Best bets for the weekend of May 7-8

Mama mia, don't forget Mommy Dearest — or whatever you call the maternal unit — on Sunday. Send flowers, spring for a card, take her out for a Grand Slam, whatever commemorative effort keeps you in her heart and out of the doghouse for another year. Meanwhile, Saturday has its own agenda for people in non-scuffing shoes: Opening Day of yachting season, with the annual parade of decorated boats through Seattle's Montlake Cut. We have a full schedule and a map, along with a slew of places to visit around the Northwest to learn more about our salty heritage . Other offerings for your weekend:

Birding bonanza: This weekend offers two of the year's best birding events in Washington, competing in a sort of "peck off" from different sides of the Cascades. To the east is the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, and to the west is the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival. If you had wings, you could see them both. Closer to home for Puget Sounders, you'll also find the Rattlesnake Lake Birding for Beginners workshop, near North Bend, and Migratory Bird Weekend at Northwest Trek wildlife park in Pierce County.

Cycling highlights: Two bicycle outings worthy of consideration include the Maltby cinnamon bun run (pedaling for pastry at the Maltby Cafe) and the Skagit Spring Classic ride, which puts you gliding on two wheels under the wide, wide sky of the Skagit Valley — with a spaghetti feed at the finish line. Tasty.

On the water front : Historic Coupeville on Whidbey Island hosts the Penn Cove Water Festival on Saturday, with canoe races, Native American performances, environmental education and activities for the kids.

Planting naturally: If you like the look of this corner of the country, and you don't want to clutter it up with trees from Florida or ornamental grasses from Kyrgyzstan, this is your weekend. In Bellevue, there's the Washington Native Plant Society's spring sale, where you can pick up a wild currant or a sassy shrub. It's Native Plant Appreciation Week at Woodland Park Zoo", with guided walks on which you can learn how to use native plants in your yard to attract wildlife. And Tacoma Nature Center also has a native plant sale.

Art walks all over: If Mom likes strolling through galleries, art studios and museums, it's the perfect weekend, starting with tonight's First Thursday Art Walk in downtown Seattle. This weekend, there are plenty more walks, strolls and tours all over the map: Camano Island Studio Tour, Burien Art Walk, Gig Harbor Art Walk, Kirkland Artist Studio Tour, and an Edmonds exhibit with kids commenting on their moms' artwork (uh-oh). See "Visual Arts" listings in our online calendar.

Mother load: Yes, we have a load of other ideas for you, if you can't figure out what to do with Mom. There's the "Mom and Me" day at zoos in Seattle and Tacoma, on Saturday, and "Breakfast with the Beasts" at Northwest Trek. An event featuring champagne and chocolate is at the history museum in Skagit County. A Mother's Day Tea is at Puyallup's Meeker Mansion, and you can work off the calories with a Mother's Day hike at Seattle's Carkeek Park. See Mother's Day listings in our online calendar. And finally, if all other ideas fail you, make up your own adventure, with inspiration from one family's outing on the Kitsap Peninsula last Mother's Day.

Next week's best bets

Seattle Maritime Festival features tugboat races, harbor tours, chowder cook-off, vessel tours and other waterfront activities, May 14, Seattle. 206-728-3163.

The Backyard Wildlife Fair with nature shows, workshops, native plant sale and information on making your yard a destination for wildlife is May 14, Tukwila. 206-768-2822.

Puget Sound Bird Fest in Edmonds celebrates birds and nature with guided walks, workshops and presentations, May 14. 425-771-0227.

Rhododendron Festival in Port Townsend celebrates Washington state's official flower with pet parade, bed races and Grand Parade, May 14-22. 360-379-0675.

The first Bicycle Sunday of the year, a twice-monthly bike-riding route on a flat, scenic stretch of Lake Washington Boulevard closed to motor vehicles, is May 15, Seattle, 206-684-4075.

The U District Street Fair, the annual kickoff of the local street festival season with hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, entertainment and food, is May 21-22, Seattle. 206-547-4417.

Northwest Folklife Festival with music and dance from around the world, visual arts, children's activities, crafts marketplace and workshops is May 27-30, Seattle Center. 206-684-7300.

Cycle the 7 Hills of Kirkland on scenic routes of 43, 72 or 100 miles; proceeds benefit Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing, May 30, Kirkland. 425-576-9531, ext. 104.