Day 180: Walla Walla Farmers Market

                                                               Photo by Donna Lasater
The Walla Walla Farmers Market starts up this weekend. Sunday, May 1st is the opening day. The market will now be open Saturdays and Sunday, 9am to 1pm through October 30th. This Sunday, Roads Less Traveled will be on the market stage. The Walla Walla Valley Farmers’ Market is  located at 4th and Main directly behind City Hall. There is a great selection of local produce, arts, and crafts. Enjoy the delicious food that is sold at the market and enjoy listening to the entertainment on the market stage. Those interested in selling there wares at the market, can call Beth-Aimee McGuire, Market Director, 509-520-3647.

Day 179: Walla Walla Kennel Club Dog Show

The Walla Walla Kennel Club is having it's annual dog show this weekend at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds. There are 700 dogs registered. The judging begins at 8:30 am and will finish up around 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. Many of the contestants and judges are the same ones that have been on the televised dog shows. Events at the dog show include confirmation, obedience, and rally. Each day will be a new show. This event is free for the public to come and watch. For more information see www.wwkc.org

Day 178: Spring Release Weekend

Photo Credit: Donna Lasater

Explore the Walla Walla Valley’s Wine Region. The 2011 Spring Release weekend starts Friday, May 6th and goes through Sunday, May 8th. Many of the Walla Walla Wineries are celebrating the weekend by opening their cellars and tasting rooms to showcase their new releases. The first releases of a new vintage are the highlights of this weekend.

The Valley's winemakers are on hand to introduce their new wines and share the creative winemaking process. During Spring Release Weekend, visitors are often treated to many special events at the wineries; including music, delectable food, and demonstrations

Day 177: Babe Ruth Baseball Try Outs

It’s time for Babe Ruth baseball try outs. Kids ages 13-16 years old have the opportunity to sign up for the city league baseball teams. All skill levels are welcome. Everyone who tries out will be put on a team. Try outs are scheduled for Sunday, May 1st , 1-3pm at Tietan Park in Walla Walla. For more information see the web site at www.home.wallawallavalleybaberuth.com/home

Day 176: YWCA Charity Golf Classic

The YWCA 21st Annual Charity Golf Classic is Friday, April 29th at the Walla Walla Country Club. Round up a team and join this year's Golfer's Against Domestic Violence Charity Golf Classic. All proceeds benefit the Walla Walla YWCA Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Programs!


This year's four-person scramble format can be any four-person combination of men and women and we at the YWCA extend a special invitation to women and women's teams! With a 1p.m. shotgun start, a no-host bar from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. this event will prove to be an afternoon filled with fun, friendship and philanthropy!

Come participate in the Hole-in-One Contest, On-Course Challenges and Prizes and stay for the Awards Banquet.

To register a team call 509-525-2570 or see the web site at www.ywcaww.org

Day 175: Alice in Wonderland

Enjoy one of the greatest childhood fantasies ever. Alice in Wonderland will be performed at the Little Theatre of Walla Walla April29, 30, May 6, 7, 8 (matinee), 13 and 14. All performances are at 8pm and the matinee is at 2pm. The Alice in Wonderland production is adapted from Lewis Carroll’s Alices’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Sometimes she's too big. Sometimes she is much too small. Sometimes things are backwards. And there's always too much pepper in the soup! Nothing is quite right since Alice chased a very unusual White Rabbit and stumbled into an adventure that grows curiouser and curiouser. Little Theatre of Walla Walla is located at 1130 Sumach in Walla Walla. Tickets go on sale at the Little Theatre box office on April 25th for season ticket holders and April 26th for the general public. Tickets are $12 for adults & $9 for children under 13. Contact Little Theatre at (509) 529-3683.

