KINGSTON — It’s a sure sign in the Little City by the Sea that warm weather is on the way with the first official weekend of the Kingston Farmer’s Market, the opening of boating season and, more recently, the floral concoctions that have appeared on the old-fashioned lightpoles around town.

Kingston Revitalization Association members, North Kitsap Fire & Rescue firefighters and Port of Kingston employees hung 140 flower baskets on the 70 dark green lightpoles throughout greater Kingston May 13 as part of KRA’s annual beautification project.

The baskets are filled with biddens, several types of purple and pink solid-colored and veined petunias and lamium greenery.

Many of the hangings are also accompanied by a tag, which shows that particular basket’s sponsor. KRA chair Karen Ross said not all of the baskets have been sponsored and she is still looking people to help finance them.

The plastic tags are temporary but the group is working with Kitsap County to either place permanent plaques on the lampposts or tiles on the sidewalk with sponsors’ names and messages.

Ross also encourages those who requested baskets for certain lightpoles to check and make sure they are in the right spot.

While the baskets have been hung and the flowers are starting to bloom, the group’s work isn’t done — the plantings need to be watered ever y day and Ross is still looking for volunteers.

“It’s actually a fun kind of thing to do,” she said, noting that the volunteers get to ride the Port of Kingston “Gator,” and use KRA’s new 150-gallon water tank. “It’s like an all-terrain-vehicle. It goes pretty fast.”

With the organization’s fund-raising in the past year, members were able to purchase enough baskets for every old-fashioned lightpole in town, which includes the fixtures on Central Avenue, Highway 104 in downtown Kingston, Lindvog Avenue, West Kingston Road and West 1st Street.