Whidbey Island 101

10/09/2023

Crager

07/03/2020

Penn Cove Musselfest!

This weekend is the Musselfest, one of my favorites! Both Saturday and Sunday, starting at 10am, although the tickets sell out by noon on Saturday. For Sunday, you can purchase tickets online.

Tickets are $10 for four restaurants. Grab the shuttle and head out to some of the best tasting chowder. Decide which one you like best and vote for your favorite. This year, there are some new ones to try, and then the regular, award winning group.

For more information: www.thepenncovemusselfestival.com

Take a tour of the mussel farm for $15, very interesting, especially if you like mussels. See you there!

07/03/2020

Penn Cove Musselfest!

Don't forget that this weekend is the Musselfest! One of my favorites, this Saturday (today), and Sunday from 10am. Tickets for the tastings start at $10 for four restaurants, whether they are new entrants or seasoned veterans of the competition. The tickets usually sell out by noon.

Tickets are available at the Coupeville Chamber at 905 Alexancer Street. Then take the shuttle from restaurant to restaurant. Vote! Either way, you'lll taste the best chowder ever!

For more information: http://www.thepenncovemusselfestival.com

10/08/2019

Great weekend! Art fair in Coupeville today and tomorrow, and free food tomorrow at the Pig Fest in Oak Harbor! It's raining now, but I think it will clear up.

25/04/2019

Now that it’s spring, time to pick up some new plants for your home? There are two plant sales taking place this weekend:

The first one is in Coupeville, Saturday, April 27 from 9-4 at the Coupeville Community Center, 901 Alexander Street. There will be more than 2000 plants to purchase, as well as prizes, homemade treats. This is the first annual fundraiser for the Coupeville Garden Club, and all profits from this event will go back to the community.

The second one will be at the Bayview Community Hall, just outside of Langley, on Saturday, April 27, from 10-2. There will be homemade treats, raffle baskets, garden books and other items. This is an event where local artists will show their wares, with profits used for educational programs and student scholarships.

25/04/2019

Here's something new!

Come and see this great artform from Mark Nelson on the southend! Many of Nelson’s works are nothing you’ve ever seen, though there is one at Everett’s Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens, but here’s your chance. Two weekends a year, his private Cloudstone Sculpture Park opens to the public.

On Saturday and Sunday, you can meet the 81-year-old sculptor whose work is as bold as he is reclusive.
Langley is a tease compared to what awaits at Cloudstone. It’s more of a surreal adventure.

Throughout the 20-acre park are sections of fabricated steel, pyramids of repurposed earthworks and stone masterpieces. One area represents somber ruins after a nuclear bomb. An indoor gallery has intricate cast bronze statues.

Cloudstone Sculpture Park and Gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 27 and 28. The address 5056 Cloudstone Lane, Freeland.
The next weekend open is in August.
Cost is $10 per person or $35 for a group of four.
Private tours are available by emailing [email protected].
To volunteer, email [email protected].
More info: www.cloudstonesculpture.com/
Cone and see!

25/04/2019

50th Anniversary of Holland Happening in Oak Harbor! (April 25, 26, 27, 28)

Join Oak Harbor in their 50th anniversary of Holland Happening! Carnival, food, vendors, and more all along our beautiful downtown waterfront.

On Thursday and Friday, the carnival starts at 4 pm. Artwork from local students is displayed in the store’s windows.

Be sure to buy your carnival tickets at the Oak Harbor Chamber! And don't forget to go to the North Whidbey Fire Department pancake breakfast on Saturday 7-11am at Station 25 on Heller Road!

Saturday 10 a.m. -7 p.m. will be the International Street Fair. 11 a.m. will be the Grand Parade and Carni
val, and 1 p.m. will be the Rotary Walk of Honor Car Show. The Klompen (wooden shoe) races have been so popular, that we’ve added races on Saturday, in addition to Sunday.

Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. will be the International Street Fair. 12 p.m. is the Carnival, and there will be three Klompen Canal Races on Sunday (get your shoes at the Chamber beforehand)!

For more information: https://whidbeycamanoislands.com/event/holland-happening-international-festival/

Holland Happening celebrates the many cultures that have come together in Oak Harbor with food, music, a carnival, and more.

08/12/2018

See the classic The Nutcracker! Presented by the Whidbey Island Dance Theater. December 7, 8, 9, 15, 16. For more information and tickets--$15 online, $20 at the door--check out http://www.widtonline.org

08/12/2018

Eighth Annual Coupeville Holiday Market! December 7, 8, 9 from 10am until 4pm. See the work of 16 Whidbey Artisans featuring textiles, pottery, jewelry, photographs, glass, paper, wood, tile. Find something special! For more information email [email protected]

19/08/2018

If you're looking for a peaceful afternoon, head over to Meerkerk Gardens in Greenbank.

Open from 9am until 4pm every day, offering dog-friendly trails and picnic areas, woodlands. $5 per person, children under 16 are free. For more information: http://www.meerkerkgardens.org

19/08/2018

The Oak Harbor library is hosting an event: Hiking Close to Home, on Thursday, August 23rd at 4pm.

