A special awards night, a fundraiser for survivors of the Japanese earthquake and other activities are among the recreational gems offered on the North Olympic Peninsula this weekend.
Information about activities related to the visual and lively arts can be found in Peninsula Spotlight, the Peninsula Daily News’ weekly entertainment guide, in today’s PDN.
Other major weekend events are spotlighted in “Things To Do” and — by area — below:
JEFFERSON COUNTY
RACSO awards
QUILCENE — The inaugural Quilcene Conversation Academy Awards will be Saturday.
Quilcene Conversation organizers are rolling out the red carpet for the awards, which they call the RACSOs — “OSCAR” spelled backward.
The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. at the Quilcene Community Center at 294952 U.S. Highway 101.
Awards will be given for projects that have improved the town, and the new marketing slogan for Quilcene will be announced.
Residents are voting on the slogan today between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at ballot boxes around town. Those who don’t vote today can vote at the awards until 4:15 p.m.
More than 100 suggestions were narrowed down to three:
■ Quilcene — Linger Longer.
■ Quilcene — Mountains to the Bay.
■ Quilcene — Pearl of the Peninsula.
Visitors are directed to “dress for a party” — whatever that may mean for them.
For more information, phone Cass Brotherton at 360-765-0901 or email cbrotherton1@hotmail.com.
Brinnon auction set
BRINNON — The Brinnon Parent Teacher Organization will hold its 26th annual spring auction at the Brinnon School, 46 Schoolhouse Road, on Saturday.
Doors will open at 10 a.m., with the silent auction immediately following.
Items up for bid include an upright piano, a baseball signed by the 2007 Seattle Mariners team, a Texas Hold ’Em poker set, hand-carved wooden articles, a three-story doll house with furniture and more.
For more information, phone Sherry Adcock at 360-796-0454 or 360-796-4646.
Portage walk set
PORT TOWNSEND — The Olympic chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society will conduct a walk tracing the Cross Quimper Peninsula Historic Portage Crossing from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.
Participants will meet at the North Beach parking lot at the end of Landes Street.
The walk will follow roughly the historic portage through Happy Valley.
The entire walk is about four to five miles and will cover several floral habitats.
The final destination is the Port Townsend Park and Ride.
A car shuttle back to North Beach Park can be set up if desired.
For more information, phone Dixie Llewellin at 360-385-6432 or email dixie@cablespeed.com.
Volkswalk slated
NORDLAND — The Olympic Peninsula Explorers will walk at Fort Flagler State Park on Saturday.
Participants will meet at the Nordland General Store at 7180 Flagler Road on Marrowstone Island at 9 a.m. and will continue by vehicle to Fort Flagler.
A carpool will meet at the Sequim QFC parking lot at 8 a.m.
For more information, phone Mary Allen Clark at 360-452-0593.
Family Fun Fest set
PORT TOWNSEND —The Jefferson County Crime Victim Service Center will host its second annual Family Fun Fest: Community Health and Safety Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
This free event will be held at the Mountain View Commons gymnasium, 1925 Blaine St.
There will be giveaways, information and hands-on activities.
A ring toss, face painting and cupcake walk are planned.
Attendees can enter to win prizes and gift certificates to local businesses by visiting every booth and getting a raffle ticket stamped.
The Port Townsend Police Department will give away child identification kits, children will be able to explore a fire truck, and there will be information about fire safety.
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center will have “How and Tell” artifacts of marine life and Pedi Cab Rides.
Families also can learn about after-school and summer camp programs available in Jefferson County.
For more information, phone Victoria Parker or Nicole Barnard at 360-385-5292.
PORT ANGELES
‘A Visual Feast’
PORT ANGELES — Ken Patterson will present “The Seeing Eye: A Visual Feast” at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., at 7 p.m. today.
Attendees will witness a spectacle of light, color, optical illusions and other visual phenomena that “dazzle and confuse perceptions.”
Patterson is a local artist and a former lecturer at San Francisco’s Morrison Planetarium.
This is a free, family-friendly program, and refreshments will be provided.
For more information, phone 360-417-8500 or email PAprograms@nols.org.
Rider dancer concert
PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles High School Rider Angels Dance Team will present the 14th annual Dance Team Concert today.
The concert will be at 7 p.m. in the Port Angeles High School gym, 304 E. Park Ave.
Solo dances, along with duets and a guy/girl dance, will be presented.
Cost is $5 per person at the door.
Lasagna gardening
PORT ANGELES — Veteran Master Gardener Larry Lang will explain how to build gardens by layering composting materials to create nutrient-rich soil at a presentation at the Lower Elwha Tribal Center, 2851 Lower Elwha Road, at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“Lasagna,” or sheet gardening, is less work-intensive than traditional gardening methods, he said.
It doesn’t require digging, and the resulting soil is crumbly, easy to work and retains moisture.
