for Alderbrook members who have passed away.

After the tournament concludes on Thursday, July 24th, everyone will gather at a member’s home for pot luck snacks and beverages, and to applaud the winners of the tournament.

Although this tournament is only open to members of Alderbrook, the Alderbrook Golf Course is open to the public. If you visit the home page of their website, you can watch a slide show of some stunning aerial photos of the golf course. The photo gallery (3rd link down, located on the left side of the home page) also has some wonderful ground-level views of our beautiful course. Check it out!

This weekend brings many opportunities to get out, meet new people, and have some fun. If you’re at loose ends and wondering what to do, I have a few ideas for you …

Music in the Park – This weekly outdoor concert series kicks off at 7 p.m. this Thursday, July 10th at the downtown Shelton Post Office Park and features “A Warm Cup of Jazz” with Maia Santell and House Blend, who will perform a mix of jazz, blues, swing, big band, jump blues and R&B.

 Community Yard Sale – The Community Church of Union is sponsoring this community yard sale on Friday, 7/11 and Saturday, 7/12 at the site of their future location. If you’d like to be a vendor, you pay $15 for a space ($25 if you need a table provided) and are responsible to man your booth, sell your own stuff, and take any unsold items back home with you at the end of the day.

Alderbrook Men’s Golf Club Field Day – The Alderbrook Men’s Golf Club is holding their Field Day on Saturday, July 12th beginning at 8 a.m. They will have chipping and putting contests before the event and lunch will be served at the Wickiup picnic area.

3rd Annual Mason County Fair Wine Competition – This competition, held at Alderbrook Resort in Union on Sunday, July 13th, is open to all Washington State wineries. Judging will take place in 32 different wine categories and grape varieties, and medals will be awarded based on appearance, aroma, acidity, sugar, flavor, finish, and the overall quality of each wine.

So, let’s see … music, yard sale, golf field day, wine competition … pick your favorites and check them out! Leave a comment below after your favorite event, letting us know how you enjoyed it.

Female members of the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club will celebrate one of their biggest events of the year this Thursday, July 10th, when 128 women from all over the Northwest – including Oregon and Idaho – will meet at the Alderbrook Golf Course to play in an annual midsummer tournament.

The theme for this year’s tournament is “Tour of the Vineyards,” and many women arrive a day or two early in order to catch a few practice rounds before the tournament begins.

This tournament has been held for about 30 years, and is one of the highlights of the Ladies Golf Club at Alderbrook. Tournament participants share a continental breakfast together before the shotgun start of the tournament at 9 a.m. After all play is complete, the women come together again to enjoy a delicious lunch, during which the tournament winners are recognized with prizes.

And for those women who might be afraid that they won’t win the tournament, don’t despair. You might still win a prize in the raffle which will be held during lunch, and I’ve got to tell you that there are some serious raffle prizes on the table. In fact, this year’s prizes include a trip to Mexico as well as a trip to Hawaii. Sounds like some pretty nice consolation prizes to me!

This weekend begins the annual “Fathoms O’Fun” festival in Port Orchard, which includes a carnival by the bay, a scholarship pageant, a kids’ pet parade, a fun run/walk sponsored by the Rotary, a Grand Parade and lots of other fun activities.

The carnival runs from June 26th to July 4th. The Grand Parade begins at 6 p.m. on June 28th and boasts 110 entries, 1500 participants and over 10,000 viewers. Additional activities on parade day include an arts and crafts fair, a kids’ frog jump and snake race, a horseshoe tournament, and a street scramble.

A street scramble is a type of urban treasure hunt which involves visiting 30 scenic locations (the “treasures”) marked on a map. The challenge is to visit as many as you can in two hours. The cost is $5 per person, and you can walk, run or bike to each location. Family teams of up to 4 (with one participant under 12 years of age) can participate.

The festival concludes on July 4th with a fantastic fireworks show in Sinclair Inlet. The fireworks can be seen from Bremerton, the Naval Shipyard and Port Orchard.

For more information on the “Fathoms O’ Fun” festival, you can contact the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce at 360-876-3505.

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!