Residents of the North Olympic Peninsula can spend the weekend celebrating the heritage of the West End and Dungeness Valley, the slow pace of kinetic “skulpture” and cycling in Port Townsend, and the speedy pace of the hydroplanes in Port Angeles Harbor.
Indian summer with mostly sunny skies and pleasant temperatures will greet visitors to any of the events.
From west to east, here’s a summary of things to do this weekend:
* The annual Hickory Shirt/Heritage Days, an eight-day celebration of the heritage of the West End, begins today in and around Forks.
The celebration will feature an array of activities including logging and mill tours, a harvest dinner, a performance by the Quileute Drum Group, historical photography displays, a fishing derby, a fish and brew contest and a high school football game.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “Legends and Landmarks.”
For a complete schedule of events, see Page 5 of today’s Peninsula Spotlight magazine, included in this edition of Peninsula Daily News.
* The Victoria Express Strait Thunder unlimited light hydroplane races will be held today through Sunday in Port Angeles Harbor.
Today, people can view the boats conducting trial runs in the harbor for free.
At 6:30 p.m., spectators can meet the drivers and crew members next to The Landing mall. Live music will also be provided.
The hydroplanes, which can exceed speeds of 160 mph, will be challenging each other on a 1-mile loop course from Hollywood Beach to the Rayonier Inc. pier.
For information about ticket prices and a schedule of events, see Page B1.
* The 2004 Clallam County Harvest Celebration in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley features Saturday’s eighth annual Farm Tour and the annual Harvest Dinner on Sunday.
Seven working farms will open their gates and welcome the public to tour their farm stores, fields and barns.
Farms will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Participating farms are Dungeness Organic Produce (Nash’s), 1865 E. Anderson Road; Lazy J Tree Farm, 225 Gehrke Road; Finn Hall Farm, 970 Finn Hall Road; The Family Farm, 3931 Old Olympic Highway; Pumpkin Patch, corner of U.S. Highway 101 and Kitchen-Dick Road; The Cutting Garden, 303 Dahlia Llama Lane; and Willow Wist Dairy, 1915 Towne Road.
People can go to any farm and pay $5 per family or carload and receive a stamp which provides entry to the other farms.
Details on Sunday’s Harvest Dinner appear on Page 9 of today’s Peninsula Spotlight.
The Harvest Celebration is sponsored by Friends of the Fields Foundation and Clallam County’s Cooperative Extension Office of Washington State University.
* In Port Townsend, contraptions of all shapes and sizes will take to the streets, the sand, the water and a murky bog during the Great Port Townsend Bay Kinetic Skulpture Race.
The festivities start at noon Saturday with the frenetic Kinetic Parade down Water Street.
Following the parade, each vehicle undergoes two grueling tests — a float test in the bay and a brake test on Monroe Street hill.
Kinetic Kops will be on patrol and ready to accept bribes from racers who don’t make the cut.
Spectators caught not smiling and/or wearing colorful clothing will also be issued tickets by the “kops.”
A Koronation Ball starts at 8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall.
The actual race will start Sunday in front of City Hall at “low noon.”
So far, about a dozen teams have signed up for the 22nd Kinetic Skulpture Race.
Additional details appear in today’s Peninsula Spotlight cover story, starting on Page 3.
* Also in Port Townsend, the Tour de Tunnel cycle race will be held at Fort Worden State Park on Sunday.
Ragnar^pgk Racing and Second Ascent call the Tour de Tunnel a “one-of-a-kind” competition which appeals to a wide range of enthusiasts — from cycling professionals to “weekend warriors,” and from children through elite male and female competitors.
Riders tour through the old concrete gun emplacements at Fort Worden, through tunnels and along Officers Row. Additionally, each lap features two tunnels, a short, steep run-up and barriers.
The race features a $2,000 cash payout and $4,000 in prizes and raffles. In the free children’s race, prizes are awarded to all kids ages 10 and younger.
A beer garden, food and music are also on tap.
For up-to-date information, visit the race Web site at www.ragnarokracing.com, or call Christian Young at 360-379-9689, or Brett Larson at 360-379-1229.