Best bets for the weekend

It's official: Spring arrives Monday at 10:26 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Just in time for trees to start budding out, St. Patrick's Day adds to the general greening of your weekend. Seattle has a parade and a festival; see our Weekend Highlight. For scores of other ideas for the weekend, see our online calendar, including these diversions:

Fiddling around on Vashon: Dance to live, traditional Irish music at the Vashon Island Grange Hall during Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Irish Ceili Dance for anyone older than 12.

Other green ideas: Along with wearing green, you can garden greenly. Head for the Dig It Green Fair, where you can learn all about eco-friendly gardening for novices to experts, Saturday in Lake Forest Park . Or if you want to cover lots of ground with trees, and you're willing to start small, head for the Weyerhaeuser seedling sale down in Thurston County, where you can buy a tiny tree for 25 cents.

Port Townsend hoists its skirts: And twirls its parasols, and puts on some pretty big hats, to celebrate its annual Victorian Festival (which includes a Victorian fashion show, among other things). Take a drive and spend some time in one of Washington's prettier towns.

Golf show: If your life revolves around mashies and putters and people who like to spend long afternoons swatting small white balls across large manicured lawns, get thee to the Seattle Golf Show, which claims to be the largest exposition of its kind on the West Coast.

If you like shiny stuff: Head for the International Gem and Jewelry Show Friday through Sunday at Qwest Field Event Center.

Lively museums: These aren't dull places that gather dust. Take a look at what's offered this weekend in museums around the Sound. In Tacoma, the Washington State History Museum has a demonstration of Coast Salish weaving. Seattle's Experience Music Project features musician Ann Wilson, formerly of Heart, in a special evening highlighting her career. Seattle Symphony's Soundbridge Music Discovery Center hosts a learning session with the symphony's percussionists and harpist. And Bainbridge Island Historical Museum invites you to bring antiques in for identification by experts. For details on each of these, see "Museum Events," in our online calendar.

Spring cleaning (not!): Everybody talks about spring cleaning, but why be such a traditionalist? Instead, head for the famous Lakeside School Rummage Sale this weekend (with "over two acres of rummage," whatever that might be) and fill your closets with more great stuff!

Coming attractions

Boardwalk 5K Run and Walk, March 25; Seattle Public Schools and Kids Come First 5K run and walk for all ages and ability levels, to benefit PE equipment for elementary and middle schools; Husky Stadium, Seattle. 206-252-0476.

Hops on Equinox Spring Beer Festival, March 24-25; microbrews, Scotch tasting, pub food, music, entertainment; proceeds benefit Northwest Folklife; Seattle. 206-633-0422.

Northwest Women's Show, March 24-26; exhibits, presentations and seminars on health, finance, beauty and cooking, Seattle Fireman's Fashion Show; Qwest Field Event Center, Seattle. 425-485-2980.

Olympic Peninsula BirdFest, March 31-April 2; birding tours and programs, kayaking, raptor presentations; Dungeness River Audubon Center, Sequim. 360-681-4076.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, April 1-30; bloom dates for fields of tulips and daffodils depend on Mother Nature; festival activities throughout April; Mount Vernon and surrounding area. 360-428-5959.

Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival, April 21-23; dance and music, colorful costumes, martial arts, tea ceremonies and entertaining educational activities celebrating Japanese culture; Seattle Center. 206-684-7200.

Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Street Parade, April 22; the highlight of Daffodil Festival Week travels through downtown Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting. 253-863-9524.