Weekend festivals hotsheet

Also going on this weekend:

Seattle International Film Festival. Check out the first weekend of this year's four-week event. The kickoff will include an array of short and long films, a screenwriting workshop and a special tribute to Anthony Hopkins' lifetime achievements. With more than 20 movies screening per day on the weekends, remember to pace yourself, hydrate and take regular popcorn breaks. For details, see Page 10.

Ski to Sea. Celebrate Bellingham's premier event of the season. The Ski to Sea parade starts at noon Saturday at the corner of Alabama Street and Cornwall. Then on Sunday, racers ski, run, cycle and paddle from Mount Baker Ski Area to Bellingham Bay. Afterward, kick back and enjoy a beer garden, live music and ethnic food booths at the "It All Ends in Fairhaven" festival. For details, see Page 10.

Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts: If you've got a hankering for twangy country, swingin' blues and good old-fashioned rock-and-roll, this three-day fest in Port Angeles might be just the thing. Beginning just before noon each day, six stages will feature more than 125 acts. Performances will range from Celtic ditties to Middle Eastern jams, from children's theater to belly dancing, from yoga workshops to sing-a-long campfire tunes. Mimes, clowns, comics and magicians will fill in where the music leaves off. For details, see Page 10.

ShrimpFest: Fill up on fresh shrimp, prawns, clams and oysters during this two-day outdoor festival on Hood Canal. You can even harvest your own shellfish during low tide (but don't forget your license!). When you're not eating, peruse nearly 100 booths, chock full of fine arts and folksy crafts. A 50-foot slide will be erected for the kids, and a beer garden will be on hand for the grown-ups. Whatever you do, don't miss the main event: the annual belt-sander races. For details, see Page 10.

Shepherds' Festival. If wool-spinning, sheep shearing and dog-herding demonstrations aren't enough to keep you interested, there's also a full petting zoo, arts and crafts, and a gamut of food vendors during this one-day festival in Sequim. For details, see Page 12.

— Haley Edwards, Seattle Times staff reporter