Unique mix of indoor and outdoor activities in the South Okanagan this weekend

PENTICTON – There’s a wide variety of unique events taking place in the South Okanagan this weekend, from the physical rigours of the Freak’n Farmer race to the more sedentary activity of bird watching.

The Freak’n Farmer Adventure Obstacle Race is an iconic Okanagan event set on a 600-acre farm near Oliver, containing obstacles of nature and those created in the minds of the race designers.

Participants can join in the fun as a team, an individual, or by being a spectator. There’s a race for everyone from a mini race for ages three to six, to adults.

The Freak’n Farmer runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at Covert Farms, 300 Covert Pl. north of Oliver. For more details, see the Hoodoo Adventures website.

The Arts Rising Festival gets underway today, Sept. 21 and runs through to Sunday, Sept. 23. The three-day festival celebrating community and the arts includes a Friday night art walk in Penticton, healing art in the Leir House Gardens on Sunday and more. See the Penticton and District Community Arts Council website here for more information.

Penticton Speedway action continues on Saturday with a 3 p.m. start of the Drifters OK Round 2. See the Drifters webpage for more information.

The 7th annual Okanagan Vinyl Fest is a single day event taking place on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Penticton Seniors Drop In Centre.

Vendors offer new and used vinyl LPs and 45s, as well as cassette tapes, 8-track tapes, CDs and DVDs. Peach City Radio will be collecting non-perishable food items for donation to the Penticton Food Bank. For more information, see the Peach City Community Radio website.

The Friends of the Gardens host their fall plant sale on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is a workshop starting at 9 a.m. with coffee and refreshments available. The sale takes place at the Summerland Ornamental Gardens in Summerland.

The Okanagan Symphony presents the The Three Bs on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Cleland Community Theatre. Guest artist Jane Coop will be on piano as the symphony performs Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. Tickets are available at 1-888-974-9170, or in person at the Shatford Centre.

The Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance presents its fourth annual Bird Migration Day open house at the Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory on Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. Watch birds being banded, go on a guided walk and learn about bird migration with interpreters on site. The observatory is located three kilometres south of Okanagan Falls.

The Penticton Farmers' Market and the Downtown Community Market are operating on Saturday, starting at 8:30 a.m. The Farmer's Market runs until 1 p.m., while the Community Market is open until 2 p.m.

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