Maribeth Crandell shares her favorite local hikes. Never leave Whidbey!

19/08/2018

Before you head on out to what is sounding like a very busy Saturday, August 25th, come for breakfast at the Coupeville Mason Center, Whidbey Lodge at the corner of North Main and 8th Streets.

From 8-noon, breakfast is served, eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, orange juice and coffee. $8 for adults, $4 for kids 4-12, under 3, free.

19/08/2018

The Bayview Corner Street Dance is being held Wednesday, August 22nd from 6-8. Janie Cribbs & T.Rust offering a mix of gritty guitar featuring soulful songs and blue's rhythm.

Held rain or shine and will just move into the historic Bayview Hall if necessary. Free admission, family friendly.

19/08/2018

Flyers is having their 4th annual Summer Cajun Luau on Saturday, August 25th from 3-9. Live music, open deck, dog-friendly patio. Have one of their fabulous beers! Ffau For more info: http://www.eatatflyers.com

19/08/2018

Come and see some local craft artists and their wares at the Craft and Vendor Fair! August 25, from 10am-3pm at the VFW Post 7392 on Goldie Road. Call for more information: (360) 675-4048

And if you're an artist, they are still looking for you!

19/08/2018

Whidbey Playhouse presents: "Daddy Long Legs!" A new musical, running from September 7 through September 23.

Matinees available. For more information: http://www.whidbeyplayhouse.com

19/08/2018

Picnic on the Prairie & Golden Ticket Tour next Saturday the 25th!

From Friends of Ebey's Landing, a free event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. From 3-6 pm on Saturday, August 25th.

Bring your own blanket and food, although some food and drink will be available for purchase on site.

Beautiful spot to spend with family and friends! For more information: http://www.friendsofebeys.org

11/08/2018

For just the cost of a donation come and enjoy some of the best barbeque ever! Going on for several years now, it just keeps getting better! Come and try the best at the competition, from 12-5. For more information:
http://www.oakharborpigfest.com/

11/08/2018

One thing to do this weekend, the annual Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival. Two days of unique, handcrafted gifts and things for your closet or home. More information: http://coupevillefestival.com/

11/08/2018

Want something new? Something romantic, educational? Brian Vick, owner of Saratoga Yacht Charters, is offering Penn Cove sailings, leaving from Oak Harbor. You can sail around the sound for two hours. If you want, get off in Coupeville for dinner on the wharf at the Cove Cafe, with a wonderful , casual, "beachy" feel.

Or a more formal menu at the Captain Whidbey Inn. With choices on another beautiful waterfront, providing guests with a memorable experience.

The sailings are very flexible. For more information: (360) 986-2628 or online https://saratogayachtcharters.com/your-crew

Brian has an eclectic mix of hobbies such as metal working, glass bead making, archery, backpacking, camping, cider making, and of course boating. He started boating in his dads 16' runabout fishing out of Port Orchard. He caught the sailing bug 20 years ago with a friend on her little wooden sailbo...

11/08/2018

Fort Casey Celebrates Big Guns’ 50th anniversary Aug 11

Don't miss the chance to see these historic guns this weekend with a guide. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Fort Casey Historical State Park invite the public to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of the Big Guns at Fort Casey. There are only four guns like these in the world.

The event will take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Fort Casey Historical State Park, 1280 Engle Road, Coupeville. For more information:

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/whidbey-islands-big-guns-celebrate-a-big-anniversary/281-582494601

Fort Casey was one of three pre-World War I installations, dubbed the "Triangle of Fire," designed to defend Washington from enemy attack.

26/06/2018

Free Crabbing 101 Seminar!
10am on Saturday, June 30th
Oak Harbor Yacht Club

Jointly sponsored by the Deception Pass Sail and Power Squadron and the Oak Harbor Yacht Club. Learn how to catch Dungeness crabs, explained in a two-hour seminar! Subjects include:

Needed equipment
The best bait
License Requirement and Regs
Whidbey Island locations
Best times and tides
Crab lore and life cycles

See how to rig your pot to catch more crabs and avoid equipment loss, and listen to the many different ways to catch crab from the shore and from a boat. Demonstrations and coffee--all for a $5 donation to the Power Squadron Education Fund!

Reservations are not required, for quesitons call John HUdson (36) 240-2517.

26/06/2018

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 26th, at 6:30pm, come to the Coupeville Recreation Hall for a dessert pot-luck! In partnership with the Reserve's Trust Board, Island County Historical Society will host RURAL RECOLLECTIONS: CAPTAIN WHIDBEY INN - A New Chapter.

Share and hear stories about the Captain Whidbey ~ and meet the new owners!

Bring dessert to share, if you'd like.
Looking forward to seeing you there!

For more information:

21/06/2018

All life is in a continuous state of vibration, and each cell within our body vibrates at a specific frequency. If you've ever wondered if there is a different way to treat chronic pain, come and see Janie Keilwitz talk about a non-invasive treatment that can alleviate pain. Only one more talk on Monday, June 25, from 1:30 - 3:30, at the Coupeville Library.

30/01/2018

Earth Sanctuary on Whidbey...

