Festival road-trips

A season's worth of mini itineraries for getting you out of town to a popular nearby summer celebration -- complete with tips on where to eat, stops along the way, etc.

Clean Water Classic, May 14-16

Westport is Surftown, Wash., this weekend. The largest continuously run Pro/Am surfing competition in the Pacific Northwest features live music, movie showings, vendor village and more.

Maritime Gig Festival, June 5-6

Commemorating Gig Harbor's salty heritage, the event features the Pirates of the Peninsula Yo Ho Harbor Grand Parade, an antique and classic yacht show, music, beer garden, Blessing of the Fleet procession and more.

Greenway Days, June 19-20

Northern Lights Festival, part of annual Greenway Days celebrating the Mountains to Sound Greenway, with festivals, hikes, bike rides, horse rides and more along Interstate 90 corridor from Ellensburg to Seattle. The historic coal-mining town of Roslyn commemorates the 20th anniversary of the TV series "Northern Exposure," filmed there.

Bainbridge in Bloom, July 9-11

Garden-tour event, with daily tours of six Bainbridge Island private gardens, plus lectures, plant sale, music and food vendors.

Northwest Raspberry Festival, July 16-17

Festival dedicated to the raspberry in Whatcom County, which grows more than half of the nation's crop. Expect berry picking, farm visits, fun runs, berry ice cream, berry pancakes, a street fair and more, in a town dedicated to its Dutch heritage.

Morton Logger's Jubilee, Aug. 12-15

This festival, in its 68th year, celebrates the small town's timber heritage. Burly men, and some burly women, compete in chain-saw speed-cutting, ax-chopping, tree-topping — and the lawnmower race, so fire up those riding-style lawn mowers.

Washington State International Kite Festival, Aug. 12-15

An ocean-beach event for the whole family. Expect brightly colored kid-size kites, fighter kites, kite trains and gargantuan kites that take over the skies. Plus, learn how to fly, photograph and make a kite.

Bremerton Blackberry Festival, Sept. 4-6

The blackberry takes the spotlight at this festival, with blackberry scones, doughnuts, pie, ice cream, cobblers, jams, jellies, ciders, wine and shortcake. And if that doesn't whet your appetite, there's all kinds of food, from barbecued ribs to teriyaki, plus a fun run and bike race, a chalk-art contest and live music.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, Sept. 10-12

Port Townsend's 34th annual Wooden Boat Festival will feature nearly 300 wooden boats, from kayaks and canoes to classic powerboats and working vessels. Boat experts will be available to answer questions, and there's music, dancing and events for kids.