Day 174: My Grandmothers Garden

Spring is here and it's time to think about the garden. My Grandmothers Garden is located at 2946 South Third in Walla Walla. The green houses at the garden are filled with annuals, perennials, and herbs. Many of their flowers are in full bloom. Perennial plants can be planted this time of year while the annuals should be planted in warmer weather. My Grandmothers Garden specializes in unusual plants not to mention lemon trees and orange trees. They also have a selection of solar lanterns and lights. Their hours are Sunday 12-4pm and Tuesday through Saturday 10am-5pm.

Day 173: Easter Brunch at the Oasis

Looking for a spot for Easter Brunch? The Oasis in Milton-Freewater is having a Easter Brunch Buffet from 9am-2pm on Easter Sunday. The cost for the brunch is  $11.95 for adults, children under 12 are $6.95 and children under 3 are free. The Brunch includes hand carved tri tip breaded cod, country ham, hickory smoked bacon linked sausage, scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs with cheese and ham, home style potatoes, biscuits and sausage gravy, ceaser salad, green salad, cole slaw, fresh fruit, cinnamon rolls, and rolls and butter. Reservations are encouraged for Brunch. The Oasis regular menu will be served after 2pm. Every Sunday they offer all you can eat chicken and dumplings. Breakfast is served all day long. The Oasis is located at 85698 Oregon 339 in Milton-Freewater. They are open Tuesday-Friday 11am-10pm and Saturday-Sunday 9am-10pm. During winter and spring months the bar has a band playing every weekend. The bar stays open later on those weekends. For brunch reservations call (541) 938-4776.

Day 172: Cruising to the Future with the Childrens Museum

Cruising to the Future with the Childrens Musem Fundraising event at Waterbrook Winery Saturday, April 23rd from 4-7pm. A wonderful evening is planned for both children and adults. Children ages 3-12 are invited to join in the fun in the big Circus Tent. There will be pizza from Sweet Basil Pizza, beverages, a movie, musem exhibits and activities. Adults will be served hors d’oeuvres, a glass of wine and will be entertained with live music. Bottles of wine will be sold with a Childrens Museum label. The Childrens museum warmly welcomes all donations. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at the Childrens Museum. Ticket prices are $45 for adults and $5 for children. Waterbrook Winery is located at 10518 W. Highway 12. For more information call (509) 526-7529.

Day 171: Hooks, Health and Hoards of Treasure

College Place Lions Club has planned a day of fun for the whole family. Saturday, April 23rd from 9-11am kids ages 14 and under are invited to a Free Fishing Derby. Last year the derby attracted more than 100 anglers to the trout stocked pond. All ages are invited to the Free Health and Vision Screening from 9am to 2pm at the Lions Club Park. The screening will be checking for glaucoma, diabetes, high blood pressure, and sight and hearing loss checks. There will also be a Community Garage sale. For those wanting to reserve a table at the sale, the cost is $10. For reservation call 509-525-4810. Lions Park is located at 801 Larch in College Place.

Day 170: 1st Annual Mom Prom

Pull out those old prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses or gowns and come to the 1st Annual Mom Prom to support The Moms’ Network. All women are invited to get dressed up in their “royal wedding” best on Friday April 29th from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at the Elks Club.

The evening will include dancing, dessert and a no-host bar. As you are dressed in your finest you can get a photo with the British Royal couple, Prince William and Kate Middleton. There is a $10 donation at the door for entrance into the event.

“April 29th is National Mom Prom Day and we could not pass up on an opportunity to celebrate this event. It is a wonderful excuse for all women to put on a gown, dance and raise money for The Moms’ Network” says Beth Swanson, President of The Moms’ Network. Along with music, dessert and photos there will also be a raffle for wonderful prizes including Walla Walla Sweets tickets, Va Piano wine, gift certificates to the Beehive Cut & Color Bar, Sweet Basil, Walla Walla Bread Co. and wine from Mannina Cellars.

