Festivals
Many festivals grace life in Anacortes from spring through fall. The first we
encountered--
immediately after moving here, was the tulip festival.
Tulip Festival
Acres of tulip fields--often in yellows and reds, but with smaller blocks of other colors--bursting with color underneath the watchful gave of Mt Baker. This year the festival ran for about the first three weeks of April. It is always subject to the whims of spring. Besides the tulips, many other events occur during the festival:
Tulip Festival Web site
Art in a Pickle Barn--Skagit Art Association featuring Northwest artists
Christianson's Nursery--Roses, birds who live in a greenhouse, other plants
Cow Town--A working farm
Karma Place--Traditional Japanese garden and tea house. Tea ceremony during festival
Anacortes Quilt Show and Quilt Walk
LaConner Quilt Museum
Lefeber Bulb Company--during the festival offers pony and wagon rides, music
Roozengaarde Gardens--3-acre display garden of bulbs, rhododendrons--a wonderful place
Llamas 'n Tulips--Feed and walk llamas, Learn how to sheer, card, and spin their wool
Salmon Barbecue--Kiwanis fund raiser held in Mt. Vernon
Tulip 10K and 3-mile Slug Run--Run in costume for the Slug Run
Tulip Pedal Bike Ride
And other events
Waterfront Festival
About a month after the Tulip Festival is the Waterfront Festival. Boats, food, crafts, goodies to buy, and general fun. I ate a salmon hamburger, ice cream made on Lopez island, and some corn on the cob. The later is not nearly as popular as in Milwaukee.
Art Festival
Probably the biggest of Anacortes' festivals, this art and craft explosion fills Commercial Street from the Pier to 10th. Both sides of the street are lined with booths, and a juried art show is on display on the pier. In front of this is an art area for children. Food and music complete the two-day event.
Fourth of July
The July Fourth celebration here is a genuine small town Americana experience. Kids on decorated bikes, a Kazoo Band, clowns, speeches, pie-eating contest, a town crier. Here are a few scenes:
 
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