Words of wisdom for Whaling Days

One of the changes coming to this year’s Whaling Days this weekend is the festival’s beer garden will now be a non-smoking.

On a related note, law enforcement will be on the hunt for drunken drivers.

Washington state’s 2005 smoking ban, which outlawed smoking in all public businesses and places of employment, applies to outdoor beer gardens but has never been enforced, according to Whaling Days organizers.

A separate designated smoking spot will be available for smokers at the festival.

Other changes at the beer garden include a price hike in beer from $3 to $4. The cover charge remains $1. The garden will also add Silver City Brewery’s Ridgetop Red to its usual beer offerings.

Local law enforcement agencies will have a DUI emphasis patrol in Central Kitsap Friday night in anticipation of impaired drivers leaving Whaling Days.

“We want people to attend Whaling Days and enjoy the festival,” said Marsha Masters of the Kitsap County Traffic Safety Task Force. “But we also want people to be safe.”

Whaling Days officials also discourage attendees from parking in Old Town Silverdale, recommending drivers park at the Kitsap Mall. Street closures near the festival will leave limited parking spaces and illegally parked cars will be towed.

Kitsap Transit buses will operate on normal schedules and will offer rides from the Kitsap Mall to the festival every hour on the half hour until 8:30 p.m. Friday and from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Kitsap Transit does not operate Sundays. The No. 12 Silverdale bus will take riders from the Kitsap Mall to Silverdale Way and Byron Street. The Kitsap Transit fare is $2 each way for adults and children older than 6.

Agate Pass Transportation will provide shuttle service between Kitsap Mall’s north parking lot and Safeway area to Whaling Days on Pacific Avenue. The fare is $2 round trip and shuttles will run from 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Disabled parking is limited. It can be found on McConnell Avenue south of Lowell Street and on Washington Avenue on the west side of street between Carlton St. and Lowell St.

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