This Pacific Northwest neck of the woods must be one of the greenest-minded places in the country.

This past weekend, the world’s largest green living event came to Seattle as the city hosted the first of four Green Festivals slated for 2008. (See www.greenfestivals.org)

The Festival, in its seventh year, packed thousands of people into the Washington State Convention Center hosting 150 speakers and 300 local and national businesses selling and promoting eco-friendly products and causes during its first-ever stop in Seattle.

The Green Festivals are billed as “parties with a purpose.”

Across the Sound and North on the Kitsap peninsula to Kingston, Stillwaters Environmental Center is hosting another eco-centric party with a purpose this weekend — EcoFest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 19 at Stillwaters, 26059 Barber Cut Off Road in Kingston.

With organizers expecting a crowd of 300-500 (depending on the weather), it’s billed as “the most exciting way to celebrate Earth Day in North Kitsap.”

And it’s free.

Along with more than 35 environmentally friendly booths, presentations and hands-on activities — ranging from talks on climate change to solar power, electric cars to buying food locally and kids building “habitat huts” — there’s also a slate of entertainment including Kel Schmitz’ folksy blues, the Carpenter Creek Chorus, the Stillwaters Frog Chorus and Fiddle Tunes scheduled, in addition to a visit from Orion the Great Horned Owl and the annual Stillwaters Native Plant Sale (with all plants priced from $5-$25).

For a full schedule and more info, see the Web site — www.stillwatersenvironmental

center.org — or call Naomi at (360) 297-2876. WU

The Kingston Farmers Market kicks off from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 19 at Mike Wallace Park near the Port of Kingston Marina downtown.

Shuttles from EcoFest to the farmers market will be provided.

The market will run every Saturday throughout the summer. www.kingston

farmersmarket.com or call (360) 297-7683.