Hermiston lavender festival to raise money for charities

If you want to experience the heady, heavenly aromatic scent of Pacific Northwest lavender, then head to the Purple Ridge Lavender Festival in Hermiston next Saturday.

This is the seventh year for the festival, organized by Jim and Sheri Konningrud to raise money for two area charities.

Their 4-acre Victorian farm has more than 2,000 plants and 10 varieties laid out in row upon row in a beautiful garden setting.

“Lavender is capable of being used in so many ways,” said Sheri Konningrud. “The festival is a way for people to experience the cool and calming effect. The flowers will be peaking and you can stroll through it, enjoy the smells of the many varieties, taste food cooked with it, and drink cool refreshing teas made with it.”

The festival is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 24. Activities include sessions with Master Gardeners, several Northwest artists and photographers, artisan jewelry, a Henna artist and Auntie Ida’s Quilt challenge.

There will be music with BPD Power Duo at 10 a.m., Cruise Control from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Bobby Nelson and Faith Martin 3 to 5 p.m.

And a demonstration of how lavender oils are distilled and hydrosols are produced is planned.

Penelope V. Pendragon, The Wishing Faery, will be available all day, entertaining and teaching children about the power of positive thoughts with her stories of how to care and feed fairies and enjoy their imaginations in play with the Whimsical Wish Wagon.

Whether you want a chair massage, to try some lavender lemonade, to make a lavender wand or head home with live plants for your garden, the festival offers a variety of activities. Craft beer tasting and food vendors are also planned.

Cost is $10 per person, $12 with the beer tasting. Children under 12 are free.

Proceeds go to the Agape House Food Bank and to Martha’s House Shelter.

This story was originally published June 18, 2017 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Hermiston lavender festival to raise money for charities."