So grab your girlfriends and join The Moms’ Network at the Mom Prom. For more detailed information visit www.themomsnetworkww.com

Day 169: Easter Egg Hunts

Join in the fun of hunting for Easter eggs on Saturday, April 23rd . TheWalla Walla Exchange Club is sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt at Pioneer Park for kids ages 1-10. The hunt starts at 9am. Participants are encouraged to arrive early so they don't miss the start. There are 21 prizes and 3 bicycles that will be given away. Kiwanis Community Easter Egg Hunt is at Yantis Park in Milton-Freewater. It starts at 10am. There will be eggs filled with candy, prizes and gift certificates. Ernie the Easter Bunny will be available for photo opportunities.

Day 168: Phoumy's Thai Cuisine

Phoumy’s South East Asian Cuisine offers a great assortment of Thai food, and curry dishes. The Phad Thai is a dish with stir fry wide noodles with egg, bean sprouts, green onions, choice of meat or vegetarian and special home made sauce. The Kaeng Ka Ree is yellow curry with potatoes and carrots with choice of meat or vegetarian. Phoumy’s has a large vegetarian menu. There is an all you can eat buffet each day from 11am-2pm. The cost is $8.99 per person. Phoumy’s is open 7 days a week and serves both lunch and dinner. They are located at 1528 E. Isaacs Avenue in Walla Walla. For catering and delivery information call 509-529-8889.

Day 167: Russell Creek Ranch

Enjoy a mini vacation at Russell Creek Ranch. Russell Creek Ranch is a vacation rental available for weekends, by the week or extended stays. Located just 3 miles from downtown Walla Walla. Russell Creek Ranch is a gated four bedroom, four bath estate located on 1.83 Acres with 200 feet on Russell Creek. Luxurious accommodations including two master suites with imported Italian tile bathrooms, soaking tub and walk in showers, sitting porch, entertainment terrace, hot tub and landscaped grounds. For more information on reservations and rates go to www.russellcreekranch.com

Day 166: Hot Poop Record Store Day Free Concert

Washington State's oldest independent record store, Hot Poop, is celebrating National Record Store Day Saturday, April 16th with a day of free concerts in the parking lot behind their building. The event features a number of northwest musical groups. Back Stage Bistro will be on site with BBQ sandwiches, Pepsi, and chips. The concert will go from 10am to 6pm. National Record Store Day is one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. To qualify a store must be a retailer whose main primary business focuses on a  physical store location, whose product line consists of at least 50% music retail, whose company is not publicly traded and whose ownership is at least
70% located in the state of operation. Hot Poop is located at 210 E Main Street in Walla Walla.

Day 165: Milton Freewater Garden Club Sale

The Milton-Freewater Garden Club is celebrating their 75th year at their annual plant sale on Saturday, April 16th , 9am to 4pm. The sale will be held at the Milton-Freewater Community Building at 505 Ward Street. The club will be selling house plants and bedding plants. There will also be a new item this year called a Forever Flower. These are glass flowers that are made from dishes. A drawing will be held to win $10 worth of free plants and a one-year garden club membership. In addition, $1 donations will offer an opportunity to win a plant stand. In celebration of the club’s 75th year, cake will be served.

Day 164: Fat Duck Inn

Enjoy a delicious and relaxing five course dinner at The Fat Duck Inn. The Inn is located a few block from downtown Walla Walla at 527 Catherine Street. It occupies a lovely old Craftsman style residence nestled in a historic tree lined neighborhood. Guests may choose to stay in one of the Inns five suites or reserve a spot for a gourmet dinner in the Fat Ducks private dining room or garden patio. A superb Farm-to-Table Gourmet Dinner is prepared by their Chef at the Inn every Thursday through Sunday with one seating at 6:30. On April 15th the Inn will have a Fort Walla Walla Cellars Wine Maker dinner and on April 16th a Revelry Wine Maker dinner. The five course meal will be served with wine from the featured winery with the wine maker on site. Reservations are required. For more information on the Fat Duck Inn’s Special Event Weekends, see www.fatduckinn.com

