by Grow Northwest

Spring is for projects, plans, plants, and go-time for local home and garden shows. Here is a look at some of the local shows coming up this month.

Want to give back in a fun way while you’re enjoying the Whatcom Home and Garden Show? Head to the Habitat for Humanity booth to “Sign A Stud” that will help build the home currently being built in Sudden Valley. The cost to sign a stud is $1, or sponsor a stud for $5, with all proceeds benefitting Habitat for Humanity. COURTESY PHOTO

Whatcom Home and Garden Show

The 40th annual Whatcom County Home and Garden Show takes place Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3. Over 150 vendors  will be on site offering home building, gardening, and interior design services at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden. Organized by the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County, the event includes a Speaker Series presenting information from local businesses and organizations, as well as door prizes, local music, and beer and wine.

The Speaker Series lineup is as follows.

Friday, March 1: Hidden Treasures: Free Art and Home Decor Appraisals, with Franny Erikson of Eartha Kittys Estate Sales, noon; Insider Tips on Using Local Flowers, with Natalie Ransom of Pozie by Natalie, 2:30 p.m.; Enrichment with Celeste Patten of the The Clever Canine, 3:45 p.m.

Saturday, March 2: 2019 Trends with Solveig, Urban Collective, 11:30 a.m.; Solar Updates with Dana Brandt, Ecotech Solar, 1 p.m.; Backyard Chickens for Beginners, with Dalia Monterroso, The President of Chickenlandia, 2:30 p.m.; and Water Filtration & Rain Catchment Systems, with CJ Huxford of Northwest Rain Solutions, 4 p.m.

Sunday, March 3: Garden Solutions from Around The World with Marianne Binetti, noon; Garden Jeopardy, with Antoni Stevens of My Garden Nursery, 1:15 p.m.; The Whatcom/Skagit Bonsai Society with George Berkompas, 2:30 p.m.

Show hours are Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 Front Street, Lynden. Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors 55 and over, and free for kids 16 and under. For more information see www.whatcomhomeshow.com.

Everett Home and Garden Show

The annual Everett Home and Garden Show runs Friday through Sunday, March 8-10 at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. Show hours are Friday noon to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $7 per adult, $6.50 seniors, military/families with ID $2 each, and free for kids 16 and under. Local professionals will lead gardening and home improvement workshops. For the complete schedule, see www.everetthomegardenshow.com.

SICBA Home and Garden Show

The 39th annual SICBA Home & Garden Show will be held Friday through Sunday, March 22-24 at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon, featuring over 120 indoor and outdoor booths. SICBA’s Home and Garden Show includes the annual Playhouse Challenge, with playhouses created by five builders being raffled off for local charities. Tickets are $5 apiece. To view participating builders and where to purchase tickets, see sicba.org and click on Home and Garden Show. The drawing for the playhouse winners will be Sunday at 2:15 p.m. in the Pavilion.

Saturday’s seminars include Adorable Décor on a Dime with Linda Larsen at 11 a.m. and Ask Ciscoe Anything with Ciscoe Morris at noon.

New this year, SICBA has added Make & Take classes, including  calligraphy, create a succulent garden, paint a canvas or paint a palette for your home. In addition, a cider and spirits tasting event will be Saturday night from 3-7 p.m.

Kids’ activities include a Lego® Build Contest for ages 5-12 and Birdhouse Building. Registration for the lego contest is free, but must be done in advance. There are two groups, 5-8 years old and 9-12 years old. Each group will have 30 minutes to build a “building.” Everyone gets the same lego building set to construct their building. To be classified as a building, it must have a space for a door. Winners will be announced March 24 in the Pavilion at 2 p.m. Birdhouse supplies will be available for kids on Saturday and Sunday, and participants take home completed birdhouses.

Hours are Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $7 per adult, $5 per military, $5 per senior, and free for kids 15 and under. For more information and a full schedule, see sicba.org.