La Conner Garden Day Art Festival

Bring your family and friends, and celebrate all-things La Conner – from the beauty of the land and landscape, to the artists that make this tiny town well known throughout the Northwest – on Friday and Saturday May 4 & 5.

Activities will spotlight artists, galleries and gardens through delightful storefront window displays and a Flora/Fauna feature exhibit at the Civic Garden Club building. Visitors will be treated to, and able to purchase, artwork from La Conner’s many galleries, plants for their gardens and attend artist demonstrations. As an added benefit, the weekend of May 4 & 5 in La Conner is a busy one with several opportunities to listen to live music, taste wine, and even watch the annual Opening Day Boat Parade. Here’s a round-up of the Garden Day Art Festival Hours Friday and Saturday: 11am-4pm.

Artist Demonstrations: Janet Laurel, Sumi Brush, Friday 1pm-3pm Vicki Wickel, Watercolor, Saturday noon-3pm Book Signing Leah Schell, author of A Faery Trail, Saturday 1pm-3pm

Live Music: Duffy Owens & Friends, Friday 7pm at Washington Sips Steve “Otis” Meyer, Saturday 7pm at Washington Sips Skagit Community Band presents Stolen Moments, their annual Spring Swing concert, Saturday, 7:30pm at Maple Hall

Wine Tasting: Hellams Vineyard, Saturday, 1pm-6pm Washington Sips, Friday and Saturday

Boating fun: Opening Day Boat Parade, Saturday at 3pm on the Swinomish Channel

For more information: La Conner Chamber of Commerce at 360-466-4778 / www.LaConnerChamber.com

The Tulips Are Blooming!

The tulips are in bloom and La Conner is ready to welcome you! Check out Bloom Map to find out what the fields are doing today. Top 5 things to do in La Conner's Channel Town after or before you visit the tulip fields.

1: 2012 Sculpture Walking Tour - Fun for people of all ages. Shop along the way at La Conner's locally owned boutiques, galleries, & specialty shops. Download the walking tour map HERE

2: Experience Native American Art - Spin the spiritual wheel at Maple Hall then drive over the Rainbow Bridge and check out the new Pavillions across Swinomish Channel.

3: Enjoy a glass of wine on the pier while watching the boats plying the waters of the salish sea and viewing wildlife on the channel. Follow-up with with lunch or dinner at one of La Conner's award winning restuarants.

4: La Conner is a 3 museum Channel Town - Explore the Museum of Northwest Art, The Quilt & Textile Museum, and the Skagit Valley Historical Museum.

5: Before your drive home walk the trails of pioneer park and then stroll the Rainbow Bridge to take some keepsake photos.

photo credit: Chris Watkins

7th Biennial Skagit River Poetry Festival in May

Organizers of the poetry program Skagit River Poetry Project, working with local school districts, have brought top poets from around the globe into Skagit and Whatcom County classrooms for week-long residencies since 1998. The poets help teachers develop lesson plans, lead group discussions, and work intensely with students, from elementary to college level, sparking their imaginations.

Every two years, the Skagit River Poetry Project also organizes a three-day spring festival ,Skagit River Poetry Festival that brings internationally acclaimed poets to La Conner for readings, workshops, and panel discussions. The 2012 festival, May 17-20, will include such headliners as Samuel Green, Kurtis Lamkin, Ellen Bass, Carolyn Forche, Lorna Crozier, Simon Ortiz and many more poets and musicians. One day of the festival is devoted to high-school students trained by resident poets and educators.

For more information on the Poetry-in-the-Schools program, contact Skagit River Poetry Project director Molly McNulty at 360-422-6033, mmcnultymb@yahoo.com.