LAST MONTH IN POULSBO Pride Flags authorized and displayed by city hall throughout the town’s Front Street corridor were slashed by an anonymous vandal in the early morning hours. The next day, the flags had been sewn back together by an anonymous benefactor in a show of support for the local LGBTQIA+ community. ‘This is why we need pride,’ the Poulsbo Pride organization responded to the news. Later in the month, In another small Washington community, the mayor of Newcastle staunchly opposed a Pride Flag flying over city hall which that city council had first voted against before reversing its decision in support of the flag. Meanwhile, at the end of June, Seattle Pride marked the 50th year of its annual parade in support of LGBTQIA+ rights. And this month, Kitsap Pride celebrates 28 years under a banner of ‘authentic,’ calling on the simple but profound act of being true to oneself. // JAMES MUNK
KITSAP PRIDE FEST featuring more than 100 vendors, beer garden, live performances and more from 2-9 p.m. July 20, free, all ages at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. They’ll be hosting a ticketed rooftop pre-party July 19 at Bremerton’s Marina Square. More at kitsappride.org
OLALLA IS INVITING the world to ‘the center of the universe’ (their words) for the South Kitsap community’s first annual Lavender Festival July 20-21. Since the ‘universe’s center’ is more a spread than a spot, the event consists of a trail of locations connected by the lavender theme; a map is on the website. There are several lavender fields along the trail. Take a Qigong class at one of the farms. Imagine stretching and swaying while breathing the clean, lavender-scented air and looking over the purple flowers. As well as smelling great, lavender is also edible, shown in a culinary workshop, and distillable, as will be demonstrated. Lavender lends also itself to crafts and decorations, DIY projects will be available. And Kitsap Master Gardeners will be on hand to provide a lavender cultivation workshop. Most activities are free, but some require purchased or timed tickets. // LORI BIER
THE INAUGURAL OLALLA LAVENDER FESTIVAL featuring seven venues throughout the area with U-cut, demonstrations, crafts, vendors and more from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 20-21, free, all ages, some activities require tickets or registration. More at olalla-lavender-festival.com
FOR ITS 50TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL this year, Whaling Days is bringing the big buns to Old Town SIlverdale with Seattle hip hop legend Sir Mix A Lot headlining the main stage Friday night July 26. Northwest party band Soul Siren opens the evening with soul/R&B/pop covers at 6:30 p.m., Mix takes the stage from 9-10 p.m. followed by fireworks from a barge in the middle of Dyes Inlet. The next day’s mainstage line up features a slate of local bands from North Kitsap acoustic duo Rising Sons to Bremerton’s pop punk band Less Than Three, original groove rockers The Outliars Club, original americana rock from Porch Dog Prophet and more. Local country boy Joel Gibson Jr. headlines Saturday night, July 27. Tacoma reggae/soul band Stay Grounded closes the festival with a mellow mood on Sunday. // BILL MAN
WHALING DAYS FESTIVAL opens at 5 p.m. July 26 thru July 28, free, all ages, w/ food vendors, merchants, live music, kids entertainment, fireworks, a grand parade Saturday, the Rotary rubber duck race Sunday and more. More at whalingdays.com
SOMETHING ABOUT MONSTER TRUCKS always brings out the kid in me. Maybe it’s that I grew up in the sticks. Or maybe it’s that I never really grew up at all. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to a show but I can smell the gasoline and hear the deafening roar of engines any time I see the flyers. Monster Trucks are back at the fairgrounds this month with shows July 19-21, presented by Straight Up Racing. They’ve got 13 trucks on the docket including their custom Megasaurus which is a 30-foot-tall robot dinosaur truck modeled after a T-Rex with a Sherman tank chassis and 15,000 pounds of crushing power in both its claws and its jaws. How does that not bring out the kid in you? // NICK SLEDGE
MALICIOUS MONSTER TRUCK SHOW w/ gates at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. Sunday July 19-21 at the Kitsap Fairgrounds, all ages, tickets start at $22 advance. More at kitsapmonstertrucks.com
