Best bets for the weekend

Welcome to summer! School is out, the solstice has come and gone — now sit back and wait for the temperature to rise. Summer festival season is here with a vengeance, though we've yet to nudge the thermometer much above the 70-degree mark. For a quick look at the hottest festivals of the weekend, see our Festival Focus. We also introduce a recurring feature for America's most literate city: our Bookshop in Brief profile. For other ideas for coming days, consider these:

For the artist: Shoreline kicks up its heels, twinkles its toes, sings a few songs and generally has an artfully good time during this weekend's Shoreline Arts Festival.

For the warrior: The quaint and sleepy Kitsap Peninsula village of Port Gamble gets a wake-up call in the form of artillery demonstrations and Civil War battle reenactments during this weekend's Battle of Port Gamble.

For the timid equestrian: Meet horses that look up to you. Evergreen State Fairgrounds hosts the Can-Am Miniature Horse Show.

For the musically inclined: Leavenworth has the International Accordion Celebration; Kirkland has the Smilin' Scandinavians polka band; Covington has the Old Time Fiddlers; and Summer Concerts at the Locks has the West Seattle Big Band.

Wanna bet? Head for Emerald Downs horse track in Auburn, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary by giving away $10 in wagering vouchers with gate admission on Saturday.

Get in the swim: The whole idea might give you goosebumps (Waikiki this ain't), but public swimming beaches are open with lifeguards on duty in Seattle, Bellevue, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

Tour a war plane: See the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-25 Liberator, a couple of WWII-vintage airplanes visiting Everett's Paine Field as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour.

Or how about: Fremont Outdoor Cinema opens its season. Long Beach in Pacific County hosts Northwest Stunt Kite Championships. Or in Issaquah, celebrate the Mountains to Sound Greenway by taking a history hike to learn about local mining.

Northwest Weekend editor Brian J. Cantwell, a Seattle native, lives on his sailboat in Ballard. Reach him at bcantwell@seattletimes.com or 206-748-5724.