1. Easter bouquets
Hop up to Woodland for an adventure in tulips, as the Woodland Tulip Festival kicks off Easter weekend. Though the tulips can be visited anytime through the month of April, the festival features activities, music, vendors and treats from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 15-16 and 22-23 at Holland America Flower Gardens, 1066 S. Pekin Road, Woodland. Musician and entertainer Michael John will perform from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; Avi Haviv performs on Sunday. Photography is encouraged, with giant wooden shoes, an enchanted carriage and hundreds of tulips ready for their close-up. Flowers will be available to create your own bouquets. Admission is free. 360-225-4512 or http://hollandamericaflowergardens.com
2. Day and night
Junior Ranger Day invites intrepid youngsters to learn about the National Park Service and become a Junior Ranger. Kids of all ages can take part in hand-on activities to earn a ranger badge by completing a booklet available at the reconstructed Fort Vancouver, Pearson Air Museum and the visitor center. The activities are aimed at ages 6 to 12, though the event is open to all from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 15. There will be bilingual, interactive storytelling sessions at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E. Fifth St., Vancouver. Admission is free for ages 15 and younger, $5 for adults at the reconstructed fort. 360-816-6246 or www.nps.gov/fova/learn/news/juniorrangerday2017.htm
Be sure to return as the sun sets for the Yuri’s Night World Space Party from 5 to 9 p.m. April 15 at the air museum, 1115 E. Fifth St. Vancouver. It’s a commemoration of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human to travel into outer space, completing an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961. The local celebration will feature space-themed activities for all. If weather permits, children can design and launch their own water-powered rockets. Tom Billings, the president of the Oregon L5 Society, will present a lecture titled “NASA and New Space: Going Outward Together.” The event will conclude with a star-gazing tour of the park from 8 to 9 p.m., led by a park ranger and certified star guide, depending on the weather.
3. Video games
BetaCon is a new video game and technology expo which strives to bring together gamers, technology fans, educators and creators. Attendees can try new game titles, meet designers, artists and developers, compete in contests and more. Speakers will give a variety of panel talks on subjects including retro games, creative development and a live art battle. Participants include Insomniac Games, Sony, Intel, Wacom, Nike, Liquid Development, Kumoricon and more. The convention is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 15 and 16. Oregon Convention Center, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland. Tickets are $13.50 to $15, $22.50 to $25 for weekend pass, $40 to $50 for VIP, free for ages 6 and younger. http://betacon.org
