August is full to the brim with events and activities. First on deck is the Great Peninsula Future Festival in Port Gamble from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 2, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 3. Park at the Hansville Park and Ride (behind Albertson’s) and Kitsap Transit buses will deliver you right to the festival site. Admission to the festival is a suggested $5 donation. If you do choose to park at the festival site, the parking fee is $5. Nearly every environmental group in Kitsap County will be there (including WSU Extension and UW SeaGrant). Entertainment abounds. Kids will find more than enough fun things to do. And adults will find a plethora of speakers, lots of hands on demonstrations and ideas for sustainability, and even an area to shop for one of a kind items. If you want to get away from the crowds for a short time, you can even take a walk on the beach led by our newest Kitsap volunteers, the Beach Naturalists.

Visit www.greatpeninsulaf

uturefestival.org for the most up-to-date information on the festival.

Also on deck for this weekend, Aug. 2 and 3, you’ll find the Kitsap County Dahlia Show at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Each dahlia is an exquisite work of art unto itself. If dahlias have ever piqued your interest you’ll want to head to the show for tips and one on one conversations with some of Kitsap’s local dahlia enthusiasts.

The Kitsap County Dahlia Society began in 1923 and has continued uninterrupted since then. The show is from 1-6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information on the Kitsap County Dahlia Society visit www.kitsapdahlias.org.

The WSU Master Gardeners are also hosting an event this weekend. They are hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 2 at Anna Smith Garden at the intersection of Fairgrounds Road and Tracyton Boulevard. Please Come see what’s growing there. The display garden beds showing how to grow various fruits, vegetables, herbs, rockery plants and numerous perennials and shrubs provide opportunities to discover plants you might want to try in your own gardens. Master Gardener and Native Plant Advisor, John Mikesell, will be there giving tours of the Native Plant Trail at the garden. Master Composters will show you first hand how to make your own wonderful, yet useful, compost. You’ll also find speakers on various topics and kids activities to learn about gardening.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 9 do not miss the Olympic, Koi, Goldfish and Water Garden Club’s ninth annual pond tour. Stop at Roadhouse Nursery on 12511 Central Valley Road NW, Poulsbo, to pick up your ticket. Adults are $5 and children accompanying them are free. Maps are provided with the ticket and then you’ll journey out on the road of discovery. You can choose to visit all the ponds, or just a portion. At each site, pond owners will tell you about their ponds and offer tips and advice. It’s a great way to see if a pond or water feature is right for you. It’s one of my favorite tours to take each summer.

For more information and some exquisite photos to view of water features, visit www.olympickoiclub.org.

Last, but not least, the Kitsap County Fair is fast approaching. It’s Aug. 20 through 24. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Entering items in the fair is a great family and individual activity.

There are thousands of ways you can enter an item and have fun, plus even win a ribbon or two or more.

Visit kitsap.wsu.edu/4h/fair.htm for 4H entries. For other entries visit www.kitsapgov.com/parks/Exhibition_Guides.htm. Some of the entries have to be brought in starting Aug. 9.

If you have trouble downloading information call the fair office at (360) 337-5350.

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