Peninsula: Get wet at RainFest, kayak symposium this weekend

Get out and get active this weekend at Forks’ annual RainFest and a kayak symposium on the Port Angeles waterfront.

Both events kick off today.

The 14th annual RainFest runs through Sunday on Clallam County’s West End.

Sponsored by West Olympic Council for the Arts, this year’s festival features quilting courses, performances, workshops, a parade and appearances by the touring vaudeville troupe New Old Time Chautauqua.

The public can mingle with the Chautauqua today at a community potluck dinner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the A-Ka-Lat Center in LaPush.

On Saturday, the Come As You Are Parade heads down Spartan Avenue from A Street to the high school parking lot from noon to 1 p.m.

Artist demonstrations will be held in downtown Forks prior to the parade, starting at 10 a.m.

The New Old Time Chautauqua vaudeville variety show starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Forks High School Commons. Admission is $7.50 per person, and children 12 and under are free.

On the waterfront

Olympic Raft & Kayak hosts its fourth annual Port Angeles Kayak Symposium on the waterfront, featuring on-water and on-land clinics taught be well-known instructors, slide shows and a gear swap, plus evening entertainment.

Check-in is at Hollywood Beach in front of the Red Lion Hotel.

The swap runs at City Pier, at the north end of Lincoln Street, from noon to 5 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

A $5 donation or $5 worth of nonperishable food is requested, and all proceeds go to the Port Angeles Food Bank.

Clinics focusing on safety and technique run today through Sunday. On-land clinics and slide shows do not require pre-registration, but pre-registration for on-water clinics is recommended.

For a schedule of events, see www.raftandkayak.com.

Mustangs, Cougars, more

For those who want to steer clear of rain or water, check out the Mustangs and Cougars car show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Clallam County Courthouse parking lot, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

Other events this weekend:

* In Sequim, a week of French-inspired events, “April in Paris,” continues today with French fables told at 1 p.m. at Vision Landscape Nursery, 131 Kitchen-Dick Road.

On Saturday, create a moss hanging basket at 11 a.m. at the nursery, and on Sunday at 1 p.m. create an herb garden container.

* Young people ages 8 to 17 can take to the skies Saturday at the Young Eagles Flight Rally, sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association.

The rally is free and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sequim Valley Airport, 468 Dorothy Hunt Lane.

* Community cleanup in Port Townsend as part of Earth Day starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Pope Marine Park building, 540 Water St., followed by speakers at noon.

A special observance is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Field, 550 Washington St.

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