Bernie Wojcik, a Master Gardener for Snohomish County, has volunteered to lead a work party on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at the Earth Sanctuary labyrinth, starting at 9:00 am. Please park in the 2059 Newman Road (Langley, WA 98260) parking area. We should be done by mid-afternoon.

If you have visited the labyrinth recently, you have noticed that some of the Salal plants in the labyrinth have turned brown and died. Bernie advises that we pull out the dead salal, prune the diseased fungus-infected salal leaves, rake all dead plant material and dispose of it in trash bags, plant the new baby salal plants, water the area, and put down mulch around all the plants.

Please RSVP by sending an email to Chuck Pettis at [email protected] to let us know if you can attend this work party. We will need a good sized group to get it all done in one day. Please bring gloves, rakes, pruning shears, water bottles, snacks/lunch, and dress for the weather.

Directions: scroll to the bottom of this page: http://earthsanctuary.org/planning_your_visit.html

Questions: email Chuck at [email protected]

Thanks!
Chuck Pettis, Earth Sanctuary Founder

06/01/2018

Tonight at 7PM at Ott and Murphy's!

Ott & Murphy had a sudden substitution for entertainer tonight. The fabulous flamenco guitarist, Andre Ferriente will stand in for Beverly Graham whose cold settled in her throat this morning. As this is very last minute we would like to offer you a glass of Double Bluff wine! Maybe that will tip you toward going out tonight instead of staying home. Hope so. Andre’s beautiful guitar work uplifts even on a dark night. CHEERS friends.

27/08/2017

Bocce Ball at Hummingbird Farm outside of Oak Harbor!

WELCOME to our seventh Bocce Ball Summer Potluck season at the Spear Family's Hummingbird Farm.

This will be our LAST BOCCE BALL POTLUCK this SUMMER on Monday, August 28th, 5 - 8PM.

PLEASE NOTE: Our START TIME will change to 5pm this last week since the sunshine hours are waning...

We had a "rain-check" last week from our nurses and their proxies so, again, we are extending an invite to our "Nurses Who Drink Dark Beer Club of Whidbey Island" to join us this week at our last Bocce Potluck!
This includes an invite to their partners and kids.
We'll start our beer sampling at 5pm just as that first game of bocce ball starts...


Rolling the bocce balls on our crushed rock court will be dependent upon the weather.
Sprinkling means play, pouring down rain means hot coffee, yummy desserts, and good conversation under the barn eave.

Again, the Basic Rules of Engagement:
*Bring HOMEMADE (... as in, homemade) food enough to FEED EIGHT (... or more) people.
**Shared bottles of WINE and BEER are always welcomed.
***Bring your own DINNERWARE and DRINKWARE.
***Wear WARM CLOTHES (the wind whips up once the sun sets).
CHILDREN over 16 can come along with well behaved parents, along with BREASTFED BABIES (... Huxley is our ONE exception - he supervises of our clean-up crew).

Other Stuff:
*We meet under the EAST EAVE of the BARN.
**First eight players to arrive start playing the FIRST GAME of BOCCE BALL around 6:15pm.
***We start MUNCHING just past 7pm.
****We play our SECOND GAME at about 8pm.
*****THIRD (aka "play off") GAME with our Glow Balls can follow ... And, we'll play until the bats start to circle.

More Other Stuff:
*Donate paper goods from your leftover parties - plates, cups, plasticware for first-timers and forgetful dinner-mates.
**Give us your old trophies for our "Summer's End Tournament" and "best awards" ... think wacky, unusual and a coat of Rustoleum paint - voila`!
***Friends~neighbors~workmates~relatives are always welcome ... be sure to share the basic rules.

We hope MONDAY evenings prove to be a perfect match for you this year!

See you all Monday,
Lee, Lori, Emma & Huxley, Thomas & Mariah Spear

For more info:

Lori's cell: 360-941-7470
Lee's cell: 360-941-7471

19/08/2017

The Annual Tour de Whidbey on Saturday, August 19th at 9am. Register for this beautiful Whidbey-unique ride! Sponsored by the WhidbeyHealth Foundation.

The Tour de Whidbey is one of the most popular rides in all of Washington state. Travel the back roads of Whidbey Island for gorgeous vistas, breathtaking scenery and varied terrain! We are excited to let everyone know about a recent change to the Tour de Whidbey. The ride will begin and end at the Coupeville Elementary School. Three routes to choose from, register online: http://www.active.com or in person at 7:00am.

19/08/2017

More music--can't get enough! Bluegrass in the Gardens, on Saturday, August 19th from 12-4pm. Location? Meerkerk Gardens in Greenbank, bring a picnic lunch or you can purchase some BBQ foods. Your dog is welcome too (on a leash). Children, 16 and younger are free. Tickets purchased at the door: The Neighborhood Boys at noon, Bayview Sound at 1:30pm, and Pearly Blues at 3pm. For more information: http://www.meerkerkgardens.org/events

19/08/2017

4th Annual Run IN Color! On Saturday, August 19 at 9am. Join us at the Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor. This is a festive community family event that's a little messy and a lot of fun! For more info and to register, call (360) 279-8323 or online: http://rueandprimavera.com/events/