HarvestFEST is coming to Gig Harbor!!

HarvestFEST '09 is an annual event that celebrates the farming heritage on the Key Peninsula - Come out for the FREE family fun celebration of the farming heritage of the region this weekend, Saturday October 3rd. The festival includes a Farm Tour, Fiber Arts Show, Wine Tasting, and a Cornucopia Dinner Dance. The Farm Tour also offers the opportunity to meet local farmers, observe their farms, see how food is grown and observe farm lifestyles and shop for pumpkins and other products, interact with farm animals and more. Tour hours are 10 am to 4 pm. For more information and map information visit http://www.piercecountywa.org/harvestfest The HarvestFEST is located all through out the Gig Harbor Key Peninsula area.

TIME AGAIN FOR THE GREAT PUMPKIN

The tradition of choosing a pumpkin is, for many young families, a fall tradition that can often be a full day excursion. I challenge Gig Harbor this year to think about making your pumpkin tradition a local one.

Finding small ways to support the local economy and help keep our businesses alive, all while saving gas and staying close to home, is a simple thing to do. Simple, because we have two fabulous Pumpkin Patch locations right here in Gig Harbor.

Patterson's Market Pumpking Patch - HOME OF THE JOLLY PUMPKIN - opens on October 1st and is open every day through the 31st from 9am-8pm. Hundreds, and hundreds of pumpkins in every shape, size and color as well as cider and other yummy fall treats are available. The thing that makes this a great family outing however, is the effort that the Patterson's put into FREE kids games (such a bowling, fishing and rubber duck race), FREE bounce house, and FREE prizes. Free is always good, especially during these tough times. Buy your pumpkin local, have a fun, free family event, and support our local merchants. Reach Patterson's at (253) 851-8144.

Peninsula Gardens opens its Pumpkin Patch on Saturday October 3rd. This year Peninsula Gardens will have the Patch open to everyone on Saturday's and Sundays and during the week for school group excursions. Pumpkins of every size for the little gouls and boys to the biggest are available at Peninsula Gardens. While you are there you can also pick up great Halloween decorations for your home, fall and winter flowers and plants and much more. http://www.peninsulagardens.com/

Have a Gig Harbor Halloween this year and have fun at our local merchants.

http://www.gigharborguide.com/

CHOWDER COOK OFF THIS SATURDAY IN GIG HARBOR

Don't miss the Gig Harbor Chowder Cook Off at the Gig Harbor Farmers Market this coming Saturday September 26th. The 9th annual event features chowders from area restaurants competing against each other for the BEST CHOWDER title for 2009.

Chowder is free for guests and tasting begins at 11am. Awards will be given out by Master of Ceremonies Mayor Chuck Hunter around 1PM.

Saturday is the final day of the 2009 Gig Harbor Farmers Market, so lots ot celebrate and enjoy on a sunny fall weekend in Gig Harbor.

http://www.gigharborfarmersmarket.com/

BLAZING ONION IS BLAZING FUNION!

So happy to have another new restaurant in Gig Harbor - the Blazing Onion opened last week and my husband and I had a great dinner there yesterday.

So here is the scoop. Kinda like a Red Robin, kinda like The Tides, kinda like Billy McHales, but all that said - really not like any of those at all. It's a great concept that will certainly be a hit for restaurant starved Gig Harborites!

We walked in the door, where you actually place your order before you sit down...but don't be confused - its not a fast food joint. However, while we were waiting a really nice young lady asked us if we wanted to sit in the bar, where it was full service. Well that was a no-brainer, given it was just me and my husband. So if you want to sit in the regular restaurant you order when you come in, but in the bar you have a seat and get a server. Well that's definitely different but it worked for us.

We had a great table right next to the huge open window with the gorgeous Sunday sun streaming in. I counted a total of 12 big screen T.V.'s in the joint, all with the Seahawks on and lots of fun crowd interaction with the game. Noisy but in a fun way.

Our server, Crystal, was attentive and friendly and helped us navigate the giant menu which includes much more than burgers. Next time I visit I will try one of the seafood entrees or the steak salad, but for today it was all about the gourmet burger menu.

