Trucks, trinkets make for a full weekend

Touch-A-Truck, Art Festival ring in summer

shopping and excitement.

POULSBO — A cacophony of horns in all different octaves sounded amid the scurry of cars and shoppers in the Poulsbo Village parking lot Saturday morning.

The 20th annual Touch-A-Truck rolled into town, giving little ones the chance to check out the driver’s seats of some of their favorite vehicles. Above the din, buses, fire engines, police cars — even a Navy dive boat and covered wagon — were chrome shined and open for business, their crews on hand to answer questions and take photos with excited visitors.

Poulsbo Police Officer Bill Henson was recruiting junior officers, handing out stickers at the event. He said the crowd — even bigger than last year’s — had great responses to the police SUV on display. He said the event is a chance for kids to learn not just about the machines, but the careers they involve.

“I think this is a good way for kids to get in there and who knows,” he said, gesturing toward the young crowd, “future police officers.”

Four-year-old Damoni McKenna-Greenawalt, in from Tobago visiting family with mom Martha Greenawalt, found an affinity for one of the Poulsbo Fire Department’s rigs, and even got to try on some fire fighting gear.

“He loves trucks so much,” Greenawalt said. “Normally you can’t touch them.”

Simultaneously, the 21st annual Poulsbo Arts Festival drew crowds into downtown, a slight breeze cooling a bona fide dog day afternoon. But shoppers and artists didn’t shy from the sun; Waterfront Park and the nearby port were buzzing with activity as live music and activity abounded. Even the Viking statue standing in honor of Maurice Lindvig on Poulsbo’s front lawn sported some wares from the show — a Fresh Hat ensemble.

Vendors brandished goods of all kinds: jewelry, clothing, copper and wood workings and plenty of photographs and paintings of the Northwest’s favorite natural and man made features.

Western Washington University students set up a Children’s Art Activity Section, where kids painted fort-sized refrigerator boxes in bright, summertime shades.

The Poulsbo Arts Festival was sponsored by the Cultural Arts Foundation Northwest. To learn more about the foundation’s other events, visit www.cafnw.org.

Contact North Kitsap Herald Reporter Jennifer Morris at jmorris@northkitsapherald.com or 360-779-4464.

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