The North Olympic Peninsula enters May with events celebrating seafood, the irrigation process, plants, classic cars, medieval times and mountain biking.
The events:
* In LaPush, the bounty of the Pacific Ocean will be on display during Saturday’s Seafood Extravaganza.
The event features a seafood dinner, a small auction and performances by Quileute drummers and dancers.
The extravaganza will begin at 5 p.m. at the Quileute tribe’s A-Ka-Lat Center, located just off state Highway 110 on Ravens Crest Road in LaPush.
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m.
Tickets for the Seafood Extravaganza cost $15 and children under 8 years of age are free.
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
The Seafood Extravaganza features local chefs competing for prizes in a seafood “cookoff” — featuring salmon, crab, clams and halibut straight off the boat.
Visitors to the event will benefit from the cookoff by having the ability to taste a variety of seafood dishes.
In addition, several items — including a handcrafted and painted full-sized paddle made by Quinault tribal member Richard Sivonen, also known as “Gray Eagle” — will be auctioned to raise money.
Proceeds from the event will be split equally between the Forks Hospital Foundation and the Quileute Tribal Clinic.
This is the second year the communities of Forks and LaPush have used seafood treats to raise money to meet community needs.
Last year more than $7,000 was raised.
Event T-shirts and sweatshirts designed by Makah artist Wade Greene will also be available for purchase during the event.
More information appears on Page 2 of Peninsula Spotlight in this edition of Peninsula Daily News.
* In Port Angeles, an event titled “MGs on the a Pier” will entice car enthusiasts, history buffs, photographers and others.
The fourth annual show of the British Classic MG cars will be held Saturday at City Pier between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Prizes and awards will be given to car owners.
* Also in Port Angeles, the two-day Olympic Meltdown Mountain Bike Race will test the skills of riders.
Racers will use the Dry Hill area, about three miles west of Port Angeles.
People participate in races for set fees and can pay entrance fees on either day.
Spectators are welcome and can view races free of charge.
For more information about the event, see today’s Peninsula Daily News sports section.
* In Sequim, people looking to fill flowerbeds, start gardens or add a little color to their yard will find a plant sale beckoning Saturday.
Various plants, trees and bulbs will be sold during the Master Gardeners Plant Sale.
The sale begins promptly at 9 a.m. at the Olympic Peninsula Master Gardeners Foundation Demonstration Garden, 2711 Woodcock Road
The sale continues until noon.
The annual sale is the main fund-raising event for Olympic Peninsula Master Gardeners — a volunteer-based group which offers free gardening clinics, maintains the demonstration garden and strives to help educate the public about proper gardening techniques.
Proceeds will benefit Olympic Peninsula Master Gardeners’ educational programs and operating costs for the demonstration garden.
People can also view the 2½-acre demonstration garden.
The garden is divided into several “plant-specific” sections to demonstrate what can and cannot easily be grown on the North Olympic Peninsula.
* Downtown Sequim will host the city’s 109th Irrigation Festival beginning this afternoon.
The annual 10-day celebration of bringing irrigation water to the Sequim-Dungeness Valley includes an arts and crafts fair, a children’s festival, a logging show, a parade and a carnival.
For more information, see the related story as well as Peninsula Spotlight in today’s Peninsula Daily News.
* Sequim Prairie Grange will host its annual Medieval Faire.
The event is open to the public Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
The event features booths and craftspeople selling and making “medieval” crafts, storytellers, Celtic music, sword and other medieval battle demonstrations and other presentations.