Day 163: Healthy Kids Day

Make it a play date for the kids. The YMCA will host Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 16th. This nationally observed YMCA event is aimed at helping families to understand, accept and develop healthy lifestyles. This event is free. Families are invited to stop by the YMCA to participate in a number of fun supervised activities. Registration starts at 10:30 in the morning. Some of the events include a swim and run triathlon, musical hula hoop contest, jazz/hip hop dance, and a Walla Walla Sweets Baseball clinic. For Babys and Toddlers there will be a Diaper Dash and a Toddler Trot. For more information see website at

http://wwymca.org/events/healthy-kids-day

Day 162: Buddha's Guest House

Buddha’s Guest House… find out what everyone is talking about. Wednesday, April 13th from 4:30-6:30pm, the public is welcome to come and view Buddha at his unveiling & ribbon cutting. The guest house is located at 978 Hobson Street in Walla Walla. This three bedroom, two bath haven is nestled between two parks and is just four minutes from the heart of downtown Walla Walla. In addition to being close to everything, they offer on-site therapeutic massage and private yoga lessons. Donations will be taken at the open house event for the Red Cross Japan Relief Fund. For reservation information of Buddha’s Guest House see www.vrbo.com/333458

Day 161: Tour of Walla Walla

The Tour of Walla Walla Cycling Races are April 15th-17th. The Tour is a four-stage race which expects about 600 riders from the U.S. and Canada to compete in the three-day event. Friday the Waitsburg Road Race will be staged around 3pm at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds. Saturday afternoon and evening the bikers will be racing on the streets in Downtown Walla Walla. On Sunday the Kellogg Hollow Road Race will take place all day in Waitsburg. Staging will be at the Waitsburg Fairgrounds. There is a total of $12,500 in prizes that racers will have the opportunity to win. For more information go to www.tofww.org

Day 160: Vintage Cellars

Vintage Cellars is a great spot to enjoy some of the Walla Walla Valleys best wines. Vintage Cellars prides themselves on having more local wines on glass pour than any establishment in town featuring up to 10 different local wines daily. On Monday evenings at 7:30 is Open Mic Night. Sign up to play music or come to hear some great local talent. Vintage Cellars offers a delicious menu of appetizer plates. Sit out on their relaxing deck, inside near the bar, or upstairs in their comfortable seating area. Vintage Cellars is located at
10 N 2nd Avenue in Walla Walla. They are open Mondays 4-10pm. Tuesday-Thursday 3-10pm, Friday and Saturday 2pm-midnight.

Day: 159 Walts Fitness Center

Looking for a place to work out at a time that is convenient for you? Walts Fitness Center located at
1445 W Pine St, Walla Walla, is open 24/7 365 days a year. Complete with a wide variety of work out equipment and free weights. The gym offers private dressing rooms and bathrooms. There are many flat screen TVs located throughout where members have the ability to turn it to the programming of their choice. At Walt's you pay a low monthly fee and are not under a contract. For more information check out the website at http://www.waltfitness.com/index.htm

Day 158: Wine Tasting Ride

Meet at Allegro Cyclery (Spokane and Main Street, downtown Walla Walla) for a beautiful scenic ride to Walla Walla Vintners, Thursday April 14th at 4pm. Enjoy the spectacular view of the Blue Mountains and grape fields while tasting wine and enjoying local food. You can leave at your leisure or join the group for the ride back to Allegro Cyclery. The route is approximately 15 gentle miles. This is a free event. The public is invited to join the Tour of Walla Walla racers, spouses and friends. All ages are welcome. Must be 21 or older and have identification to wine taste.

