Best bets for the weekend

In many parts of the country, January means snow shovels and ice storms. If this is your first winter on Puget Sound, welcome to our season of flood warnings and mudslides. It's a holiday weekend for many workers, honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Seattle holds its first official MLK Day parade on Monday; get out and squish through the streets to show your support. Find a full list of MLK events here.) For other weekend ideas, read on:

Houses, boats and maybe even houseboats: For ideas on fixing up the house this summer, head for the Bellevue Home Show, Friday through Sunday. If floating a loan for something that floats is on your mind, the Seattle Boat Show at Qwest Field Event Center continues through Friday (note: It's ending early because of Seahawks playoffs). Lake Union Boats Afloat Show continues through Sunday.

Ice can be nice: Leavenworth's Bavarian Ice Fest features dog-sled competitions, snowshoeing and more, in Chelan County's Shangri-la of lederhosen.

Fly dry: Ocean Park, Pacific County, on the Washington coast hosts this weekend's Windless Kite Festival, with indoor kite performances and competitions. And if you want to fly a kite with wind, just step outside.

Get crafty: January is a popular time to nurture an indoor talent. This weekend's online calendar lists opportunities to learn knitting, weaving, botanical illustration and pine-needle basketry, among other things. See "Hobbies" and "Workshops" in our online listings.

Lewis and Clark critters: Learn about animals that the famous explorers encountered, during Kids 'n' Critters Naturefest at Northwest Trek nature park in Pierce County. Up to four kids get in free with a paying adult this weekend.

Rick Steves and friends: You've seen him touring Europe on TV and heard him on NPR. Meet the "Back Door" travel guru at his Edmonds headquarters, where a "tour-alumni" reunion this weekend also features 20 travel classes, some led by Steves, free and open to the public.

For the kid in anyone: A couple of weekend events are the kind you can take your children to — or, you can go and pretend you're meeting some children there: A big model railroad show is at Pacific Science Center. Or help the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile celebrate its 70th anniversary during visits from Tacoma to Marysville. It's an engineering marvel, and word is they'll be handing out wienie whistles! 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, TOP Food and Drug, 3130 S. 23rd St., Tacoma; 2-5 p.m. Thursday, TOP Food and Drug, 31515 20th Ave. S., Federal Way; 9 a.m.-noon Friday, TOP Food and Drug, 1605 S.E. Everett Mall Way, Everett; 2-5 p.m. Friday, Haggen Food and Pharmacy, 3711 88th St. S.E., Marysville.

Coming attractions

Artifact ID Day, Jan. 21; Museum curators, archaeologists and geologists lend their expertise to identify your Pacific Rim or Native North America artifacts, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle. 206-543-5590.

Empty Space Rummage Sale, Jan. 21; Theater is moving to a new location, selling memorabilia, costumes, furniture, theatre equipment, office supplies, Seattle. 206-547-7500.

SAAM Grand Re-opening Celebration, Jan. 21; Music, dance and theater from Asian cultures around the world, to celebrate the museum's re-opening after remodeling, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Volunteer Park, Seattle. 206-654-3100.

Washington Sportsmen's Show, Jan. 25-29; Hundreds of exhibits on fishing, hunting, camping, boating and travel destinations, with how-to seminars and the Montana Grizzly Encounter and Bear Show, Puyallup. 503-246-8291.

Chinese New Year Festival, Jan. 29; Traditional lion dance, rickshaw race, Chinese food, calligraphy displays, bicycle parade and dog parade celebrating the Year of the Dog, Bainbridge Island. 206-842-3928.

Skagit River Bald Eagle Festival, Feb. 4-5; Skagit Bald Eagle Interpretive Center open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Monday holidays now through Feb. 20, Rockport. 360-853-7626.