Lang has been using this method of gardening for both vegetable and flowerbeds for three years. He will share his experience for building, planting and maintaining lasagna beds.
This presentation is free and open to the public.
It will be held in conjunction with the Master Gardener Plant Clinic at the center from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, phone Muriel Nesbitt, program coordinator of the WSU Master Gardeners of Clallam County, at 360-565-2679.
Auditions this weekend
PORT ANGELES — Performing artists of all stripes — jugglers, singers, dancers, comedians and beyond — will be welcomed Saturday and Sunday at auditions for the April 30 Springfest Talent Show.
Tryouts will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. both days in the Pirate Union Building, aka the PUB, at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd.
Each act — solo, duo or group — is expected to prepare and present five minutes of material.
The talent show itself, the first-ever staged by the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts, will bring together at least 15 acts at the Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave.
The winner of the show’s competition will receive a $100 honorarium plus the opportunity to perform on the main stage of the Juan de Fuca festival, which takes place in and around downtown Port Angeles on May 27-30.
There is no charge to try out, and would-be performers can reserve a spot by phoning festival Executive Director Dan Maguire at 360-457-5411 or emailing danmaguire@jffa.org.
For more details about the Springfest Talent Show and the Juan de Fuca Festival, visit www.JFFA.org.
SEQUIM
Fundraiser for Japan
SEQUIM — “Hope for Japan,” a benefit concert and silent auction in Carrie Blake Park, is set Saturday and Sunday.
The events will be at the Guy Cole Convention Center at the park on North Blake Avenue.
All proceeds will go to the Japanese Red Cross to benefit survivors of the March 11 quake and tsunami.
An all-ages dance with recorded music is set for 7 p.m. Saturday.
A silent auction and live music will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Admission will be a suggested donation of $5.
For more information, email Izumi Noda and Owen Blake at izuminodablake@yahoo.com.
Young Eagle flights
SEQUIM — Young people can take free flights with experienced pilots Saturday.
The Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 430 will conduct the Young Eagle event for youths from ages 8 to 17 at Hangar 10, Sequim Valley Airport, 10 Dorothy Hunt Lane, at 10 a.m.
These free flights are put on to promote interest in general aviation.
A parent or legal guardian must accompany each participant to the event.
Each year, Chapter 430 flies more than 100 Young Eagles in a series of events.
During each flight, pilots demonstrate how airplanes fly and the proper preparations for a safe flight.
Young Eagles also have access to a free EAA student membership, a free online pilot training course, the opportunity to earn a first flight lesson and access to flight training scholarships and awards.
For more information, phone Alan Thomas at 360-928-9452, email Alan.Thomas@AttGlobal.net or phone Joan Masterson at 360-681-4441, email JEMasterson@Earthlink.net or visit the chapter’s website, www.eaa430.org.
The group will hold an International Learn to Fly Day event May 21.
For more information, visit www.YoungEagles.org.
Henery’s classes
SEQUIM — Henery’s Garden Center, 1060 Sequim-Dungeness Way, will host two classes Saturday.
The first class, “Making Your Own Spring Container,” will be held at 9:30 a.m.
Participants will be given the plants, cedar box and supplies to create a one-of-a-kind-container.
The fee for this class is $25. Class instructor is Lori Lovell.
Because of popular demand, Henery’s has added a third class on “Making Your Own Moss Basket.”
The moss basket class will be held at 3:30 p.m.
The fee for this class is $30 to $40, depending on the number of plants used.
Reservations are required.
To make a reservation, phone 360-683-6969.
Construction training class
SEQUIM — The United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Training Center and Business Office, 321 W. Pine St., will conduct a construction-related training class at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Instructor Chris Hendry will teach an Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10 class on construction standards.
Successful completion will result in an OSHA-10 certification card.
Additionally, the office will hold a four-hour Electrical Safety Review Class at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 21.
Snacks will be provided.
For more information, phone 360-683-7363.
WEST END
Two Joyce fundraisers
JOYCE — The Crescent High School junior and senior classes will conduct fundraisers Saturday.
Juniors plan a car wash and bake sale to raise money for the junior/senior prom.
The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Joyce General Store parking lot.
Seniors will hold a large rummage sale to raise money for their senior class graduation trip to California.
The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Joyce Fitness Center parking lot, 50883 state Highway 112.
For more information, phone Linda Sage at 360-928-3311, ext. 100.
Moss basket talks
JOYCE — Wayne Roedell, longtime gardener and retired owner of Wayne’s Nursery, will teach how to make 16-inch hanging moss baskets Saturday.
Classes will be at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Louella N. Lawrence Historic Organic Farm, 704 Lawrence Road, in Freshwater Bay.
Proceeds will go to the Louella N. Lawrence Foundation to support future educational programs in sustainable agriculture.
The class cost is $65 per person and includes all class materials.
To register, phone Roedell at 360-808-1048 or email LouLawrenceFarm@gmail.com.
