1. Give in to beer pressure
The Northbank Beer Week Kickoff, 6 to 11 p.m. Sept. 5, marks the start of 10 days of beer events from the Long Beach Peninsula to Goldendale, Wash. 3Peaks Public House and Taproom, 24415 N.E. 10th Ave., Ridgefield, will offer beer on tap from all 36 breweries participating in Northbank Beer Week, showcasing the best that the north bank of the Columbia River has to offer in malty, hoppy goodness. Clark County makes a strong showing. The roster includes 18 brewers from Vancouver, four from Battle Ground, two from Ridgefield, two from Camas and three from Washougal. To see every brewer on the list and find out what’s happening at each location, visit northbankbeerweek.com.
2. Weekend wined down
Are you sad because summer’s ending? Console yourself with a glass or two of wine during the Labor Day Weekend Wine Tour, happening from roughly noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. Sample top vintages at each location on this free, self-guided tour and meet the winemakers. Some establishments will also offer small plates and appetizers, live music and discounts on wine by the glass and by the bottle. Pick up a “passport” at participating wineries; visit five or more wineries, collect a stamp at each and leave the passport at the last winery, to be entered in a drawing for prizes. Times and prices vary at each location; visit www.swwawine.com for hours and details.
3. Sweet treats
Satisfy your sweet tooth during Treat Day at the Cedar Creek Grist Mill in the sun-dappled woods east of Woodland at 43907 N.E. Grist Mill Road. Drop in any time from noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 31 to enjoy complimentary cookies, cakes, muffins or scones made from whole wheat flour ground on-site at one of the country’s only functional water-powered grain-grinding mills. (You can even take a bag of flour home with you — still warm from the grinding — along with recipes for the goodies you’ve sampled.) Your furry BFF deserves a treat, too; pick up a few stone-ground biscuits for Bowser. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. www.cedarcreekgristmill.org
4. The long and winding road
There’s a new exhibit at the Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver, that will make you think about the roads you’ve traveled — and have yet to travel as our country grows. “Currents of Progress — Clark County Rivers, Roads and Ports,” with an opening reception 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 5, uses interpretative panels, historical objects and interactive stations to reveal the living history of our transportation systems. See the shovel used for the groundbreaking of the 1917 Interstate Bridge, try to work a telegraph and take a selfie in a tugboat captain’s chair. Admission is $5; seniors and students are $4; children under 18 are $3. 360-993-5679 or cchmuseum.org