My husband I and both ordered burgers and we split them. We had the California Bacon Burger, which was great, with a nice thick slab of bacon and yummy guacamole too. But my favorite was the Wild Boar Burger. The meat was excellent and moist, but the over the top ingredient was the delicious coleslaw on the burger and the signature BOB sauce. Crystal explained the sauce has 27 ingredients, but can best be described as a cross between BBQ sauce, Ketchup and Mayonnaise. It was delicious.

Unlimited fries come with the burger, and lots of drink choices from beer to mixed drinks and of course non-alcoholic beverages too were available.

The decor is beautiful and our server told us it has been very crowded...but I totally recommend checking out Gig Harbor's newest addition - the Blazing Onion in Uptown Gig Harbor!! Welcome to owners Dave and Lori Jones and all the great staff. www.blazingonion.com

GET READY FOR THE CHUM!

Those of you who know me know that I cut my teeth as both an event planner and marketing director as the Executive Director of the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival back in the early '90's. That event still holds a special place in my heart, and in its 40th year it is one of the largest and best organized festivals in the state.

So, three years ago when local fisherman Paul Ancich proposed to me an event for Gig Harbor called Donkey Creek Chum Festival, I felt right in my comfort zone. And it made perfect sense for a community like Gig Harbor to acknowledge and celebrate our local chum that run up Donkey Creek, and the local fisherman's club that has kept that creek alive for returning salmon since 1972.

That first year I proposed to Paul that the fisherman work hand in hand with local environmental group - not always a partnership you expect. But I was convinced that the two groups have the same goal; healthy fish in a healthy Puget Sound. And thus was born a great event in our community that celebrates the fact that "It Takes a Fish to Raise a Village", the slogan for the Donkey Creek Chum Festival. Now about a dozen local groups and organizations work through out the year to make this event a success for all.

Don't miss this great, free event on Saturday October 10th from 10am-5pm. This year, located at the parking lot of the new Harbor History Museum, the event includes Kayak races, lots of interesting and educational booths, kids activities and Chum Burgers cooked by the Gig Harbor Commercial Fisherman's Club.

Learn and love your community at the Donkey Creek Chum Festival! http://www.gigharborguide.com/

Gig Harbor Welcomes New Boys and Girls Club

I've lived in Gig Harbor for more than 15 years, and I remember hearing rumors when we first came to this community that a Boys and Girls Club was on the horizon. At that time, rumors also included that a second Narrows Bridge would be built, that a hospital was proposed and a YMCA was coming.

Wow. I think we done good! On October 1st, the Jim and Carolyn Milgard Family HOPE Center and Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget will be dedicated at 8502 Skansie Avenue, Gig Harbor WA 98332. The facility will open to the public on October 5th.

The Boys and Girls Club has several partners in the facility including Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, Peninsula Athletic Association, and an Active Adult Center (senior center).

The facility will offer progams for kids including sports, performing arts and arts and crafts as well as computer classes, environmental classes as well as gardening.

It's a state of the art facility, a beautifully constructed building that will further enhance the great community we live in. Find out more at http://www.bg-clubs.com/

TIDES TAVERN PAIRS WITH SEVEN SEAS FOR EVENT

Gig Harbor's favorite Tides Tavern is hosting a Beer and Dinner Pairing, featuring beer from Gig Harbor's new brewery, Seven Seas!

If you have yet to visit Seven Seas Brewery, right next door to the INN at Gig Harbor, here is your chance to sip a few with your old friends at the Tides.

Jooin the fun on Thursday September 24th at 5:30PM. For $50 you will get four yummy courses and four different beer pairings. Here's the menu;

5:30PM Stand Up Small Plates including Fondue, Baked Clams and Mussels, Smoked Salmon Canapes, Dungeness Crab Crostini - Paired with Seven Seas British Pale Ale

6:00PM Sit Down dinner of Spring greens. pear. parmesan and spiced pecan salad with champagne vinaigrette - paired with Seven Seas Cutt's Ale followed by Dijon mint cursted roasted leg of lamb with au-jus and cambazola butter, served with horseradish chive potato gaullet - Paired with Seven Seas Double IPA.

To finish enjoy choclate hazelnut torte with Belgian white and dark chocolate sauces and chambord raspberry glaze - Paired with Tides Porter.

What a perfect fall menu and a great way to learn about Gig Harbor's new brewery Seven Seas, in a familiar and fun place like The Tides Tavern.

Reservations are requested so call today (253) 858-3982

http://www.gigharborguide.com/