Today and tonight signify Friday, July 17.
SEQUIM — Beginning today, the Sequim-Dungeness Valley will be jam packed full of activities in celebration of Sequim Lavender Weekend.
The three-day community-wide event will be held through Sunday at various locations.
In addition to a street fair and farm tours where visitors can find special events, weekend happenings also include quilt shows, art exhibits, concerts, wine tasting, live theatrical performances and festivals.
The Sequim Lavender Growers Association is hosting a street fair and free tours of member farms.
Sequim Lavender Farmers Association members are also offering festivals at member farms, which charge fees.
Tens of thousands of people are anticipated to attend this year’s festival — touted as the largest lavender event in North America — said Mary Jendrucko, executive director of the 19th Sequim Lavender Festival.
The free street fair will be in downtown Sequim on Fir Street bordered by Sequim Avenue and Third Avenue.
It will be open today and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More than 150 juried arts and crafts booths will offer specialty products.
Several vendors will offer items featuring lavender as an ingredient.
Items for sale will include oils, lotions, soaps, eye pillows, culinary ingredients, lavender bouquets, lavender buds and lavender plants.
Food and beverages also will be available for purchase.
Adults can enjoy lavender-flavored margaritas, martinis and wine served at a beer and wine garden.
Festival Fun for Kids, sponsored by Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, will offer youth-oriented activities for children under 12.
Festival-goers will be able to attend Lavenderstock during all three days of the Sequim Lavender Festival organized by the growers association.
Live music will be performed by bands and ensembles from throughout the Northwest.
The main stage will be at Second Avenue and Alder Street.
New this year will be a free street dance to the tunes of Blues County Sheriff from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at the main stage.
Lavender farms will be open on all three days. Some tours are free; others charge admission.
The growers association and members of the farmers association — along with individual farms that have no affiliation to either organization — are hosting farm tours this year.
Farmers association members will offer various events at local farms, with individual fees determined at each location.
These farms include Jardin du Soleil Lavender in partnership with Olympic Lavender Heritage Farm, Lost Mountain Lavender and Washington Lavender.
Each farm is a festival all its own with fields of lavender, hundreds of lavender products, workshops, demonstrations, crafts, food, beverages and music.
For those looking for free events, farmers affiliated with the growers association will offer self-guided tours at seven farms and one commercial nursery for no cost from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all three days.
The farms are Blackberry Forest, Graysmarsh Farm, Nelson’s Duckpond & Lavender Farm, Martha Lane Lavender, Oliver’s Farm, The Lavender Connection, Fat Cat Garden & Gifts and Peninsula Nurseries.
The Peninsula Daily News’ free 56-page special section on this year’s Sequim Lavender Weekend can be read online at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-lavender2015.
For additional information, visit www.visitsunnysequim.com, the city’s website.
The Sequim Lavender Growers Association website is http://www.lavenderfestival.com.
The Sequim Lavender Farmers Association is http://www.sequimlavender.org.
