The weekend after Thanksgiving is full of holiday delights on the North Olympic Peninsula.
PORT ANGELES
Gothic Ball
PORT ANGELES — The Gathering Darkness Gothic Ball will begin at the Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St., at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The event will include a wine tasting, appetizers, a costume contest and an encore performance of selections from the Port Angeles Light Opera Association’s production of “The Rocky Horror Show.”
The Nasty Habits band will headline the ball.
The event is for those 21 and older.
Cost is $25.
For more information, phone 360-457-3355.
Learn at market
PORT ANGELES — Wreath-making and seed bird-feeder demonstrations will be presented at the Port Angeles Farmers Market at The Gateway, corner of First and Lincoln streets, at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Farmers market Manager Cynthia Warne will demonstrate “Wreath Making on the Cheap” using locally collected greens, dry grasses and other dried plants to assemble wreaths for the holidays.
“These wreaths are quite unusual and not seen for sale at this time of year,” Warne said.
“You collect the dry materials in late summer and early fall, then assemble the wreaths with fresh greens at the holidays.
“Every wreath is different, and there is no limit to your creativity” Warne said.
“And the real beauty of these wreaths is you can make them for practically no cost.”
Kristina Lawrence will show how to use peanut butter and pine cones to make seed bird feeders.
For more information, phone Warne at 360-460-0361 or visit www.portangelesfarmersmarket.com.
Baton team fundraiser
PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula Baton Team will host a holiday-themed fundraiser at 634 E. Eighth St. from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Holiday wreaths, Partylite candles, hot cocoa and treats will be available.
A Christmas gift basket featuring a one-hour massage-therapy certificate from licensed massage practitioner Annie Tamburro will be raffled off.
The Peninsula Baton Team will perform at 10 a.m. and noon at today’s Festival of Trees Teddy Bear Tea at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St.
SEQUIM
Lavender bazaar
SEQUIM — The Sequim Lavender Growers Association will hold its eighth annual Lavender Holiday Bazaar on Saturday.
The bazaar will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Road.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Raffle tickets will be sold for a chance to win gift baskets filled with Sequim lavender products and a lavender-decorated Christmas tree.
Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Dungeness Valley Health and Wellness Clinic, a free clinic for uninsured or underinsured people.
For more information about the bazaar, phone 360-582-1345.
Booster bazaar
SEQUIM — The Sequim High School Band Boosters will hold its annual Down Home Holiday Bazaar on Saturday.
The bazaar will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sequim High School cafeteria, 601 N. Sequim Ave.
Proceeds will benefit Sequim band activities.
Christmas studio sale
SEQUIM — Madrona Ridge Pottery, 120 McCarter Place, will conduct a three-day Christmas studio sale this weekend.
The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.
The location is four miles north of Sequim off Sequim-Dungeness Way.
For more information, phone 360-683-6121.
Open house set
SEQUIM — Jardin du Soleil, 3932 Sequim-Dungeness Way, will host a holiday open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Customers can sample three of the business’ most popular winter teas, snack on lavender treats, and enjoy holiday decorations.
For more information, phone Pam or Randy Nicholson at 360-582-1185 or e-mail info@jardindusoleil.com.
Garden center open house
SEQUIM — Henery’s Garden Center, 1060 Sequim Dungeness Way, plans a three-day holiday open house.
The garden center will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The public can look at decorated trees while eating cookies and popcorn and drinking cider.
There will be a free drawing for a holiday container.
The garden center recently received a fresh stock of living Christmas trees, as well as greens for wreath making.
The garden center also has switched to its winter hours of operation.
The business is now open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
For more information, phone 360-683-6969.
Holiday sale at gallery
SEQUIM — The Blue Whole Gallery will begin its annual Holiday Gift Sale today.
The sale at the gallery at 129 W. Washington St., will feature arts made by Blue Whole Gallery member artists including jewelry, ceramic, fabric, glass, wood and metal work, paintings and photographs.
The sale will continue through December.
People will have a chance to meet some of the artists featured during the sale from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, during the First Friday Art Walk.
The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, phone 369-681-6033.
PORT TOWNSEND
Holiday open house
PORT TOWNSEND — Downtown merchants will offer holiday open houses Saturday.
The event, an alternative to today’s traditional start of the holiday shopping season, is offered to give shoppers a chance to stay home with their families today and seek bargains Saturday.
On Saturday, 36 downtown merchants will participate in an open house, offering sales and special promotions.
Merchants will have treats and be open later, and there will be caroling in the streets and horse and carriage rides in the afternoon.
Shoppers can enter drawings for tote bags, T-shirts and prizes supplied by American Express at the Port Townsend Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Flagship Landing from noon to 3 p.m. and at the “Wrap It Here” location at 909 Water St. from noon to 5 p.m.
A free holiday theater performance will be presented from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Lehani’s Deli & Coffee, 221 Taylor St.
Actor Charlie Bethel will perform a 20-minute excerpt from his one-man show adapted from Dickens’ The Seven Poor Travellers.
State park auction
PORT TOWNSEND — Fort Worden State Park will hold an auction of unclaimed property at the USO Building (Building 326), from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The public can preview the auction items and register for the auction from 10 a.m. to noon.
All sales are cash only and will have sales tax added.
Each year, Fort Worden collects hundreds of items that have been left behind by guests and visitors.
These items are stored for at least 60 days. If unclaimed, the items are eligible for auction or donation.
Proceeds from the sales will go to the parks’ renewal and stewardship account.
Items that will be auctioned include jewelry, bikes, helmets, books, cell phone accessories, clocks, blankets, assorted electronic adapters, camera, sports equipment, toys, kitchen and house wares, glasses, shoes and sandals, coats and jackets and clothing.
For more information, phone the park office at 360-344-4400.
Birding cruises
PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Marine Science Center will offer bird migration cruises to Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday and Friday, Dec. 31.
Both cruises depart from Point Hudson Marina at 1 p.m. and return at about 4 p.m.
Participants will have an opportunity to see and learn about bird species as well as other wildlife on the island. Naturalists will be on board to provide information.
Cruises will be aboard an enclosed yacht.
Tickets are $50 for members of the center, the Burke Museum and the Audubon or Washington Ornithological societies, and $55 for the general public.
Trips may include an additional stop at the Kilisut Harbor/Mystery Bay area between Marrowstone and Indian islands.
Onboard refreshments will be available.
For more information or reservations, phone the center at 360-385-5582 or 800-566-3932 or e-mail cruises@ptmsc.org.
Holiday sale
PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Marine Science Center will conduct a holiday sale in the center’s Natural History Exhibit at Fort Worden State Park from noon to 4 p.m. today through Sunday.
Discounts will be offered on all regularly priced items such as books, field guides, clothing, games and toys, as well as many small stocking stuffers that haven’t been carried before.
Gift certificates will be available for the gift shop as well as science center memberships, with all proceeds supporting the science center’s educational programs.
Unique crafts
PORT TOWNSEND — More than 50 artists will sell handmade goods at the Port Townsend Arts Guild’s 20th Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair today and Saturday.
The sale, which is also a juried arts and crafts fair, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the Port Townsend Community Center, Lawrence and Tyler streets.
No entrance fee will be charged.
All work is handcrafted and original.
A percentage of each sale is donated to the Jefferson County Food Bank.
Over the past 19 years, the guild has donated about $16,000 to the area food banks.
The Port Townsend Arts Guild is a self-supporting nonprofit arts organization that funds cultural activities and arts scholarships by presenting several arts and craft fairs annually.
For more information, phone 360-379-3813 or see www.porttownsendartsguild.org.
