PORT GAMBLE — The quiet lumbermill town of Port Gamble will be alive and jumping this weekend as regional artists come out of the woodwork to display their talents while offering the public a chance to get creative.

The 43rd Annual North Kitsap Arts and Crafts Fair gets underway this Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with more than 125 crafters, artists, sculptors and photographers displaying their work. The event, sponsored by Olympic Resource Management, is the largest arts festival in Kitsap County.

Local musicians will also be contributing to the artsy fray on the green; including Steve Duster, Farragut Brass Band, Kitsap Banjo Band, Home Town Band, Prohibition Jazz Band and the Rick Allyn Band.

Town Criers Judy Jewell and Andy Hansen will be calling out each event during the three-day weekend to let people know what’s going on, said Lynn Terry, a member of the art committee.

“(They are there) to tell the different events because there are some things that are going on at the same time around the fair,” Terry said. “So people will be aware of what’s going on.”

Artwork will come from some of the region’s best with an open show and a juried exhibit, both at the Walker Ames House. The photography exhibit will be held at the Masonic Hall.

The open show will feature artists who have contributed their work for display, while the juried exhibit features artists who submitted their works back in June and were pre-selected for the by jurors. Barbara Pitts, Dianna Shyne, Mark Stevenson, Ken Kramer and Jim Martin are this year’s judges and will make their final decisions on Thursday, July 25.

But the public won’t be left out of the process, either. Voters will select artist worthy of the “Viewers’ Choice Award.”

The festival will also honor the recipients of its art scholarships, awarding $16,000 in scholarships and renewals for 2002. Their work will be displayed at the Port Gamble Post Office.

The recipients for 2002 are: Jamison Rogayan (North Kitsap Arts and Crafts Scholarship and North Kitsap Herald Scholarship), Landon Acohido (Artist’s Edge-Poulsbo Scholarship and Vern Swanson Memorial Scholarship) Sarah Fulford (Patty Williams Memorial Scholarship) and Stefanie Purdy (North Kitsap Arts and Crafts Scholarship). The recipients for the 2001 renewal scholarships are: Joshua Parke (Alford University, New York), Jay Oost (Williamette University, Salem, Oregon), Tristin Limpo (Olympic College, Bremerton) and Maureen O’Leary (Eastern Washington University).

Not only does the money from the fair go toward the scholarships, but it also helps bring art awareness to local elementary schools through the art docent program.

“(We) give the money to elementary school docents,” Terry said. The docent program involves volunteers who go into classrooms every month to show an art piece the group has paid for.

“There are a set of prints that gives an overview of art history that goes with the grade level. The docent shows the art work then the docent or the room teacher will have an art activity that goes along with the pictures. It’s a way to raise art awareness in elementary schools,” she added.

Most vendors and events at the fair will be along Rainier Avenue, View Drive and on the green in between Rainier Avenue and Puget Way.

New events will be up and running this year, including the performance of Animal Crackers by Nancy Stewart — an award winning musician and performer who has worked with Burl Ives, Bill Cosby and Lily Tomlin, Stewart will be performing on Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Intuitive Body Painting will be taking place all weekend on the green, involving different ways to paint with the body.

“A big expansive roll of butcher paper will be spread out and then the person will have different paint applicators (on them),” Terry said. “Bouncy music will be played and the person will paint to the music… its expressing music through movement.”

Tim Lowell will be helping folks create stepping stones, providing the materials, including the mixes, molds stones and colored glass to create a personalized piece for the garden.

The crowd will be graced with the coloratura soprano voice of Kathy Engelstad on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. on the green. Her resume includes performing with the Bremerton Symphony, Kitsap Opera and the Gig Harbor-Harbor Key Peninsula Arts Commission. Engelstad will be singing various selections, including show tunes.

Festival-goers will have a chance (or many chances depending on the pocketbook) to win a watercolor from Libby Sullivan, a local painter. Tickets will be sold at the Walker Ames House and cost $1 each or six for $5. The drawing will be at 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, right before the festival ends. Ticket holders do not need to be present to win.

The Children’s Corner will be up and running again on the corner of View Drive and Rainier Avenue. Kids can participate in a drawing contest and learn how to play the banjo from Mike and Barbara Zowloski between 1-2 p.m. on Saturday. But everyone can enjoy the Children’s Mural, encouraging kids of all ages to display their creative forces.