Celebrate spring with daffodil giveaway

Daffodil giveaway is a sure sign spring has sprung. More than 30,000 daffodils are expected to be handed out in downtown Seattle and several neighborhoods from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday as part of the Pike Place Market's traditional welcome to the first day of spring.

Giveaway locations include Westlake Park, City Hall, the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, Central Library, Uwajimaya Village and Pacific Place.

Daffodil giveaways also will be held in the Ballard, Fremont, Capitol Hill, West Seattle and University Village neighborhoods.

Civic calendar

Public tours

Saturday: The Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program is arranging free public tours of the viaduct while it is closed for inspection on Saturday. Participants will learn how the viaduct is monitored and see the damage incurred during the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. To participate, send an e-mail to viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov or call 888-AWV-LINE and leave your contact information.

War protest

Today: The Seattle Fifth Anniversary Coalition will gather to protest the Iraq War at 6 p.m., Westlake Park, 401 Pine St., Seattle.

Hope Place

Thursday: Seattle's Union Gospel Mission stages groundbreaking ceremonies for Hope Place, a new women and children's shelter, at 10:30 a.m., 3800 Othello St., Seattle. For more information, visit www.ugm.org.

Senior coffee hour

Thursday: Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean discusses the workings of his department during a coffee hour at the Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens, 10 a.m., Central Building, 810 Third Ave., Seattle.

Noon concert

Thursday: The Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs presents Kane Mathis in concert at noon, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave.

Here & Now is compiled by Seattle Times staff. To submit an item, e-mail herenow@seattletimes.com or call 206-464-2226.

March 16, 1910: Ezra Meeker departed The Dalles, Ore., on his second round-trip wagon expedition to publicize and map the Oregon Trail. Meeker, an early Puyallup pioneer and successful hops merchant, first traveled the trail to Oregon with his wife, Eliza Jane, and their infant son, Marion, in 1852. During the second trip Meeker located and marked parts of the trail he had failed to identify on his first trip. He saw the trip as a way to encourage federal funding for permanent trail preservation and to promote construction of a transcontinental national highway for automobile traffic.

Source: Historylink.org