Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Extended through May 10. The daffodils are still in full bloom, and tulip fields are starting to bloom as well (check the bloom map on the web site at http://www.tulipfestival.org). I posted some recent pictures in the Tulip Festival album at http://davidspicks.spaces.live.com/

Planning your Tulip Festival trip: Before leaving, print the tulip field map. Take I-5 north towards Bellingham. Just past Mt. Vernon take exit 230 or exit 231 and turn left. Follow the field map to drive by the tulip fields. Some fields allow self guided walking tours. Be careful to park legally. There are also several farms that charge a few dollars admission. These places have demonstration fields with many colors as well as amenities like restrooms, food vendors and gift shops. The two biggest are Tulip Town and Roozengaarde. See the tulip field map for their location.

Spring Garden Fair
SAT  Exhibits, information, workshops and seminars on natural yard card, perennial and native plant sale, sale of rain barrels and compost bins, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Redmond City Hall.  (www.springgardenfair.com).

The Great Train Expo
SAT-SUN Operating model railroads, exhibits, demonstrations, workshops and vendors at Puyallup Fair and Events Center.  (www.trainexpoinc.com).

Skagit Tulip Fly-in and Airshow
SAT Fly-in and display of a variety of aircraft including military and vintage, meet the pilots, kids' events including free flights at Skagit Regional Airport.  (http://www.portofskagit.com/ ).

Community Oyster Roast
SUN All the grilled fresh oysters you can eat, sausage, cole slaw, baked beans, beverage, and rhubarb crisp and entertainment; proceeds will go to the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.  Golden Gardens Bathhouse.  (www.brownpapertickets.com/event/54821).

FlorAbundance Plant Sale
SAT-SUN  Perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, rhododendrons, native plants, vegetable starts and more from more than 45 specialty nurseries; proceeds benefit Washington Park Arboretum, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday at Magnuson Park.  (www.arboretumfoundation.org).

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Third weekend of the Skagit Tulip Festival in Mt.Vernon. The daffodils are in full bloom, and tulip fields are showing color (check the bloom map on the web site at http://www.tulipfestival.org).

Planning your Tulip Festival trip: Before leaving, print the tulip field map. Take I-5 north towards Bellingham. Just past Mt. Vernon take exit 230 or exit 231 and turn left. Follow the field map to drive by the tulip fields. Some fields allow self guided walking tours. Be careful to park legally. There are also several farms that charge a few dollars admission. These places have demonstration fields with many colors as well as amenities like restrooms, food vendors and gift shops. The two biggest are Tulip Town and Roozengaarde. See the tulip field map for their location.

The Spring Fair In Puyallup
It’s spring baby! Carnival rides, entertainment, animal exhibits and garden show. KIDZONE includes a Reptile Show, FREE Face Painting and a catch and release fishing pond. http://www.thefair.com/

Seattle Center Cherry Blossom Festival
Celebrate the beauty of spring at the Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival. Delicious Japanese food, tea ceremony demonstrations and artwork present both a modern and ancient view of this complex culture. At the Seattle Center House. http://www.seattlecenter.com

NWFS Fuchsia & Dahlia Tuber Sale
Northwest Fuchsia Society members offer plant material from their own collections at bargain prices. My favorite plant sale of the year. At the Country Village shopping area in Bothell MAP (http://www.nwfuchsiasociety.com/dates.htm )

Everett Home and Garden Show
Home improvement, gardening, new building and remodeling exhibits, vendors and seminars, noon-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center.  (www.westlakepromo.com).

Gillman Village Issaquah Easter Egg Hunt

SAT Search for 12,000 eggs filled with treats. Meet the Easter Bunny from 10-11am (http://www.gilmanvillage.com/)

Easter Egg Hunt at Vasa Park

SAT Egg hunt at 10am with prizes (http://www.vasaparkresort.com/)

Sammamish YMCA Eggstravaganza

SAT Egg hunts starting at 10:30am, crafts, face painting, games, Easter bunny photos, (http://www.seattleymca.org/)

City Of Redmond Eggstravaganza

SAT Pancake breakfast, egg hunt 10am, crafts, face painting games, Easter bunny photos (http://www.ci.redmond.wa.us/)

Bunny Bounce @ Woodland Park Zoo!
SAT Hop, skip or jump to Bunny Bounce for Easter Egg hunts, Easter baskets for the animals and more. (www.zoo.org).

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
THRU April 30  Fields of blooming tulips, art shows, farm tours and more in Mount Vernon and surrounding areas.  (www.tulipfestival.org).

Whirligig
THRU SUN Annual kid’s carnival! Final weekend with inflatables, entertainment and a Toddler Zone indoors at Seattle Center House.  (www.seattlecenter.com).

Snohomish Easter Parade
SAT  Easter bonnet contest, kids' egg hunt and the only major Easter parade in the state.  (www.cityofsnohomish.com).

Norwegian Heritage Festival
SAT  Food, entertainment, arts & crafts and information on Scandinavian heritage at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma.  (www.plu.edu/~scancntr/).

Sakura-Con Anime Festival
FRI-SUN  Anime, gaming, manga, demonstrations, art and more at the Convention Center in Seattle.  (www.sakuracon.org).

Cherry Blossom Viewing

The tradition of cherry blossom gazing is called “hanami,” and is deeply steeped in Japanese culture. As Japanese people began immigrating to the United States during the latter part of the 1800’s, they would plant cherry trees wherever they lived. in 1976 the Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Miki gifted Seattle with 1,000 Japanese cherry blossom trees to celebrate the country’s bicentennial. These trees were planted along Lake Washington Boulevard and Seward Park, but the Seattle area is rife with additional Japanese cherry trees in numerous public and private spaces.

Location for great hanami: Lake Washington Boulevard, The Seattle Center, the Arboretum, the Japanese Garden, the University of Washington, Seward Park, Woodland Park, and the Seattle Buddhist Church Wysteria Plaza.

Tacoma Dome Boat Show
THURS-SUN  Display and sale of hundreds of boats and accessories, marine services and destinations indoors at the Tacoma Dome. (www.otshows.com).

Washington State BBQ Championship at Pike Place Market
SAT-SUN Cooking contest by the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association, sale of pulled pork sandwiches to benefit the Pike Place Market Foundation (http://www.pnwba.com/)

Best of the Northwest
FRI-SUN This seasonal exposition will showcase over 200 artists presenting the best in American Crafts and Fine Art at Qwest Field West Plaza.  (www.nwcraftsalliance.com).

Dahlia Tuber Sale
SAT  Puget Sound Dahlia Association public sale at Northlake Lutheran Church in Kenmore. (http://www.pugetsounddahlias.org/psda3.html).