For more information please contact bethswanson@charter.net or register online at www.tofww.org

Day 157: Ace Hardware

Make working in the yard fun this spring! ACE HARDWARE the "Helpul Place" where one stop has it all. Owned & Operated by Doug and Linda Henry - Ace Hardware of Walla Walla has something for all your indoor/outdoor needs. Ace is a fun place to shop for everyone in your home. Whether it is lawn and garden supplies, outdoor recreation or a new BBQ for the patio they carry them all. Working in the home? Ace carries Benjamin Moore paints, household tools and even a selection of housewares for the kitchen. All this and much more. So stop by and say hi to Doug, Linda or any of their very friendly staff and make going to the store fun again!

Day 156: Bunco-Junior Club of Walla Walla

Junior Club of Walla Walla presents its second annual Bunco Night fundraiser April 15th. With the price of the ticket Bunco players will receive dessert, cheeses, a glass of wine and the chance to win an assortment of prizes. The cost for the event is $20. The doors open at 6:30pm at St. Francis Banquet Hall on 722 West Alder Street in Walla Walla. Proceeds from the event will go toward several local non-profit organizations such as the Blue Mountain Humane Society, YWCA, Friends of Children of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Community Hospice, Habitat for Humanity and the Herring House, as well as scholarship funds for deserving local women. Tickets can be purchased from a Junior Club member, at Salumiere Cesario (20 N. 2nd Ave, Walla Walla) or by calling Marla Capra: 509-526-0383

Day 155: Whoopemup Hallow Cafe

Looking for a great spot to dine? Stop in at the Whoomemup Hallow Café for some southern comfort food. This great eatery is just a short drive from Walla Walla, located on

120 Main St

in Waitsburg. You will find great service and wonderful food. Save room for dessert because theirs is to die for. With springtime just around the corner it’s a perfect place to stop by on a nice afternoon and enjoy a glass of wine. Reservations are encouraged to call ahead of time to save your seat 509-337-9000. They are open Wed-Sun from 3:00pm-9:00pm.

Day 154: Pink Ball

Make pink your color of choice this weekend. The Pink Ball is Saturday April 9th, from 7-11pm at the Walla Walla Fairgrounds Pavilion. The Ball features dinner, cocktails, wine, runway show and dancing. Tickets to the 'Pink Ball' will be available at Impress and Four Feathered Sparrow. All proceeds go to J.U.G.S. - a nonprofit organization that benefits local cancer patients. Cost of tickets are $50,$75, or $100.

Day 153: Two Dollar Tuesdays

Bowlaway Lanes is offering "Two Dollar Tuesdays". Each Tuesday, bowlers can purchase a two dollar shoe rental, two dollar bowling games, two dollar soda, two dollar draft beer and two dollar basket of fries. This event is for all ages and goes from 5-9pm each Tuesday evening. Bowlaway Lanes is located at 411 Ash Street in Walla Walla.

Day 152: Antique Mall of Walla Walla

Enjoy looking at fine arts and antiques? Be sure to visit The Antique Mall of Walla Walla. Located at 315 South 9th Avenue, this antique mall offers over 5,000. square feet of area to look for a variety of treasures. In the mall you will find vintage clothing, books, home and garden décor, toys, artworks, western and fishing items, jewelry, plus much more. There are over 55 Artist display spaces where Artists have the opportunity to rent a space to display and sell their wares.




The Antique Mall of Walla is open 10:30am-5pm Tuesday through Friday and 10:30am-5:30PM on Saturdays.

Day 151: April Fools Event

April Fools day fun at the Milton-Freewater Public Library tonight. Don't miss the April Fool's Day edition of Oldies Night, Friday, April 1, beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be songs like "Fools Rush In" by Ricky Nelson, "A Fool Such as I" by Elvis Presley, and "The Fool on the Hill" by The Beatles.


Because some people like to fool others on April Fools day they will play "I Started a Joke" by the Bee Gees, "The Joker" by the Steve Miller Band, and "The Joker Went Wild" by Brian Hyland.

Since it is the month of April they will also by playing "April Love" by Pat Boone, "Pieces of April" by Three Dog Night, and "April Come She Will" by Simon and Garfunkel.

There is no charge for this event, just free music, free memories, and free fun!