NW Navy News

Looking for something fun to do with the kids in the weeks remaining before school starts again for the fall? Communities all over the Puget Sound area offer free summer activities, many of which happen year after year.

Here are some best bets coming up:

• County and state fairs - They're not free all the time but watch for special discounts or free admission days for the military. Skagit County Fair runs Aug. 12-15 (free admission for all 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 12, military discount day is Aug. 15), Island County Fair in Langley runs Aug. 13-16 (discounted admission daily with military ID), Kitsap County Fair in Silverdale runs Aug. 26-30 (military day with free admission is Aug. 26), Evergreen State Fair in Monroe runs Aug. 27-Sept. 7 (armed forces day with free admission is Sept. 4), and the Puyallup Fair runs Sept. 11-27 (military appreciation days with free admission each Monday).
• Free movies and concerts in the park - Snohomish County sponsors movies on Thursdays and concerts on Sundays at Willis D. Tucker Community Park through Aug. 23.
• Blackberry Festival - The annual festival on the Bremerton waterfront, Sept. 5-7 this year, is a great, free way to mark the end of summer.
• The great outdoors - One of the best things about living in the Northwest is the beautiful surroundings. Use the Washington Trails Association hiking guide and trip reports to find a hike. If you have young children, check out the list of kid-friendly hikes too. Some locations require a Northwest Forest Pass. Entrance to the state's National Parks may also require a fee, but you can take advantage of the last of the National Park Service's fee-free weekends Aug. 15-16.

For more events around the Seattle area, check the list of free summer concerts from the Seattle Times. The Enterprise newspapers in south Snohomish and north King counties have lists of free movies, as well as concerts and plays.

The Kitsap Sun also maintains a festivals page on its Web site with coverage and information about regular community events, while The Herald in Everett publishes an annual summer activity guide called Splash. The Coachman Inn has the major annual events on Whidbey Island covered.

Have other ideas for free summer fun? Please share them with a comment here.