Best bets for the weekend

Our summer keeps bouncing all over the weather map. So don't stop listening to the forecast, if you care. Otherwise, just kick back and enjoy the August sun when it comes. On cloudy days, you might think about escaping to Bellingham's Chrysalis Inn. This evening in Seattle, there's the First Thursday art walk. Or plan your weekend around our Summer Festivals, or any of these opporknockities that are tuning soon in your neighborhood:

Cool museums: The other First Thursday factor that's easy to forget is that most museums are free today (or this evening) — and most are air-conditioned, if it's finally hot enough for you. The list includes Seattle Art Museum, Northwest African American Museum, EMP, Wing Luke, the Burke, MOHAI and more. See "Museum Events," in our Datebook.

Not free, but fun: Do you have kids (or know kids, or are a kid) in the "nothing to do" doldrums that happen between Seafair and back-to-school shopping? Catch a bus to BubbleFest at Pacific Science Center, which includes a "giant outdoor kid-friendly foam pit." Who could ask for anything more?

"The man" squares off: And there are probably women, too, in the Firefighter/Police CrossFit Challenge at Redmond's Marymoor Park. Watch your favorite uniform compete, and visit the Safety and Health Fair while you're there.

Not just calamari: Celebrate the squid, octopus, chambered nautilus and more during the Cephalopod Appreciation Society annual meeting, including cephalopod-inspired music and poetry. (In Britain, you'd pay a quid for a squid. Unless it hid. Shouldn'ta wrote that, but I did.)

Chinatown by lantern light: Enjoy the sights, sounds and sizzles of the Chinatown-International District Night Market at Hing Hay Park the next three August Saturdays.

More fun stuff: No more space, but we have to mention Bicycle Saturday; Star Parties at Green Lake and Shoreline; the sea chantey singalong on the tall ship Wawona; and the Fort Nisqually Brigade Encampment. May it be summer forever.