Renaissance Fair back in Moscow this weekend

The 51st Moscow Renaissance Fair returns to Moscow this weekend at East City Park, 900 E. Third St.

The free fair, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, includes more than 100 craft vendors, food vendors and a beer garden, by Shattuck Brewing Company.

Food vendors this year will be a combination of nonprofit fundraising booths and commercial vendors, to help meet the demand for concessions, longtime organizer Arlene Falcon shared in a Ren Fair news release. The fair’s zero-waste goal remains, with food vendors required to use compostable serving products.

Music, always a staple of the event, will go on, even with the bandshell disassembled after it was discovered to be in need of major repairs. The Peter Basoa Memorial Stage is still functional, according to the news release, with the city of Moscow assisting with a canopy, in case of rain.

The traditional maypole dance will happen at 1 p.m. both days, followed by a costume contest at 1:45, with cash prizes.

More details are at moscowrenfair.org and in today’s print version of Inland 360 magazine, also online at inland360.com.

‘Get Dirty’ event Saturday at University of Idaho

A groundbreaking for a new native plant garden in a 4,000-square-foot lawn on the University of Idaho campus is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Residents who would like to attend the event and volunteer are invited to gather at the UI steam plant at 550 Line St., Moscow.

The event, dubbed “Get Dirty,” is organized by the Paradise Audubon Society in partnership with the Student Sustainability Cooperative at UI.

Volunteers will replace an existing grass lawn near West Park Elementary School with native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers.

For more information, visit uidaho.campuslabs.com/engage/event/10120180.

Free cooking class scheduled at Gritman Medical Center

A free cooking class sponsored by Gritman Medical Center and the Moscow Food Co-op will be at 4 p.m. May 9 on the second floor of the C.L. Gritman Medical Office Building at 803 S. Main St., Moscow.

Valerie Branson, a registered dietitian nutritionist, and Todd Unger, food services director from Gritman, will teach the one-hour class titled “Wholesome Creations Cooking Class.” It will incorporate some ingredients from the Moscow Food Co-op.

The cooking demonstration will include a Moroccan chicken salad bowl; blueberry honey citrus salon and green chile cheese fries. Food samples and recipe cards will be available for attendees. Seating is limited and class registration is available by email at communityrelations@gritman.org.

Finch earns statewide community service award

Kris Finch, a Realtor at RE/MAX Home and Land in Pullman, was recently named the winner of the 2024 Washington Realtors Community Service Award.

Finch was presented the award April 17 during the state Realtor association’s spring business conference in Tacoma, Wash.

Finch is a board member for Palouse Habitat for Humanity, a member of the city of Pullman’s Housing Workgroup, and volunteers for Circles of Caring, P.E.O. Chapter DW, and the United Way of Whitman County, in addition to serving as president of the Whitman County Association of Realtors.